Texas Holdem Poker – Texas Holdem Rules

Texas Holdem Poker

Texas Holdem Poker Rules

1. The cards are dealt out

In Texas Holdem poker each player is dealt two cards face down, known as hole cards. The dealer then deals five community cards face up in three stages: the flop (three cards), the turn (one card), and the river (one card).

2. Betting rounds

There are four betting rounds in Texas Hold’em:

Preflop: Starting with the player to the left of the big blind, each player has the option to check, call, raise, or fold.
Flop: After the flop is dealt, another round of betting begins.
Turn: After the turn is dealt, another round of betting begins.
River: After the river is dealt, the final round of betting begins.

3. Betting actions

The available betting actions in each round are:

Check: Decline to bet, but keep your cards.
Call: Match the amount that the previous player bet.
Raise: To bet more than the previous player bet.
Fold: Give up your hand and forfeit any bets you have already made.

4. Showdown

If more than one player remains after the final round of betting, the players reveal their hole cards and the player with the best five-card poker hand wins the pot.

Explanations of Texas Holdem Rules

Hole cards

Your hole cards are the two cards that are dealt to you face down at the beginning of the hand. You can only see your own hole cards, and other players cannot see them.

Community cards

The community cards are the five cards that are dealt face up in the middle of the table in three stages: the flop, the turn, and the river. All players share the community cards, and they can use them in combination with their hole cards to make the best five-card poker hand possible.

Preflop

The preflop betting round begins with the player to the left of the big blind. This player has the option to check, call, raise, or fold. If the player checks, the next player in clockwise order has the same options. If a player bets, subsequent players can fold, call, or raise.

Flop

After the flop is dealt, another round of betting begins. The player to the left of the dealer speaks first in this round and subsequent rounds.

Turn

After the turn is dealt, another round of betting begins.

River

After the river is dealt, the final round of betting begins.

Showdown

If more than one player remains after the final round of betting, the players reveal their hole cards and the player with the best five-card poker hand wins the pot.

Basis of how to play Texas Holdem Poker

The goal of Texas Hold’em Poker is to win the pot, which is the sum of all the bets that have been made in the hand. To win the pot, you must either have the best five-card poker hand at the end of the game, or cause all other players to fold their hands.

To play Texas Hold’em Poker, you will need to know the following:

The different poker hand rankings.
The betting options available to you in each round of betting.
How to read your opponents and make strategic decisions based on their betting patterns and body language.

Here are some basic tips for playing Texas Hold’em Poker:

Only play your best hands.
Be aware of your position at the table.
Don’t be afraid to fold.
Pay attention to your opponents’ betting patterns.
Don’t tilt (get emotional) if you lose a few hands.

Texas Hold’em Poker is a complex game, but it is also a very rewarding one. With practice, you can learn to become a winning player.

Additional Texas Holdem Rules

Rake: In most casinos and poker rooms, a percentage of the pot is taken as rake to cover the costs of running the game. The rake is typically deducted from the pot before the winner is paid out.
All-in: A player is all-in when they bet all of their remaining chips.
Side pot: If one player bets more than the other players in the hand, a side pot is created. The side pot is awarded to the player with the best hand after all of the other players have folded.
Split pot: If two or more players have the same best hand at the end of the game, the pot is split evenly between them.

The big blind in Texas Hold’em Poker is the mandatory bet that the player to the left of the small blind must make before any cards are dealt. The big blind is typically twice the size of the small blind.

The big blind is important because it helps to create action in the game. It gives players a reason to stay in the hand, even if they have a weak hand, and it also gives players a chance to win the pot without having to invest any more money.

The big blind is also important because it establishes the betting stakes for the hand. The other players at the table must either call the big blind or raise it in order to stay in the hand. This creates a pot that is worth playing for, and it also gives players a chance to win more money by raising the stakes.

Here are some additional things to know about the big blind:

The big blind is a mandatory bet, so players must make it even if they have a bad hand.
The big blind is typically twice the size of the small blind.
The big blind is the last player to act in the preflop betting round.
The big blind is a good position to be in because the player gets to see how the other players act before they have to make a decision.

