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Overview of Texas Holdem
Texas Hold’em is the most popular poker game played today. It is a good game for beginner players to understand. Texas Hold’em is the game seen most often on the poker shows. You can learn more intricate details on how to play by following the link furnished below How to Play Texas Hold’em. Let’s first go over the basics of the game.
The Cards, Players, and Limits
The game is played with a typical 52-card deck of playing cards. It can be played between two (what is known as “heads up”) or up to a maximum of eleven players. The betting structure varies greatly in Texas Hold’em. You can learn more about limits and betting under our Betting section. The five structures can have different limits, but the main betting structures include:
Fixed (Structured) Limit this means there is an amount set that you can bet. Examples of this are: $1/$2, $5/$10, $10/$20, and so on.
Spread Limit this means there is a range of amounts set, which you can bet. Examples of this are: $1-$5, $5-$10, and alike.
Pot Limit this means any player can bet any amount between the big blind bet and the total amount of the pot, at any given time.
Half-Pot Limit (played in Europe mostly) this is not usually found in American Texas Hold’em, but is popular in Europe. It is the same as pot limit, except the amounts are cut in half (half the big blind and half the total pot amounts are used).
No Limit this means any player can place a bet that is any amount between the big blind and the total amount of money they have at the table at any time. Note you will find that even though it is a “no limit” game they will have set blind amounts.
Do not be worried about all of the limits at first. Decide which limit you would prefer to learn and stick with it. Once you understand the basic poker betting procedures the betting limits will come easily. It may seem very difficult if you have never played Texas Hold’em before, but it really is not that complicated. The first two are the best ones for first time players. There are advantages to playing in the other limit games, but it is also more expensive. It is a good idea to stick with the lower limit games until you are a more experienced player.
Texas Hold’em Basic Game Procedure
The following is a simple example of the games procedure:
Pre-flop this is the start of the game. Bets are placed for the “blinds”, and then every player gets two cards.
Flop this is the segment of Texas Hold’em when the dealer places three community cards on the table, which all players can use. Players can place bets at this time.
Turn this is when the dealer places another card in the center of the table for all players. Players again can place bets.
River this is the fifth and final community card placed on the table. Players place bets for the last time.
Showdown after all bets have been made, the players show their hands. This is done in a specific order. The best hand wins. If there are two (or more) equal hands, the players divide the pot.
The Basics of Badugi
Online games have brought poker to the masses and popularity is at an all time high. This has in turn lead to the popularity of previously little known variations such as Badugi to be searched out and found as people look for new games.
Badugi is a game for 2 up to 6 players and the game is a low card game, getting used to this can be strange at first especially if you have been used to playing the more popular games such as holdem which is a high card game. As well as been a low card game Badugi is also a draw game, meaning as the game is played out, players have the opportunity to exchange some of their cards with cards from the pack. To begin a game the player will have to make a choice of table to play at, the table can be one of three kinds, limit, pot limit or half pot limit; this refers to the betting structure of the game.
Players receive 4 cards face down from the dealer at the start of each hand. The aim of the game is to have 4 cards that are neither paired or suited, share the same number or suit, ideally the numbers will also be as low as possible. An example of one of the best possible hands would be 4 of H, 3 of C, 2 of S, A of D. If a player has a hand like this it is called by the same name as the game, the Badugi hand.
There are 3 rounds or draws during which you have the option to call/check, raise or fold just as in any other game of poker. You also have the opportunity to replace cards during each draw. Get rid of any matched cards and receive new cards from the stack. If ever player draws cards and the deck runs out of cards, usually the discarded cards are re shuffled and used again.
The pre draw round starts with the player to the left of the big blind, if no blinds the dealer, and goes clockwise. Big Blind is usually placed by the player to the left of the small blind and is usually the size of the minimum bet. The small blind is placed by the player to the left of the dealer and is half the size of the big blind.
Those still remaining at the end having not folded reveal their cards in the showdown. Any paired cards left in the hand at showdown must be discarded.