In the family of the most famous card games, with its unique mix of strategy, reasoning, decision making and a pinch of luck, poker is undoubtedly one of the best games in the world.
Poker, unlike other forms of play with or without cards, highlights the ability of players who, during a game, must be able to assess the odds of winning against their hand, observe the behavior of opponents to understand combinations and bluff, all this while trying not to send emotional signals to opponents so as not to understand their hand.
To play poker we need to have several players, a deck of 52 cards and chips with different currencies that will represent the value wagered during the game. The goal of poker is to win the total amount of all bets made by all players, through the best combination of cards.
This game has grown in popularity in recent years, thanks to the many television shows where celebrities compete in poker. Of course, learning to play poker is the first necessary step before participating in online or real salt tables.
Basically, poker is a game that leaves little room for chance. It is the technique, strategy, psychology and probability calculation that make a player a good player.
In this case we will better explain the rules of poker Texas Hold’em, also known as Texas, which is the most played variant of poker in the world.
So let’s see how you play and start winning! Here are the best tips and strategies.
The rules of Texas Hold’em Poker
Learning to play poker means, first of all, knowing the rules.
Texas Hold’em poker is played with a 52-card deck of 4 colours. For each color, there are 13 different cards that go in value scale from: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King and Ace.
Each player receives two covered cards, called “Hole Cards”. These two covered cards are only visible to each player in question. This is followed by a betting round. After the first round of betting, the dealer deals three community cards that are dealt in the middle of the table. Another round of betting follows.
After this second round of betting, the dealer discards an additional card from the deck, then deals another card uncovered in the middle of the table. A further round of betting takes place, after which the dealer discards the last card from the deck, then deals the last common card in the middle of the table.
After the fifth community card, there will be the last round of betting. Players may use none, one or two of their cards and community cards to form the best hand of five cards. The best five-card hand wins the pot.
Familiarize yourself with the hands of Poker
To play poker it is essential to know the card combinations and their value.
It should be remembered that if two or more players, at the end of the hand, have card combinations of equal value, for example both double pairs, or both no combinations, the player with the highest card wins.
The ace is considered to be the highest card.
After shuffling, the dealer deals the cards, starting with the player to his left and continuing clockwise. He deals one card at a time until all players have two cards (Texas Holdem). The rest of the deck of cards is placed in the middle of the table.
Beginners often end up showing the strength of their hand from the small reactions that betray them. The more the player hides these reactions, the more likely he is to win. Not for nothing, the well-known expression “poker face” was invented.
The first two players, depending on the order of that hand, will be forced to bet, but only for that hand. These bets will be called “little dark” and “big dark” and will be the opening bets of the pot. The rest of the players will have several options at this stage.
The first is to stay in the game by putting on the plate, that is on the table, as much as put by the previous player. Or, you can decide to leave (fold) the hand, and that is not to participate in that poker hand. Or, you may decide to raise, and that is to bet higher than that bet by his predecessor. The bets will go on so that everyone has not bet the same amount or left the hand.
Then you play three phases virtually equal to each other, in which come into play the so-called community cards. The first of these is the flop, in which the dealer places three cards in the middle of the table, which each player still present in the hand can ‘compose’ along with the two cards covered at his disposal.
To establish the order of play, we will always proceed clockwise from the first player, and even in this case we will wait for the decision of the last player who has yet to make it.
Then we move on to the turn, with the dealer who will place in the center of the table a fourth card, also discovered. The dynamics of the game is the same as the flop, and will be repeated even in the last phase of the game, namely the river. The dealer will show the fifth and last common card and discovery, the one that will definitively decide who will have won the shot.
As soon as the last decision by the players who have come to the river, we proceed in two ways: if there are at least two players still at stake, both will have to turn the cards to determine the winner, vice versa, if there is only one player to have bet and the others have done fold, you do not need the showdown.
Obviously it is not mandatory to get up to the river, the winner of the hand could also be decreed at the turn, or the flop, or even pre-flop. The important thing is that each hand has a winner before proceeding with the next one.
At this point, the one who opened the hand points again. In this turn you can accept the bet, raise or even leave. If the point in your hand is considered too low, it may be a good idea not to challenge too much.
The game ends when, after the raises, you go to see the cards of the various players who have remained. Obviously, the best hand is the one that will be successful and that will take all the money on the plate.
Don’t be afraid of the complexity of the rules, they are easier than they seem. The secret is to practice!