The rules of Texas Hold'Em

In Texas Hold'em, each player is dealt two private cards. It must then use the 5 common cards to compose the best 5 card combination with 7 cards at its disposal. The Hold'em is usually played between 2 and 10 players at the same table with a single deck of 52 cards (no jokers).

Before you begin, you must first randomize which begins to brew. Everyone must brew in turn, so that the player left of the dealer becomes the next current donor (the dealer position therefore moves clockwise). In casinos or in the parts where there is a non-dealer player, an object (called "button"), means the "virtual dealer". The button will also move clockwise with each hand.

Before the cards are dealt and the hand begins, the first two people to the left of the button need to put a blind, blind called. This update blind is determined in advance according to the tournament structure or as the limit of money to which you are playing. PokerCollectif can advise a suitable structure depending on the number of tournament player, your tokens available and the time you want the tournament lasts. Use the discussion forum so that players can suggest an appropriate structure.

The player to the immediate left of the button must put the "small blind". The small blind is usually half full blind. The player directly to the left of the small blind must, for its part, put the "big blind" (a complete set representing the minimum bet for the first round of betting).

Two cards are then dealt - face down - one by one, each player (starting with the person on the small blind, and going in the direction of clockwise). These cards are called "hole cards" or "individual cards." Each player may look at his cards (taking care not to show his neighbors), and begin!

Round update
There will be a total of four rounds of implementation. The first is commonly called "pre-flop" (first betting round having just seen your individual cards); the second is called "the flop" is the betting round that just after the unveiling of the first three community cards; the third round is called "turning", where we add the fourth community card; then the last round is the "river" where the five community cards are exposed. Then there was the unveiling: At this point, the remaining players reveal their cards and the highest five-card hand wins the pot. (See related article on the rank of each poker hand )

If, at any time, all players fold, the remaining player wins the pot, no matter how good his hand. We will return in the following explanations.

The first betting round: preflop
Each round of betting proceeds in the same way, except the first. This is different, because the first two players have bet blindly. When the first betting round, the round begins with the player to the left of the big blind. It will have three choices: he could sleep his cards (that is to say, he may decide not to play two cards: in this way, he has no money and will add just wait next hand A player who folds can not resume his cards at any time.); it may also call the bet (that is to say, he may decide to equalize the amount of the bet here, this amount corresponds to the value of the big blind.) it may also raise the bet (that is to say, it may decide to increase the auction). Each player, in clockwise order will therefore have the choice of action. A player can also checker in case nobody has opened the set, or if it already has the amount of the bet (the big blind, for example). The first betting round (called preflop) ends when the action returns to the first player to have bet / raised, that is to say, all the other players are either lying or have called the bet.

The best way to understand the first round of betting is by examples. Here is a first example in a 5 player game:

• Andre puts his small blind ($ 1);
• Bernard then places the big blind ($ 2).
• The cards are dealt, and Charles now has 3 choices: it must now equalize the big blind ($ 2), bedroom (he will not play this hand), or raise the bet at least $ 4 (it should up the ante of at least the size of the previous setting: in this case, the previous bet was $ 2 Bernard). Charles decides to call the bet.
• It is now the turn of Doris: it still has the same three choices Charles, that is to say call the bet, fold, or raise the stakes at least $ 4. She is not satisfied with his cards and decides to fold.
• Eric, the fifth player (button) still has the same three choices: fold, call the bet, or raise the bet. He decides to call the bet. André, he now has a slightly different choice: he already has $ 1 blind. So it can complete the bet (the missing $ 1) lie (he must, against, leave it up to the blind on the table), or increase the bet at least $ 4. He decides to call the bet.
• Finally, the round of betting returns to Bernard, because it could not decide its action: its application had been made ​​blind and he still has a choice. In his case, he has against a new possibility. First, as for others, it can fold, call the bet, raise the bet. By cons, we must not forget that he has EVER put $ 2 on the table, so why would he lie, since he can see for free the first three community cards (called the "flop"). So, the new option is the "check": that is to say, he refuses to build and not to call any further development. In fact, do a "check" is like "bet $ 0" or "$ 0 call." For the purposes of our example, Bernard decides to invoke the "check" and the betting round "preflop" So ends here.

second example: Even our five comrades play the same hand, but in different ways.

