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Texas Hold'em
Texas Hold'em Poker is the most popular poker game in the world. Celebrity Poker Showdown Online offers this game in a fun, live, multiplayer format where players can compete for prizes.
The object is to form the best hand using any 5 of the 7 dealt cards in any of 3 possible combinations. Each player is dealt 2 pocket cards face down with 5 community cards dealt face-up. Any 5 card poker combination out of 7 is accepted. The high hand wins the pot.
Possible combinations of cards can be:
2 pocket cards and 3 community cards
1 pocket card and 4 community cards
5 community cards
There are three different variations of Hold?em that are classified by their betting limits.
- Limit Hold'em: each game and each round of betting has a specified betting limit
- Pot Limit Hold'em: the betting limit can be as high as the amount in the pot
- No Limit Hold'em: the betting limit can be as high as all the player?s chips (No Limit is the only game we offer for tournaments)
We use a single deck of 52 cards, not including jokers, for each hand of poker. In order to ensure fairness, a Random Number Generator (RNG) is used to shuffle each deck of cards before the hand is dealt.
Dealer Button
At the table a graphic called the Dealer Button , a small round disk with the letter 'D' marked on it, is used to signify the theoretical dealer of the hand. In this way each player has equal opportunities to be in early, middle and late position.
The hand is dealt clockwise one card at a time.
Blinds
In most games, to start the betting you must 'ante' something (amount varies by game limit or game type), just to receive your initial set of cards. In Hold'em games instead of an "ante" selected players are required to place bets before they see their cards in order to get the pot started. These are called the small blind and the big blind. After the Blinds are placed players match their contribution per round of play and collective bets are placed into the pot in the middle of the table. At the end of the hand, the highest hand (that hasn't folded) wins the pot.
The player seated to the left (clockwise) of the dealer is the first to receive a card and is required to post a small blind. The small blind is equal to half the lower limit bet rounded down to the nearest dollar. The player in the next clockwise position is required to post the big blind. The big blind is equal to the lower limit bet of the table. In Texas Hold'em the player with a small blind is the first to receive a card.
The player who has the big blind is given the option to fold, check or raise if no one has raised before him/her. If someone has raised he/she will be given the option to fold, call or raise.
Both blinds in Texas Hold'em games are considered live bets and therefore, according to poker rules, have the option of checking, calling, raising or folding when the betting action returns to their position. After the flop and each subsequent betting round, the first active Hold'em player left of the button is first to act.
Note that in tournament play, the blinds may be raised at regular intervals in an effort to adjust the rate at which the tournament is played.
Missed Blinds
To prevent "blinds" abuse players are required to post the small blind and the big blind once per round or their equivalent upon reentry to the game if the blinds are missed. Our software will prompt you if you have missed one or both blinds to put in the correct amount. You can also wait for the big blind to get to your position or to continue "sitting out" until you are ready to resume the game. If you choose to wait for big blind this is called coming in on the blind. In the Bravo Poker room if you miss three big blinds in the row you will be automatically removed from the table. These rules are to prevent players from constantly entering poker games in late position and leaving before they're required to post.
Rake
Unlike other casino games, poker is a game that is played against other players and not against the house. Therefore the poker room collects a rake. The rake is a predetermined amount that is removed from the pot and kept by the House. The rake amount varies depending on the number of people seated, the limits of the table and the amount of the pot. The maximum house rake on the pot is $3.00
Poker has an organized betting structure. For example, if you're playing at a $2/$4 fixed limit table, you can only bet at increments of $2 until fourth community card is dealt. There are also tables that don't use fixed limit. Celebrity Poker Showdown Online offers both No Limit and Pot Limit games.
Betting
In Poker there are a number of different rounds of betting where players compete for the pot. The betting may vary based on the round or the type of game you play.
Betting Rules and Order of Betting
There are four possible betting rounds.
Each bet and raise during the first two rounds is set at the lower limit of the stakes structure. For example in a $2/$4 Fixed Limit game, all bets and raises are $2 for the first two rounds (after pocket cards are dealt and after the flop).
Betting and raising during the last two rounds is set at the higher limit of the stakes structure. In this example all bets and raises will be $4.
The maximum allowable number of bets during any betting round in Texas Hold'em poker is four. This includes a (1) bet, (2) raise, (3) re-raise, and (4) cap. The term cap is used to describe the 3rd raise in a round since betting is then capped and can't be raised further. Once capped, players will have only the option of calling or folding.
There are other games where a cap on the number of raises does not apply. These games would be One on One, No Limit and Pot Limit games.
The Texas Hold'em cards are dealt in a specific order starting clockwise from the dealer button and betting also takes place in a specific order as outlined below.
Play Options
Once a betting round has started you must select one of these options from the play buttons that appear when it is your turn — "Call" "Raise" "Check" or "Fold". If you choose one of the advance options (advance buttons), your bet is made automatically on your turn. If you select "Sit Out" or you close the window after a round has started, your bet will be considered a fold. If you click the "Sit Out" button before the game is started you cannot be "Dealt In" until the hand ends. If your connection is lost, your hand will be played as an "All-In" bet.
Here is the typical betting sequence for Texas Hold'em:
Preflop:
After the players in the blind positions put their blinds in front of them, the dealer deals two cards ("pocket" or "hole" cards) to each player (one at the time), at which time each player can see his own cards but not those of his opponents. On the first round only, the betting starts with the player to the left of the big blind, who has one of three choices, call, raise or fold. On the first round only, a player cannot check (make no bet) and still retain his hand. On the first round only, the player in the small blind position acts after the button. The player in the big blind position acts after the small blind.
Flop:
The dealer turns over three cards in the middle of the table (called "the flop"). These are community cards that each player can use to create the best hand possible out of. Once again betting occurs.
Turn:
The dealer turns over another card making four community cards. This fourth card is called "the turn" or sometimes "fourth street". Betting occurs again.
River:
The dealer turns over the fifth and last community card. This is called "the river" or "fifth street". Betting occurs for the last time.
Showdown:
The remaining players in the hand show their cards in order from the person who bet first. Each player uses his two cards, and the five community cards to create the best hand (5 cards total). A player can use any combination so even if one card from his pocket cards and four of the community cards creates the best hand, it is fine. When all five of the cards in the community make the best hand then everyone splits the pot. This is called "the board plays". Also note that at any time during the game a player can fold and get out of the hand. All bets will be lost at that point.
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