Beginners Guide to Limit Hold 'Em

 

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This page explains the basic rules of Limit Texas Hold 'Em. If you are new to the game, definitely read this page. If you already know how to play, skip this page and view the official College Online Poker Players Strategy Guide.

Basic Rules

Every table in a poker game is set at a specific "limit", which determines how much players can bet. In this article, we will use the limits of "$0.50/$1". Each hand in a poker game has up to 4 betting rounds. In the first 2 rounds, players can make "small bets" which is the $0.50 previously mentioned. In the last 2 betting rounds, players can make a "big bet" ($1 in our example).

The Blinds

Before any cards are dealt, two players post a "blind". The player to the left of the deal posts the "small blind" and the next player to the left posts the "big blind". For our $0.50/$1 table, the small blind would post $0.25 and the big blind would post $0.50.

Pre-Flop

After the blinds put in their money, each player is dealt two cards facedown, called the "hole cards". A round of betting takes place based on the cards each player is holding. If any other players want to play their hand, they must also put $0.50 into the pot. A player can "call", "fold", or "raise" the pot. Calling simply means matching whatever bet has been made, in this case $0.50. Folding means that the player throws out his cards (facedown) and does not put any money into the pot. A raise can be made by an increment of the big blind ($0.50 increments). When the action gets back to the blinds, the small blind can call the remaining half bet, raise, or fold. Then, the big blind can either "check", call a raise made by the small blind, or raise. If the big blind raises, then everyone must either match the raise, raise again, or fold.

The Flop

After this betting is over, three community cards come out on the board face-up. These three cards are called "the flop". Another betting round commences.

The Turn

After the betting is finished on the flop, another card is dealt face-up on the table. This card is called "the turn" or "4th Street". Another betting round commences, but this time, players can bet twice as much as the previous two rounds.

The River

When the betting is finished on the turn, a final community card is dealt face-up on the table. This last card is called "the river" or "5th Street". One last round of betting occurs before the remaining players flip over their cards.
When all the betting on the river is finished, the player with the best five card hand wins. A player uses the best combination of the two cards he holds and the 5 cards that are on the board. Occasionaly the best hand can be the 5 community cards, in which case the pot is split amoung remaining players.

Ranking of Hands

High Card
Pair
2 Pair
3 of a kind
Straight - (five chronological cards of any suit)
Flush - (five cards of the same suit)
Full House - (a pair plus three of a kind)
4 of a kind
Straight Flush - (five cards in numerical order, also of the same suit)