Texas Hold’em

Texas Hold’em is one of the most popular casino games and the most highly-demanded variety of poker. Standard cards deck of 52 cards without wild cards is used for playing. Specific table and some equipment is needed to play it.2-10 players can play the game.
The goal of the game
The goal of the game is to get the pot, having gathered the best hand of 5 community cards and two cards in possession of the player (they are usually called pocket cards) or outlast the other players.
Hands
Usual poker hands are used in Texas Hold’em with the exception of A-K. The list of hands is given below:
Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pairs, Pair, High Card.
Hand Rankings
Only 5 cards can be in a hand. The strength of the remaining player’s cards does not matter. For instance, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 in a flop, while the players have 8, 4 and 8, J. This is a draw.
The suits of cards are not important when hands are compared.
If 5 senior cards that make the hand are community cards, then draw is proclaimed. For instance, 2, 2, 2, 2, A in a flop and the players have 10, 9 and 6, 5.
You have the draw also if senior combination is formed of community cards, and the senior cards, which are in possession of a player and not enter it, are equal in value. For instance, 2, 2, 3, 3, 6 in a flop, while the players have 10, 8 and 10, 6.
The hands of the same ranking (Pairs, Three of Kind, Straights and etc.) are ranked against each other in accordance with common accepted poker rules.
Betting
Small blind is a bet that makes the half of a predetermined limit, the player, sitting next to the button (the player who acts as a dealer) clockwise, has to make.
Big blind is a bet made by the player sitting next to the left from the button. He has to make the bet equal to the predetermined limit.
Ante – this is a forced contribution made as a rule during the tournament. All players need to do it before the cards are dealt.
How to Play
As you play Texas Hold’em, the special marker is used called button that determines the nominal dealer in each round. If there is no dealer, this person deals the cards. The player to the left has to make small blind prior to the cards are dealt. The next player sitting clockwise has to make big blind.
• Pre-flop – after the blind is made all players get pocket cards and then the round goes. This round is called preflop. The first player who has to make the decision is the one sitting next to big blind. He can fold, call, or raise. As one player raises, the other ones can re-raise. The game goes to the next stage until the other players call.
• Flop – three cards are exposed on this stage and this is called “flop”. These are community cards the players can use for hands. Then the second betting round goes. The first decision is made by the player next to the button. He can make the bet predetermined by the rules of the game, fold or check, which means that without folding the next player should make the decision. If one of the players makes the bet, his opponents can fold, call or raise. In this case it is not allowed to check. The round is over until all opponents call.
• Turn – one community card is flipped face up in this round, which is called “turn”. The principles of the round are the same as in the previous one.
• River is the last community card, which is exposed in this round. It is called river. Then the last round follows.
• Show down is the stage when all opponents expose their cards and the winner is determined, who takes the bankroll. If the hands have the same rankings then the bankroll is divided between them.
The varieties of the game
There are many varieties of the game in Texas Hold’em and the difference concerns the maximal betting amount.
Limit Hold’em – certain betting limit is set for each round of betting. At this only 4 betting rounds are allowed: betting, raise, re-raise and cap (final raise).
Pot Limit Hold’em – the minimal betting can’t be smaller than a big blind, while the maximal betting must not be higher than a pot. Re-raise can’t be smaller than the previous raise if the player doesn’t bet all his chips.
No Limit Hold’em – the minimal betting amount is equal to the big blind, while the maximal amount is not limited. Re-raise can’t be smaller than the previous raise if only the player doesn’t bet all chips in his possession. There are also no limits in rounds
Mixed Hold’em – the limits of maximal betting are present only in some rounds.