Poker Room
Play Free Holdem

Play Texas Holdem Online

Basic Rules for Playing Texas Holdem Poker

In this article we will describe how to play Limit and No Limit Texas Holdem poker. The two games are slightly different and are thus broken into two different sections. If you are looking for more advanced thoughts regarding Texas Holdem, please review our Texas Holdem online poker guide.

1.) Limit Texas Holdem Poker Rules

Playing Texas Holdem - Before We Begin

Before we establish the rules for limit Texas Holdem a quick explanation of the big and small bet is necessary. In limit Texas Holdem there are 2 different sizes of bets which can be made depending on the point in time in the hand. These two bets are the big bet and the small bet. The dollar amount of the small bet and the big bet is established before the session begins and the name of the session describes the amount. For example, in $4-8 Texas Holdem, $4 is the small bet and $8 is the big bet.

Please note that you may find Poker Terminology a useful resource when reading this page if you are not familiar with some terms used here.

When playing Texas Holdem and before the session begins, each player is dealt one card face up. The highest card that is dealt determines who begins as the dealer.

Preflop Texas Holdem

Once the dealer is determined, we begin the preflop round. In this round each player is dealt 2 cards face down. The player to the left of the dealer must post the "small blind" (see poker blinds for more details) and the player second to the left of the dealer must post the "big blind". The blinds are considered a mandatory bet designed to encourage game play since there are already chips in the pot. The dollar amount of the small blind is equal to 1/2 of the small bet and the big blind is equal to the small bet. Thus in our $4-8 game, the small blind puts $2 into the pot and the big blind puts $4. This is considered "posting" the blinds.

The third player to the left of the dealer then opens the hand by either folding, calling the preflop bet, or raising 2x the preflop bet. For example, in our $4-8 game the third player can fold, call $4 (matching the big blind amount in the pot), or raise to $8. Since this is a Limit Texas Holdem game, the player can not put in any more chips than $8.

Play continues to the left in a clockwise fashion with each player having an opportunity to fold, call, or raise. Any player wishing to enter the pot must either match the total amount of the last player's bet or raise. If a player wishes to raise, the raise amount can only be made in the amount of the small bet. For example, in our $4-8 game, if player "Jerry" has raised the pot to $8 the player to his left can either fold, call $8 or raise to $12. No more and no less.

Play continues with each player having an opportunity to fold, call or raise. The last player to raise is considered the leader of the pot and each player must either match the total amount of chips he/she has put into the pot or fold. In our $4-8 example, if player "Jerry" has raised to $8 and the player to his left has raised to $12 then it is Jerry's turn and he must either call $4 more (matching $12 total), fold, or raise to $16.

The amount of raises when playing Texas Holdem is limited and is based on the rules in the specific game. In most places there is a maximum amount of 4 bets in each round. Thus in $4-8 Texas Holdem, the play is maxed out in the first round at $16 (4 bets x $4 = $16).

It should be noted that in Las Vegas if there are only 2 players in a limit Texas Holdem pot that most card rooms allow you to bet indefinitely. This means that if there were only 2 players, they could continue to raise each other by $4 until one player ran out of chips.

Playing the Flop in Holdem

Once the preflop betting has been concluded the dealer burns a card off the top of the deck face down and then deals three cards face up. These cards are community cards which all players can use to make a poker hand. (see Winning Poker Hands for more details on the different poker hands). These 3 cards are considered the flop. Betting then begins with the player to the left of the dealer. The small blind is to the immediate left of the dealer and would begin the play.

The betting on the flop in Texas Holdem is the same as preflop only now you are allowed to check which means that you do not wish to bet at this time but do not have to throw your hand away unless an opponent makes a bet. If you wish to bet or raise an opponent you must do so in the amount of the small bet. For example, if you wish to bet you can only bet $4 and if you wish to raise someone who bet $4 then you must bring the total to $8. All of the other rules still apply.

A quick note on check raising. You should be aware that when playing Texas Holdem, if you check and your opponent bets you can raise him/her when it is your turn to act. You are not simply limited to a call. This is known as a check raise.

The Big Bet is on the Turn

Once the round of betting has concluded on the flop the dealer burns another card off the top face down. He/she then proceeds to deal a fourth card face up. This fourth card is considered the "turn" card. Betting proceeds the same as in other rounds except the limit is now higher. The bets and raises must now be made in the form of the big bet. For example, in our $4-8 poker game, you must now bet or raise by $8.

Playing the River in Texas Holdem

After this round of betting has concluded, the dealer burns another card face down off the top of the deck and proceeds to deal the final fifth card face up. This card is known as the "river". Betting then proceeds in the same manner as the turn in increments of the big bet. Once betting has concluded the person who had their bet called shows his/her hand first and the callers show their hand from left to right determining the best poker hand.

Notes on Cheating in Texas Holdem

Once the hand is over if a player has not yet shown his hand and wishes to throw his hand away without showing this is allowed. However, in order to detect potential cheating with players working together to manipulate the size of the pot a player can ask to see the hand that is about to be thrown away. In this way if the hand did not warrant the way it was played throughout the round players can see if they are in an honest poker game or not.

2.) Rules for No Limit Texas Holdem poker

All of the rules that apply to the play of limit Texas Holdem also apply to No Limit. The only difference is that you are not limited in the dollar amount of your bet. When it is your turn to act you can bet any amount of chips in front of you.

Specific Raising Rules When Playing No Limit Texas Holdem

In order to raise when playing No Limit Texas Holdem the amount of chips that you wish to raise by must be at least as large as the last raise in the same round. If you are playing in a no limit Texas Holdem game with $5-10 blinds that means if you are the first to enter the pot in order to raise you must put in $20. Since the big blind is $10 and you wish to raise then you must put in at least $20 (The $10 big blind is considered the raise that you must match).

If someone has already raised before you then your raise must be at least as large as his/her raise. This is not to be confused with the need to match the last bet with your raise. For example, if the blinds are $5-10 and player A sends in a bet of $50 he is raising by $40 (calling $10 big blind + raising $40 = $50 total bet). If player B wishes to raise he/she must raise by at least $40 (total bet of $90). Many players and even dealers make the mistake of thinking that player B must raise by $50 (total bet of $100) thinking that player B's raise must double the last bet. This is incorrect as the player need only match the raise ($40 in our example).

Now let us consider when a player has gone all in with a partial raise. Other players may not reraise on a player’s all in raise unless it is a full raise. This is complicated so let’s use an example.

Suppose we have players A, B, and C in a Texas Holdem game where the blinds are $5-10. Player A opens with a raise to $50 total chips (he matches the $10 blind and raises by $40). Player B reraises all in for a total of $70 (he calls the bet of $50 plus raises $20 more). Player C cold calls the $70. Player A can not reraise since Player B did not put in a legal raise. Player B raised by only $20 when he needed to match a raise of $40.

Now let us consider an example of when player A could reraise. Again we have players A, B, and C with the blinds at $5-10. Player A raises to a total of $40 chips (he matches the blind of $10 and raises by $30). Player B pushes all in with $70 (calls the $40 and raises by $30). Player C then cold calls. Player A can reraise as much as he wants because Player B has sent in a legal raise. Player B has matched the original raise amount of $30.

Here is another website explaining Poker Rules.

Copyright © 2005 PokerCheckRaise.com - Texas Holdem Online
All Rights Reserved.

Poker by Location

USA Poker
California Poker

Site Map

Contact Us