8 Tips Texas Holdem Poker How to Play (Beginner’s Guide)

Have you ever thought about how to learn Texas Holdem Poker how to play? It is popular as one of the most interesting card games that always manages to get the players’ adrenaline pumping. Even though there are many different types of poker, Texas Holdem reigns supreme as the top variation. 

Texas Holdem Poker has gained popularity among poker players for many reasons. Not only it is a favorite among a few people, but also an amazing entertaining game that is easy to play. It has simplicity to understand the Holdem rules that will help you to increase your chance of winning. 

If you are already interested to learn more about Texas Holdem Poker, you are in luck! We will give you a detailed explanation that you need in this article. So, read it carefully!

The Overview of Texas Holdem

Before we jump into Texas Holdem Poker how to play, it is a good idea if we start from the basic overview about this game. Well, it is a popular variation of the standard poker game. 

Holdem was founded in the early 1900s in Robstown, Texas, USA, where it was first played in a local card game , “Hold Me Darling”. This game ultimately migrated to the city of Dallas and is now called as Texas Holdem. 

The basic rules of this poker variation are simple. Every player will be dealt two private cards, known as hole cards, which they will keep secret from the other player. 

Then, 5 community cards are dealt face up on the table, which all players can use to make their best possible hand. Moreover, the main objective of Texas Holdem Poker how to play is to create the best 5-card hand possible using any combination of the 2 hole cards and the 5 community cards. 

After the first deal, there is a betting round, Then, the 3 community cards will be dealt face-up on the table, followed by another betting round. This process will repeat with the 4th and 5th community cards, with a betting round after every card is dealt. Players can decide to fold, call, or raise during every betting round. 

Texas Holdem Poker How to Play: A Guide for a Very Beginner

As a beginner, you must be wondering, is it hard to learn Texas Holdem Poker how to play. It is actually a relatively easy game to learn, especially for beginners. The basic rules are simple, and once you understand the ranking of the different hands, the gameplay is easy to follow. 

However, becoming a master in the game will take time, practice, and dedication. So, here are some ways you can follow for becoming a smart player in Texas Holdem Poker:

The Basics of Texas Holdem Poker

OK, now that you have a better idea about what Texas Holdem is and it is easy to learn, you must be very interested to take a step into the game. So, these are some basics you should know before choosing the live casino Malaysia site. 

1. The Dealer Button

On Texas Holdem Poker how to play, to create things fair for everyone, the players will take turns by holding the “Dealer” button. It is commonly implied by a round disk with the word “Dealer” on it, and the player with the Dealer button can be the one holding the “Dealer position”. Moreover, this player will also be the last person to get the cards. 

2. The Blinds

The next thing you should know about Texas Holdem Poker how to play, before the cards are dealt, players need to post blinds. Poker blinds are forced bets and are posted by the two players immediately to the left of the dealer button.

Based on the type of limit of poker games, the blind format will vary. However, the concept itself still remains the same. 

There are two types of blinds in poker: “Small Blind” and “Big Blind”. Both of them are posted before players get their cards. The Small Blind is created by the player to the left of the dealer button. Meanwhile, Big Blind on Texas Holdem Poker how to play is made by the player to the left of the Small Blind. 

3. The Straddle

When we are at it, here is another thing that you must remember – “Straddle”. 

On Texas Holdem Poker how to play, a straddle is, importantly a blind raise, an optional and voluntary bet created by the player who will be the first to act after the Small and Big Blinds, but before the cards are dealt. 

In addition, the player to the left of the Big Blind can decide to straddle by doubling the Big Blind before the hole cards are dealt. 

Note: Since this is a voluntary bet, it will not occur that often as you expect.

The Betting Rounds in Texas Holdem Poker

After we finish with the basic rules on Texas Holdem Poker how to play, now we can move to the betting rounds. This will be a bit complex for beginners. So, make sure you are focused while reading all of them. 

4. Pre-Flop

Once the blinds are made on Texas Holdem Poker how to play, each player will be dealt two cards face down, beginning with the Small Blind. These two cards are called “hole cards”. 

There will be one betting round once all the cards are dealt. In this round, players can decide to check, bet, or fold. At this time, decisions should be created depending on your hole cards. Once the betting round is finished, the community cards will be dealt. 

5. The Flop

Once the pre-flop is finished on Texas Holdem Poker how to play, 3 shared cards will be dealt face-up in the middle of the table. This step is called a “flop”. Every poker hand includes 5 cards. 

In the flop, every player’s hand will consist of the 2 cards in hand as well as the 3 cards that were dealt face-up. A second betting round will start from the player to the left of the dealer button. Players can decide to bet, check, fold, or raise during this time. 

Keep in mind that your decision should be created based on the current hand you have, as well as the potential of your hand. This is because there are two more steps in which players can boost their hands. 

6. The Turn

Once the flop step has concluded on Texas Holdem Poker how to play, the dealer will deal another card face-up in the middle of the table, beginning a third betting round. This round is called “turn”. Note that every poker hand includes 5 cards, with the addition of the card at the turn, now you have 6 cards available. 

At this time, each player will be allowed to use any combination of 5 cards from the table and their hand to create the best hand possible. For instance, a player can use one card from their hand together with 4 cards from the table, or 2 cards from their hand and 3 cards from the table. 

Once again, another betting round will follow after the turn is shown. There will be one more step after the turn, so there is still a potential to boost one’s hand. 

7. The River

Once the turn is finished on Texas Holdem Poker how to play, the final betting round will start with a card being dealt face-up in the middle of the table. This is called “river”. There are 7 cards that a player can work with. 

Every player can create a hand of 5 cards from any combination of cards in their hand or on the table. It is sometimes possible to create the best hand using the 5 shared cards on the table. Moreover, the final betting round will follow after the river is finished.

8. The Showdown

After the river round, if there are still two or more players in the game, the showdown will start. This is where all the players remaining in the game begin to show their cards. The player with the best 5-card poker hand will win the pot. 

Final Words

Now, you already know Texas Holdem Poker how to play as a beginner. The beauty of poker is in its possibilities. Once you have got a handle on the basics of the rules of the game, it is time to figure out reading players, bluffing, different betting strategies, and much more. You can also check out our related articles for more poker tips to improve your game experience.