How To Play Hold'em

***St. Joseph St. Thomas Texas Hold'em Tournament - Sept 12th***

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How to Play Texas Hold'em

Standard setup for the beginning of play is usually 8-9 players in a home tournament or party setting. Fewer players are acceptable for smaller games. Professional, non-mobile tables may fit as many as 12 in a casino setting. The following rules apply once the players are seated and a dealer position has been selected.

Blinds: bets put in by the players to the immediate 2 positions to the left of the dealer. These are the minimum bets required to get the pot started. There is typically a small and big blind. Blinds vary per game and a blind schedule keeps the game moving.

To Burn a Card: is the term used for taking a single card off the top of the deck and discarding it without anyone seeing it.

The Flop: first 3 cards presented to the field of players after the first round of betting is complete

The Turn: 4th card shown to the field of players after the second round of betting. Also known as "fourth street."

The River: 5th card shown to the field of players after the third round of betting. Final round of betting occurs after the River card is shown. Also known as "fifth street."

The Button: A circular Token passed around the table to keep track of the Dealer position. Whoever has the button is considered the dealer. Button passes left one spot after every hand.

The Game:

The player to the left of the button posts the small blind.
The player to the left of the small blind posts the big blind.
Each player, beginning with the player to the left of the button, is dealt their pocket cards, 2 cards face-down. Best hand at this point is pocket aces, a pair of aces.
First round of betting begins with the player to the left of the big blind. Betting moves clockwise around the table in turn.
The small and big blinds may fold, check, call, or raise, as appropriate, when called upon to act.
The dealer burns one card and turns three "community cards" face-up. These 3 cards are called "The Flop".
The second betting round begins with the player to the left of the button. Betting moves clockwise around the table in turn.
The dealer burns one card and turns one "community card" face-up. This card is called "The Turn."
The third betting round begins with the player to the left of the button. Betting moves clockwise around the table in turn.
The dealer burns one card and turns one "community card" face-up. This card is called "The River."
The fourth, and final, betting round begins with the player to the left of the button. Betting moves clockwise around the table in turn.
After the betting the cards are shown down with the pot being awarded to the winner(s).
The dealer button is advanced clockwise one player.