Following our basics of HoldEm article, we’re back with another lesson detailing how to play Texas Hold'em and the basic rules.
The Dealer Button
Often labelled as “Dealer” or “D”, it signifies who is the dealer of the hand. Each player will get to act as the dealer at some point. After each hand, the dealer button moves to the next player in a clockwise manner. The dealer position is one of the most favourable positions in the game as the player gets to act last after he’s witnessed everyone else’s decisions. The only exception to this rule occurs on the first round of betting where the blinds will act after the dealer.
Blind Bets
Before any cards are dealt, two players to the left of the dealer are required to post the blinds. These are mandatory bets that encourage action and give players something to shoot for. First there is a small blind who posts half the size of the big blind. The amount of the blinds is determined by the stakes.
The Deal
Once the blinds have been posted, each player will be dealt two cards facedown, referred to as the hole cards. The best two hole cards that a player can deal are two Aces.
Pre-Flop
The first betting round is called the pre-flop. The first player, the one on the left of the big blind has the choice of either calling the amount of the big blind, to raise or to fold by discarding his cards facedown.
The Flop
After the first betting round is completed, three community cards are dealt face up on the table. All active players can use these three cards along with their two hole cards to create the best possible hand. These three cards are known as the flop.
The Turn
Following the second round of betting, a fourth card is dealt called the turn. It is often referred to as 4th street.
The River
After the third round of betting is complete, the final card is dealt known as the river.
The Showdown
When the final betting round has been completed, it’s time to take a peek at who’s won the hand as explained in our Basics of Texas Hold’em article.