Rules of the game

Texas Hold ‘em: a 5 card poker variation

What is needed:

A deck of cards, jokers removed

Button: a marker to identify the dealer

Chips for betting

Rules:

The marker called the button indicates which player is the nominal 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.

The big blind is the same as the small bet, and the small blind is typically half the size of the big blind but may be larger depending on the stakes.

In Hold'em the available actions are fold, check, bet, call or raise. Each poker player always has the option to fold, to discard their cards and give up any interest in the pot. If nobody has made a bet at this point, then a player may either check (decline to bet, but keep their cards) or bet. If a player has bet, then each other player 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.

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.

The Flop

In Hold'em, the three cards on the flop are community cards, available to all players still in the hand. To place the flop, the dealer "burns" a card (discarding it to the side) and lays the three cards face up. 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 and is dealt similarly to the flop.  The dealer will burn one card before playing the turn. Another round of betting ensues, beginning with the 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 after the dealer burns another card. The river is the fifth and final community card in a Hold'em game. Betting again begins with the player immediately clockwise from the button, and the same betting rules apply as they do for the flop and turn, as explained above.

The End Game

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 (see Ranking section below). In the event of identical hands, the pot will be equally divided between the players with the best hands. Unlike other games, in Hold'em all suits are considered 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 are once again posted, and new hands are dealt to each player.

Ranking:

1. Straight Flush

The Straight Flush (see #4) is the highest ranking hand in poker. If there are two straight flushes, the hand with the highest card (see #9) wins. A royal flush is A-K-Q-J-10.  A's may not round the corner such as 3-2-1-A-K.

2. Four of a kind

Four cards of any same rank. If there are two hands with four of a kind, the highest ranking hand wins (see #9).

3. Full House

A Full House is a combination of three of a kind and a pair such as 3-3-3-5-5.  If there are two flushes in play, cards are ranked by the three cards and not the pair.

4. Flush

Five cards of the same suit. When comparing two flushes, the highest card determines which is higher. If the flushes are identical, the hands tie.

5. Straight

Five cards of mixed suits in sequence. When two hands are compared, the highest hand wins. Ace can count high or low in a straight, but not both.

6. Three of a Kind

Three cards of the same rank plus two mismatched cards. When comparing two threes of a kind the rank of the three equal cards determines which is higher (See #9)

7. Two Pairs

In a hand with two pairs, the two pairs(See #8) are of different ranks and one mismatched card. When comparing hands with two pairs, the hand with the highest pair wins.

8. Pair

In a pair, 2 cards in the hand are matched or paired up, with the other three cards mismatched. Higher pair always wins, but if the pairs are equal, the high card (See #9 ) rankings apply.

9. High Card/Nothing

Cards rank in order from highest to lowest A-K-Q-J-10 etc.