Interpoker Poker School
Texas Holdem Rules
Buy-in
Players must ‘buy-in’ with a minimum amount of chips when
sitting down at a table. The minimum buy-in amount is equal to
ten times the lower bet limit of the game. For example on a
$3/$6 table the minimum buy-in is $30, on a $10/$20 table the
minimum buy-in is $100.
Game Summary
A ‘dealer button’ is used to indicate where the cards are to be
dealt from. The two players to the left of the button must place
bets called the ‘small blind’ and ‘big blind’. It is called a
blind because players must place a bet before seeing their
cards.
The play then begins with two cards dealt facedown to each
player. Action starts with a betting round beginning with the
player to the left of the big blind, and continues clockwise
around the table. Players may bet, check, raise or fold in turn.
The big blind has the privilege of last action with the benefit
of seeing how the other players at the table have bet in each
round.
Three community cards (known as "The Flop") are then dealt in
the center of the table and another betting round takes place
beginning with the player to the left of the dealer button. Then
another card is dealt face up (known as "The Turn") followed by
a round of betting. The fifth and final card (known as "The
River") is dealt face up and a final round of betting takes
place. Players remaining in the hand will then show their cards
and the winning poker hand will be awarded the pot. Any
combination of pocket cards and community cards may be used to
make the best five-card poker hand. |
Sit Down
Up to 10 players are seated around a table.
Dealer Button
The Dealer Button is a round disc that is passed from player to
player (clockwise) just before each set of new cards is dealt.
This disc determines the order of betting and blind posting.
Post Blinds
Before any cards are dealt, the two players directly to the left
of the dealer button must post "blinds". To post a blind is to
place a bet before seeing your cards.
The player to the immediate left of the dealer button must post
the "small blind," which is half the minimum bet (e.g. $5 for a
$10/$20 table). The player to the left of the small blind posts
the "big blind," which is the amount of the minimum bet (e.g.
$10 for a $10/$20 table).
Pocket Cards
Once the blinds have been posted, two cards are dealt face down
to each player, called the "pocket cards". At this stage, each
player can see his/her pocket cards only.
The first round of betting then takes place, beginning with the
player immediately to the left of the big blind and continuing
clockwise around the table.
Betting
Bet amounts are fixed by the table stakes. E.g. on a $3/$6
table, bets are $3 in the first two rounds and $6 in the last
two. There can be one bet and three raises in each round, i.e.
the bet amount can climb a maximum of 3 times in each round of
betting. |
The Flop
Next, three cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table.
This is known as “The Flop”. These cards are "community" cards,
i.e. they can be used by all the players at the table to make up
their poker hand.
After the flop is dealt a second round of betting takes place,
beginning again with the player immediately to the left of the
dealer button (as with all subsequent rounds of betting).
The Turn
Following the flop, a fourth "community" card is dealt face up
in the middle of the table. This card is called the "Turn" card
and can also be used by all players. It is followed by a third
round of betting.
The River
The fifth and final "community" card is dealt face up in the
middle of the table known as “The River”, followed by a final
round of betting.
Showdown
Once all betting is complete, players lay down their cards in
what’s known as ‘The Showdown’, displaying their hand to the
rest of the table. The player with the best five-card poker hand
wins the pot. Should multiple hands tie, the pot is split with
any odd amount going to the player to the left of the dealer.
Start Again
After a hand is completed and the pot has been won, the dealer
button is moved one seat clockwise and the next hand begins. |