How to Play Texas Hold’em: Game Rules

How to Play Texas Hold’em: Game Rules

The History of Texas Hold’em

The history of Texas Hold’em poker begins in the small town of Robstown in the state of Texas, USA. It was there that famous poker players Doyle Brunson, Amarillo Slim, and Crandell Addington first encountered this form of the popular card game. They also brought the new rules to Las Vegas, where the game gained widespread popularity.
Currently, Texas Hold’em is considered the classic version of poker and is played by hundreds of thousands of players around the world. This is thanks to simplified rules, a greater influence of luck, and the ability to play aggressively even with the weakest hands thanks to bluffing.

You can play Texas Hold’em in any poker room:

1. PokerOK
2. Pokerdom
3. RedStar
4. PokerKing

And many other projects.

Basic Rules of Texas Hold’em

The game follows these basic rules: the dealer deals cards, and everyone at the table places an Ante. The first round of betting occurs. After that, three cards are laid out on the table, and betting is repeated. This is followed by two more stages with the delivery of one card and two stages of betting. After that, players reveal their cards and split the pot. The winner of the hand is the one with the strongest combination or the only player who hasn’t folded their cards.

Betting Rules

The betting rules in Texas Hold’em are encompassed in a few simple mechanisms that anyone can remember.
Ante – a mandatory bet that all players make. It is used to motivate players to play more hands and helps to eliminate players who prefer to just wait for a strong hand before betting.

Blind – the name of a bet made blindly.

Call – matching the bet. The player agrees with the previous player’s bet and adds the missing chips.

Raise – increasing the bet. It forces other players to either match your bet or fold their cards. One of the most important tools for a poker player.

Check – passing the turn to the next player. Can only be used if there were no raises before you.

Fold – discarding cards and losing all the money you have bet so far.

Combinations

Combinations in Texas Hold’em are no different from combinations in other types of poker. If you are already familiar with Omaha or other variations of this card game, you will find it easier to adapt to the poker table.

1. Kicker. The highest card. Wins the hand in cases where no player has made a combination. In such a case, the one holding the card of higher value is the winner.
2. Pair. Two cards of the same denomination.
3. Two Pair.
4. Set. In some casinos, this is called “trips” or “triplet”. Three cards of the same denomination.
5. Straight. A combination of 5 consecutive cards from the lowest to the highest.
6. Flush. Collecting 5 cards of the same suit, you will have this combination, and are likely to win the hand.
7. Full House. Three cards of one denomination plus any pair.
8. Four of a Kind. Four cards of the same denomination.
9. Straight Flush. A combination of a flush and a straight. Involves arranging 5 cards of the same suit in sequential order.
10. Royal Flush. The rarest and strongest combination in Texas Hold’em. Collecting 5 cards from 10 to Ace of the same suit guarantees a win.

Terminology of Texas Hold’em

The terminology of Texas Hold’em will help you better navigate the poker table and feel much more comfortable playing the game.
Button – the dealer chip, which is passed clockwise. It determines which players place the small and big blinds.

Fish – an inexperienced player who makes hasty moves leading to quick bankroll loss.

Shark or Regular – experienced players who know all the subtleties and probabilities of the game.

Tells – any unintended action that gives away the strength of a player’s hand. The ability to read tells is a mandatory condition for professionalism in poker.

Equity – the strength of your hand in percentage terms. The higher the equity, the more likely you are to win the hand.

Equilator – a special program that automatically calculates the strength of your hand and advises what move to make.

UTG (Under The Gun) – the position of the player who starts the betting in this hand. It is the most challenging position and requires a great deal of experience and luck for skillful play.

GTO (Game Theory Optimal) – Optimal game theory that must be adhered to for achieving the best results.

Video Rules of Texas Hold’em

You can learn the rules of Texas Hold’em from this video: (VIDEO)

How to Learn to Play Texas Hold’em

To learn to play Texas Hold’em, you will need a bit of patience and perseverance. Experience in this game is gained only through thousands and tens of thousands of hands. Many professional poker players play more than 100,000 hands each month and still can make mistakes.
If you are a beginner, just starting to understand all the nuances of this complex and interesting game, it’s best to use the following tips:

1. Don’t start playing for money until you feel confident at the table.
2. Use free mobile apps or websites where you can play against other players. There are plenty of such services available, allowing you to learn the intricacies of bluffing and making the right moves from different positions without any financial losses.
3. Participate in freeroll tournaments. These events are held by all thematic platforms. It is in such competitions that you can not only gain more real-game experience but also win some money.
4. Watch professional game streams. Many tournament operators who organize poker competitions broadcast all games on special Twitch and YouTube channels.
5. Solve problems. This will teach you to make the right decisions in various situations and significantly improve your game.
6. If you don’t have much time for self-study, you can enroll in a poker school. You can find one using any search engine and in most major cities. They will teach you everything you need to know about this discipline and give you the most valuable thing – experience earned over years of practice and hundreds of tournaments.

Software for Texas Hold’em

In any form of poker, especially Texas Hold’em, human computational abilities are not enough. Absolutely all professional players use special computing software that helps not only to play several tables simultaneously but also to make fewer mistakes over the distance.
Another useful function of such equilators is the collection of your statistics, which, when analyzed, can easily help you find your mistakes and improve your game.

FlopZilla

One of the most popular calculators of equity and ranges of your opponents. A free 7-day trial version is available, after which a $25 subscription is required.
An indispensable program for training pre-flop play and honing an understanding of the potential of your hand and your opponents’ cards.

Hand 2 Note

Offers advanced functionality for collecting statistics and several subscription options, with the top package costing up to $588.
The free version is suitable not only for getting acquainted with the program but will also be helpful for amateur play at low limits. It lasts for 30 days from the date of registration.

One of the innovative features, Range Research, helps to track how players at your table behave. You can set analysis criteria and also collect a pool of opponents for more detailed breakdowns. It helps to recognize bluffs faster and play intelligently against any type of poker player.

GTO+

A mandatory program used by all players starting from mid-limits. Playing without it, you will be significantly inferior in calculating the strength of your hands and making numerous mistakes.
There is no free version, but the cost of this program will not break the bank for any player. For just $75, you get lifetime use of it, and if you want to install it on a second PC, it will cost another $40.

The interface is intuitively understandable and will be easily grasped even by users who have never encountered such programs before. It is considered the best program for professional play in terms of price and quality.

The material was updated (21 March 2024) by the experts of the Bonuski.com