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How to play No-Limit Texas Hold'em

The "Dealer Button"

Texas Hold'em uses what is called a "dealer button" (a round indicator) to identify the theoretical dealer of each hand. After each hand is completed, the dealer button moves clockwise to the next active player. This player will be considered "the dealer" for that hand. In this way each player has equal opportunities to be in early, middle and late positions during a round of play. At the start of the game, players will take a seat at the table. The dealer will deal one card face up to each player. The player with the highest card will be the first player to act as the dealer. If two or more players are dealt the same high card, the tie will be broken by order of suit, starting with the suit preference of spades, hearts, diamonds and then clubs.

The Blinds: Betting In The First Round

The two players immediately to the left of the dealer button place blind bets to start the pot (similar in principle to an ante). Instead of having every player ante each hand, the blind bets in combination with rotating dealer button accomplishes the same thing. The player to the left of the dealer button posts the "small blind". The player to the left of the small blind is required to post the "big blind". All the blinds in Hold'em poker are considered live bets and the players who posted them will have the option of calling, raising or folding when the betting returns to their position. Remember, the dealer button (and therefore the small blind and the big blind) move around the table clockwise after each hand, so each player will post the blind bets over time.

Once the blinds have been placed, e ach player is dealt two cards, face down, which are known as hole cards or pocket cards .

First Round of Betting: Because the two players immediately left of the dealer have already placed their "blind bets", the player to the left of the player who placed the big blind starts the betting for the first round. The big blind has the option to raise an otherwise unraised pot. Every player participating in the hand should have equal amounts of points bet as the previous players (includes bets, calls and raises). Until the time all the players have placed equal amounts in the pot, the betting will continue. I n No-Limit Texas Hold'em there is no limit to the number of raises that a player can make, or the amount of points the player raises each time. The only limit is that you cannot raise yourself. If all the other players in the hand only call or fold, the player would not get an option to raise, because he was the last and only player to raise. Minimum raise : The raise amount must be at least as much as the previous bet or raise in the same round. As an example, if the first player to act bets 100 Poker Points then the second player must raise a minimum of 100 Poker Points (total bet of 200 Poker Points). Maximum eligible raise: At any time, a player may "Go All-In" meaning that he bets all of the chips that he has in front of him.

The flop: Three community cards are dealt face up. The first three cards are referred to as the flop , while all of the community cards are collectively called the board .

The Flop

Second round of betting: Starting with the player to the left of the dealer button, each player can check or bet. Once a bet has been made, each player can raise, call, or fold.

The turn - A fourth card is added face-up to the community cards. This fourth card is known as the turn card , or fourth street .

The Flop			The Turn

Third round of betting - It follows the same format as the second round.

The river - A fifth and final card is added to the community cards. This fifth card is known as the river card , or fifth street.

The Flop			The Turn	The River

Final round of betting - It follows the same format as the second and third rounds.

The showdown - Once all the bets are complete, there are two possible outcomes: either all the players but one have folded (and hence the remaining at person wins the pot), or the remaining players reveal their hands and the best hand wins the pot. This latter scenario is often called the showdown.

Using the best five-card combination of their hole cards and the community cards, the remaining players show their hands. The highest five-card hand wins the pot. (In case of a tie, the pot is evenly split among the winning hands.

What happens when a player is all in?

In some situations, a player may be "All-In" meaning he has bet all of his chips. Here is an example explaining how "All-In" situations are handled. Player A has 3,000 chips. Player B has 2,000 chips and Player C has 1,000 Chips. Player A goes all in, before the flop holding two queens. Player B, holding two kings, calls. Player C, holding two aces, also calls. Player A is immediately returned 1,000 chips because Player B only had 2,000 chips. For the rest, a side-pot is created between Player A and B of 2,000 chips (because Player C only had 1,000 chips with which to call A and B's 2,000 chip bet). Player C cannot win this side pot. If the Board reveals a 3, 5, 7, ten and jack (and assuming no flushes), Player C would win the main pot containing 3,000 chips and Player B would win the side-pot containing 2,000 chips.

Limit, No Limit and Pot Limit Holdem

Texas Hold'em rules remain the same for limit, no limit and pot limit poker games, with a few exceptions:

Limit Texas Hold'em

In Limit Texas old'em a maximum of four bets is allowed per player during any betting round. This includes a (1) bet, (2) raise, (3) re-raise, and (4) cap (final raise), but in No Limit Texas Hold'em and Pot Limit Texas Hold'em there is no limit to the number of raises that a player can make.

No Limit Texas Hold'em

Minimum raise: In no limit Texas Hold'em, the raise amount must be at least as much as the previous bet or raise in the same round. As an example, if the first player to act bets $5 then the second player must raise a minimum of $5 (total bet of $10).

Maximum raise: The size of your stack (your chips on the table)

Pot Limit Texas Hold'em

Minimum raise: The raise amount must be at least as much as the previous bet or raise in the same round. As an example, if the first player to act bets $5 then the second player must raise a minimum of $5 (total bet of $10).

Maximum raise: The size of the poker pot, which is defined as the total of the active pot plus all bets on the table plus the amount the active player must first call before raising.

Texas Hold'em: Playing in Tournaments

Single Table Tournament

Single-Table tournaments can have a maximum of 10 players where all players begin with an equal number of chips. The stakes (antes, blinds) increase over time. Players are knocked out of the tournament as they lose all of their chips to other players. The winner is the player who eventually ends up with all of the chips on the table. The entry fee for a tournament (i.e. 100 Poker Points per player) is multiplied by the number of players (i.e. 10) to determine the total prizes awarded (in this case 1,000 poker points). In a ten player tournament, first place receives 50% of the points (i.e. 500) with second and third receiving 30% and 20% respectively.

Multi Table Tournament

In a Multi-Table tournament, there can be multiple tables of players with a maximum of 10 players per table. Each player starts with an equal number of chips. The stakes (antes, blinds) increase over time. Players are knocked out of the tournament as players lose all of their chips to their opponents. Remaining players are periodically re-assigned seats on other tables to keep tables full. This will eliminate tables over time until the last surviving players with chips remain at a final table. The eventual winner is the last player at the last table that ends up with all the chips. The tournaments on this site award points and/or prizes to the top finishers. In tournaments awarding points, the total points awarded is equal to the entry fee (in points) per player multiplied by the number of players participating. These points are then awarded as indicated in the tournament detail screen.

Hand Rankings

Here are the poker hands from highest to lowest.

1. Royal flush

A, K, Q, J, 10, all the same suit.