Texas Hold'em Poker Help

This Form of 7-Card Stud has become the hottest poker game in the world!

Here is the Sequence of Events in the Game:

1. Blinds. This means two (2) players to the left of the dealer button both post blinds that are equal to exactly half the limit they are playing. This is equal to the "ante" in 7 Card Stud. For example, $4-$8 Hold'em, blinds are $2-$4.

2. Dealer Button. This is the button that is used to determine where the action starts. Once the game begins, this buttons moves one person to the right (clockwise) for every new deal.

3. The Dealer deals each player 2 cards face down (Pocket or Hole Cards)

4. PreFlop. This equals the 1st betting round.

5. The Flop. When the Dealer turns over 3 community cards.

6. Betting after the Flop. This means the 2nd betting round.

7. The Turn. This happens when the Dealer turns over 1 community card.

8. After the Turn. This is the 3rd betting round

9. The River. Dealer turns over 1 last community card.

10. There will be 5 community cards from which you will make your best 5-card poker hand. At this point you can use all 5 community cards and none from your hole cards. The object is to make your best hand, 4 community cards and 1 from your hole cards to make your best hand, or use 3 community cards and both of your hole cards to make your best hand.

11. After the River. This is the Final Betting Round.

12. Showdown This is where the players reveal their hands and produce the winner. The winner has the highest-ranking poker hand available from all the hands remaining after the river card.

Betting in Texas Hold'Em

During the first 2 rounds, each bet and raise is at the lower limit of the stakes structure, such as $4 in a $4/$8 game.

During the last 2 rounds, each bet and raise is at the higher limit of the stakes structure, such as $8 in a $4/$8 game.

known as a bet and Three (3) Raises, a player can bet up to 4 times per round. This can consist of (1) a bet, (2) a raise, (3) a re-raise, and (4) a cap. It's called a cap because betting is then capped and cannot be raised anymore. Players can only call the Cap or fold once the pot is capped.

In all games, Check-raising is allowed.

Button and Blinds

In Texas Hold 'Em, a button indicates the theoretical dealer of each hand.

The button moves clockwise to the next active player after each hand. The player to the left of the button will be first to receive a card and must then post a small blind. The small blind is half the lower limit bet, and it is rounded down to the nearest dollar. The player to the left of the small blind must post the big blind, this is equal to the lower limit bet. For example, in a $4-$8 game, the blinds would be Small Blind $2.00 and Big Blind $4.00. This replaces the antes in a game of 7-card stud.

Both blinds are immediate with the hand, and there are options when, in a clockwise progression, the action returns to them. For the Small Blind, these options are to call the remainder of any bets to be made, or to raise if there are still raises remaining that are yet capped.

For the Big Blind, there are options also. These options are: to check if no one has raised, to call if someone has raised, or to raise if there are still raises remaining (not yet capped). After the flop and each subsequent betting round, the first active player to the left of the button is first to act.

When a player first sits down at an active table, he may then post the equivalent of the big blind. To play immediately, all of the players may sit out and wait for it to become the actual big blind before playing. This rule is designed to ensure fairness for all the players and to stop any potential abuses by preventing the players from constantly entering games in a late position and then leave before they are required to post the big blind.

Hand Rankings in Texas Hold 'Em
Hand Rankings follow in descending order

*If multiple hands are found to match in rank, the winner will be the one with the higher cards, for example, a Queen-high straight beats a 9-high straight.

*If the hands are still tied, Then the kicker will determine the winner based on hands that are 3 of a kind or below. If the hands remain tied, the pot will be split between these winners. Any odd chips will go to the left of the button.


Royal Flush	Straight Flush	4-of-a-Kind

Full House	Flush	Straight

3-of-a-Kind	2 Pair	1 pair

3-of-a-Kind

The ranks and suits are also ordered. In descending order, the cards are ranked 2 A K Q J 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 (hence the name, "Big 2") Again in descending order, suits go , making 3 the lowest card. Card rank supersedes suit.

When comparing flushes, the ranks of the 5 cards are compared one by one. If all 5 ranks are identical, the stronger suit wins.

Let's say Player A begins by playing 3 by itself.
However many cards a player initiates action with, every subsequent hand in that round must discard that number of cards. Had Player A discarded a pair, the remaining players (and A himself) could only play pairs in that round.

Player B can only follow with another single, say 9 .

Player C is now restricted to singles higher than 9 , that is, 9 and any 10, J, Q, K, A, or 2. If C holds no singles higher than 9 , (or, more likely, wishes to hold onto multiple higher cards for later rounds), she'll pass.

If D and A then pass, B wins the round and can open the next round with whatever he chooses.

When a player has 1 card left, the previous player (the assistant) must play the best possible card set to prevent the next player from winning. The assistant can play a multiple-card set, or, if that's impossible, play the highest possible single card.

If the assistant fails to do this, and the next player wins, the assistant covers everyone's losses and can't take money from other players.

When 2 is played alone, or as part of a pair or 3-of-a-Kind, all opponents automatically pass. A player also passes if he/she holds fewer cards than the number of cards played in the preceding hand.

Dealer Puck:

Big 2 incorporates a dealer puck to initiate payment at the end of each game. The player to the immediate right of the puck is the first to compare his hand with the others', and so on around the table. Any player low on cash is thus prevented from gaining or losing more than what he had available at the start of the game.

All-Ins

Online poker games are played at "Table Stakes". This means that only the chip value you have in front of you at the start of a given hand can be used in that hand. You can increase your "table stake" at any time in between hands. NEVER DURING A HAND.

Sometimes during the course of a hand the betting will exceed a players "stake" and the player may not have enough to call a particular bet. The player does not have to forfeit their hand at this point. Should the player wish to continue, they can call the amount that they have in front of them and they will be declared "ALL IN". Any further action will create a side pot of which the "All In" player will have no claim to. The limit of the number of side pots is only limited to the number of participants in a particular hand. The player will have claim to the portion of the pot that they have contributed to. This rule is exactly how it's handled in Brick and Mortar card rooms.

Different from a B & M card room is the "ALL In" rule that occurs during Internet disconnects.

Our software can determine whether you are disconnected from the Internet during a hand. Should this occur your hand would play and lay claim to the portion of the pot that you have contributed to, up to and until the disconnect.

You will notice in the game that you have a preset "all in" account. This account has in it ONE (1) all in allowed in a 24 hour period. Should this happen more than once in a 24 hour period, you can ask to have this account reset by e-mailing support and requesting an all in re-set. Should this become a regular occurrence, please e-mail support to find out what suggestions we might have to help you increase the reliability of your connection.

If we determine that you are connected to the game your hand will be folded. This is done to protect the integrity of the game. Further if we feel that the "All In" policy is being abused, the abusing will be addressed and "All In" privileges may be revoked.

Players should exercise caution when their "All In" has been used. Until your “All In” has been reset, your hand may be folded during a disconnect and you can lay no claim to the hand or the pot you were involved with immediately prior to the disconnect.

Buy-Ins