Overall, the big blind is an important part of Texas Hold’em Poker. It helps to create action in the game, establish the betting stakes, and give players a chance to win more money.

The small blind in Texas Hold’em Poker is the mandatory bet that the player to the left of the dealer button must make before any cards are dealt. The small blind is typically half the size of the big blind.

The small blind is important because it helps to create action in the game and establishes the betting stakes for the hand. The other players at the table must either call the small blind or raise it in order to stay in the hand. This creates a pot that is worth playing for, and it also gives players a chance to win more money by raising the stakes.

The small blind is also a good position to be in because the player gets to see how the other players act before they have to make a decision. This information can be used to make better decisions about whether to call, raise, or fold.

Here are some additional things to know about the small blind:

The small blind is a mandatory bet, so players must make it even if they have a bad hand.
The small blind is typically half the size of the big blind.
The small blind is the first player to act in the preflop betting round.
The small blind is a good position to be in because the player gets to see how the other players act before they have to make a decision.

Overall, the small blind is an important part of Texas Hold’em Poker. It helps to create action in the game, establish the betting stakes, and give players a chance to win more money.

Conclusion

Texas Hold’em Poker is a fun and exciting game that can be enjoyed by people of all skill levels.

Santa Anita Poker Tournament to Benefit ‘Folds of Honor’

Santa Anita will host a charity poker tournament Oct. 23 to benefit the Folds of Honor Foundation, which supports families of fallen or disable veterans. Players will make a $300 charitable donation, which includes a day at the races and a night of No-Limit Texas Hold 'Em. There will also be a silent auction.

Folds of Honor has awarded more than 35,000 educational scholarships to the families of fallen or disabled veterans and will be represented by retired United States Marine Corps Sergeant and P.O.W. Rocky Sickmann, one of 65 Americans taken hostage by Iranian extremists in 1979 and held captive for 444 days.

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Weekend Lineup: Stakes Racing Begins At Woodbine

Woodbine hosts its first graded stakes races this year with the Whimsical on Saturday, and the Jacques Cartier on Sunday, with the latter led by seven-time Sovereign Award winner Pink Lloyd. Three-time Grade 1 winner Raging Bull is the one to be beat in Belmont's Grade 3 Poker Stakes. On the West Coast, Santa Anita concludes its season, which began the day after Christmas, headlined by Saturday's demanding Grade 3, 1 ¾-mile San Juan Capistrano on turf. And in Great Britain, Saturday's Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes, televised on NBC, will be the final Group 1 of this year's Royal Ascot meeting.

TVG will be broadcasting racing throughout the weekend from Monmouth Park, Santa Anita Park and Gulfstream Park, and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app, which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

“America's Day at the Races” will be broadcasting live on Saturday, June 19 on FS2 from 12:30-6 p.m., from Belmont Park and Churchill Downs, and again on Sunday, June 20 on FS2 from 12:30-5:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 19

11:20 a.m. ― $975,000 Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot on NBC

The five-day Royal Ascot meeting draws to a close as turf sprinters take the spotlight in the Group 1, 6-furlong Diamond Jubilee Stakes in a 14-horse field. David Ward's 4-year-old Starman (GB) will vie for favoritism with Saeed Suhail's 7-year-old gelding Dream Of Dreams (IRE). Trained by Ed Walker and ridden from post 13 by Oisin Murphy, Starman has won four of five Starts, including his most recent score in the May 12 Group 2 Duke of York Clipper Logistics Sakes at York Racecourse. The Michael Stoute-trained Dream of Dreams has won nine races, highlighted by last September's Group 1 triumph in the Betfair Sprint Cup Stakes at Haydock. Ryan Moore has the mount, breaking from post three.

