How to Play Texas Hold'em

Ready to try your hand at another casino game?  How about Texas Hold’em Poker!  If you’ve watched the World Poker Tour or the World Series of Poker, you may already have an idea about how Texas Hold’em is played.

Start off with a low limit game.  What you see on television is No Limit, which means a player can bet everything he has at any time.  Limit games have structured betting rounds with limits on how much you can bet at each stage.  A low limit game may have a two dollar/four dollar betting structure -- this is a great starter table if you are a new player.  The first two rounds of betting have a limit of two dollars; the last two rounds of betting have a limit of four dollars.  You aren’t risking a whole lot of money while you fumble your way along as a beginner.

Texas Hold’em is relatively easy to learn but hard to master.  Each player will be dealt two personal cards.  Five community cards will be dealt.  You want to make the best five card hand you can using any combination of the seven cards at your disposal.

The “opening” is the beginning of the game -- each player gets two face down cards.  The first betting round starts after these first two cards are dealt.  Next comes the “flop”.  This is the deal of the first three community cards, face up in the middle of the table.  The second betting round begins -- the second round of two dollar betting.

The “turn” is when the dealer places the fourth card face up in the middle of the table.  After the turn, the betting is for four dollars.  The deal of the fifth (and final) face up card is called the “river”.  This is your last chance at betting.  Now it’s time for the showdown.  Each player who is still active uses any combination of the seven cards to form the best five card hand.

Your most important decision in Texas Hold’em comes with your starting hand.  If you have a poor starting hand, you should cut your losses and end your game there.  Starting from a stronger hand gives you a better chance at a win!  Your next biggest decision comes after seeing the flop.  With five out of seven cards on the table, you should have a pretty good idea of what your hand will be.  If the flop doesn’t give you a high pair, a straight (cards in numerical order) or a flush (cards of all the same suite), you should think seriously about dropping out.  Putting all your hopes on the last two cards will most likely end in disappointment.

Don’t make these rookie mistakes:

1. Don’t bet or fold before it’s your turn.  Wait before you act!
   
   
2. Don’t feel like you have to defend a bad hand by calling all raises.  It’s better to fold a bad hand than to waste money betting on one.
   
   
3. Don’t play too many hands.  Play the good ones and fold the bad ones.
   
   
4. Don’t give up if there is any chance of winning!  If you make it to the river, you may as well stay in and see what happens.  Folding now is a guaranteed loss.
   
   
5. Don’t ignore the board.  From looking at the five cards on the table, you can figure out what winning hands might be out there.  Pay attention to what’s there and who is betting.
   
   
6. Don’t space out if you fold.  Watch the other players and pay attention to the game.  This is your chance to learn about your opponents and how they play.
   
   
7. Don’t EVER show your hand if you don’t have to.  If you win because everyone folds, keep your cards to yourself.  Showing your cards gives the other players information about you.

The best way to learn the game is to PLAY.  Get your friends together for some poker nights until you feel pretty confident that you understand the rules and game play.  You may also want to think about picking up a poker book -- it’s cheaper to buy and read a book than to try and learn on the fly at the poker tables in Atlantic City!

Gambling can turn into an addiction, but help is out there.  Call the New Jersey Council on Compulsive Gambling at 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.800gambler.org for more information.