Holdem generally refers to all those poker variants, in which five open cards (cards Board, including community cards) in the middle of the table, for each player to the formation of its poker hand may be used, and where each player does not more than two of his hand cards (hole cards).

In addition to Texas Holdem is in the casinos even further than Omaha Holdem variation. Texas Holdem is often referred to Hold briefly, but you should avoid initials rather to eliminate confusion with Omaha.

Texas Holdem is cards with a packet of French playing cards to 52 sheet of two to a maximum of eleven people played.

Note: As played with 52 sheets, could theoretically 22 or, if no burn cards to be used, even 23 players. Texas Holdem, but mostly in smaller rounds: zehnt only too often in American casinos but also at tables with fourteen seats.

The aim is the highest poker combination to maintain or skillful play by the other players to task.

Dealer

Before the first game of the dealer shuffles the cards can take off and shall begin each player a card. The player with the highest card is the first donor (Dealer) and is replaced by the dealer ( 's) button.

If two players in the same rank highest card shall decide by the Bridge known her order of colors: Cross / Meeting (¦) is considered the lowest color, followed by diamonds (¦), heart (¦) and Peak (¦) .

Note: In relation to the profit decision, the colors in Texas Holdem - as with all poker variants - no meaning.

The role of the dealer changes after each game in a clockwise direction - in fact, the cards in the casino, however, always the croupier, the player with the dealer button is only notionally the role of the donor.

Blinds

The player to the left of the fictitious donor must have a prescribed use, the so-called Small blind, for example 5 chips, its neighbour the big blind, generally twice the small blind, or 10 chips. The other players have before receiving the first maps no reason to use (Ante), with the variants Holdem is generally not with an ante, but played with blind.

The player, the Small blind to set receives the parts of the first card.

Dealer and blinds in Heads-Up [] there are only two players at the table (Heads Up), so do the rules of the World Series of Poker (link) provides that the Small blind by the player with the dealer button is set While the other players put the big blind. The next logical step in itself is changed so that not all the same players betting on the first turn.

Hole cards and the first betting

Each participant will receive first two cards (including Pocket Hole cards or pocket cards). The player left of the big blind speaking as the first and opened the first betting (Betting interval), he can now either, even mitgehen (call), an amount of the Big Blind, or increase (raise) or off (fold ). In the same way the other players are betting this.

A player may in the same betting the use of non twice in a row increase, unless another player would have between the two bids increased. So if a player is the round opened with a bet or a raise and has all of the following players either hold or off, it is betting ended, and the player who last increased the use, must now in this bet does not increase.

No Limit

In Texas Holdem are three common types of limits

No limit: There is only a minimum for a Bet or Raise; this is the rule that a bet or raise at least as high, as immediately preceding the increase. The maximum amount a player during a game set, is only the current game by its capital (Table stake).

Pot limit: Only so much set a maximum, as is currently the pot.

Split limit (including Fixed limit): In the first two betting may be up to no lower limit, from the third betting Higher limit to be set. If the Small blind 5 chips and the big blind 10 chips, as the lower limit is 10 chips and 20 limit the Higher chips. In each of betting may use no more than three times increased, ie a player opened the round with a mission (Bet), this can now be increased (Raise), further increased (Reraise) and the betting with a recent increase (cap) to be completed. If only two players in the game, so long as may be increased until a player either gleichzieht (believes) or give up.

In case of no limit and pot limit the number of increases per betting not limited.

Played in casinos is generally not made with cash, but with so-called chips in the English speaking world as "chips", there are also some tournaments, which played exclusively with cash.

Flop and second betting

After the first betting, the dealer open three cards on the table (flop), followed by the second betting. The player in First position, d.h. The player left of the fictitious donors, the player who put the small blind had, in this and all other betting was the first to speak.

From this bet, the player, the first to speak, also await (check) and do not bet. Waiting players in the first position, it can also be the next player or wait bet, etc.

However, once a player wins a bet has set the following players can only hold either (call or mitgehen) and the same amount in the pot, or

increase (raise) and a higher amount than the previous players, or

off (or fold match) - in this case, the player his cards face down and this game is lost.

If one or more players, as long as the betting continues until all players either use or kept out of the game off.

Turn Card and third betting

Before the third betting is a fourth card (Turn card) in the middle. Will Split played limit, it shall from now on the Higher limit.

River Card and final betting

Now, the fifth card (River card) open up and it follows the latest betting.

Showdown

If there after the last bet to show down, so every player from his two hands and the five-table poker cards, the best combination of five cards, the sixth or seventh card is for the profit decision meaningless. The player, who in the last betting as the last increase (raise), or, if no one has risen, those who in the last betting as the first set (bet), or if no one has, who is in First position is, his hand (the combination) complete them.

All remaining in the game after the players can now demonstrate their dividend rights and also reveal their cards.

If a player only the five cards on the table to play (Playing the board), he should advertise so that the Weglegen the cards off as not misunderstood.

The player with the highest hand wins the pot. In the case of equivalent combinations is the pot divided among the winners (see Split Pot).

The pot can also be obtained earlier, in a round when all players to a drop their cards and give up (fold).

Burn Cards

Before the croupier throws out the hole cards, or before the flop and then turn and river cards reveals, the croupier always a card, a card called Burn obscured aside.

The purpose of this scheme is that a player as a result of lax attitude of the cards by the dealer may recognize the top card and it could draw an advantage.

Note: multiple is burning a card in front of the parts of the hole cards fail, but this contradicts the spirit of burning, especially since the very first card when the talk easily be detected. Occasionally, however, before dividing not even aloof (eg TV poker tournaments): this is also rejected because the withdrawals are used to the top or bottom card, which when mixing could be detected in the middle of the stack to sink.

Table Stakes

To participate in a game, each player before his first game a certain amount (buy), the limits are 200 chips in front of him on the table.

A player must play by its capital (Table stakes), which he proposes for all to see on the table must leave no chips (crisps) will interfere unless he ended his playing.

A player must play his capital between two games, but never during a single game, through the purchase of other chips. If a player zukauft chips, it must play its capital to at least the amount of the increase in Buy.

To a player during a game chips, they say, the player was all in, a side pot played, see poker tournament - Side pots.