Texas Hold’em Poker: What’s It All About?

The word “poker” can be very intimidating to many people.  But when you couple it with Texas Hold’em Poker, you may see people running out of the building.  Actually, Texas Hold’em Poker is very easy and can be learned fairly quickly.  The reason for this is that in Texas Hold’em there is no need to calculate the odds or count cards.  Following are some tips in playing this game.

BLINDS AND ANTES

The structure of the betting differs from time to time.  Antes are often used but, in most cases, the game will commence with two people on the left of the dealer.  These people will present a pre-determined amount of money on the table to get things going.  This is called the posting of the blind.  The dealer will then shuffle the deck.  We begin with 52 cards.

THE DEAL

Each player will then be dealt what is called “hole cards” or “pocket cards.”  These cards are facing down on the table.   The betting now begins.  The player to the left of the “blind” players begins.  This is referred to as the “pre-flop.”  The type of game you are playing will determine not only the amount of the bet but also the betting structure.   The same things apply in Texas Hold’em as in any other type of poker game when it comes to the raise, the fold and the check.

THE BURN CARD

The “burn card” refers to the card that the dealer peels off the top of the deck at the end of the first round of betting.  This helps to avoid any cheating by players.  The next three cards are then turned over by the dealer.  These cards are visible to all players so that they can use them to make a poker hand.  At this point, round #2 of the betting begins with the player to left of the dealer.

THE SECOND BURN CARD

Another “burn card” is flipped by the dealer as well as an additional card.  This additional card is called the “turn card.”  All players can use this card to make up a five card poker hand.  The same player as before will begin round #3 of the betting.  At this point, the bet will double in size.

ENDGAME

The dealer will now introduce a third “burn card” and place it face up on the table.  This card is called “the river.”  Now players can use the cards in their pocket  or their five cards to create a five card poker hand.  The final round again begins with the same player to the left of the dealer.

REVEAL HANDS

Now the Texas Hold’em Poker Showdown begins.  Each player, beginning with the one to the left of the dealer, now reveal their hands.  The player with the best cards is declared the winner.  If you have players with equal hands, then they must share in the winnings.

The Deal With Free Online Poker

Whenever people think of poker, they seem to take a very dramatic view of the subject.  The first thing most people think of is the western movie with cowboys sitting around the barroom table playing a dramatic game of poker.  This is usually a very “Hollywood” view of the game and most real games of poker pale into insignificance.  But even in a real game, the amateur must be careful.  Any seasoned players will see the rank amateur as a chance to make some “big bucks.”    But before you delve into this “professional” world of poker, check out the free online poker opportunities.

FREE is the key word here.  It is always great to get anything for free.  But when you can play free online poker you gain an added bonus.  This is a great stepping stone to the real thing.  Many people play it just to have some fun and fill some free time.  The process is very simple.  You find a free site and you click to the left and then type on the right side.  Now, it is at your fingertips whenever you want to play and test your skill.

Free online poker is a great training ground to build yourself up to a competitive level.  Many professionals started here themselves and have now mastered the game to the point where they are winning significant sums.  This is not to say that you will also accomplish this, but this is a great place to begin.  This will enable you to acquire sufficient practice at the game to make you competitive.

What do you need to acquire free online poker?  Well, obviously, a computer would be helpful.  Secondly, you will need online access (preferably with a high speed connection), and Windows 98 or higher.  The download time varies depending on your particular equipment but generally it will take around fifteen minutes or so.

Once you have downloaded everything that you need you will need to familiarize yourself with what you now have.  You will find that there are  several playing option features.  First, you can play in either public tables or private tables.  What does this mean?  Well, private tables means that you must first get permission or make a request to join the group at the table.  Now, you could develop your own private table.  Free online poker can also offer different types of games.  Some of these are Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, Texas Hold’em, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi/Lo and 5 Card Draw.  Being able to access these different games makes free online poker a very attractive possibility.

Keep in mind, however, you are not really going to win cash with free online poker.  It is more likely that you will see your winnings as some sort of gift like a t-shirt or something similar.  But it will give you the opportunity to sharpen your skills for the future.