The object in view in a texas hold’em game is to make the best possible poker hand. In order to make a five cards hand you have at your disposal two hole cards and five community cards. This combination can be made of two hole cards and three community cards, one hole card and four community cards or entirely of the five community cards. In this last case, all players left in the game are winners and they share the pot. Community cards are dealt in a central position on the table, face up, and can be used by all players.

Dealer button

The dealer button is a chip with the inscription D used as a reference point for dealing cards and posting blinds. Before starting a poker session, the dealer button is placed at seat 1.

Blinds

Big blind and Small blind are posted before each hand for ensuring a minimum pot for each hand. The first player to the left of the dealer posts the small blind (SB) and the next player, clockwise, posts the big blind (BB). The BB is twice the SB. If a player leaves the poker game after the hand when he was in the BB, the next hand it will be no SB and the player to the left of the dealer will post the BB.

The betting round

During a betting round, each players acts when it’s his turn, at least one time, clockwise. There are a few actions you may choose from. When no bet has been made on the respective round you may pass on without raising the stake (check) or you may make a bet (bet). When someone before you has bet, you may give up and quit the game (fold), pay the same amount (the same bet) for going on (call) or you may increase the amount bet (raise). When you bet all the chips you have in play you went "all-in", if someone has more money in the pot then your "all-in" a secondary pot is made. There are four phases in a holdem hand, each of them being followed by a betting round.

The pre-flop

After posting the blinds, the game starts by dealing the cards. Each player is dealt two hole cards, that only they can see (also called pocket cards) and then the first betting round begins. The first player to act is the one situated on the left of the player posting the BB. After this betting round players pass to the next phase called Flop.

The Flop

Three community cards are dealt to the center of the table. A new betting round begins, this time starting with the player on the left of the dealer, the one posting the SB. Each player acts according to the combination they have made, considering the fact that all players may use the community cards. After that, the 3rd phase comes with the Turn.

The Turn

A new community card is dealt for all the players. There are now four community cards. A new betting round begins. The player on the left of the dealer starts the 3rd betting round. The fourth phase is the River.

The River

The last community card is dealt to the center of the table. All the five cards are in the game now. The same player starts the last betting round. This final round is followed by the Showdown.

The Showdown

Now all players show their cards to determine the winner of the big pot. This player has the most valuable combination of five cards that he obtained by using the two hole cards and the five community cards. Attention! Only the players left in the game show their cards. A texas holdem hand may come to an end during each of the betting rounds, when all players except one give up to their cards. In this case, the only player left in the game wins the pot no matter what cards he has. Also, he may choose whether he shows his card or not. When two or more players have the same combinations (with the same value) the pot is split evenly.