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Understanding the Rules of No Limit Texas Hold’em Poker

The reason why No Limit Texas Hold’em Poker is one of the most widely played casino games all over the world is that the rules are not that complicated, and you can learn the basic of this game easily.  However, if you want to earn money by playing poker, you have to have a great understanding of the game mechanics and its strategies as well.  This article will show you how No Limit Texas Hold’em Poker is played from start to finish and all the hands that you can possibly encounter.

No Limit Texas Hold’em Poker has a maximum of ten players.  Many years ago, all players were given the chance to become dealers for the purpose of even-handedness and to take away the doubts on the poker table.  The dealer is then transferred from one player to another from left to right.  Casinos have adopted and modified this rule. Instead of letting all the players act as dealers, gambling establishments decided to just use a dealer in every round.  In poker, there is also what is called “the dealer button” or “the button” in casinos where it serves as the start off point in every hand that is played.  As a player, you have to know who is designated as the button for you to know who will make the small blind and the big blind as well.

The blinds that the two players make on the left of the dealer or the button are invariable and need to be paid before cards are actually handed out to all the players.  The small blind must be paid by the player on the left next to the button.  The small blind is equivalent to fifty percent of the big blind, which will then be paid by the next player to his left.

A player can play in different tables with different blinds depending on one’s preference and one’s capacity, but in poker tournaments, as you level up, the blinds, likewise, increment.  In a No Limit Texas Hold’em Poker, the least amount that you can raise is equivalent to the big blind. For example, the amount of the big blind is $10, then you can make a raise of $10, which makes your bet $20.  You cannot raise an amount that is below the big blind when multiplied by two.  For instance, you cannot raise $5 for your bet will only total to $15, which is less than the required bet.

As soon as the payment of blinds is done, the dealer then gives all the players two cards each faced down.  A player must see to it that no one else but him can see his hand.  The player next to the button makes the initial move even before the flop or the first three cards are laid in the middle of the table.  He will have to decide if he will raise, call or fold his hand.  Then all players do the same process following a left to right pattern.  Most tight and good poker players choose to fold before the flop for their cards are hopeless, while others continue to play and plan to bluff.  After all players had their turn and if there are no more players raising bets, the dealer then has to gather the pot and move on to the next betting round.

Before the flop is laid down, the dealer “burns” or sets aside the card on top of the deck.  The purpose of the “burning” cards before revealing the community cards is to avoid cheating on the table.  Then here comes the flop.  The flop is composed of three cards faced up and are used by each and every player to make the best possible hand.  After the cards are set on the table, the player next to the button again makes the first move in this second betting round.  Once more, players may choose to check, bet, raise or fold.  The first player to make the move hardly ever folds because there’s no harm yet in checking.

If raising of bets has already stopped, another community card is aligned to the flop cards, and it is known as the turn card.  Then the third betting round takes place with the same player making the first move and the process is repeated as usual.

The last community card that is placed in the middle of the table is popularly known as the river.  The last betting round takes place with the process similar to the previous betting rounds.  The river completes the community cards and it determines the player or players who has the best hand and who gets the pot.

The following are the hands that you must learn in No Limit Texas Hold’em Poker:

  • The Royal Flush Hand- consists of an Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 all having the same suit.
  • The Straight Flush Hand – e.g., Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5 all having the same suit t.
  • The Four of a Kind Hand – consists of four cards having the same value and a kicker.  E.g., 5, 5, 5, 5, 9.
  • The Full House Hand – consists of three cards of the same value and two cards also of similar value.  For instance, 8, 8, 8, 2, 2.  This is termed as “eights full” or “eights full of twos”.
  • The Flush Hand – consists of five cards all having a similar suit.  In case another player also has a flush, the values of the cards are compared and the one with the highest card value gets the pot.
  • The Straight Hand – consists of five consecutive numbers with different suits, e.g., Jack of Hearts, Ten of Spades, Nine of Hearts, Eight of Diamonds, and Seven of Diamonds.
  • The Three of a Kind Hand – consists of three cards of similar value and kickers, e.g., K, K, K, 7, Ace.
  • The Two Pair Hand – consists of two pairs of numbers of the same value and their kickers, e.g., 8, 8. 5, 5, 3.
  • The One Pair Hand – consists of two numbers of similar values and their kickers, e.g., 10, 10, 4, 5, 6.
  • The High Card Hand – consists of a card or cards higher than the hand of the other players.  E.g., Ace, King, 8, 9, 5 will win over a Queen, Jack, 7, 3 and 8.