Texas hold 'em poker Online, rules, betting, play
The most widespread and played variant of poker
Texas hold 'em is a variant of poker. It has become the most played card game not only in European and American casinos, but also in online casinos. The prize money for the winners of the world's biggest tournaments, such as the World Poker Tour or the series of tournaments called the World Series of Poker, is in the millions of dollars. The biggest online gaming sites have more than 200,000 connected players at their peak. This makes poker one of the fastest growing gaming industries. It is estimated that in 2005 the turnover of online poker rooms exceeded 50 billion USD.
Rules of Texas Hold 'em Poker
It is played at a table where two or more players sit; the theoretical maximum number of players could be up to 22, but usually a maximum of 10 players play at the table. There is one important place in poker. It is the position of the player designated as the dealer. This spot moves one player clockwise after each game and is marked for clarity with a large round marker, usually labeled "Dealer", even if the dealer is dealing. In a game without a croupier, it is the dealer who deals. The cards are shuffled before the start of each game. Before the deal, two players post mandatory bets. The so-called small and big blind. They must make this bet before they are dealt the cards. The small blind sits to the dealer's left (and the next round becomes the dealer). The big blind sits to the left of the small blind and the next round becomes the small blind. The small blind is usually half the big blind.
Ante
In some tournaments, at a later stage, all players send an additional mandatory bet, called an ante, into play before the deal. This is usually a tenth compared to the big blind. The difference between ante and blinds is that if the blinds want to enter the game in the first betting round, the blind is considered part of their stake in the first betting round. The Ante, on the other hand, sits in the pot and is not part of any future bets by the player.
Everyone has two cards
The mandatory bets are followed by the dealing of the cards. Each player is dealt two cards that are hidden from the other players. After the cards are dealt, the first betting round begins. The size of the bet that a player can send varies by game variant. In limit games, the maximum raise is the big blind in the first and second betting rounds, and two big blinds in the following rounds. In pot limit games, the bet at any given time can be up to the maximum amount of chips that other players have placed in the game up to that point. Probably the most attractive is the no-limit variant, where each player in each round can bet all the chips they brought into the game. In the first betting round, the player can either call the big bet, raise the bet, or fold. Each increase must be at least the amount of the large mandatory bet. The only exception is when the player does not have enough chips in front of him to call the bet or raise the big blind. In this situation, he can bet all the chips in front of him regardless of their specific number. In order to participate in the game, the player must either call the highest bet of the opponent in front of him, i.e. the big blind at the beginning, or if he does not have enough chips, bet all the remaining chips into the game. In the limit variant, the bet can be increased a maximum of three times, and after the third increase, you can only call. In the unlimited variant, there is no limit to the number of possible increases. A player who is about to fold in a situation where at least two players remain in the game after folding may not show his cards. This is so that others cannot calculate their chances of winning using the information about which cards are missing from the deck. A player who lays down at any time before showing is no longer in the game, and the remaining players fight for the chips they have bet in the game.
Flop - here we go
If at least two players remain in the game, three community cards are placed face up on the table. These cards are referred to as the flop. After they have been unloaded, if at least two players still have some chips in front of them, a second round of betting follows. In this round, there is no longer a bet that would have to be matched from the beginning, so it is possible not to bet and still stay in the game, if one of the opponents does not bet (so-called check). This and all subsequent betting rounds are started by the small blind or the first player clockwise from the small blind who is still in play and has chips left. The betting rules are similar to the first round.
Turn - let's get it going
If at least two players remain in the game, the fourth community card on the table is next, face up. That's the turn. After it has been unloaded, if at least two players still have some chips in front of them, a third round of betting follows.
River - going hard
If at least two players remain in the game, the fifth community card on the table is next, face up. That's the river. After it has been unloaded, if at least two players still have some chips in front of them, the last round of betting follows.
Showdown - moment of truth
If at least two players remain in the game after the last betting round, the cards are dealt. The one who bet last shows the first one, the one who called last can show the last one. The last bettor will show his hand. The player next in turn will reveal his hand if it is stronger than the strongest hand shown or is strong enough to have a chance of winning part of the pot. If his hand is not strong enough, the player has the option to show or hide his cards.
