Texas Holdem Poker is the most popular and most played variant of poker. On this page, you can find the beginner’s guide where we will describe step by step the rules of Texas Holdem poker, how to bet, poker combinations and the flow of play in one of the most popular poker variants.
There are a few poker types and Texas Holdem belongs to the one called community poker game. In this type of poker game, the dealer deals a number of cards to each player and reveals a number of cards in the middle of the table and these are called community cards. The reason for that is because they belong to everyone playing, not just one player. The number of cards dealt to each player, as well as the number of community cards, depends on the poker variant.
In Texas Holdem poker each player gets 2 cards, and these are called hole cards. Then, there are five community cards that are all face-up so that all players can see them. The goal of the game is to use the hole cards and combine them with the community cards to make the best combinations.
In the text below, you can read about the best poker combinations, and how the game goes.
Poker Basics
If you are a new poker player, you can start learning the basic rules of poker. You can practice at various poker sites that offer free play, or better yet, you can use your online casino. We personally recommend 1xBet for online poker, given that a long tradition combined with expert staff have made this casino game almost perfect. When you play several games you will be ready to learn all the rules of poker and advanced techniques that can earn you great profits.
Poker combinations
Royal Flush
The strongest hand in poker is the royal flush. The Royal Flush is made of A, K, Q, J, 10 of the same suit.
Straight Flush
A straight flush is a hand in which all five cards are of the same suit and are arranged in a straight line.
Poker – Four of a Kind
A Four of a Kind is a four-card hand with an “equal” value. If two players each have four of a kind, the player who has the higher value card wins.
Full House
A Full House (3+2) is made up of three cards of the same value plus two more cards of another value.
Color – Flush
A Flush consists of five cards of the same suit in any order
Straight
A straight is a five-card hand in which the cards are not of the same suit, but are in consecutive order.
Three of a Kind
A three-card set with the same value.
Two Pairs
Just the name says, two pairs are made up of two pairs of cards of the same kind. If two players have two pairs, the winner is the one with the highest cards, that is, if the players have the identical two pairs, the player with the higher fifth card wins.
Pair
The pair is made up of two cards of the same type. Since the hand in poker is made up of five cards, the remaining three cards are called kickers. If two players have the same pair, the kickers decide in that case.
High Card
 If no one has any of the above-mentioned combinations, the player with the highest card wins. The ace is the highest card in the deck.
Betting in Texas Holdem
Forced Bet
Now that you have learned the poker combinations, you can start reading about how betting works. Texas Holdem Poker uses a blinds system for the forced bet, unlike some other poker types that use the ante bet system. The blinds system consists of two blinds, the small blind and the big blind. The blinds rotate, so you don’t have to pay the forced bet before every round, but only when is your turn. The amount of the blinds is predetermined, depending on the stakes of the poker room. However, the small blind is always half of the big blind.
Once the blinds have been posted, the dealer deals the hole cards, each player gets two cards. Once everyone has their cards, the first betting round starts and there are a few options.
The first option you have in poker is to CALL if you think your cards are ok. This means that you will have to pay the Big Blind, so you can continue playing the round. On the other hand, if your cards do not seem promising, you can choose to FOLD. When folding, you don’t pay anything and you throw your cards. If you really like your hand, you can RAISE the bet, which means you will have to put the big blind and some additional amount in the pot. After this, every player who wants to keep playing the round has to match your bet. The final option you have is CHECK, which in this first round of betting applies only to the player with the big blind. If no one raised the bet, the player with the big blind can check, meaning he agrees with the bet amount and doesn’t want to raise or fold, which he can do if he wants.
The Flop
The first round of betting in Texas Hold’em is followed by the flop. The flop is the name for the first three community cards that the dealer reveals. As mentioned, the community cards belong to every player on the table so they’re all face-up. After this, each player examines their cards and the flop, calculates the probability of winning and the second round of betting starts.
