Texas Hold’Em Primer

I got this idea that I would streamline and improve my Texas Hold’Em game by going back, after the fact, and learning the tricks and techniques that will actually put me ahead in the game. I learned to play by the seat of my pants and maybe there are some great secrets out there just waiting for me to implement.

Texas Hold ‘Em is considered an ideal poker variation for beginner — at least in terms of learning. This makes it very popular and the reality is that one can learn it in less than a day. However, there is a difference between a good poker game and a great one.

This blog deals with the very basics of Texas Hold’Em and recommends that you play a few trial games online — there are often practice sites where you can us play money to get the feel for this variation of the eternal poker game.

The first step is posting the blinds. Typically the game starts out with the two players to the dealer’s left laying out their money to get the game going. Once this is done, the dealer deals out two hole (or pocket) cards, face down, to all players.

The player to the left of those who posted the blinds begins the betting. This round is called the pre-flop. (Betting and other deeper topics will be covered in the next blog) Basically, the choices are check, raise, or fold.

At the end of the pre-flop, the dealer discards the deck’s top card. This is called the burn card. It’s a way of cutting back on cheating. What comes after the pre-flop? You guessed it. The flop.

In the flop round, the deal flops the next three cards face up in the middle of the table. All players can use these cards as additions to their hole cards. Your poker hand is your two hole cards and the shared flop cards.

The player to the left of the dealer begins the next round of betting, the dealer disposes of another burn card, and flops another card on the table. This is the turn card. You can see how this card can be used to replace one of the other five cards you have in your poker hand.

There is another round of betting, beginning with the player to the left of the dealer and when this round ends, the dealer burns another card and deals a fifth card face up on the table. This is the river. I suppose it is called the river because of the river of cards you all have to augment your hole cards.

The player to the left of the dealer starts the last round of bidding. Then the players start showing their hands beginning with the player to the left of the last bidder. This is the showdown.

The best poker hand (or hands) wins.

More details on Texas Hold’Em in the next blog.

Bye for now,

Joanne