This page describes the rules of Texas Holdem. However, the betting rules will vary depending on the type of Texas Holdem game you are playing. We will clarify the betting rules for No Limit Texas Holdem, Limit Texas Holdem, and Pot Limit Texas Holdem at the bottom of the page. You can also watch this video that explains how to play Texas Holdem.
Online poker has been popular for at least a decade. As a result, if you type in “Poker” into any app store, you will be bombarded with several hundred options. Trying to filter out the games and finding the top training apps could prove to be a fruitless task.
There’s a thriving sub-sector within the poker industry, offering all levels of training and assistance for your game.
We’ve done the hard work for you and put together our top 10:
BravoPokerLive
Compatible with: iOS and Android
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BravoPokerLive is a great tool to keep you on top of the latest news from the world of poker. It helps you to keep track of tournaments in your local area.
With over 100,000 downloads on Android alone, BravoPokerLive is useful for those just getting into the game and to learn about the different tournament formats.
Poker Fighter
Compatible with: Android
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If you are a complete newbie and you want to learn about the old fashioned Texas Hold’em Poker game, then Poker Fighter is designed to give you that fighting chance.
It allows you to play stimulated games with real hands, get immediate feedback from professional players, and the best part? It’s all risk free. None of your cash will be at stake in these games.
This would give you an invaluable foundation to work from as you progress into cash games.
Poker Copilot
Compatible with: Mac and Windows
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We couldn’t not put our entry in here. Poker Copilot is an app that’s designed to not only improve your own game but also highlight the weaknesses of your opponents.
One of our many advanced features is the HUD (head-up display). It shows information about each player live, on the poker tables. The information is updated after each hand to help you make the best decisions. Another is the ability to monitor and identify patterns in your game, and point out any consistent errors.
Poker Copilot can prove to be a real asset to your game and lead you to lucrative winnings.
Tournament Poker Coach
Compatible with: iOS and Android
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Tournament Poker Coach works in a similar way to Poker Fighter. It offers a risk-free way to learning how to play the right way. It stimulates real-life games and players get evaluated by selected coaches, earning rewards for each hand they play right.
This app works with a variety of tournament structures and limits, and helps to sharpen your game. Whether you’re a newcomer or just looking to refresh your skills, Tournament Poker Coach will prove useful.
PokerGuide HD
Compatible with: Android
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Poker Guide is exactly what it says it is. The ultimate guide to poker and it has six main features:
- Poker Hands: Ranks the different poker hands from best to worst. End any dispute about which hand trumps the other.
- Poker Rules: Displays the rules of a format of your choice. Whether it’s Texas Hold’em or Omaha, this guide has got your back.
- Poker Terms: Stuck on the poker lingo? Refer to this list of terms to get you up to speed.
- Poker Tips: Divided into three levels of ability, this feature will show you how to improve your game.
- Standing Hand Chart: It shows you which hands you should play with (And ones you definitely shouldn’t).
- Blind Timer: This helps you organize your next poker game at home with your mates. It sets the timing between rounds, lets you pause or speed the game, and calculates the total time of a tournament.
As you can see, Poker Guide covers most aspects of poker and can be an valuable asset for newbies and more established players.
How to Poker
Compatible with: Android
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With a rating of 4.5 from over 100 Android users, the How to Poker app is one of the most highly regarded out there. As well as a “cheat sheet,” which gives you a good overview of poker, it provides the following:
- Quick rules on hands to play and when to fold.
- Instructions for All in rules.
- Learn how split pot works.
- How does a side pot work.
- Practice offline poker, no internet required, and get yourself ready for poker online.
Suitable for both beginners and advanced players, this can be a great addition to your repertoire.
Texas Holdem Poker Pro
Compatible with: Android
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The appeal of this app is that you can just jump right in and play poker. With over 5 million downloads on Android alone, Texas Holdem Pro is one of the most popular apps out there. There are free tables for all levels of ability, and once you’ve had the tutorials, you will eager to test yourself against real players.
This app allows you to do just that, without the risk of losing any cash. The live chat feature also enables you to communicate with other players, where you can learn about how they think.
Combined with other poker training apps, Texas Holdem Pro can help you to step up your game.
SnapShove
Compatible with: iOS and Android
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Founded by professional poker player, Max Silver, SnapShove is a built-in calculator and training app that can answer your questions in real-time. The free version uses data from over one million stimulated games to make its calculations. There’s also a training tool where you can further improve your game.
At $19.99, SnapShove Pro offers even more features including a “Call-In” tool which advises you when to go in or to fold.
The fact it’s used by some of the world’s top poker players shows its value. This is an app that can form an integral part of your poker game.
Poker Helper
Compatible with: Android
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Most of the apps we have covered cater for players of all abilities. This one is for advanced players. Poker Helper is a simple, yet highly effective app that assists you in making the right decisions at the table.
You can enter any card combination and it will calculate the odds, which will help you play the right hands. It considers the full range of factors, including where you’re sitting, the blind you’re playing, and the number of players.
It’s popular with users too, with a rating of 4.2 on Android.
Poker Omaha Hand Trainer
Compatible with: Android
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With so much focus on Texas Holdem, which is the most popular poker game, Omaha can often get overlooked. This is where Poker Omaha Hand Trainer comes in. If you want to add a bit of variety to your game, then switching to Omaha could be the move for you.
Even the best Texas Holdem players can get thrown by the differences with Omaha. This app is designed to help make that transition easier. You can check out the rank of hands and identify the winning combinations. There’s a practice mode where you play out a game to see it for yourself.
If you’re uncertain about the intricacies of Omaha, then use this app to build your confidence.
