A Tutorial for Beginners

 Texas Hold'em Poker Tutorial for Beginners

Texas Hold'em Poker – An Introduction to the World's Most Popular Poker Game

Texas Hold 'em Poker is very simple to learn and play. It's a friendly game that encourages conversation and allows you to get to know your fellow players. In this blog, I will show beginners the basics of Texas Hold'em Poker.

Texas Hold 'em poker can be played by anywhere from two to ten people. The big and small blinds are the first two players that are left of the dealer. They must make forced bets (or blinds) to ensure there's always money in a pot. Each hand will see the dealer button move clockwise, and the small blinds and the big blinds will follow suit.

The value of the blinds depends on whether it is a limit game (the amount each player can place) or a non-limit game (players have the option to wager any amount at any given time). In a game between 2-4 players, the small and big blinds would each post one dollar, while the big blind would have two dollars. The small blind would spend one dollar, while the big blind would spend three dollars in a 1-3 game that is no-limit.

The action

Each person at the table gets two "hole cards". The action starts with the player to the left of a big blind. This player has the option to call (match the size of the large blind), fold (throw-in or "muck" all the cards at no charge), or raise (in limit or limit games, twice what is in the bigblind; in no limit any amount, as long it is not less than the bigblind). The action will continue for each player until they reach the big blind. Like the other players, the bigblint may check, raise, or fold if they have received a raise.

Each round ends with betting. In 2-4 limit poker for example, all bets post-flop and pre-flop are in increments 2 dollars. Bets after the turn, the river, and the turn are in increments 4 dollars.

You can place bets in no-limit poker at any amount, provided they are at least twice the big blind. The minimum raise for each round is the amount of the previous bet. For a total of $20, a player must bet $10.

Players also have the choice of checking after the flop or turn. If a player succeeds, they have the option to check; this passes the action to the next player.

How to win at poker

The goal is to make the best five card hand possible using only one or both of your hole cards, and the community cards. In rare cases, players may choose to play the board and not use any hole cards.

Here's the hierarchy for poker hands:

Royal flush: Ace, King and Queen of a single suit. Jack, Jack, Ten, and Ten.

Straight flush: Five cards from the same suit, consecutively.

Four of one: Four cards of any rank.

Full house: Three cards of the same rank as the rank of your card, and two cards from another rank.

Flush: Five cards of the same suit.

Straight: Five consecutive cards from any suit.

Three of one: Three cards from any rank.

One pair: Two cards of any rank.

High Card: This is the highest card that's still in use.

Remember, Aces and Deuces rank the highest cards. In other words, three Aces will beat three Deuces everytime.

Here are some tips. If you are new at Texas hold'em poker, the best hand to start with is High pairs of Aces and Kings, Queens and Jacks. Premiums cards (Ace-King-Queen-Jack-10) adjacent to each other in rank and of the same suit, or unsuited, are also great hands, to begin with pre-flop as is any pair 2 through 9. The most important thing is to enjoy the game. Talking with your poker "neighbors", paying attention and being attentive to the action will allow you to not only learn the intricacies, but also enjoy the game. texas holdem for newbies