Texas Holdem Explained

• Texas Hold'em
• Omaha Hi
• 7 Card Stud
• 5 Card Stud

If the action of poker was synonymous with one type of game, the action would be in Texas Hold'Em. With up to ten people playing at once, Texas Hold'Em is arguably the most popular poker game in the world. Players are dealt two cards each (called the hole cards), and five community cards are dealt by the dealer, with a round of betting preceding each new community card. Players need to make the best five card hand out of the five community cards and two hole cards. Note that you do not have to use the two hole cards in your hand. You can use both, only one or none of them.

Texas Hold'em Overview

Note: To play Texas Holdem Poker you must have enough chips to place a blind bet and a bet.

Texas Hold'em plays as follows:

Note: The first two rounds of betting are at the lower limit, and the last two rounds are at the higher limit. For example, in a $2/$4 game, the first two rounds are at $2 and the last two rounds are at $4.

1. In the third round, a fourth community card is dealt, called the Turn. Another round of betting follows.
   
2. In the fourth round a fifth and final community card is dealt, called the River Card. This is followed by the final round of betting. The remaining Players then use their two pocket cards and the five community cards to create the best five-card hand possible. The winner takes the pot.

Note: If two or more Players have the same hand, the pot is split equally between them. Any odd chips go to the Player nearest the Dealer.

Strategies

At Crazy Poker - we'd like to see you get the most out of your poker experience - and offer you the following tips to win, and drive your opponents crazy!!!

• Five of the total Seven-Cards can be seen after the flop. At this point, you will have a good indication of how strong your hand will be in the final round. Consider your cards, and bets carefully. Staying for the Turn and the River demands that you either have a strong hand, a draw to a potentially winning hand, or good reason to believe that betting on a future round may cause your opponents to fold.

• As a general rule, don't continue beyond the flop without diverse possibilities - a strong pair and a decent side-card, a kicker, a straight, or flush draw. If you flop a draw, stick with it as long as the pot promises a greater payoff than the odds against making your hand.

• Although Ace-King is a terrific starting combination, it generally needs to catch a flop with either an Ace or King in it to play aggressively.

• When you must act before most of your opponents, play few hands. Acting last in Hold'em is like batting last in baseball. It's a big advantage. In fact, hands that you'd routinely fold from early position might be raising hands if you are last to act.

• Carefully consider how the communal cards can interact with your two hidden pocket cards to create a winning hand.

• Call it quits when necessary. You haven't lost much if you have a worthless hand and fold early in the game. It's good practice to err on the side of caution; it costs less.

• Success at Texas Holdem demands that you be patient, pay close attention to position, and take comfort in the knowledge that good hands are run down less often than the best seven-card stud hands.