• Andre puts his small blind (SB for Small Blind);
• Bernard puts his big blind (BB, Big Blind).
• Charles calls the bet;
• Doris raised to $ 4! Oh! A revival! What's going on now? Eric must now either fold or call the revival of Doris ($ 4 total), or raise himself at least $ 6 (Doris to raise $ 2 more than the $ 2 bet Bernard. Éric must therefore raise at least as much, and in this case, it will put a total of $ 6 to revive Doris $ 2). Eric decides to call the bet.
• Andrew now has $ 3 to add (because it has already put $ 1 in the pot due to the small blind): it can also lie and leave her $ 1, or raise at least $ 6 total. He decides to go to bed.
• Bernard, he has already paid $ 2. He can lie and leave her $ 2, it can call the revival of Doris and add the missing $ 2, or even restart itself Doris at least $ 6 total. Bernard decides to call the bet. What is the betting round is over? No!
• We miss Charles: it was called the bet, but now he faces the revival of Doris. Therefore it has the same choices as usual: bed, call the bet or raise at least $ 2 more (ie, $ 6 in total). He decides to call. Is Doris can now restart again? No! The action returned to the person who placed / relaunched the last, and therefore, the betting round "preflop" ends here.

Third example: Always our same five friends who play the same hand, but again differently.

• Andre pays the SB;
• Bernard pays its BB.
• Charles calls the bet;
• Doris raised to $ 4.
• Eric also raise to $ 6 this time.
• Andre sets;
• Bernard calls the $ 4 missing;
• Charles did the same by adding $ 4 (he had already put $ 2 by calling the size of BB); What is the betting round is over? No!
• Doris has not yet been able to complete the revival of Eric. It therefore has the same choices as usual: fold, call the bet (add $ 2 to have a total of $ 6, or raise at least $ 8 total (ie, add $ 4) . It calls the bet, and the preflop betting round is complete.

Fourth and final example: Always our same five friends playing the same hand, but again different and quite aggressively.

• Andre pays the SB;
• Bernard pays its BB;
• Charles calls the bet;
• Doris raised to $ 4;
• Eric reraised to $ 6;
• Andre sets;
• Bernard also layer;
• Charles calls the bet;
• Doris still reraise to $ 8.
• Eric called stimulus Doris.
• Charles now remains, which can close the round by lying or by calling the bet.

The second betting round: The FLOP.
Once the preflop betting round close, the donor must burn a card (that is to say, it must put face down on the table). Then he rotates three cards, face up. These cards are common: each player must combine his two hole cards with the community cards say.

So this time we start the betting round, with a small change: as there is no pre-blind, the first player to act is the first player to have cards that is to the left of the button. As there is no pre-blind for this round, it can either build itself (this setting must be at least the size of BB at the preflop round), or simply "checker". It can also lie, but why lie when the check is totally free! If check, the next player will have exactly the same options (check, bet, or fold); if he bets, the next player can not checker (because there is a set before him): he must either fold or call the wager, or raise. And so on for each player, until finishing the second betting round.

First example: Andre Bernard and Charles have all closed the preflop round, Doris and Eric are being coated in this round.

• Andre check;
• Bernard check
• Charles check. The action is back to André and must close this round no one has wagered.

Second example, always with our three comrades

• Andre check
• Bernard check.
• Charles put $ 2.
• The action returns to Andrew, and he now has three choices: fold, call the $ 2 bet, or raise at least $ 4 total. This layer.
• Bernard has the same three choices, and decides to call the bet. The betting round on the flop is closed.

Third example, always with our trio-Bernard André-Charles:

• Andre put
• Bernard calls the bet.
• Charles stimulus ($ 4).
• Andre calls the bet ($ 2 remaining).
• Bernard also known (remaining $ 2 as well). Betting round closed.

Fourth and final example:

• Andre check,
• Bernard bet ($ 2).
• Charles layer
• RECOVERY ... and Andre. Yes, André checker, and now he raises the bet Bernard. This is a tactic called "check-raise" is completely legal, and it comes checker in the intention of raising a potential implementation. Of course, Bernard could check behind Andre. But the check-raise is a tactic that you can learn better by reading various articles on strategy PokerCollectif.
• Bernard must now be called the revival of Andre or restart itself at least $ 6. He decides to call the development ... and thus ends the second betting round.

The third betting round: The turning point.
When the second betting round ends, the dealer must again burn a card. He then turns a fourth community card. Then it uses exactly the same path as in the second betting round with the remaining players, and until this round is closed.

The fourth betting round: The River.
When the third betting round ends, the dealer burns another card then turns a fifth community card. At this point, again the same path as in the second and third betting round with the remaining players is resumed. By cons, this time once the betting round is complete, there is a showdown.

