It seems you can’t turn anywhere these days without seeing some version of the game, Texas Hold’em. Tournaments have invaded the trendiest bars and tehe swankest parties, not to mention the television, and yes, the internet. But, if you don’t get out much, then it may be possible that you haven’t learned to play. So for all you cave dwellers out there, these are the basics—enough to get you started in a home game without looking like an idiot.
Hold’em is a pretty basic game; that’s probably why its so popular, as anyone can learn to play. I recently met a nine year-old who plays with his friends after school. Instead of playing for cash, they play for trading cards. So, if a nine year-old can learn, certainly so can you. Like any game, Hold’em takes quite a bit of practice to get good. Luckily, there are a bunch of freebie web sites to help you out, and you can probably find a free tournament at a local bar or nightclub, where you can meet people, get wasted, and lose fake money.
Hold’em games begin with an initial bet, either a blind or an ante; this is decided prior to the start of the game, blinds are more common. After all initial bets have been placed, the dealer deals two cards face-down to each player. These are called the hole cards. Another round of betting follows. These bets are based on the cards that each player holds. The dealer then burns the top card on the deck, and deals the next three face up in the center of the table. This is called the flop.
The cards in the center of the table are communal cards. Everyone uses these cards (with or without the cards in their hand) to make the best possible five-card hand. Another round of betting follows the flop. Here, it is best to fold if the flop has given you nothing to work with. Don’t get too attached to the cards in your hand. The dealer burns another card, and turns another over. This card is called “fourth street”. Another round of betting follows this card, and then the “river” (the fifth card) is turned. This is the final card, and leads to a final round of betting. After betting is finished, all players still left in the came either show or muck (throw away) their hands, and a winner is decided.
The most common mistake that people make in Hold’em is staying in the game too long, waiting for an unlikely card to turn. If you have the good sense to get out of the game when you should, you’ll be a few steps ahead of most amateur players. After all, you don’t want to turn onto fourth street and end up drowning in the river.