Texas Holdem Rules
Objective
The objective is to make the best five card hand possible using any combination of the five cards on the board and the two in your hand.
Dealing
At the start of the Texas Holdem poker game, the Dealer shuffles a standard 52-card deck. In casinos and card-rooms, the Dealer does not play. However, when there is a shortage of Dealers or in home games, games may be self-dealt. In self-dealt games, the deal changes each hand in a clockwise direction. In games with a Dealer, a round disc called the 'Dealer Button' moves clockwise from player to player with each hand. The Button marks which player would be the dealer if the game was self-dealt.
The Blinds
Games begin with the two players to the left of the Dealer (the Button) putting a predetermined amount of money (the Blinds) into the pot before any cards are dealt, thus ensuring that there is something to play for on every hand. In tournaments this amount is increased in a time pattern in order to ensure the elimination of players.
Usually, the Small Blind (the player on the immediate left of the dealer) puts up half the minimum bet, and the player on his left (the Big Blind ) puts up the full minimum bet. This is called 'posting the blinds.'
The Deal
Each player is dealt two cards, face down (the Hole Cards ). He keeps their denominations a secret, usually emphasised by shielding the cards with one hand while turning a corner of them up. The Hole Cards must stay on the table but may be momentarily raised to ensure that a player has full sight of them. They must then be replaced on the table but may be consulted at any time during the hand, only by the player to whom they were dealt.
The object of the game is to combine these two cards with the five cards which will eventually be laid out in front of the Dealer (the Board) to make the best poker hand (see Hands) among the players. This hand may consist of the two Hole Cards and three of the Board, one Hole Card and four of the Board or - very occasionally - neither of the Hole Cards and just the Board. The holder of this hand wins the Pot.
Preflop
The action begins with the player to the immediate left of the big blind, who must decide to fold, call (by putting in the low limit bet), or raise (by putting in twice the low limit bet). Action proceeds clockwise around the table. The small blind may call (assuming nobody has raised) by adding the other 1/2 of the low limit bet he was already forced to put in. The big blind may simply check (assuming nobody has raised), as he has already put in the full size of the first round bet.
The Flop
Three cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table. In this round, and in the following two rounds, the player to the immediate left of the dealer button is the first to act. Play proceeds in a clockwise manner around the table. All bets and raises must be equal to the low limit bet size.
The Turn
A fourth card is dealt face up in the middle of the table. Play proceeds as in the previous round, except now all bets and raises must be equal to the high limit bet size.
The River
A fifth and final card is dealt face up in the middle of the table. Play proceeds as in the previous round. All bets and raises must be equal to the high limit bet size.
Irregularities
The following are the rules concerning irregularities.
If the first holecard dealt is exposed
If the first holecard dealt is exposed, a misdeal results. The dealer will retrieve the card, reshuffle, and recut the cards. If any other holecard is exposed due to a dealer error, the deal continues. The exposed card may not be kept. After completing the hand, the dealer replaces the card with the top card on the deck, and the exposed card is then used for the burncard. If more than one holecard is exposed, this is a misdeal and there must be a redeal.
Boardcards prematurly flopped before completion of the betting
The flop needs to be redealt. The boardcards are mixed with the remainder of the deck. The burncard remains on the table. After shuffling, the dealer cuts the deck and deals a new flop without burning a card.
The fourth card is turned before completion of the betting
The card is taken out of play for that round, even if subsequent players elect to fold. The betting is then completed. The dealer burns and turns what would have been the fifth card in the fourth card's place. After this round of betting, the dealer reshuffles the deck, including the card that was taken out of play, but not including the burncards or discards. The dealer then cuts the deck and turns the final card without burning a card. If the fifth card is turned up prematurely, the deck is reshuffled and dealt in the same manner.
Dealer deals an extra card by mistake
If the dealer mistakenly deals the first player an extra card, after all players have received their starting hands, the card will be returned to the deck and used for the burncard. If the dealer mistakenly deals more than one extra card, it is a misdeal.
Playing the board
You must declare that you are playing the board before you throw your cards away - otherwise you relinquish all claim to the pot.
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