Easily the most enjoyable form of poker, Texas Hold’em includes a great deal of strategy, and that is due in part to the simple rules of the game. Often it is the simplest game that has the most required to win. In Texas Hold’em players are dealt two Hole Cards. These are face down. Then the players each get three cards face up in “The Flop.”
In the turn, a fourth card is dealt to the table and then in the River the dealer gets a fifth card. There are now five exposed cards that you can use from the community and two cards in the hole. The winning hand is the best combination hand using the two hole cards and three of the five community cards. Since all of the players have the community cards available, it does add a bit of extra planning to the game.
After each round of dealing, betting is usually offered so that there are five rounds of dealing and four rounds of betting. Then the real action starts.
The two cards you’re holding “in the hole” are private. Everything else is public. As the additional hands are dealt, you may realize you have additional combinations like two pairs, a straight or a flush. Each time you realize how much you’re holding, you’ll bet accordingly. Since there are no throw away and the redeals, the action happens as the cards are dealt initially.
While good community cards make it possible to pick and choose what works for you, it also makes it possible for your opponents to see much of what is in your hand and they can then pick and choose what works best for them as well. The limited amount of secrecy adds to the fun of the game since there is so much visible and so much anticipation about what must be hidden away to warrant certain bets.
