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Home > How to play Hold'Em

How to play Hold'Em

Texas Hold'Em

The game is played with two face down cards and five common cards. There are four rounds of betting. The player with the best five cards wins the pot.  All action proceeds in a clockwise rotation.

Before the facedown cards are dealt, the first two players sitting on the left of the dealer have to make two forced bets (blinds). The first player pays the small blind, and the second player pays the big blind. When only two players are left in the game, the dealer pays the small blind and the other player pays the big blind.

The game starts and each player is dealt 2 face down cards.  Subsequently the five common cards are dealt: first three (also known as the Flop), then one (Turn) then the last common card (River).

A round of betting follows each deal. The first two betting rounds are played with the lower stake limit while the last two rounds are played with the higher limit.

  • Fold - Abandon the hand
  • Bet - Bet
  • Call - Follow the bet of the previous player
  • Raise - Increase the stake of the previous bet
  • Check - Neither bet nor fold (only if no action was taken before)

At the end of the four betting rounds the player with the best hand wins the pot.

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Hand Rankings

New to the game or a little rusty?  Let's run through the Hand Ranks...

Royal Flush (Highest Ranked):

Ten, Jack, Queen, King, Ace of the same suit.

Straight Flush:

Straight with all five cards in the same suit.

Four of a Kind:

Four cards of the same number or face value ("quads").

Full House:

Three cards of one number or face value and two cards of another number or face value. If more than one player has a full house, the full house with the highest ranking three of a kind ("trips") wins.

Flush:

Five cards of the same suit. If there is more than one flush, the hand with the highest card(s) wins.

Straight:

Five cards in sequence. Cards can be in any suit. An Ace can be used in the highest straight (10, J, Q, K, A) and the lowest straight (A, 2, 3, 4, 5).

Three of a Kind:

Three cards of the same number or face value ("trips").

Two Pair:

If two players have two pair, the hand with the highest pair wins. If they have the same high pair, whoever has the second highest pair wins. If they have the same two pair, whoever has the highest fifth card ("kicker") wins.

One Pair:

Two cards of the same number or face value. If two players have the same pair, the highest outside card(s) wins.

High Card:

The hand with the highest card(s) wins.

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Enjoy the game and please play responsibly. www.gambleaware.co.uk

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