Texas Holdaem poker guide for beginners

Let us understand the format of Texas Hold`em poker and how it is played on an UK online poker site.

Beginning the game of Texas Hold`em poker

Texas Hold'em usually involves nine to ten players - all at a full table.
The table has a rotating blind system. The system is devised to generate money for putting into the pot as well as stimulating betting.
After the blinds and / or antes are put, each player gets two down cards, termed hole cards. Then players are dealt five community cards - on the "board", face-up.

Placing the initial bet in Texas Hold`em poker

Each player, beginning from (the one to) the left of the big blind has a chance to call the big blind.
When the action gets to the person with the small blind position, he or she may call the partial bet, initially placed, raise it, or fold.
The person in the big blind may choose to check (declining to bet) or raise provided there are no raises since the former has placed a 'full bet' in the pot.
A player, calling the big blind, has always the option for calling the raise or re-raising the pot if the former has the pot raised behind him / her.

The betting rounds in Texas Hold`em poker

After the first betting round, three community cards (termed the flop) are put face up on the table. A second betting round is conducted beginning with the person right to the left of the dealer or button.
The fourth community card (termed 'fourth street' or the turn) is then put face up on the table followed by one more betting round. In most limit type of games, the bet amount on the turn / river (the last community card) is double that in the first two betting rounds.
The last community card (termed the 'fifth street' or river) is put face up on the table. The last betting round takes place.

The showdown

After all bets have been put, a showdown takes place.
It simply means that active players who are still in the hand display their best possible card combinations to decide who wins the pot.