The unveiling.
Disclosure is when the players turn their cards and the winner collects the bets (also called "pot"). Refer to the article "Ranking of hands" in order to easily identify which hand is stronger.

Once the unveiling completed, the button moves to the left (ie, the SB becomes the button and the BB becomes the SB,. Etc.), so that all players find themselves shifted to the left. The new button is now the new dealer, and then we can start the second hand!

Other ways of winning a hand.

It does not necessarily have to wait until the unveiling to win the hand. You may also be the only remaining having absolutely nothing yet (you're on the BB, and everyone lie ... You turn your BB from your chips, and you also win the SB) player.

You can also bet - with the best hand or not - and your opponents can lie, bequeathing you the whole pot. When you bet with a hand that is not the best, you do what is called a "bluff" you bet hoping that your opponents sleep better hand than yours! You can read various articles on bluffs PokerCollectif: do some research, you'll quickly!

The various forms of Texas Hold'em.

* Note: There are three forms of Texas Hold'em. Regulations are similar, but the difference lies in reminders:

1. The limit Hold'Em: raises are made ​​according to a fixed amount. This amount may double during the third round of betting. For example, if the SB is $ 1 and the BB is $ 2, the person wanting to relaunch will make $ 4, no more, no less. If someone reraise, he will make a total of $ 6. Another stimulus, and it now costs $ 8 total. During the third betting round (on the turn), the double limit: thus, it is possible to bet $ 4 rather than $ 2 on the turn, and recovery will total $ 8 instead of $ 4. Make a reraise all at a total of $ 12 ($ 4 $ 4 +4). It is the same in the fourth and final round of auction (the river), where updates will still leaps $ 4 rather than $ 2 bonds.
2. The unlimited Hold'Em: this time, a player can bet all the money in front of him, and at any time (when it is his turn, of course). For example, SB and BB may have put their $ 1 and $ 2 respectively, but the next player can raise $ 4, $ 8, $ 20, $ 100 ... or more if he has more to him. Hence the expression "go all in", which means that a player bets all his chips. If a player is all-in and the other does not have enough money to complete the setting, the surplus shall be set apart and potentially returned to the all-in player, and the other will call for the development equivalent of all his chips. A simple example will help you understand: André $ 20 before him; Bernard was only $ 12. Andre goes all-in. Bernard wants to call the bet. Bernard has no right to take $ 8 missing from his pocket to call the $ 20 Andre. In fact, Bernard will call with $ 12. Thus will the $ 8 ($ 20 - $ 12) in a side pot André and Bernard will be able to compete to win the $ 12 Andre (not the $ 20 Andre). Why I say "the surplus will be set apart and potentially returned to the player all-in"? This situation is a bit more complex, but relatively easy to understand. For example, if $ 20 André, Bernard $ 12, $ 25 and Charles. Andre goes all-in. Bernard calls the bet. Charles would also call the bet. Charles should he put $ 20 or $ 12? In fact, it creates a second pot. The first pot (main pot) is composed of $ 12 Bernard, of $ 12 to $ 12 and André Charles (in addition to the money put into the pot in previous rounds). The second pot (secondary container) will be comprised of $ 8 surplus André, and $ 8 Surplus Charles, a side pot for a total of $ 16. There may be many secondary players pot as necessary, but you rarely see situations where there will be + a side pot. Sometimes there will be two, but see two rather rare. Unlike Limit Hold'Em, the bids will double ever.
3. The pot-limit hold'em: this variant is the most complicated of the three, simply because it must constantly know how much money there is in the pot. In this variant, so you can make big raises, but you can not build it around your carpet: you will be limited by the size of the pot. This poker is very complex and requires much more agility than the limit or no-limit poker: you must be able to manipulate the pot size to maximize your gains and minimize your losses. For example: Andre pays SB ($ 1), and Bernard pays BB ($ 2). Charles can therefore raise $ 5 more. Why not $ 5 and $ 3? After all, the pot contains $ 3 at this time. In fact, it is that we must calculate the $ 2 that Charles had to call before restarting! It's as if Charles called the bet ($ 2), then relaunched $ 5 ($ 1 + $ 2 André Bernard Charles + $ 2). Warning! Never use the "I called the bet and I raise" because as you can say "I lie and I raise" you can not call a bet and raise: you can do either one or the other! I only found a literal way to make you better understand the maximum size of the pot raises. So in this case, Charles could raise a total of between $ 4 (minimum raise) and $ 7 ($ 2 +5 maximum recovery). In starting out, it is better to avoid this variant of Hold'em: you already have enough things you focus!