POKER
CARD GAMES CLUB
TEXAS
HOLD ‘EM
CARD GAMES CLUB
SETUP
In Hold'em, each player is dealt two private cards (known as
‘hole cards’) that belong to them alone. Five community cards
are dealt face-up - three at once, then another, then another -
to form the ‘board’.
OBJECTIVE
Before and after each card(s) is revealed, players take turns
to bet. To stay in the hand and see the next card, all players
must have put the same amount of chips in the pot as each
other. The best poker hand wins the pot.
GAMEPLAY
All players in the game use the shared community cards in
conjunction with their own hole cards to each make their best
possible five-card poker hand. A player may use any
combination of the seven cards available to make the best
possible five-card poker hand, using zero, one or two of their
private hole cards.
THE BLINDS
A marker called ‘the button’ or ‘the dealer button’ indicates
which player is the dealer for the current game. Before the
game begins, the player immediately clockwise from the
button posts the "small blind", the first forced bet. The player
immediately clockwise from the small blind posts the "big
blind", which is typically twice the size of the small blind, but
the blinds can vary depending on the stakes and betting
structure being played.
Depending on the exact structure of the game, each player
may also be required to post an ‘ante’ (another type of forced
bet, usually smaller than either blind, posted by all players at
the table) into the pot.
Now, each player receives his or her two hole cards. Betting
action proceeds clockwise around the table, starting with the
player ‘under the gun’ (immediately clockwise from the big
blind).
PLAYER BETTING OPTIONS
The available actions are ‘fold’, ‘check’, ‘bet’, ‘call’ or ‘raise’.
Exactly which options are available depends on the action
taken by the previous players. If nobody has yet made a bet,
then a player may either check (decline to bet, but keep their
cards) or bet.
If a player has bet, then subsequent players can fold, call or
raise. To call is to match the amount the previous player has
bet. To raise is to not only match the previous bet, but to also
increase it.
PRE-FLOP
After seeing his or her hole cards, each player now has the
option to play his or her hand by calling or raising the big
blind. The action begins to the left of the big blind, which is
considered a ‘live’ bet on this round. That player has the
option to fold, call or raise. For example, if the big blind was
$2, it would cost $2 to call, or at least $4 to raise. Action then
proceeds clockwise around the table.
Betting continues on each betting round until all active
players (who have not folded) have placed equal bets in the
pot.
THE FLOP
Three community cards, available to all players still in the
hand. are dealt face-up on the board. This is known as ‘the
flop’. Betting on the flop begins with the active player
immediately clockwise from the button. The betting options
are similar to pre-flop, however if nobody has previously bet,
players may opt to check, passing the action to the next
active player clockwise.
THE TURN
When the betting action is completed for the flop round, the
‘turn’ is dealt face-up on the board. The turn is the fourth
community card in Hold'em. Another round of betting ensues,
beginning with the active player immediately clockwise from
the button.
THE RIVER
When betting action is completed for the turn round, the
‘river’ is dealt face-up on the board. The river is the fifth and
final community card in a Hold'em game. Betting again
begins with the active player immediately clockwise from the
button, and the same betting rules apply as they do for the
flop and turn, as explained above.
THE SHOWDOWN
If there is more than one remaining player when the final
betting round is complete, the last person to bet or raise
shows their cards, unless there was no bet on the final round
in which case the player immediately clockwise from the
button shows their cards first. The player with the best five-
card poker hand wins the pot. In the event of identical hands,
the pot will be equally divided between the players with the
best hands. Hold'em rules state that all suits are equal.
After the pot is awarded, a new hand of Hold'em is ready to
be played. The button now moves clockwise to the next
player, blinds and antes are once again posted, and new
hands are dealt to each player.
HAND
RANKINGS
1. Royal Flush 2. Straight Flush
A, K, Q, J, 10, all of the same suit. Any five card sequence of the same suit.
3. Four of a Kind 4. Full House
Four cards of same rank, Three cards of one rank
and any other unmatched card. and two cards of another rank.
5. Flush 6. Straight
Five cards of the same suit, Five cards in sequence,
but not all in sequence. but not all of the same suit.
7. Three of a Kind 8. Two Pairs
Three cards of the same rank, A pair of one rank and another pair of a different
and two unmatched cards. rank, and any other unmatched card.
9. One Pair 10. High Card
A pair of one rank Five unmatched cards. If no one has any other
and three unmatched cards. hands, player with the highest card wins.
HAND
RANKINGS
1. Royal Flush: A, K, Q, J, 10, all of the same suit.
2. Straight Flush: Any five card sequence of the same suit.
3. Four of a Kind: Four cards of same rank, and any other
unmatched card.
4. Full House: Three cards of one rank and two cards of
another rank.
5. Flush: Five cards of the same suit, but not all in sequence.
6. Straight: Five cards in sequence, but not all of the same
suit.
7. Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same rank, and two
unmatched cards.
8. Two Pairs: A pair of one rank and another pair of a
different rank, and any other unmatched card.
9. One Pair: A pair of one rank, and three unmatched cards.
10. High Card: Five unmatched cards. If no one has any other
hands, player with the highest card wins.
