Online Texas Holdem Poker

Online Texas Hold'em Poker – an introduction

Online Texas Hold'em is arguably the most prominent form of poker. The ability to play cheaply and anonymously online has been attributed as a cause of the increase in its popularity. Online poker sites both allow people to try out games and also provide an opportunity to play in large tournaments (like the World Series of Poker) via minor tournaments known as satellites.

The REASONS to play

Why play poker? It seems like a simple question, but the answer is both complex and personal. There are many different reasons to play poker.

Socializing. Many people enjoy hanging out and playing cards, and many have become friends over the card table. If you wish to play because you want to have or be part of a group, stick with low stakes, where the games are more fun and friendly.

Fun and excitement. Poker is a competitive game. To win, one needs the skills and luck the game necessitates. Make sure you don't get swept up in the 'entertainment' nature of poker, because it is possible to lose a lot of money while playing.

Education. The skills necessary to become a good poker player apply well to other aspects of life. Poker will help you to improve your judgment skills (reading people) and sharpen your logical and strategic skills.

Make money. Most people play poker for fun, but some make considerable money at it. Nevertheless, the desire to win more is definitely a reason to improve your poker skills.

The GAME - Basics

An online Texas Hold'em poker game goes as follows:
1. Depending on the limit and betting structure, players will place out blinds and antes so there is an initial amount to get things started. This is called posting.

2. The dealer shuffles up a standard deck of 52 playing cards. Each player is dealt two private cards face down. These are called your hole cards or pocket cards.

Ex. Hole cards: You are dealt A Q.

3. Then there is a round of betting starting with the player to the left of the blinds. This is the preflop betting round. Like most games of poker, players can call, raise, or fold. If nobody raises, the player who posted the big blind can continue in the hand without betting additional chips. This is called checking.

4. After the betting round ends, the dealer discards the top card of the deck. This is called a burn card and is done to prevent cheating.

5. The dealer then places the next three cards face up on the table. This is called the flop. These are communal cards that anyone can use in combination with their two pocket cards to form a poker hand. The player to the left of the dealer starts another betting round.

Ex. The Flop: The board is A 10 9. Right now, you have a pair of aces.

6. After the betting concludes, the dealer burns again then deals another communal card onto the table. This is called the turn. The player to the left of the dealer begins another round of betting. In many types of games, this is where the bet size doubles.

Ex. The Turn: 10 come on the board. You know have two pairs, aces and tens

7. Again, the dealer burns a card and places a final card face up on the table. This is called the river. Players can now use any of the five cards on the table with one or both of their hole cards to form a five-card poker hand. (If the best available hand is made up solely of the five community cards, the best a player can hope for is a share of the pot unless he bluffs the other players into folding). There is one final round of betting starting with the player to the left of the dealer.

Ex. The River: 2 come on the river. The final board is A 10 10 9 2.

8. After that, we have the showdown. All of the players who haven't folded reveal their hands. This begins with the player to the left of the last player to call. Players use a combination of their pocket cards and the community cards to form a five-card poker hand. The player who shows the best hand wins! And sometimes players with the same hand split the pot.

Ex. Showdown: You show your ace high flush. Your opponent shows his J 10, so he has three-of-a-kind. You win!
That's the basics of the game and, as you can see, it is not too difficult, which is why so many people play online Texas Hold'em poker. Unfortunately, knowing the rules does not mean you can win on a regular basis. We will be publishing further articles with more advanced tips to help improve your odds of winning. Good luck at the tables.