5:31 p.m. ― $150,000 Grade 3 Whimsical Stakes at Woodbine on TVG

Racing returned to Woodbine last weekend and the Toronto track will host its first graded stake of the season on Saturday with the Grade 3 Whimsical for fillies and mares going 6 furlongs. The field of eight is led by Kenneth and Sarah Ramsay's Artie's Princess, who finished just a head in front of LNJ Foxwoods' Boardroom in last November's Grade 2 Bessarabian Stakes at Woodbine. Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by Kazushi Kimura from post seven, Artie's Princess, a Canadian-bred daughter of We Miss Artie, has won five of seven starts. Breaking just outside of Artie's Princess is the 4-year-old Boardroom, trained by Canadian Racing Hall of Famer Josie Carroll. A bay daughter of Commissioner, Boardroom has won three of five races, including the listed Duchess Stakes at Woodbine prior to the Bessarabian. William and Anne Scott's 6-year-old Summer Sunday, trained by Stuart Simon, has won nine races, and finished third in last year's Whimsical. Gary Boulanger will ride, breaking from post three.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO061921CAN9-EQB.html

9:29 p.m. ― $100,000 Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano at Santa Anita Park on TVG

At Santa Anita, trainer Phil D'Amato sends out a strong hand for Saturday's Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano at 1 ¾ miles on turf with defending champion Red King and 9-5 morning line favorite Acclimate leading the six-horse field. Owned by Little Red Feather, Gordon Jacobsen and Philip Belmonte, the 7-year-old gelding Red King won last year's San Juan Capistrano by 3 ¼ lengths, and followed up that triumph by winning the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap presented by The Japan Racing Association in August. A bay son of Eclipse Award-winner English Channel, Red King finished third in the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at Santa Anita on May 29. Umberto Rispoli has the mount breaking from post two. The Ellwood Johnston Trust, Timmy Time Racing and Ken Tevelde's Acclimate, also a 7-year-old gelding, won the 2019 San Juan Capistrano. Ridden from post four by Ricardo Gonzalez, the California-bred Acclimate finished second by a head in the Charles Whittingham. Fellow Cal-bred Ward 'n Jerry, an 8-year-old gelding owned by Mr. and Mrs. Larry D. Williams, has won two starter allowance races this year at 1 ¼ and 1 ½ miles, respectively. Trained by Mike Puype and ridden from post four by Flavien Prat, Ward n' Jerry finished third in last year's San Juan Capistrano..

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA061921USA11-EQB.html

Sunday, June 20

4:29 p.m. ― $150,000 Grade 3 Jacques Cartier Stakes at Woodbine on TVG

The 9-year-old Canadian-bred gelding Pink Lloyd is odds-on to win his fifth straight Grade 3 Jacques Cartier Stakes at 6 furlongs against five rivals. Owned by Entourage Stable and trained by Robert Tiller, Pink Lloyd has been the champion Canadian sprinter four consecutive years and won Canada's 2017 Horse of the Year title. Heading into Sunday's race, Pink Lloyd, a chestnut son of Old Forester, has won a remarkably consistent 26 races in 33 starts. Ridden from post two by Daisuke Fukumoto, Pink Lloyd won his first four starts of 2020 before finishing third in the Grade 2 Kennedy Road Stakes last November. Live Oak Plantation's 4-year-old Florida-bred gelding Souper Stonehenge, trained by Mark Casse, finished second in the Kennedy Road. Searching for his first win of 2021, Souper Stonehenge, ridden by Patrick Husbands from post six, finished third in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap at Aqueduct on April 3.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO062021CAN7-EQB.html

5:02 ― $150,000 Grade 3 Eatontown Stakes at Monmouth Park on TVG

Sixteen fillies and mares, including four also-eligibles, have been entered for the $150,000 Grade 3 Eatontown Stakes going 1 1/16 miles on the turf at Monmouth Park. Godolphin's 4-year-old filly Micheline, trained by Mike Stidham, has won five races, including the Grade 2 Hillsboro at Tampa Bay in March. The bay daughter of Bernardini, ridden by Mychel Sanchez, was also second in last year's Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland. First Row Partners and Hidden Brook Farm's Nay Lady Nay has won both her starts at Monmouth, including last July's Grade 3 WinStar Matchmaker Stakes. Trained by Chad Brown and ridden from post six by Dylan Davis, Nay Lady Nay finished fourth in the Grade 3 Beaugay at Belmont Park on May 8. Trainer Christophe Clement has entered Waterford Stable's Speaktomeofsummer, who won last year's Grade 2 Lake Placid at Saratoga.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/MTH062021USA11-EQB.html

