How to Play Texas Hold'em Poker

Like any poker game, the object of Texas Hold'Em is to end up with a set of cards that is ranked numerically higher than your opponents cards. There is a whole system of hierarchy to determine which set of cards is higher. This Texas Hold'em Poker tutorial explains how to play and how to win the Microgaming internet Texas Hold'em game.

What is Texas Hold 'Em Poker?

You may have heard of Texas Hold 'Em poker since it is becoming more and more popular around the world. Casual references to Texas Hold 'Em are appearing more and more in popular culture. Yet with so many people throwing the name of the game around, it is amazing how many people don't really know what makes Texas Hold'Em unique in the panoply of poker variants.

Sometimes this is simple to understand. Let's say two people are dealt seven cards. Neither person has more than one card with the same numerical value (two threes for example). Also, neither one has cards that go numerically in order or has all seven cards from the same suit. In this case, the hand is named by the highest card. If one of the people has a King as the highest card, the hand is called a King High hand and will beat any similar hand where the highest card is a queen or lower.

Of course even the lowest pair of cards beats a singles, thus a pair of twos beats a king high hand. Likewise, three of a kind beats any pair and four of a kind beats three.

A straight is a hand where the cards are in numerical order and a flush means that all the cards are of the same suit. A Royal Flush, where the cards are all of the same suit, in order, and is comprised of an Ace through eight is the best possible hand.

The real challenge of poker is that the players wager on where their hand is the best. If they don't believe they have a good hand, they either fold and go out of the round or bluff and pretend that their hand is better than it is.

What makes Texas Hold'Em unique is that each player forms a seven card hand with two personal face down cards that only the player knows, and five "community" cards that are dealt face up and usable by everyone. As the community cards are being dealt, there are several betting rounds as players try and determine if they can make the best hand by combining their two personal cards with the public ones.

How to Play Texas Hold'Em

First, select a wager amount. You just click on the coin size button and select whether to use one, two, or three coins in your wager. Once you set your wager and click "deal", you are ready to begin.

You will be dealt your two personal cards. Then, three cards will be dealt in the center of the table face up. Here is when you can start thinking if you have a chance of making a big hand. It is common for at least one player to make at least a pair with one of the community cards and one of his personal cards.

At this point, there is another round of betting. Players can either fold, raise, or simply call for another card. Another community card is dealt. Everyone now has six cards, four community cards and two personal cards. Remember, you can only win if your final hand makes use of one of your personal cards. If there are three Aces in the community cards, everyone is starting with three Aces.

Once more there is a round of betting. Players can call, raise, or bow out before the final card is drawn. Now it's time for the show down: Everyone flips over their personal cards and can see who has the best combination hand.

How To Win Texas Hold 'Em Poker

The key to winning real money at Texas Hold 'Em is to use your personal cards in a way that no else is able to. Making a pair is even when using the community cards. In any group of players, someone will have a pair. However, if you can use your personal cards to create a flush or a straight, it is doubtful that anyone can beat or even match you.

Of course, how you play really depends on your own level of comfort with risk. Going for a straight may leave everything up to the last card. If you don't get the card you need, you may lose the round. On the other hand, landing the right card could give you an "untouchable" killer hand that will clean the table.

Some people only continue to the end if they have at least a pair. A pair will not always win, but at least you are not going to the "show down" with nothing in your saddle bags. Once again, it really depends on what sort of a risk taker you are. There is no right or wrong strategy, just ones best suited to the player.

Terms and Definitions in Texas Hold'Em Poker

Hole: The two personal cards that only the player knows about. Also called the "pocket cards."

Flop: The first three community cards that are dealt face up for everyone top see.

Turn: The fourth community card. Called the turn because often this is the turning point of the game. Weaker players fold and only the strong continue doing battle.

River: The final community card. Often a player has already won even without the "River" and so this card is simply a flow through. On the other hand, many a game has been won by someone who is clever enough to know how to "Swim" the "River."

Show Down: The final round at the end of the game where all cards are revealed.