If your cards are really good, you can Raise the bet and wait for the others to follow. Otherwise, you can use the Check option. But, if someone raises the bet you will have to decide whether to Call and pay the increased bet or Fold and quit playing the round. In this case, you will only lose the bet you paid in the first round of betting.
The Turn
Once the second round of betting is over, the dealer reveals the fourth card named the turn. The third round of betting follows, with the same options. This is the time when a player can actually decide whether there is a possibility to win or not. Usually, this is when the players with good hands raise the bets, and the others fold or use bluff and raise even more. After all that excitement, everyone is in anticipation of the last card.
The River
The last card or the river is revealed after the third round of betting. This final card determines the winner, so everyone who thinks they have a possible winning combination either raises the bet or folds. Once the fourth and final round of betting is over, the players that are left reveal their cards and the pot is allocated to the winner or winners.
The best starting cards in Texas Holdem Poker
As now you know how to play poker, we will help you decide whether to keep playing the rounds, depending on the hole cards. One of the important things to learn about Texas Holdem is the starting cards, which are good to go on and which are not.
Strong pairs
These pairs are actually the strongest and the possible winning hands with these are Four of a Kind, Full House, Three of a Kind, Two Pairs; or if nothing else, you will have the highest pair. The following are the strongest pairs in Texas Holdem, but any pair is a good starting point.
- Ace-Ace
- King-King
- Queen-Queen
- Jack-Jack
- Ten-Ten
Same suit cards
Good starting cards are also some that are not a pair, but they’re from the same suit. With these cards, you have the chance of getting the Royal Flush, depending on the community cards of course.
- Ace-King
- Ace – Queen
- King – Queen
- Ace- Jack
- King – Jack
- Queen – Jack
- Jack – Ten
Strong cards from different suits
- Ace-King
- Ace-Queen
- King-Queen
Top 10 starting cards in Texas Holdem Poker
These are the best starting cards that you’d want to get when playing Texas Hold’em poker, some are pairs and some are not, but they can be combined in different ways.
- A-A (pair of Aces)
- K-K (pair of Kings)
- Q-Q (pair of Queens)
- A-K (Ace and King)
- J-J (pair of Jacks)
- 10-10 (pair of Tens)
- 9-9 (pair of Nines)
- 8-8 (pair of Eight)
- A-Q (Ace – Queen)
- 7-7 (pair of Sevens)
Top Cards to Raise the Bet in the First Betting Round
When the hole cards are dealt and it is your turn to bet, we encourage you to raise the bet if you have the cards mentioned below, even before the community cards are revealed. That way, you will eliminate every player with not so strong cards, and have more chances to win in the end.
- A-A (pair of Aces)
- K-K (pair of Kings)
- Q-Q (pair of Queens)
- A-K (Ace-King)
- J-J (pair of Jacks)
- 10-10 (pair of Tens)
- A-Q (Ace-Queen)
The cards are the first important factor for you to decide whether to bet and how much. The other factor that decides the height of your stake is your position. If you are first, you should always fold unless you have a really good card. If you are among the last players, you have the opportunity to evaluate your opponents and you can decide how much to bet.
With cards such as A-J, K-Q, K-J, Q-J, K-10, Q-10 and J-10 you should not play after raising the stakes if you are in the starting position. Your goal is to bet when you have the strongest cards. With these cards, you will lose money in the long run.
Medium pairs are good to start with, but if you have nothing after the flop, it’s best to give up.
Online casinos in Nigeria to play Texas Holdem
Texas Holdem Poker is a game that can be played by anyone that wants to learn how to play. Many online casinos in Nigeria now have the Texas Holdem poker on offer, and some even have it in the live casino games portfolio.
If you want to register at an online casino, you need to find the one that offers the best welcome bonus for new players. This way, you can take advantage of free money while exploring and learning how to play. Our recommendation is 22Bet Nigeria Casino, with an amazing bonus offer and a large number of casino games. Go to our online casino reviews page to make a decision and register for free.
