Learn How to Play Texas Hold'em

Texas Hold'em is becoming more and more popular with the creation of television shows such as Celebrity Poker Showdown, Late Night Poker, and World Poker Tour. By now you probably have friends or know people who get in a game a few or more times a month. Because of this, we at Campus Resource decided to give a brief lesson in the game of poker or, more specifically, Texas Hold'em.

Hand Rankings
Before we begin, it would be good to know how your hand matches up against your opponents. The hands below are ranked greatest to worst.

Royal Straight Flush
This hand is so rare it is probable that you may never see one [depending on how much you play]. A royal flush is a straight flush with the cards being 10 through Ace of the same suite [spades being the best].

Straight Flush
The straight flush is just like the Royal Flush but can be any straight such as 5h, 6h, 7h, 8h, 9h. Only loses to a higher straight flush [or higher suite].

Four of a Kind
Just as it sounds, four of the same type of card such as Ks, Kd, Kh, Kc.

Full House
A full house happens when you have both three of a kind and also a pair. To determine if one full house higher ranked then another, just look at the three cards of the same kind. Who ever has the larger three of a kind in their full house wins. A 9h, 9s, 9c, Ah, Ac loses to a Jh, Js, Jc, 2h, 2c.

Flush
A flush occurs when all your cards are the same suit, such as 2h, 6h, 8h, Jh, Ah. The cards do not have to be in any certain order.

Straight
Occurs when a player has five cards in ranked succession. The cards do not have to be the same suit. A straight can lose to a higher straight.

Three of a Kind
Exactly how it sounds. You have three of the same ranked cards such as 8h, 8c, 8d.

Two Pair
Occurs when you can create a pair twice with your cards. Your hand will look something like this: 8h, 8c, Jh, Jd, 3c.

One Pair
You can make one pair on your hand. Can only beat an opponent with no hand or a lower pair.

High Card
You play with your highest card such as an ace. The other player must have no hand and have their highest card be lower than your highest.

Rules of Texas Hold'em
In Texas Hold'em, there are two face-down cards for each player and five face-up community cards. The player who makes the best five-card poker hand with any combination of their two face-down cards and the five community cards wins the round. In a Texas Hold'em game, a disc or other marker is used to indicate which person is the "dealer" for the round. There are no antes in Hold'em, instead, forced bets called blinds are used.

Before the cards are dealt, the person to the left of the dealer posts a bet called the small blind, which is usually equal to half of the minimum bet. The person to the left of the small blind posts the big blind, which is equal to the minimum bet. The first two cards are dealt to each player face down (these are called the hole cards), and the person to the left of the big blind starts the first round of betting. (Notice that the big blind and small blind do not get to look at their cards before betting, thus the term "blind").

In the first round of betting, each player has three options: call, raise or fold. To call, the player must place a bet that is equal to the last bet placed. (For the first player in the round, this would be equal to the minimum bet.) A player may choose to raise their call bet by an additional amount, which the other players will then have to call. If one's hole cards are not favorable, the player may simply choose to fold and sit out the round. After all the players have finished the first round of betting, the first three community cards are dealt face-up on the board. This is called the flop.

The second and all subsequent betting rounds start with the first player to the dealer's left, and players now has the option to check. By checking, the player indicates interest in the pot without placing a bet. Any player may choose to place a bet, which the other players must then call. Players can still raise, if a bet has been made, or fold, if their hand is not favorable. After the second betting round, the fourth community card is dealt face-up (this is called the turn card). In limit games, the minimum bet doubles in the last two rounds of betting. After the third betting round, the fifth and final community card is dealt (this is called the river card).

A final round of betting ensues, and afterwards each player turns their hole cards face up. The highest hand that can be made with any combination of a player's hole cards and the five community cards wins the pot. If two or more players have the same hand, the next highest card in the player's hand (the kicker) is used to break a tie. If there is no kicker card (the tied players have used both hole cards, or have the exact same hand), then the pot is split between them. The dealer button is then passed clockwise to the next player and another round of play begins.

If you want to give your lesson a shot, head over to Party Poker and sign on up. Use the link or the bonus code, campus25, to recieve an extra $25.00 on your first deposit.