Texas Holdem

Texas Holdem, also known under the simple name Holdem, is one of the most popular poker games. Every player receives two cards face down and the entire group receives five cards face up (named community cards). The players use their 2 face down cards and the community cards to make the best combination of 5 cards. The players can use one, two or none of their pocket cards to make the best 5 combinations. The player with the best 5 card combination wins the pot.
Because Texas Holdem is a straight forward game and easy to understand, it has gained popularity in the entire world. Even the Pro poker players say that you need only a couple of hours to understand and learn the game. The below rows are a short briefing in the introduction of the game rules. The rules have been divided into categories to easily learn Texas Holdem and to become a skilled player.
Game Sequence
Texas Holdem has 4 betting rounds. Limit Holdem allows one bet and three raises in each round of betting. No Limit Holdem has no limits, you can raise as many times you want and how much you want. To continue playing during the betting rounds, a player must Call if he is next to “speak”, if he is not already gone “All-in”.
Each round starts with the player that is in the left position of the “dealer button”. This button moves clockwise around the table as every hand passes. This first active player has three choices: Check, Bet or Fold. After this player has taken his first action, the next following players have the same choices, until all the bets from the round are closed.
After all the betting rounds are closed and there are two or more players in the game, the winner will be decided at the showdown. The player that is closer to the “dealer button” shows his cards first.
Here are the game`s steps:
- Before the cards are dealt, the players that are in the Big Blind and in the Small Blind positions add their share to the pot. The Small Blind is equal to half of the Big Blind (that means it is equal with half of the minimum bet at the table). The player in the Big Blind position acts after the player in the Small Blind position. Small Blind and the Big Blind positions are directly left to the dealer button (the dealer button looks like a white disk marked with letter “D”).
- Two cards are dealt face down to each player. The first player that is taking action is the one on the left of the Big Blind. He can Call, Raise or Fold.
- The Second round of betting starts after the first three community cards are dealt with the face up (also known as the “Flop”). The first player that can take action is the one that is first from the dealer button.
- The Third round of betting starts when the fourth community card is dealt. This card is named the “Turn”. In Texas Limit Hold’em the betting amount doubles in this round.
- The last round of betting begins when the last card, from the five community cards, is dealt. This card is named, the “River”
- The Showdown determines who is the winner after all rounds of betting are over and all the remaining players are ready to show their pocked hands. The dealer declares the winner. The best hand wins the pot. If a player remains alone after any of the betting rounds, the showdown is cancelled and he is declared the winner and wins the pot.

Hand Rankings in Texas Holdem
Royal Flush
This is the best possible hand A-K-Q-J-10 (the biggest 5 cards all of the same suit)
Straight flush
A five card sequence all of the same suit. (When there are two or more “Straight Flushes” at the same hand, the highest one wins. For example:7,8,9,10,J beats A,2,3,4,5 )
Four of a kind
Four cards of the same rank. For example 10,10,10,10 . (If there are more players which have “Four of a kind”, then one with the higher ranked “Four of a kind” wins. For example: K,K,K,K beats 9,9,9,9)
Full House
This is “Three of a kind” and a Pair. (If there is more than one player with a Full House hand then the highest ranked hand wins. For example: A,A,A,10,10 beats K,K,K,10,10 or K,K,K,10,10 beats K,K,K,9,9)
Flush
Five cards (not in sequence) all of the same suit.( If there are more players that have Flush, then the one with the highest card wins. For example: A,2,7,10,9 beats K,7,8,9,10)
Straight
Any 5 card sequence (not the same suit). (If 2 or more players have Straight, then the highest one wins. For example: 6,7,8,9,10 beats A,2,3,4,5. If 2 players have cards of the same value then the pot is splited.)
Three of a kind
Three cards of the same rank. (If 2 or more players have “Three of a kind” then the one with the highest remaining cards wins the pot. For example 10,10,10,8,5 beats 10,10,10,4,2)
Two Pairs
2 pairs of different ranks. For example:10,10,9,9,3 (If 2 or more players have Two Pairs, the highest ranking second pair wins. For example: 9,9,8,8,3 beats 9,9,7,7,3 .If 2 or more players have the same pairs, the highest remaining card wins)
One Pair
2 cards of the same rank. (When there are at least 2 players who have a pair, then the highest pair wins. If 2 players have a pair of the same rank, then the one with the highest remaining cards wins)
High Card
When none of the players have any combination above, then the player with the highest card wins. For example : K,4,J,7,6 beats Q,6,4,9,J (K kicker)
Poker Omaha High

