How to Play Texas Hold'em Poker

Sequence of Events

[1] Blinds: Two (2) players left of the dealer button both post blinds equal to exactly half the limit they are playing. Example $4-$8 Hold′em, blinds are $2-$4. (This is equal to the " ante" in 7 Card Stud).

[2] Dealer Button: This button is used to determine where the action starts, once the game begins this buttons moves one person to the right (clockwise) for every new deal.

[3] Pocket or Hole Cards: Dealer deals each player 2 cards face down.

[4] PreFlop: First betting round.

[5] The Flop: Dealer turns over 3 community cards.

[6] Second betting round: after the Flop.

[7] The Turn: Dealer turns over 1 community card.

[8] Third betting round: after the Turn.

[9] The River: Dealer turns over one last community card.

[10] At this point there will be 5 community cards of which you will make your best 5-card poker hand. You can use all 5 community cards and none from your hole cards to make your best hand, 4 community cards and 1 from your hole cards to make your best hand or 3 community cards and both of your hole cards to make your best hand.

[11] Final Betting Round after The River.

[12] Showdown. The Showdown is where players reveal their hands to produce the winner. The winner is the highest-ranking poker hand available from all hands remaining after the river card.

Betting

Each bet and raise during the first 2 rounds is at the lower limit of the stakes structure, e.g. $4 in a $4/$8 game.
Each bet and raise during the last 2 rounds is at the higher limit of the stakes structure, e.g. $8 in a $4/$8 game.

A player can bet up to 4 times per round. This is known as a bet and Three (3) Raises. This would consist of (1) a bet, (2) a raise, (3) a re-raise, and (4) a cap. It's called a cap since betting is then capped and cannot be raised anymore. Once the pot is capped, players can only call the Cap or fold.
Check-raising is allowed in all games.

Button and Blinds

Hold'em Poker uses a button to indicate the theoretical dealer of each hand.

After each hand, the button moves clockwise to the next active player. The player to the left of the button is first to receive a card and must post a small blind. The small blind is half the lower limit bet, rounded down to the nearest dollar. The player to the left of the small blind must post the big blind, equal to the lower limit bet. Example: in a $4-$8 game the blinds would be Small Blind $2.00 and Big Blind $4.00. This replaces the antes in 7-card stud.

Both blinds are immediately in the hand and have options when in clockwise progression the action returns to them. For the Small Blind those options are to call the remainder of any bets made, or to raise if there are still raises remaining (not yet capped).

For the Big Blind those options are to check if no one has raised, to call if someone has raised or to raise if there are still raises remaining (not yet capped). After the flop and each subsequent betting round, the first active player left of the button is first to act.

When a player first sits at an active table, they may post the equivalent of the big blind. To play immediately all players may sit out and wait to become the actual big blind before playing. This rule ensures fairness to all players and stops potential abuses by preventing players from constantly entering games in late position and then leaving before they're required to post the big blind.

All-Ins

Online poker games are played at "Table Stakes". This means that only the chip value you have in front of you at the start of a given hand can be used in that hand. You can increase your "table stake" at any time in between hands. NEVER DURING A HAND.

Sometimes during the course of a hand the betting will exceed a players "stake" and the player may not have enough to call a particular bet. The player does not have to forfeit their hand at this point. Should the player wish to continue, they can call the amount that they have in front of them and they will be declared "ALL IN". Any further action will create a side pot of which the "All In" player will have no claim to. The limit of the number of side pots is only limited to the number of participants in a particular hand. The player will have claim to the portion of the pot that they have contributed to. This rule is exactly how it's handled in Brick and Mortar card rooms.

Different from a B & M card room is the "ALL In" rule that occurs during Internet disconnects.

Our software can determine whether you are disconnected from the Internet during a hand. Should this occur your hand would play and lay claim to the portion of the pot that you have contributed to, up to and until the disconnect.

You will notice in the game that you have a preset "all in" account. This account has in it TWO (2) all ins allowed in a 24 hour period. Should this happen more than twice in a 24 hour period, you can ask to have this account reset by e-mailing support and requesting an all in re-set. Should this become a regular occurrence, please e-mail support to find out what suggestions we might have to help you increase the reliability of your connection.

If we determine that you are connected to the game your hand will be folded. This is done to protect the integrity of the game. Further if we feel that the "All In" policy is being abused, the abusing will be addressed and "All In" privileges may be revoked.

Players should exercise caution when both "All Ins" have been used. Until your account of "all ins" has been reset, your hand may be folded during a disconnect and you can lay no claim to the hand or the pot you were involved with immediately prior to the disconnect.

Buy-Ins

The Minimum Buy-in requirement for No Limit and Pot Limit is 20 times the Small Blind/Bet in the Game. For Fixed Limit the Minimum Buy-in requirement is 10 times the Small Blind/Bet in the Game.

Examples for No/Pot Limit:
Buy in examples would be $200 to enter the $10/$20 game, $100 to enter the $5/$10 game, $60 to enter the $3/$6 game or $10.00 to enter a $0.50/$1.00 game.

Example for Fixed:
Buy in examples would be $100 to enter the $10/$20 game, $50 to enter the $5/$10 game, $30 to enter the $3/$6 game or $5.00 to enter a $0.50/$1.00 game.