| No limit holdem is known as the Cadillac
of poker amongst the worlds best players. A game that seems
easy, it is in fact a highly intricate and complicated game
when played at the highest level. |
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| Lets see how we get started playing nl texas
holdem, the guide below will apply to fixed limit texas holdem also except in fixed limit holdem you are limited as to what you can bet each round. |
| The object is to make a 5 card hand using
either both or none of your own 2 "hole" cards together
with the 5 communal cards which are dealt face up on the table.
Effectively, you end up with access to 7 cards and will have
to use any 5 to make the best 5 card hand. |
| 1 - Two players must voluntarily enter some
money into the pot before the cards are dealt. These two people
are known as the SMALL BLIND and BIG BLIND. In a game of $1-$2
holdem, the small blind will put in $1 and the big blind will
put in $2. Each player will have their turn in the small or
big blind. |
| 2 - Now that the blinds have been posted,
each player is dealt 2 cards face down which they may look
at. |
| 3 - Now a round of betting begins. People
are betting on the strength of these 2 cards. The first person
to bet is the person to the left of the big blind. He can call
the big blind, bet whatever he wants or fold. |
| 4 - The betting moves from
player to player in a clockwise movement until everyone has
had a chance to act. |
| 5 - After this first round of betting has
been completed, three cards are dealt face up on the middle
of the table. This is known as the flop in NL holdem and each
player can use theses cards with their hand to make the best
5 card hand. |
| 6 - Now a round of betting starts again,
starting this time with the small blind. He can bet, call or
fold. Again the betting goes round clockwise until whoever
was left in the pot after the first round has finished. |
| 7 - Upon completion of the betting, the
fourth flop card is dealt face up in the middle, this is known
as the "turn" card. |
| 8 - Another round of betting commences for
those who are still left in, starting from the small blind
and moving again clockwise. |
| 9 - Upon completion of this round, the dealer
deals the 5 th and final flop card in the middle, known as
the "river". |
| 10 - There are no more cards to come now
and the final round of betting starts, in the same way as before. |
| 11 - When this final round has finished,
each player who has stayed in the pot until the end, will have
to use 5 of their 7 available cards to make the best poker
hand possible. They then declare their hand and turn their
2 hole cards face up on the table. This is known as the "showdown". |
| 12 - The person with the best poker hand
wins the money in the pot. If 2 or more pot winners have the
same hand, the pot is split equally amongst them. |
Note: Most pots will not go to the showdown
as many times, people will have won the pot by betting the
others out before it reaches the showdown point. You can win
the pot at any time in the hand, even before the flop comes.
Please visit our texas holdem tips pages for advice on how to play or visit one of the sites below to try texas holdem for free or real money. |
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