The rules of Omaha high are related to the ones of Texas Holdem, but there are some major differences. Every player will receive 4 individual face-down cards and five face-up community cards to make their best five card hand. The players must use exactly two of their four face-down cards and three face-ups from the community cards.
Omaha High Game Sequence
1. The Small blind and Big Blind are posted exactly like at Texas Holdem
2. Four pocket cards are dealt to all the players
3. The Pre flop bets are made like on Texas Holdem
4. The Flop is dealt (the first three community cards)
5. The second round of betting occurs
6. The fourth community card is dealt (The Turn)
7. The 3rd Round of betting occurs
8. The 5th community card is dealt (The River)
9. The final round of betting occurs
10. The Showdown occurs (you must use two of your four pocket cards and three community cards)
11. The pot is awarded to the player with the best five card combination
Omaha Hi-Low Rules
Omaha Hi-Low has the same rules as Omaha High, with only one exception: there are two winners. The normal winner and another winner who wins half of the pot for the best low combination (the most wretched five card combination possible made by two of your four pocket cards and 3 community cards).
For a hand to be considered low, must have five cards with a different value all lower than 8. Straight and flush aren’t counted when you evaluate a Low hand.
The best low hand is 5-4-3-2-A and the worst low hand is 8-7-6-5-4. When there are two Low hands with several cards that match, the hand with the lowest unmatched card is the better. Example: 6-4-3-2-A is better than 7-4-3-2-A.
At Omaha High-Low the pot is split in two: the high pot and the low pot, if there is no low hand the high hand takes the whole pot. The Omaha High-Low have the same game sequence as Omaha High.
RAZZ Rules
The rules are pretty simple when you are playing RAZZ poker. At Razz you must collect the lowest 5 card combination from a total of 7 cards. Eight players can play at the same time Limit RAZZ.
The game sequence begins with all the players paying an ante. Each player receives three cards, 2 face-down and one face-up for other players to see. The first round of betting begins (are 5 rounds of betting in this game). The player with the highest face-up card makes the first bet. This bet can be the minimum bet, also called “bring-in” or can be equal to a small stake. The other players can fold, call (bring-in) or raise the amount (double the stake). There can be only three raises in a betting round.
After this betting round ends, the remaining poker players are dealt 4 more open cards (face-up others to see). These cards are named 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Street). After each card is dealt, another betting round occurs. As we told you in the beginning there will be a total of 5 betting rounds: after the first 3 cards, after the 4th street, after 5th street, after 6th street and after 7th street (The last card dealt). After the 4th street the stakes are doubled every time a new card is dealt.
In the end after all the bets are made, the players have in their pockets 7 cards. The one who has the best 5 low card combinations is the winner. Straight and Flush doesn’t count in RAZZ. The best 5 card Low combination is: A-2-3-4-5. (Aces are the best low card in the game).
Seven Card Stud High Rules
The rules for this game are pretty straight-forward. At Seven Card Stud High you must collect the highest 5 card combination from a total of 7 cards. Eight poker players can play at the same time Seven Card Stud High.
The game sequence begins with all the players paying an ante. Each player receives three cards, 2 face-down and one face-up for other players to see. The first round of betting begins (are 5 rounds of betting in this game). The player with the lowest face-up card makes the first bet. This bet can be the minimum bet, also called “bring-in” or can be equal to a small stake. The other players can fold, call (bring-in) or raise the amount (double the stake). There can be only three raises in a betting round.
After this betting round ends, the remaining players are dealt 4 more open cards (face-up others to see). These cards are named 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Street). After each card is dealt, another betting round occurs. As we told you in the beginning there will be a total of 5 betting rounds: after the first 3 cards, after the 4th street, after 5th street, after 6th street and after 7th street (The last card dealt). After the 4th street the stakes are doubled every time a new card is dealt.
In the end after all the bets are made, the players have in their pockets 7 cards. The one who has the best 5 card combination is the winner. (The hand rankings are exactly the same as in Texas Holdem, Omaha High etc)
Seven Card Stud Low Rules
As you can see it yourself, this game is RAZZ (the game explained in the previous page)
Seven card Stud High-Low
Is identical with Seven Card Stud High, only the pot is splitted in the same way as it happens to Omaha High-Low.