Beating Hold 'Em: The Basics

The Game

Blinds/Starting of the game

Each player is dealt two cards (in which no one else can see except the player). There is a dealer button (dealer has no distinct advantage), a big blind, and a small blind (blinds are only posted at the opening of each hand). The small blind is the person directly to the left of the dealer, and the big blind is directly to the left of the small blind. The blinds are there to guarantee play.

Betting Order

The first person to bet is the person directly to the left of the big blind, and the betting continues clockwise. In order to play the cards you are holding, you must bet an amount equivalent to the big blind, or raise the amount to play (RAISE - to increase the bet to more than what the big blind is set to, and/or increase the bet to more than the current bet showing on the table). If you do not find that your cards are suitable to give yourself a chance of winning you can fold (FOLD - when a player decides that they do not wish to finish the hand. They no longer have to pay to stay at the table, they must wait until the next hand is dealt to gain betting entry again). Now, if the bets were not raised past the big blind, the player who posted the big blind can either check or raise the pot (CHECK - as long as the bets for the hand have not surpassed the big blind amount, the player who posted the big blind may "check" the hand which allows the play to move on to the flop. Check can also be used after the flop when a player does not want to put money on the hand, and/or they are trying to bluff the other players into betting more money). If everyone folds, the person who posted the big blind wins the pot.

The Flop

After the first round bets are completed, THE FLOP comes next. Once the bets are finished, the dealer flips over three cards face up, allowing the players still in play to see them. Those three cards are now open for use. A player can only use 5 cards. The goal it to have the best 5 cards at the table. Bets start from the person directly to the left of the dealer, and continue clockwise. At anytime it is possible for everyone except one person to fold, and if that is the case, the last person standing wins.

Fourth Street

But if the betting continues through the second round, 1 card is flipped over by the dealer, therefore 4 cards are showing , this is called FOURTH STREET. Same as always, you can only play your best 5 cards. Betting then continues.

Fifth Street/The River

Once again, and if players are still remaining we move on to the next round. This is called FIFTH STREET, this is the final card drawn, it is also known as THE RIVER.

Final Bets

Final bets are made, and if players are still present, cards are flipped and the player with the winning hand wins the entire pot (Exception, in the event of a tie, the pot is split).