5:12 p.m. ― $250,000 Grade 3 Poker at Belmont Park on FS2

Peter Brant's three-time Group 1 winner Raging Bull (FR) is the standout in the Grade 3 Poker at Belmont against eight rivals at 1 mile on the turf. A 6-year-old son of Dark Angel (FR), Raging Bull began the year on a solid note, winning the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile at Keeneland on April 9. Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. from post one, Raging Bull's two other Grade 1 wins came in last year's Shoemaker Mile at Santa Anita and in the 2018 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar. Mary Abeel Sullivan Revocable Trust's 4-year-old gelding Get Smokin, trained by Thomas Bush, has won two of three starts this year, including the Grade 3 Tampa Bay Stakes in February, and the Seek Again Stakes on May 22 at Belmont. Junior Alvarado rides, breaking from post four. Team Valor International's 7-year-old mare Olekandra (AUS) returns to Belmont where she won the Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes last June for trainer Neil Drysdale.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL062021USA9-EQB.html

7:21 p.m. – $100,000 Grade 3 American Stakes at Santa Anita on TVG

CYBT, Saul Gevertz, Lynn Gitomer, Mike Goetz, Michael Nentwig, and Daniel Weiner's Neptune's Storm leads a field of six in the Grade 3 American Stakes at 1 mile on turf at Santa Anita. Trained by Peter Miller, the 5-year-old gelding has won six races, including last year's Grade 3 San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate Fields. Neptune Storm will be making his first start since finishing fourth-place in the Tourist Mile Stakes at Kentucky Downs last September. Flavien Prat has the mount, breaking from post three. Rave Green Racing's 6-year-old gelding Majestic Eagle, trained by Neil Drysdale, finished second in the Grade 3 Daytona Stakes at Santa Anita on May 29 in his 2021 debut. Majestic Eagle will be ridden by Mario Gutierrez from post five.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA062021USA7-EQB.html

8:28 p.m. – $100,000 Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes at Santa Anita Park on TVG

Warren and Sally Benjamin's 4-year-old California-bred Warren's Showtime leads a wide open field of eight fillies and mares in the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes going 1 mile on the turf. A six-time winner for trainer Craig Lewis, Warren's Showtime finished second in the 1-mile Fran's Valentine last time out on May 6 at Santa Anita. She won last October's Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes over the course. Juan Hernandez will ride from post five. Leggs Galore, another California-bred 4-year-old filly, owned by William Simms, defeated Warren's Showtime in the Fran's Valentine by three-quarters of a length. Trained by Phil D'Amato and ridden by Ricardo Gonzalez from post six, Legg's Galore has won six of nine races, and is seeking her first graded-stakes win.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA062021USA-EQB.html#RACE9

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Raging Bull Gets Class Relief In Saturday’s Poker

After twelve consecutive starts against Grade 1 company, Peter Brant's Raging Bull will gain slight class relief in leading a strong hand for trainer Chad Brown, who vies for his 100th graded stakes win at Belmont Park in Saturday's 35th running of the Grade 3, $250,000 Poker for 4-year-olds and upward.

The one-mile Widener turf test honors the Ogden Phipps-owned champion broodmare sire whose daughters produced Kentucky Derby winners Seattle Slew and Silver Charm among many other notable thoroughbreds. During his racing career, Poker won the 1967 Bowling Green Handicap over champions Assagai and Buckpasser.

Raging Bull, who brags an 18-7-3-3 record, is the field's lone millionaire posting $1,496,750 in lifetime earnings and has registered triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures on five occasions.

The French-bred son of Dark Angel recorded a dozen straight Grade 1 appearances dating back to his victory in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby in November 2018 at Del Mar. His most recent non-Grade 1 endeavor was a fifth-place finish in the Grade 2 Hill Prince in October 2018 at Belmont.

