Texas Hold’em

Each player is dealt two cards (pocket cards) (face down). The first betting round begins with a minimum value equal to the big blind. If a player decides to fold, he no longer plays with this hand and thus can not lay claim to the pot.

When all bets have been placed and the remaining players have bet the same amount of chips, three community cards are dealt. These cards are called the flop. These cards can be used by all players in order to achieve the best five card hand.

A new round of betting begins. This is performed exactly like the first round. Once the betting round is complete, a fourth community card is dealt. This card is called the turn.

Now begins the penultimate round of betting. Thereafter, a final / fifth community card dealt called the River. The remaining, active players at the table have to choose from their two hole cards and the five community cards, in order to create the best five card hand.

You do not need to use both hole cards to get the best five card hand.

The winner takes the pot.

The betting possibilities for each player in each round are:

Check: When you want to stay in the game, but do not want to bet, you can check. Check is only possible if there have been no previous bets made in the same betting round.

Fold: To throw away your cards and take no further part in the hand. By folding, a player gives up any claim to the pot.

Bet/Raise: To bet is to put money into the pot during a betting round. Other players must match the bet by the same amount in order to take any further part in the hand. A raise is when a player increases the bet amount during that round, forcing the other players to increase their bets in order to continue in the hand.