Poker Rules
Due to the enormous publicity that Poker events are enjoying throughout the world, more and more people are interested in how the game is played. There are a lot of books and publication that contains a great deal of knowledge regarding how the game is played although most of them are intended for readers with the basic knowledge of the game.
What we will discuss in this article are the most simple rules and steps that govern the game. We will be focusing on the most common and most publicized games of all, Texas Hold’Em or Hold’Em as it is commonly known.
The Overview
Texas Hold’Em is played using the standard deck with fifty cards, jokers are not included. It could be played with at least two players. Each player will primarily be dealt with two cards face down. After each player has two cards in hand, a round of betting will then commence.
The betting comes in the order that each player is positioned relative to the dealer. The player on the left of the dealer will act first, followed by the next player going clockwise on the table.
The player next to the dealer is called the small blind (SB). The player to the left of the small blind is called the big blind (BB). These two players start the betting round. The amounts of the SB and the BB are set at the start of the game. The SB bets the minimum amount, and the BB bets an amount larger than the SB.
The BB is often double the SB though this is not always the case. The last player to act in the betting process is the player to the right of the dealer. This position is called the button. Once the button made his move, it ends the betting round.
Players’ position on the table has certain advantages and disadvantages. And since this is the case, the positions rotate to ensure fairness in the game.
The Community Cards
If this is your first time to learn poker and Texas Hold’Em itself, you should be wondering on what each player will do with their hands. Each player will form a five-card combination using one, both or none of their cards on hand. After the first betting round, the dealer will deal three cards on the table face up. This is called the “Flop”.
The dealer may skip or “burn” one card before each dealt cards. The “burnt” card is not included in the game. This is done because of cheating and due to the possibility that the other side of the cards may be marked. Each player will use these cards to form their five-card combination along with two other cards that will be dealt face up after the “Flop.” Another betting round comes after the “Flop.”
After the “Flop” comes the “Turn” and the “River”. Another card will be dealt face up on the “Turn,” and another betting round comes after. The same will happen on the turn. Again, a card might be “burned” before each round.
You now have five cards on the table, and at this point, the “Showdown” begins. At the “Showdown,” the remaining players will try to out bet each other until all but one folds or one wins with a better combination. The game could also be won before the showdown if all but one player folds.
See also PokerRegeln if you want to read about it in German.
