Betting
Prior to starting a hand of hold 'em the player to the left of the dealer
must stake a small blind. This is a pre-agreed amount designed to
get some money into the kitty. The player to the left of him must stake a
big blind. This is generally either double or 1.5 times the small blind.
This amount can increase at stages during the game.
The dealer then deals each player 2 cards, face down. The betting can
then begin with the player to the left of the big blind betting first. You
have the following choices:
- fold - you decide you don't want to waste money so you throw your
cards on the table and play no further part in that hand
- check - if you already have an amount in your pot which is equal
to the highest amount bet you can choose not to fold and not to put any more money in
- call - bet an amount to bring your pot equal to the highest stake
already bet
- raise - you bring your stake up to an amount equal to the highest stake already bet
but then you put in extra - this will be an amount equal to the big blind
- reraise - if a player has previously raised in this round then
you can raise the pot again
After a raise all other players then have the above option again but to stay
in the hand they must bring their stake up to the same level as the highest bet.
They can of course raise as well but in limit games there can only be 3 raises
per round.
Dealing
If there is no nominated dealer the first hand is dealt by a selected player
and subsequent hands are dealt by the player to the left of the previous dealer
(clockwise). If there is a single dealer for the whole game then a dealer
button is used to represent which player should be treated as the dealer,
i.e. who should have their cards dealt last. This button moves one place
clockwise after each hand.
The game starts as above with each player being dealt 2 cards face down.
After the first round of betting the dealer then deals...
The Flop. The dealer deals 3 cards face up into the community
section (this will be explained later in Winning). After the flop another
round of betting takes place and the dealer deals the...
Turn. This is one more card dealt face up into the community
section. Again, another round of betting takes place. In limit games
the bet in this and the next round are usually double the bet in the first 3
rounds. Then the
dealer deals the...
River/Fifth Street. This is the final card dealt into the community section.
After this card the final round of betting takes place.
To avoid cheating the dealer will burn the card on top of the next
card to be dealt. This means they simply discard this card so that players
can't spot marked cards.
Winning
A hand comes to end either if all but one player has folded, if there has
been 3 rounds of betting, or if no player raises the bet in one of the rounds of
betting (all players have called).
There are really two ways of winning - either all your opponents fold (see
above), or you have a better hand than all of your opponents.
Your best hand consists of any 5 cards from a combination of the ones dealt
to you (the hole) and the cards in the community section. It is
called the community section because any player can use them as part of their
hand (although they always stay on the table).
For example if you have a diamond and a club in your hand, alone they are
worth nothing. But if there are 4 other diamonds in the community then you
can use the 1 in your hand along with the 4 in the community. Assuming
your opponent doesn't have a diamond or your diamond is higher than those in the
community and higher than your opponent's then you will win.
If you win a hand then you win all the money which has been bet (put into the
kitty).
Winning Hands
Okay, so you've played your last hand and called. Now who really does
have the best hand? The list below shows the possible winning hands in
ranking order:
Royal Flush - 10, J, Q, K, A all of the same suit
Straight Flush - 5 cards in consecutive order in the same suit, e.g.
3, 4, 5, 6, 7 of spades
Four of a Kind - e.g. A, A, A, A
Full House - Any 3 of a kind as well as a pair, e.g. Q, Q, Q, 10, 10
Flush - Any 5 cards in the same suit, e.g. 3, 5, 6, 10, K all in
diamonds etc
Straight - 5 cards in consecutive order, e.g. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and cards
can be in various suits
3 of a Kind - e.g. J, J, J
2 Pair - e.g. K, K and 10, 10
Pair - e.g. K, K
High Card: If no better hands are created the winning hand is declared
to the person holding the highest card. Ace is the highest single card
Kickers
Okay, well we appear to have the same winning hand - who wins now?
Possibly. Same ranking hands are common in hold 'em so in this
event kickers are used. A kicker is a card which the player
can use as a high card but it doesn't form part of the winning hand. For
example, if two players both have a pair but both are using a single card from
their hole (in their hand) to make this pair then they will then revert to the
other card in their hand. Whoever has the highest card in their hand would
win - or would they?
Remember they can both use the community cards so if there is a card in the
community which is higher than both of their spare cards (a card which is not
used to form their winning hand) then they would both use the highest ranking
card from the community and therefore it would be a draw. Of course, if
one player had a higher card in their hand than any spare card in the community
then this player would win.
Sounds complicated? Once you start playing you'll realise it isn't
hard at all. Follow one of my sponsor's links and have a go now.
|
