Texas Hold’em: the Most Popular Type of Poker

Every time we say “classic poker” we mean Texas Hold’em. This is the most popular type of this legendary card game among many others: Double Draw, Stud, Omaha and so on. A huge number of live poker tournaments take place with No Limit Texas Hold’em, and according to some estimates, approximately 95% of all online games and tournaments also take place with this type of poker.

Want to start playing Texas Hold’em? You just need to memorize the rules of poker and learn its combinations. This blog post by GambleFAQ will reveal all the facets and subtleties of Texas Hold’em!

A deck of cards for Texas Hold’em

This type of poker is played with a standard deck of cards. It consists of 52 cards ranging from 2 to Ace. Sometimes the Ace can also play the role of the lowest card. This occurs in combinations such as the lowest ranked straight (A-2-3-4-5). But this is the only exception, in all other cases, the Ace is the strongest card in the deck.

Types of poker tables

Texas Hold’em is a game for 2-10 people. At the same time, depending on the number of the maximum number of participants, the gaming tables can be:

• long (9-10 players)
• short (6 players)
• ultrashort (4 players)
• for heads-up (2 players)

Sometimes there are other tables, in particular, for 3 players. Special “Spin&Go” jackpot mini-tournaments have such tables because they are designed for 3 players.

The role of the dealer in poker

The dealer is, in fact, the same as the croupier in the casino. This is a qualified person who not only distributes cards to players, but also monitors compliance with all the rules, monitors the course of distributions, counts chips, and so on. There are no dealers in online poker, unless you are playing video poker with a live dealer, of course. In online poker, all functions of the dealer are performed by the program.

In a live game, a dealer is simply necessary; without him, playing poker is impossible. Decided to play with friends? In this case, the role of the dealer passes from one player to another clockwise with each new distribution. The position of the dealer is indicated by a special button. Being the dealer is beneficial because the person with the button makes his move last.

Want to play Texas Hold’em online without a dealer or live with a dealer? You can play in one of the licensed online casinos that offer this game from the comfort of your home or outside with your phone in hand! Among the best casinos for playing poker, we highlight Jackpot City, Pin Up, and N1Bet.

Blinds in Texas Hold’em

Mandatory bets are a prerequisite for playing classic poker. Mandatory bets are called blinds. The blinds in each hand are made by 2 participants who sit at the table to the left of the dealer. They bet before they have hole cards in their hand. There are small and big blinds. The small blind is the position immediately behind the dealer, and the big blind is to the left of the small blind. The big blind is twice the small blind. For example, if the small blind is $0.02, then the big blind is $0.04. We would also like to point out that if the blinds are always the same in cash games, then in tournaments their size is constantly increasing.

Combinations in Texas Hold’em

By playing this exciting game you can create 10 combinations:

• Royal Flush. This is the best poker hand you could ever dream of. Even if you play at several tables at once, you can wait for it for years. The probability of making this hand is 0.003%.

• Street Flush. This is a flush, but consisting of 5 consecutive cards. This is the 2nd strongest combination in poker and it is also extremely difficult to get it. When this combination occurs, victory is almost always guaranteed. The probability of making this hand is 0.028%.

• Four of a Kind. A combination of 5 cards, in which there are 4 cards of the same denomination (for example, 4 kings or 4 queens) is called Four of a kind. This combination is much more common than the 2 previous combinations. There are situations when four of a kind is on the table. In this case, to determine the winner of the distribution, they look at the highest card. For example, if your highest card is an ace, and your opponent, for example, 10, then the bank is transferred to you. The probability of making such a hand is 0.168%.

• Full House. A full house is a combination of 3 cards of one value + 2 cards of another value. For example, three 2s and two 6s is a real Full House. The seniority of full houses is primarily determined by the value of 3 identical cards. Those Aces and 10s are stronger than Kings and 10s. Probability of making a Full House hand is 2.596%.

• Flash. A flush is 5 cards of the same suit. This poker combination is one of those that are almost always heard. It occurs quite often and in most cases guarantees victory. The seniority of flushes is again determined by the seniority of the cards. For example, you have an Ace-high flush, which is stronger than a King-high flush. The probability of making such a hand is 3.025%.

• Straight. If you have 5 consecutive cards of any suit, then you have collected a combination called Straight. An important feature of this combination is that the Ace can be both the lowest and the highest card. This means that the lowest straight is A-2-3-4-5 and the highest is 10-J-Q-K-A. The probability of collecting a Straight is 4.619%.

• Set and Thrips. When you have 3 cards of the same value in your hands, it means that you have collected a Set. Often new players think that Set and Thrips are the same thing. In fact, these are 2 different combinations but identical in strength. Set is when there is already a pair in the starting hand and one card on the board, and Thrips is when there is a pair on the table and in your hand is the third card of a poker combination. The probability of making such a hand is 4.830%.

• 2 Pairs. These are 2 pairs of cards of the same denomination. The seniority of these combinations is determined by the seniority of the cards included in them. Example: you have 2 pairs of Kings and 9 and your opponent has 2 pairs of Kings and 6, which means that you win here. The probability of collecting 2 pairs is 23.5%.

• Pair. You will get a pair in almost every 2nd hand. This is one of the most common poker hands. Do not forget that this is also a 5-card combination like all the others. The probability of making a pair, as we have already said, is high, that is, 43.8%.

• High Card. You have a High Card when you don’t have any of the above combos. For example, there are 2 players in the hand, including you, and before the final betting round (river), no one has made a Pair or anything better. So which player won? In this case, the winner is determined by the highest card. The probability of collecting a High Card is 17.4%.