The Game

1. Texas Hold'em Poker is played with as little as two players, but can be played with up to ten players at a table.

2. Tournament Texas Hold'em is played with a greater number of players at multiple tables. These tables have a maximum of ten (usually eight) players on each table. As players get knocked out through losing all their chips, these tables are merged into fewer tables.

3. Texas Hold'em is played with a single standard deck of 52 playing cards (four suits, Ace to King).

4. The dealer is chosen by the players drawing cards. See below for details.

5. Each player is dealt two personal (called "Hole" or "Pocket") cards which are only available for their personal use and five cards are dealt face up (the community cards). Using the best five card combination of the seven cards available to a player (their hole and community cards) to form the best five card poker hand.

6. The two players sitting immediately to the left of the dealer are forced to play an initial bet. This is called "posting the Blinds".

7. The player immediately left of the dealer posts a bet called the "Small Blind" usually equal to half the minimum bet.

8. The player immediately left of the "Small Blind" posts the "Big Blind", which is usually equal to the full minimum bet.

9. The shuffle and cut: All cards are shuffled between each hand of Texas Hold'em. The player in Small Blind position shuffles the cards, at least three times and passes the pack face down to the player immediately to the right of the dealer. This player then cuts the pack onto a joker card (or other device) that has been placed in front of the dealer. This prevents the bottom card being revealed to players as the dealing happens.

10. The first deal: Each player is dealt two cards face down by the dealer (the Hole or Pocket cards) these are dealt from the top of the pack in a clockwise fashion singly in two circuits around the table. Note that on all deals the cards must be dealt in a fashion that no player can see what is being dealt. Particular attention should be made to dealing downwards and close to the table.

11. The first betting round called "Pre Flop" betting: This starts with the player immediately left of the Big Blind. Each player, in a clockwise fashion can call the Big Blind value, raise or fold. Betting proceeds in a clockwise direction until at least one player has called the maximum bet of that round. If no player calls the maximum bet, that hand is won by the player making the maximum bet, who takes all the chips from the table (the "Pot") and puts them into their chip stock (in this instance the dealer button would pass clockwise to the player immediately to the left of the completed game's dealer and a new shuffle and cut would happen). If there has been no raises in the first round of betting, the player in Big Blind position can raise, call, check or fold. All players that have met the maximum bet, or bet all their remaining chips, if they cannot meet the maximum bet, proceed to the next phase of the game. Those who have not met either requirement sit out the remainder of that hand.

12. The second deal called "The Flop": The dealer discards a card faced down from the top of the deck (called "burning a card") to prevent cheating and deals three cards face up in front of them so that everyone can see. These cards are referred to as "The Flop".

13. The second betting round: Commencing with the first remaining player immediately left of the dealer, each player can check (a zero bet) or bet in a clockwise fashion around the table. Once a player has made a bet has been made, each subsequent player takes, in clockwise turn, the choice of raise, call, or fold. If no player calls the maximum bet, that hand is won by the player making the maximum bet who takes the Pot and puts them into their chip stock (in this instance the dealer button would pass clockwise to the player immediately to the left of the completed game's dealer and a new shuffle and cut would happen). All players that have met the maximum bet, or bet all their remaining chips, if they cannot meet the maximum bet, proceed to the next phase of the game. Those who have not met either requirement sit out the remainder of that game.

14. The third deal called "The Turn": The dealer discards a card faced down from the top of the deck (again called "burning a card") and deals one card face up next to "The Flop". This card is referred to as "The Turn".

15. The third betting round: This proceeds in exactly the same way as the second betting round.

16. The fourth deal called "The River": The dealer discards a card faced down from the top of the deck (again called "burning a card") and deals one card face up next to "The Flop and Turn". This card is referred to as "The River".

17. Players now use any of the five community cards with the two pocket to form their best five card poker hand (see below for hand rankings)

18. The fourth (or final) betting round: This proceeds in exactly the same way as the second betting round.

19. The final phase called "The Showdown": All remaining players show their hands, with the player raising or betting last showing first. Calling players need not show their hands, but must when demonstrating that they have won a hand. The highest five card poker hand wins the pot. If two or more players have the same hand, he next highest card in the player's hand is used to break a tie. This is called the "Kicker". If there is no "Kicker" card then the pot is divided evenly between the tied players. If there has been no betting on the final round, all remaining players must show both their hole cards.

