TEXAS HOLDEM ONLINE POKER

Object of the game - to finish with the best hand, and win the pot.
Chip requirement - you must have enough chips to place a blind bet and a bet.

• The two players immediately to the left of the dealer begin by posting the blind bets.
• Two pocket cards are dealt to each player, face-down
• First round of betting - options are to fold, bet, or raise.
• Only one bet, and three raises per player are allowed on the first round.
• Players cannot "check" in the first round, as blinds are live bets, not antes. The only player with the option of checking is the one who posted the big blind, as long as no one else has raised.
• Three communal cards (the "flop") are dealt face-up in the center of the table. All communal cards are active for all players and can be used in combination with each player's two cards.
• Second round of betting - options are to check, fold, bet, or raise.
• Fourth communal card (the "Turn") is dealt face-up.
• Third round of betting - options are to check, fold, bet, or raise.
• If at this stage there are still at least two players in the remaining in the hand, the fifth and final communal card (the "River") is dealt face-up.
• Final round of betting follows.
• The Showdown! All remaining players then create the best five-card hand possible. You can use:
• Both pocket cards and three communal cards
• One pocket card and four communal cards
• All five communal cards
• The best hand wins the pot. If two or more players have the same winning hand, the pot is split equally between them.

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As per normal poker rules - playing and betting proceeds in a clockwise direction.

The two players immediately to the left of the dealer post the blind bets.

Small blind (the player who sits to the immediate left of the Dealer) bets an amount equal to half the lower betting limit.

Big blind (the player who sits to the left of the small blind) posts an amount equal to the lower betting limit.

Betting increments in the game determine the blinds. In a game of $2 and $4 betting increments, the small blind is $1, and the big blind is $2.

The blind bets in Texas Hold'em are considered as active bets, and therefore, players have the option to check, fold, call, and raise when the betting action returns to their position.

Only one bet, and three raises per player are allowed on the first round.

Players cannot "check" in the first round, as blinds are bets, and not antes. (The exception is the player who posted the big blind, as long as no one has raised.)

Second and subsequent betting rounds - options are to check, fold, bet, or raise.

All bets must be placed according to the game's betting increments.

There are four possible betting rounds in Texas Hold'em poker. Each bet and raise during the first two rounds is set at the lower limit of the stakes structure, and for the last two rounds at a higher limit structure. For example in a $1/$2 Texas Hold'em game, all bets and raises are $1 for the first two rounds (after pocket cards are dealt and after the flop). All bets and raises are $2 for the last two rounds (after the turn and after the river).

The maximum number of bets allowed per player during any betting round in Texas Hold'em poker is four. This includes a (1)bet, (2) raise, (3) re-raise, and (4) cap. The term cap is used to describe the 3rd raise in a round since further raises are not allowed. Once capped, players only have the options of calling or folding.

In betting rounds where players have folded, the first active player to the left of the disc/dealer is first to act.

To ensure fairness for all players, new players entering a Texas Hold'em game are required to post the equivalent of the big blind if they wish to participate in the next hand. All players have the option of sitting out and waiting for the actual big blind to come around to their position before starting play.

By preventing players from constantly entering poker games in a late position and leaving before they're required to post a blind, these rules stop potential abuse of the online environment.

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Although the Texas Hold’em rules are easily learned and deceptively simple, it is still a game that requires a certain amount of skill. Before you rush into playing Texas Hold’em online, it might be wise to take a few basic things to heart. This will not only improve your chances of winning, but will allow you to avoid wasting your money hoping for an improvement on a hand you should never have played in the first place.

Be aware of your position
Position is vital in Texas Hold'em. There is less margin for error when you're sitting in early position (closer to the dealer button) than if you're last to act. If you bet with a marginal hand pre-flop from early position you can easily end up being raised or even re-raised by players betting after you. This puts you in the unpleasant position of immediately having to decide whether your hand is worth the extra two bets in order to see the flop, or whether you should fold and lose the bet you already made. In late position you can see it coming and fold without having to waste a bet.

Fit or fold
If the flop doesn't fit your hand, that is, improve it, then don't hesitate to fold. You'll be tempted to hold on past the flop in the hope of improving your hand on the river, but you'll end up missing more than you'll catch, and lose money overall. You will of course have to endure watching other players make winning hands on the river with hands that weren't helped by the flop, and will have to resist the urge to hold on to drawing hands for longer. You'll also see flops that make the hand you've just thrown away, but this happens less often than you would think. Once you've folded, forget about the cards you had.

Be disciplined
This is possibly one of the most difficult aspects of playing poker. It means throwing away hands that you might prefer to hold onto in the hope that the flop will give you a shout. It also means folding after the flop if it doesn't fit your hand, or if it brings cards that threaten what you thought was a good hand. If you're holding a pair of Jacks and the flop brings an Ace, you can be pretty sure someone has another. At this point your pair is most likely not the winning hand so have the discipline to discard them- you'll lose more money than you'll win by holding on and hoping for another Jack on the turn or river.

Be able to read the board
As soon as the flop hits the board, work out what the best potential hand is, and compare what you have, or what you think you might get to this hand. If you don't do this you run the risk of spending money drawing to a hand that is already beaten. This is known as "drawing dead". Even seasoned players fall victim to tunnel vision brought on by having drawn the nut flush, and miss the full house that beats them.

Bet carefully
Five of the seven total cards can be seen after the flop. At this point, you will have a good indication of how strong your hand will be in the final round. Consider your cards, and bet carefully. Staying for the Turn and the River demands that you either have a strong hand, a draw to a potentially winning hand, or good reason to believe that betting aggressively in a future round may cause your opponents to fold.

Think before you act
As a general rule, don't continue beyond the flop without diverse possibilities - a strong pair with a decent side-card, strong overcards, or a straight or flush draw. If you flop a draw, stick with it as long as the pot promises a greater pay off than the odds against making your hand.

Leader of the pack
Although Ace-King is a terrific starting combination, it generally needs to catch a flop with either an Ace or King in it to play aggressively.

Position is power
When you must act before most of your opponents, play few hands. Acting last in Hold'em is like batting last in baseball. It's a big advantage. In fact, hands that you'd routinely fold from early position might be raising hands if you are last to act.

Consider combinations
Carefully consider how the communal cards can combine with your two hidden pocket cards to create a winning hand. By the same token, consider what possible hands your opponents could be holding.

Leave your ego at the door
Call it quits when necessary. You haven't lost much if you have a worthless hand and fold early in the game.

Patience leads to success
Success at Texas Hold'em demands that you be patient, pay close attention to position, and take comfort in the knowledge that good hands are run down less often than the best 7-Card Stud hands. TexasHold'em requires patience & discipline. Be selective on what hands you play, and when you do decide to play a hand, be as aggressive as you can.

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