Texas Hold’em
Texas Hold’em, the world’s best-known poker type, enjoys popularity in tournaments and media. Las Vegas introduced it in the late 1960s, providing increased betting options for a complex, action-packed game. “H” in HORSE games, Texas Hold’em serves as the base, with variations like Omaha Hold’em emerging.
How to play Texas Hold’em
Texas Hold’em is a flop or community card poker, where players have two individual hole cards and five community cards. Players can use any combination to form the best poker hand.
The game proceeds with each player receiving two cards face-down and a round of betting. Next, three community cards are placed face-up on the table (flop) followed by more betting. The dealer flips the fourth card (turn), followed by another round of betting. The dealer then deals the fifth and final card (river), followed by the last betting round.
In a showdown, players reveal their cards, and the highest hand wins. Ties in the highest hand are broken with kickers. Full house, straight, and flush have no kickers, while identical kickers in other hands split the pot.
What it offers
Texas Hold’em is widely available, making it easy to find games and practice opportunities. It offers more betting action than older forms of poker, attracting skilled players. The popularity of Texas Hold’em has resulted in an abundance of resources like media representation, books, DVDs, and coaching sites.
The availability of more betting rounds allows for better action, increased bluffing, and slow-playing, resulting in more money. This feature makes Texas Hold’em an excellent game for beginners to start with.
Playing Hold’em is easy, and most players know the rules well, making it a popular game. It’s also the subject of more resources than any other form of poker. Learn Texas Hold’em, and you’ll have countless opportunities to improve your game.
Texas Hold’em variations
Aviation
This variant involves players receiving four hole cards and discarding one before and after the flop.
Church
This game is also known as Iron Cross. The dealer distributes five pocket cards to players, and the five community cards come down in a cross shape. After the initial deal and each community card shown, betting occurs.
Players can utilize up to three community cards in their hand, forming a row either up, down, or diagonal.
Crazy Pineapple
This variation is similar to Pineapple, but players discard the third hole card after the flop, rather than before it.
Double Flop
In this variant of Texas Hold’em, two community card boards are dealt, and players create separate hands for each.
Players receive four hole cards, discard two, and then the five community cards are revealed at once. One betting round ensues.
Pineapple
Players discard one of their three hole cards after the initial pre-flop betting round in this Texas Hold’em variant.
River of Blood
In this variant, an extra card is dealt until the river card is black if it is initially red. Players can use any of the additional cards to form their hands.
Apart from this rule, the game plays like a regular Texas Hold’em game.
Players can form their hand using their hole cards, community cards, and any extra cards.
Tahoe
This variant resembles Super Eight, but players are limited to using only two of the three hole cards they receive.
Players must use their two best hole cards in combination with the community cards to form their hand.
The River Wild
In this variant, the river card and all cards of the same rank are wild.
Two-Time Hold’em
This variant of Texas Hold’em involves players receiving four cards each, which they separate into two hands.
The hands are kept separate, and then the game proceeds like a regular game of Texas Hold’em. Players can use any combination of their hole cards and the community cards to form the best possible hands.
Speed Hold’em
This variant involves players receiving four hole cards each and discarding two immediately.
The five community cards are then flopped at once, and there is only one betting round. This makes for a very fast-paced game.
Super Eight Hold’em
Each player receives three pocket cards instead of two in this Texas Hold’em variant, similar to a regular game.
Players may use any combination of their pocket cards and the community cards to make the best possible hand.