Win payout
The player with the strongest hand wins the main pot. If it happened that during the betting, a player put all his chips in play and this player wins, he will only receive from the pot up to the amount of his chips called by the other opponents. The rest of the bank will be shared by the others according to the same rules. If the card combination of several players has the same value, the corresponding pot is divided between them. If it cannot be divided equally, the remainder after dividing the pot by the number of players in chips goes to the winner closest to the dealer counter-clockwise.
Played with chips
The game can be played for chips that correspond directly to money. Then at any moment the player can turn his chips into money and leave the table. If he loses all his chips, he can buy them back.
Poker in a tournament
Another variant is tournament poker. The player buys chips for the given deposit. The tournament is played until one player captures all of the opponents' chips and becomes the winner. The other players must forfeit their chips. In some tournaments, the player can buy chips during the first phase of the game. But tokens can never be sold back. The player must either exit the tournament with zero chips or win the tournament. The order of the players in the tournament will be established according to the reverse order of elimination. The money that everyone has invested in the registration fee for the tournament will be shared by the best players.
Winning combinations
During the final showdown, the strength of the card combination is decisive. Each player has two private cards and five community cards, laid out on the table. From these seven cards, he builds the strongest possible five-card combination. The strongest five-card hand wins.
The value of the card is determined by the number or letter on it. The highest card is A Ace, followed by K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. All suits are equal.
The winning combinations from highest to lowest are as follows:
Royal flush is a clean five-card straight with an ace at the end. If you have this hand (eg 10 of hearts, J, Q, K, A), no one can beat you. If a combination of these five cards appears on the table, the pot is divided among all players remaining in the game.
A
Straight flush is a clean straight ending with a card lower than A. In the event that more than one player has a straight flush, the winner is the one who has this straight ending with a higher card. In the event of a match, the bank is divided. Ace acts as the lowest card here.
Four of Kind (poker) is a foursome, i.e. four cards of the same value (eg four sixes). In the event that more than one player has poker and there is no stronger hand in play, the winner is decided by the value of the poker (ace beats king). In case of a match, the size of the fifth card is decisive; if it is also the same, the bank is divided.
Full house is threes and twos (for example, three sevens and two tens). In the event that more than one player has a full house and there is no stronger hand in play, the winner is decided by the value of the three. In case of a match, the value of the pair is decisive. In case of agreement, the bank is divided.
A
Flush is five cards of any value but of the same suit (eg Ace of Spades, Ten, Eight, Seven and Two). If more than one player has a flush and there is no stronger hand in play, the highest card of the flush decides, the second highest if a tie, the third highest if a tie, the second lowest if a tie, the lowest if a tie. In case of the same value of all flush cards, the pot is divided.
Straight is a dirty straight (eg five of hearts, six of hearts, seven of spades, eight of hearts and nine of diamonds). If a straight has more players and there is no stronger hand in play, the winner is the one whose straight ends with the higher card. In the event of a match, the bank is divided. Ace can act as the highest card, but also as the lowest card.
Three of Kind (trips) is a trinity (eg three kings). In the event that there is no stronger hand in the game and more players have threes, the winner is decided by the value of the threes. In the case of a match, the higher value of the two complementary cards decides, in the case of a match the lower of them, in the case of a match the bank is divided.
Two pair are two pairs (e.g. two threes and two fours). In the event that there is no stronger hand in the game and more players have two pairs, the winner is decided by the higher value of the pairs. In case of a match, the value of the lower pair is decisive. In case of a match, the fifth card decides, and if it is also the same, the bank is divided.
Pair is a pair (eg two fives). If no player holds a better hand than a pair, its value determines the winner. In the case of a match, the highest of the three complementary cards decides, in the case of a match the second highest, in the case of a match the lowest, in the case of a match the bank is divided.
High card is a high card. If no one has a better combination, the winner is decided by the highest of the five cards, in the case of a match the second highest, in the case of a match the third highest, in the case of a match the second lowest, in the case of a match the lowest, in the case of a match the bank is divided.