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Texas Holdem Poker – Razz Poker

If you intend to become an online poker player but have no clue about the game whatsoever, (other then the 5-card Draw on the video poker machine down at the corner pub) this is where you should start. Texas Hold’em is by far the most popular and played game in every online poker room. While you may occasionally run into trouble when trying to play some other poker variant, that will never happen in Texas Holdem.

The game is part of the community-card branch of poker. In games belonging to this category, players will have to make their final hands using a few cards dealt directly to them, and using a few cards which are on the table and available for use to everyone.

A Texas Holdem game begins with the two players on the left of the dealer posting the big and the small blinds respectively (the SB amounts to half the BB). After that, the dealer hands each player two hole cards (face down, invisible to all but the player they’ve been dealt to) and the first betting round begins. Players have the option to call the big blind, to raise it, or to fold and muck their cards.

Those who remain in the game following the pre-flop betting round will see the flop. The flop is made up of three community cards laid out onto the board. Everyone can use them and players make their hands (and ultimately their betting decisions) using the hole cards and the three community ones.

The post-flop betting round is followed by the turn (or 4th street; 4th card – hence the name) this is another community card. Another betting round commences in the pattern described before (always in a clock-wise direction) which is followed by the river, the final (5th) community card. The last betting round follows and those who survived the betting to this stage reach the showdown. Hands are shown and winners are decided.

I can’t really tell you where to go play online Texas Holdem, since there is virtually NO poker room there that doesn’t have it. It’s the main flagship of every single online poker operation. Full Tilt Poker, PokerStars, Ignition Poker and PartyPoker are good choices though.