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The Rules of Texas Hold'em

The good thing about No Limit Hold'em is that it's really easy to learn. Most of the players think that once they’ve learned it, they can succeed. But of course it’s not that easy and instead of winning they lose... So, let's take a look at how to play No Limit Hold'em. If you already know, you can skip this chapter.

The so-called button determines the positions. The player with the button is called the dealer. The dealer's left neighbor has to put in the small blind. The small blind's left neighbor has to put in the big blind. The blinds are determined by the limit you're playing. If you play NL 10, the blinds are 0,05 and 0,1 euro. So, the small blind is almost always exactly the half of the big blind.

Pre-flop Betting

After posting the blinds, every player is dealt two down cards, which are also called his hole cards or his starting hand. You can hold AA, 72, KT or whatever you were dealt. What is coming now is the pre-flop betting, the „play before the flop“. The player in the first position is always the player left of the big blind. He's „under the gun“, and has to act first. He has three options: Fold, Call or Raise. If he folds, he mucks and doesn't put in a single chip. If he calls, he has to wager exactly the amount of the big blind. If he wants to raise he has to put in at least two times the big blind. Once he made a decision, it's his left neighbor’s turn. He also has the three options, irrespective of player 1's decision. If player 1 called, player 2 can also call and put in one big blind. If player 1 folded it makes no difference at all. If he raised, player 2 has to put in the same amount if he wants to call. Or he can decide to re-raise and put in at least twice the amount of the original raise.

The last player to act before the flop is the big blind. He can also raise, fold to a raise, call a raise or check if everybody called to him and if there's no raise. You should memorize: Everybody has to put in the same amount.

Play after the Flop

Now, three of the five community cards are exposed. This is the so-called flop. Now, there are no blinds any more and only the button determines the positions. He is always the last to act after the flop. So, the first player to act is his left neighbor, the small blind. He can either check or bet. Checking means to bet nothing and wait for another player to act. If the small blind checks then the big blind has the same option. If he decides to bet, the players after him can again fold, call or raise. And once everybody has checked, or put in the corresponding amount, the next community card is exposed.

The Turn

On the turn, which is also called Fourth Street, the way of betting, is exactly the same. Small blind acts first, the button last. The last community card is exposed when everybody has checked or put in the same amount of chips.

The River

Also called Fifth Street. Now, all community cards are dealt and the very last betting round takes place. Again, it's exactly the same as on the flop and turn. And once this round is finished, the players show their cards and the best hand wins.