Texas Hold'em Poker Rules

THE BUY-IN

You must buy-in a minimum amount of chips when sitting down at your chosen table. The minimum limit is equal to ten times the lower bet limit of the game. For example on a $3/$6 table the minimum buy-in is $30, on a $10/$20 table the minimum buy-in is $100.

THE GAME

Texas Hold 'Em uses a disc called a dealer button to indicate where the cards are to be dealt. Prior to the deal, the two players to the left of the button place live bets called the small and big blinds. It is called a blind because players must pay this amount before seeing their cards. It's called live because it counts as part of any further bets in the first betting round.

The play begins with two cards dealt facedown to each player. Action starts with a betting round beginning with the player to the left of the blind bets and continuing clockwise around the table. Players may bet, check, raise or fold in turn. The big blind has the privilege of last action and may check or raise the bet.

Three community cards called "The Flop" are then dealt up in the center of the table and another betting round takes place beginning with the player to the left of the dealer button. Another card is dealt face up (called "The Turn") followed by a round of betting.

The fifth and last card called "The River" is dealt face up and a final round of betting takes place. Players remaining in the hand will then show their cards and the winning poker hand will be awarded the pot. Any combination of pocket cards and community cards may be used to make the best five-card poker hand.

SIT DOWN

Up to 10 players plus a dealer are seated around a table.

DEALER BUTTON

In front of one of the players is a round disc or button. This disc determines the order of betting (posting the blinds) and moves to the left one player at a time, after each hand.

POST BLINDS

Before the cards are dealt at the beginning of each hand, the two players directly to the left of the dealer button must post "blinds". To post a blind is to place a bet before getting cards.

The player to the immediate left of the dealer button posts the "small blind," equal to half of the minimum bet (Example: $5 for a $10 / $20 game). The player to the left of the small blind posts the "big blind," equal to the amount of the minimum bet (Example: $10 for a $10 / $20 game).

POCKET CARDS

Once the blinds have been posted, the first round of cards is dealt. These consist of two cards face down to each player and are called the "pocket cards". Each player can see his or her own pocket cards.

Then the first round of betting takes place, beginning with the player immediately to the left of the big blind and continuing in a clockwise direction around the table.

BETTING

Bet amounts are fixed by the table stakes. For example, in a $3 / $6 table, bets are $3 in the first two rounds and $6 in the last two. The bet amount can climb a maximum of 3 times in each round of betting. In other words, there can be one bet and three raises in each round.

THE FLOP CARDS

Next, three cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table. These cards are called the "Flop". All three cards are "community" cards and can be used by all the players at the table to make up their best possible hand.

After the flop is dealt, a second round of betting takes place, again beginning with the player immediately to the left of the dealer button. All subsequent rounds of betting begin with the player to left of the dealer button.

THE TURN CARD

Following the flop, a fourth "community" card is dealt face up in the middle of the table. This card is called the "Turn" card and can also be used by all players. It is followed by a third round of betting.

THE RIVER CARD

Finally, a fifth and final "community" card is dealt face up in the middle of the table. It is called the "River" card and is followed by a fourth and final round of betting.

SHOWDOWN

Once all betting is complete, players determine the best five-card hand that they can make. The player with the best five-card poker hand wins the pot. Should multiple hands tie, the pot is split with any odd amount going to the player immediately to the left of the dealer.

START AGAIN

After a hand is completed and the pot taken by the winner, the dealer button is moved one player to the left and the next hand begins.

The Betting Rules:

Minimum eligible raise: The raise amount must be at least as much as the previous bet or raise in the same round. As an example, in a game with $1-$2 blinds, the first player into the pot could not bet a total of $3, because that would only be a raise of $1. The minimum bet in this situation would be a bet of $4, which is a raise of $2.
Maximum eligible raise: The size of your stack (your chips on the table)
There is no limit to the amount of raises as long as a player does not raise themselves

Methods to Bet:

The bet button – Same as in a Limit Poker Game, you can click the bet button, which will display the minimum amount you can bet or raise
The bet box – A text box that allows you to type in the exact amount you want to bet or raise. Once you have entered the amount to bet or raise, the bet button will reflect this amount. Then click the bet button and your bet will be placed.
The slider bar – The slider bar is a device that you can use with your mouse to increase or decrease the amount of your bet or raise. Simply drag the bar on the slider to the amount of money you want to bet or raise. As you slide, the bet amount will be reflected on the bet button. When you find the amount you want to bet or raise, simply click the bet button and your bet will be made. The slider bar will start with the minimum raise and will move in increments equivalent to the minimum raise.

At each No limit table, there is a Maximum Buy-In amount. This is to ensure all players have an opportunity to be competitive at No Limit.

Exception:

If a player leaves a table and returns to a table of the same (blind structure) within 90 minutes, they will have to buy in with the max buyin or with the same amount of money they left with, whichever is greater.

Rake:

5% of pot to a maximum of $3.00 in increments of $0.25
Same structure as other games