Final Thoughts
Poker is a complex game and it should be treated as such. There’s no reason to jump in blind and lose your hard-earned cash in the process. These apps are all designed to help you learn the craft, give you tips on what to look out for, and when to play your hand. Since most of them are free, and offer practice games, it’s now easier than ever before to graduate from poker novice to a shark.
There’s a caveat here. None of these apps will win you games on its own. You need to use your own judgment to make the right calls. Of course, you won’t get it right every time but with these apps, you will start to see your profits climb.
- Poker Guide
- Learn to Play Poker: Getting Started
- Poker Game Variations
- Texas Hold ‘em Guide
- Learn to Play Texas Hold ‘em
- Hold ‘em Gameplay
- Texas Hold ‘em Strategy
- Beginner Hold ‘em Strategy
- Intermediate Hold ‘em Strategy
- Blackjack Guide
- Learn to Play Blackjack
- Blackjack Dealing
- Blackjack Strategy
- Blackjack Resources
- Roulette Guide
- Learn to Play Roulette
- Roulette Strategy
- Roulette Types and Variations
- Roulette Resources
- Slots Guide
- Learn to Play Slots
- Slots Games and Variations
- Slots Tips
Texas Hold ‘em is one of the simplest variants of poker and a great game to start with if you have never played before. The game is very logical and is one of the most popular poker variants played in casinos in the United States. However, if you’re a beginner, it’s a good idea to get started by playing Texas Hold ‘em online because you don’t have to worry about distractions like dealing, shuffling and attempting to read the faces of the other players.
What is Texas Hold ‘em Poker?
Texas Hold ‘em is a community card poker game in which game play is focused just as much on betting as it is on the cards being played. Texas Hold ‘em is played with a rotating dealer. During each hand, players are dealt two cards face-down, and three shared (a.k.a. community) cards are dealt face-up. A hand of Texas Hold ‘em consists of a minimum of one and a maximum of four betting rounds. A hand ends when all but one of the players have folded, or the final betting round is complete and multiple players are still in the hand – whichever comes first. The goal is to win as many chips as you can, one pot at a time. The game has several varieties, including No-Limit and Spread-Limit. Here, we will explore the basics of Limit Texas Hold ‘em.
The Rules of Texas Hold ‘em Poker
Small and large blinds are part of the rules of play for Texas Hold ‘em.
If you’re going to play Texas Hold ‘em, it’s best to start with the basics.
Blinds:
These are forced bets that take place before the cards are dealt. Blinds take the place of traditional “antes” and dictate the stakes of the game. In Texas Hold ‘em Poker there are two blinds, a small blind and a big blind:
Small Blind:
The player to the left of the dealer puts out the small blind. It is a mandatory bet. The small blind is generally half the size of the big blind.
Big Blind:
The player two seats left of the dealer puts out the big blind (also a mandatory bet). The big blind is generally equal to the minimum bet.
The blinds count toward those players’ total investment in the first round of betting. This means that if the bet isn’t raised pre-flop, the small blind will only need to put in another half of the bet in order to call and the big blind will not have to put anything more in the pot. However, the big blind has the option to raise his or her blind.
Pocket cards, also called hole cards, are personal cards dealt to each player.
Pocket Cards:
At the beginning of each hand, players are dealt two face-down cards. These are called pocket cards or hole cards, and they should not be shown to the other players.
Pre-Flop:
This is the first round of betting. Players privately take a look at their pocket cards and decide which action they want to take. In the game of Texas Hold ‘em, only one player can take an action at a time. Players have three options:
Raise:
The first player may raise a bet by doubling the amount of the big blind. After that, players raise the amount of one bet in addition to the amount of the previous bet.
Call:
When players choose to call, they match the amount of the big blind.
Fold:
Players who have bad hands may choose to fold. This means that the player throws away his or her hand, pays nothing and waits for the next hand to play again.
Betting Round:
A betting round ends when all players have had a chance to act and all players who have not yet folded have bet the same amount of money for the round.
Burn Card:
After the first betting round has ended, the dealer discards the top card of the deck, known as a burn card.
The Flop:
After the burn card has been discarded, the dealer flips three cards face-up. This is known as the “flop”, and they are community cards that anyone can use in combination with their two pocket cards in order to form a poker hand. Another betting round begins. Post-flop betting opens up other options, such as check raising. You may also want to disguise your hand, especially if you have the nuts.
The Turn:
Once the second round of betting concludes, the dealer once again places a burn card face-down. The dealer then places one card face-up, known as the “turn card.” The player to the left of the dealer begins another round of betting. In this round and the final round of betting, the size of the bet is doubled. In Limit poker, this is also known as the “big bet.”
The River:
The dealer burns another card and places a final card face-up, called the “river card.” Players now use any of the five cards on the table or the two pocket cards to form a five-card poker hand. A final round of betting begins.
The order of community cards dealt includes the Flop, Turn, and the River.
Showdown:
If after the final round of betting more than one player is still in hand, the showdown takes place. Players who have not yet folded reveal their hands. The player with best hand wins the game.
Texas Hold ‘em Poker Tips
Keep these helpful hints in mind as you play Texas Hold ‘em Poker:
Blind Stealing:
If you have a poor hand, you may want to take an action called blind stealing. This occurs when you are in a late position and you raise with the goal of making the blinds fold hands that are also weak. Blind stealing generally occurs when all players have folded to someone in late position.
Evaluate Your Cards:
Becoming an expert at Texas Hold ‘em is all about learning how to properly evaluate your cards. A good rule of thumb is that you should seriously consider folding prior to the flop if you have two non-pair cards that are both less than 10. Much of Texas Hold ‘em strategy is based on the cards in your hand. If you get a bad hand, you will need to be patient and wait for the good hands to come to you.
Be Reasonable:
Learn Texas Holdem Free
While poker often involves bluffing, when it comes to Texas Hold ‘em you don’t want to get sucked in too far when you have a weak hand.