9. Hand Rankings in Texas Hold'em

I. Royal Flush: An Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten in the same suit. If all remaining players share the same hand the pot is split. (Note that this can only happen if the five community cards are an Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten in the same suit)

II. Straight Flush: Five cards in a run, of the same suit. The highest ranked card at the top of the run wins. If some or all remaining players share the same hand the pot is split between the players who have shared the highest hand.

III. Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same matching value and one side card. The highest four of a kind wins either by the value of the four cards or the kicker card. If some or all remaining players share the same hand the pot is split between the players who have shared the highest hand.

IV. Full House: Three cards of the same matching value and two other cards of a different matching value. The highest valued three matching cards wins the pot. If some or all remaining players share the same hand the pot is split between the players who have shared the highest hand.

12. Flush: Five cards of the same suit. The player holding the highest valued card within the flush wins. The second highest, third highest, fourth highest, and fifth highest cards may be used to determine the highest hand. If some or all remaining players share the same hand the pot is split between the players who have shared the highest hand. (Note that this can only happen if the highest ranked cards in the flush are the five community cards). These cards are referred to as "The Flop".

17. Players now use any of the five community cards with the two pocket to form their best five card poker hand (see below for hand rankings).

18. The fourth (or final) betting round: This proceeds in exactly the same way as the second betting round.

19. The final phase called "The Showdown": All remaining players show their hands, with the player raising or betting last showing first. Calling players need not show their hands, but must when demonstrating that they have won a hand. The highest five card poker hand wins the pot. If two or more players have the same hand, the next highest card in the player's hand is used to break a tie. This is called the "Kicker". If there is no "Kicker" card then the pot is divided evenly between the tied players. If there has been no betting on the final round, all remaining players must show both their hole cards.

20. Hand Rankings in Texas Hold'em (A quick reference is on the back page of this leaflet)

V. Flush: Five cards of the same suit. The player holding the highest valued card within the flush wins. The second highest, third highest, fourth highest, and fifth highest cards may be used to determine the highest hand. If some or all remaining players share the same hand the pot is split between the players who have shared the highest hand. (Note that this can only happen if the highest ranked cards in the flush are the five community cards).

VI. Straight: Five cards in a run that are from two or more suits. The highest ranking valued card at the top of the run wins. The Ace may be used at the top or bottom of the run (the only card which can be used in this manner).

VII. Three of a kind: Three cards of the same value and two unrelated cards. The highest valued three of a kind wins, if this is the same the value of the two unrelated cards will act as kickers. The highest valued unrelated card is the first kicker option, if this is the same; the second highest valued unrelated kicker card becomes the kicker. If this is also the same the pot is divided between the remaining players who share the three of a kind and the highest ranking kickers.

VIII.Two pairs: Two cards of the same value and a further two cards of a different matching value, and one unrelated side card. The highest pair wins, if this is the same, the value of the second pair becomes the determining factor. If this is the same the unrelated card will act as a kicker. If this is also the same the pot is divided between the remaining players who share the two pairs and the highest ranking kicker.

IX. One pair: Two cards of a matching value and three unrelated side cards. The highest valued pair wins, if this is the same the value of the three unrelated cards will act as kickers. The highest valued unrelated card is the first kicker option, if this is the same, the second highest valued unrelated kicker card becomes the kicker if this is the same, and the third highest unrelated card becomes the final kicker option. If this is also the same the pot is divided between the remaining players who share the pair and the highest ranking kickers.

X. High card: Any hand that does not achieve any of the above hand rankings. The highest valued card acts as the first choice of winning hand, if this is the same, the remaining four cards acts as kickers in the same way described in the one pair and three of a kind. If these are also the same the pot is divided between the remaining players who share the best high card hand.

21. The deal is then passed clockwise to the next player and another round of play begins.

The Game

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