How to play texas hold'em poker

Poker has many families of variations: Straight (e.g. 3-card brag), Stud Poker (e.g. 7-card stud), Draw Poker (e.g. 5-card draw), Community Card Poker (e.g. Texas Hold'em)

In this guide you'll learn how to play Texas Hold'em. First of all: Become familiar with poker hand rankings (print this image), because the player who wins is the player with the highest-value hand.

The common currency used on poker games is "Chips". It is used to represent money. You may use anything you like. You will bet using this, placing your bet in the middle of the table: the "pot".

Glossary: "Call": stay in the game by putting the equivalent amount in the pot. "Fold": quit the game by putting your cards face down on table. "Raise": put more than the last player put in the pot

Normally played with forced bets like Blinds and an "ante": a required bet in which all players put an equal amount of money chips (usually the smallest value) into the "pot" before the deal begins.

Beginning: Usually with 2-blind forced bets structure: Small Blind and Big blind, along (or not) with a previous forced bet called: "ante" (see Step 5)

The first player to the dealer's left posts a Small Blind (e.g. same value of an ante) and the next player in turn posts a Big Blind (e.g. 2 times an ante).

The dealer shuffles and distribute the cards face down starting with the player to his left and continuing clockwise. Each player is dealt 2 cards face down. These are called: "hole" or "pocket" cards

Pro Tip: When you look at your cards: lift them off the table just a little bit (see image from Step 8)

1st Betting Round: play begins with third player from dealer, who must either "call" the Big Blind, "raise" or "fold". When the betting returns to the Small Blind player, he must equal the bet too.

Pro Tip: Try not to tell how strong or how poor your hand are. Keep your "Poker Face"! A hat, headphones and sunglasses will take care of masking your facial tells.

"The Flop": after the 1st betting round, the dealer deals 3 face-up community cards (see image). Meaning everyone can (and will) use them in combination with their own hole cards to make the best hand

2nd Betting Round: As before, all can either "bet" or "check", until someone places the first bet, after which players can "call", "raise" or "fold". Always starting with the player to dealer's left.

"The Turn": after 2nd betting round, a single community card called The Turn is dealt, followed by a 3rd betting round.

3rd Betting Round: All the same, all can either "bet" or "check", until someone places the first bet, after which players can "call", "raise" or "fold". Starting with the player to dealer's left.

"The River": a final single community card called The River is then dealt, followed by a 4th betting round.

4th Betting Round: Again, all can either "bet" or "check", until someone places the first bet, after which players can "call", "raise" or "fold". Followed by a "Showdown"

Showdown: if more than one player remains after the last betting round, all remaining players expose and compare their hands to determine the winner or winners. And the winner takes the "pot"!!

The player on dealer's left is new dealer. All begins again: all post an ante, blind bets, deal cards, 1st betting, then The Flop & 2st round, The Turn & 3rd rnd, The River & 4th rnd and the Showdown.

Optional Rules: Dealer can "burn" a card before The Flop, The Turn and The River. This is done to avoid any possibility of a player knowing in advance the next card to be dealt due to it being marked

Betting Limits: The most common is "No-Limit" Hold'em. Which players may bet or raise any amount over the minimum raise, up to all of the "chips" the player has at the table: called "All-In Bet".