Raging Bull arrives off a sharp 2021 debut in the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile on April 9 at Keeneland, where he made a sweeping move around the far turn and took advantage past the quarter-pole, powering home a two-length winner. The victory garnered a career-best 106 Beyer Speed Figure. Raging Bull also commenced his 2020 campaign with a Grade 1 victory by capturing the Shoemaker Mile last May at Santa Anita.

Brown said he had intentioned to send Raging Bull back to Santa Anita for a repeat engagement in the Shoemaker Mile.

“We had planned on going out to California, but there were some travelling complications that got in the way,” Brown said. “But we're glad that we're able to run him out of his own stall. It should be a good steppingstone moving forward to the Fourstardave.”

The one-mile Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap, a Breeders' Cup “Win And You're In” event, is slated for August 14 at Saratoga Race Course. Raging Bull has finished a respective second and fifth in the last two editions of the Fourstardave.

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., who returned to action Thursday after being sidelined for two weeks with an injury, retains the mount from post 1.

Fellow Peter Brant color-bearer Veronesi, a French-bred son of Kendargent, makes his first start in North America and cuts back considerably in distance for Brown. The 5-year-old bay has not raced since September 2019 when fourth in the Group 2 Prix Niel behind eventual 2020 Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass.

“I think this is a good starting point for him,” Brown said. “He showed some promise overseas and unfortunately was injured. He's come back good and strong and we're ready to get going with him.”

Jockey Eric Cancel rides form post 3.

Klaravich Stables' Front Run the Fed will see an increase in ground off a second-place finish in the seven-furlong Elusive Quality on April 24 at Belmont Park. The son of Fed Biz briefly held command in the stretch run of his last effort but was gunned down in the final strides by Casa Creed, who went on to win the Grade 1 Jackpocket Jaipur on Belmont Stakes Day.

Front Run the Fed, who sports a consistent 12-4-4-1 record, has one stakes win on his resume when capturing his stakes debut in the Better Talk Now in August 2019 at Saratoga.

“Hopefully he'll be closer and get into good rhythm and position early on,” Brown said. “He's a nice and versatile horse from six furlongs to a mile.”

Jockey Jose Lezcano, a four-time winner of the Poker, has the mount from post 6.

Mary Abeel Sullivan Revocable Trust's Get Smokin arrives at the Poker in top form with three of his last five outings being stakes wins. Following a second out maiden victory in September 2019 at Belmont Park, the speedy 4-year-old son of Get Stormy acquired black type in four stakes races before notching a graded stakes victory when going gate-to-wire in the Grade 2 Hill Prince on October 18 over a yielding Widener turf course.

After a close fourth in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby in November at Del Mar, Get Smokin began his 2021 campaign by utilizing stalking tactics to capture the Grade 3 Tampa Bay on February 5. Last out, he won the Seek Again in frontrunning fashion while recording a career-best 99 Beyer.

“He's just matured on his own. He's a very nice horse,” Bush said. “He's got a big, long stride and he has a little fight in him, too. He's got plenty of good qualities.”

Get Smokin, who is 3-for-5 at Belmont Park, has shown an affinity for the one-mile distance as well as the local turf course. He boasts a record of 9-3-2-1 when travelling one mile.

“A mile seems to suit him pretty well,” Bush said. “We had a pretty soft pace last time. I'm not sure how it will shake out this time, but that worked out very well for him in that they didn't go too fast up front.”

Jockey Junior Alvarado, who was aboard for both stakes victories this year, returns to the irons from post 4.

Team Valor International's Oleksandra will try to make amends after three losses this year while seeking another triumph against males for Hall of Fame trainer Neil Drysdale. The Australian-bred daughter of Animal Kingdom last won when displaying a powerful turn of foot to win last year's Grade 1 Jaipur against colts.

Jockey Joel Rosario will ride Oleksandra for the twelfth time from post 2.

Completing the field are Sanctuary City [post 5, Manny Franco], Raased [post 7, Jose Ferrer], Tell Your Daddy [post 8, Luis Saez], and Penalty [post 9, Jose Ortiz].

The Poker is carded as Race 9 on Sunday's 10-race program. First post is 1 p.m.

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