How To Play

ª © § ¨

Texas Hold’em is an easy, yet elegant game to play, with up to 10 members per table, each taking turns to deal.

Each member is dealt two cards face down (hole cards) that no other member can see. These two cards are to be used in combination with the five cards face up on the table (community cards) to make the best five card poker hand.

Before any cards are dealt, compulsory bets have to be made by the two members to the left of the dealer. The first member to the dealers left has to post a predetermined amount called the small blind, the next member has to post double the amount of the first member, called the big blind

All other members have to match the big blind bet to stay in the game (call), or they can fold, or if they have two good starting cards (say AA or QQ) they can raise the stakes by betting multiples of the big blind.

Because this is “No Limit Texas Hold’em” a member can bet up to all of their chips at any time in the game, when it is their turn to bet.

Once every member has put the same amount into the pot, the dealer discards the first card in the deck called a burn card, and the next three cards are dealt face up on the table called the flop. Another round of betting takes place starting with the member to the dealers left. They can 'check' and choose not to bet any more chips, or 'bet' by placing multiples of the big blind, 'raise' or 'fold'.

Once every member has put the same into the pot, the dealer burns the next card and a fourth card is placed face up with the other three cards (turn card). Another round of betting ensues, as above.

After all members wishing to remain in the hand have put in an equal amount into the pot, the dealer burns the next card and a fifth card is placed face up with the other four cards (river card). Another round of betting ensues once again, when every member has put in an equal amount into the pot, all remaining members turn over their cards to determine the hand winner. The best five card hand using the seven available (your two hole cards and the five community cards) wins the pot.

A more detailed and comprehensive 'how to play' can be found on any poker or casino website.

The winner of each poker hand is the member who has the strongest combination of cards, using any combination of 'hole' cards and 'community' cards.

The combinations are listed here from the strongest to the weakest hand:

HAND NAME DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE
Royal Flush A straight from the 10 to the Ace all of the same suit 10-J-Q-K-A all in spades
Straight Flush Any straight all of the same suit 3-4-5-6-7 all in hearts
Four of a Kind Any four cards of the same rank K-K-K-K-A
Full House Any three of a kind coupled with a pair Q-Q-Q-A-A
Flush Any five cards of the same suit 2-4-7-10-A all in clubs
Straight Any five cards in numerical order in different suits 7-8-9-10-J in different suits
Three of a Kind Any three cards of the same rank J-J-J-A-Q
Two Pair Any two sets of two cards of the same rank Q-Q-J-J-A
Pair Any two cards of the same rank A-A-K-J-10
High Card Any five cards that are not in numerical order or suited 2-5-8-K-A inl different suits