Chapter 8: The Rules of the Game: No Limit Texas Hold'em
[ Perk Activated: Basic Gambling Knowledge - Introduction to Texas Hold'em ]
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Texas Hold'em is a recently popular poker variant played widely around the world both in private games, as well as in card rooms and casino poker rooms.
There are two main types of Texas Hold'em - Limit and No-Limit.
As the names suggest, the two main types refer to the betting limits allowed in each game.
In Limit Hold'em, players are limited in the amount they can bet or raise at each time. These limits are usually described as the small bet (which is the size of the big blind) and the big bet (which is twice the size of the big blind). Most games also cap the number of times you can raise in each betting round to four. In some games, when there are only two players left in the game, the cap is removed.
In No Limit Hold'em, the betting structure is mostly removed. Players are allowed to bet a minimum of the big blind up to all the money that they have on the table. All raises must be at least the size of the previous raise or bet. For example, if a player bets $10, the minimum legal raise is $10, for a total bet of $20. An exception is made if a player has less money remaining on the table than the minimum legal raise. In this case, the player can choose to raise up to all the money on the table, known as an "All-In".
Texas Hold'em is a game played with anywhere from 2 to 10 players.
Each player will receive two cards face down, which becomes their hole cards.
In addition, the dealer will deal five cards in the middle of the table, which are community cards. Any player may use any number of these cards to complete the best five card hand. These five community cards are dealt in a 3-1-1 sequence, known as the flop, turn, and river respectively.
This means that a player may use up to two cards from their hole cards (they can choose to use one, or none), and up to five community cards to make the best five card hand.
Each card is ranked based on its value, and the suit does not matter. For example, an Ace of Spades is equivalent to an Ace of Diamonds. For individual cards and non-straight hands, Ace is the highest card, followed by King, Queen, Jack, and then the individual valued cards from ten through two.
The best possible hand in a Texas Hold'em game is the royal flush, which is a suited Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten.
Including the royal flush, hands are ranked as follows:
1. Royal Flush - Ten, Jack, Queen, King, Ace of a single suit.
2. Straight Flush - any five consecutive suited cards other than a Royal Flush. For example, 5 6 7 8 9 of spades. If there are two straight flushes, the hand with the highest card value wins. For example, 3 4 5 6 7 of spades is a better hand than 2 3 4 5 6 of spades.
3. Four of a Kind - four of the cards of the same value, with one additional card known as the kicker. For example: A A A A 6. If there are two or more four of a kinds, the highest four of a kind wins. If each player has the same four of a kind (for example, if the four of a kind is in the community cards), then the player with the highest kicker wins.
4. Full House - three cards of the same value, with two cards of a different, but matching value. For example: 6 6 6 7 7. If two or more players have a full house, the tie is broken by looking at the value of the triplet, followed by the value of the pair. For example, 6 6 6 7 7 is stronger than 5 5 5 8 8, and 5 5 5 8 8 is stronger than 5 5 5 7 7.
5. Flush - five non-consecutive cards of the same suit. If both players have a flush, the tie is broken by looking at the value of the highest card in the flushes. If the highest card is tied, then the tie will be broken by looking at the next highest card, and so on. For example, 3 5 6 8 9 would beat 2 5 6 8 9.
6. Straight - five non-suited consecutive cards. If both players have a straight, the tie is broken by looking at the value of the highest card in the straight. For example, 5 6 7 8 9 is beaten by 6 7 8 9 T (T = Ten). In the case of a straight to five (A 2 3 4 5), the five is the highest value card.
7. Three of a Kind - three cards of the same value, and two additional kickers. The highest valued triplet, followed by the kickers are used to break a tie.
8. Two Pair - two pairs of two cards of the same value, and a kicker. Ties are broken by looking at the highest valued pair first, then the other pair, then finally the kicker.
9. Pair - one pair of two cards of the same value, and three kickers. Ties are broken by looking at the value of the pair, then the highest kicker down to the lowest kicker.
10. High Card - any hand that does not qualify above. Ties are broken by looking at the highest valued card, followed by the second, third, fourth, and last card.
There are four betting rounds in Texas Hold'em, known as pre-flop, flop, river, and turn which refer to the stages of the game based on the community cards.
Prior to any cards being dealt, the two players to the left of the player with the button (confusingly known as the Dealer) will put out a blind bet. The value of the blinds are publicized and agreed upon before the game starts, and are usually mentioned from small to large. For example $1/$2 refers to a $1 small blind, and a $2 big blind.
The player to the immediate left of the button is the small blind. The player to the left of the small blind is the big blind.
After the blinds have been put out, or posted, the dealer will deal two cards face down to every player to form their hole cards. The players may check their hole cards at any point of the game.
The first betting round, pre-flop then begins. Betting begins with the player to the left of the big blind. In each betting round, a player may increase the bet (raise/bet), match the current bet or pass if there is no current bet (call/check), or surrender their hand (fold). For the pre-flop round, if all the players have called, the small and big blinds are allowed to raise when it is their turn.
Each betting round is finished when all the players remaining have matched the highest bet. If there is only one player left, the hand ends and the player remaining wins all the bets in the middle (the pot).
After the pre-flop betting round ends, the dealer will discard a card face down (burn a card) and deal three cards face-up to form the flop.
For betting rounds (streets) from the flop onwards, the small blind (player to the left of the button) is the first to act, and the button is the last to act.
After the first street, the dealer will then burn one card and deal one card face up to form the turn.
After the second street, the dealer will then burn one card and deal one card face up to form the river.
After the third street, if there are two or more players remaining, each player may turn their hole cards over, and the player with the highest ranking hand wins the pot.
After each hand is done, the button will shift one player to the left (the previous small blind).
When the button has made one full revolution around the table and returns to the original button, an orbit is completed.
Other than these basic rules, there are other minor variants and rules that may differ from a game to game basis. Two examples are included below.
First example: If allowed, players may also make secondary wagers (side bets) with other players at the table. These usually deal with the community cards.
A common side bet is red-black. Players choose a color. If all three cards on the flop are red (hearts/diamonds) or black (club/spades), the players from the losing color will pay an agreed upon amount to the players from the winning color.
Another common side bet is 2-7. If a player wins a hand with the starting cards of 2-7, all other players at the table must pay a penalty.
Second example: If allowed, the player to the left of the big blind may make an optional blind bet equal to twice the value of the big blind prior to the hand being dealt. This is commonly known as a straddle. The straddle is not allowed to raise if no one else has raised before the straddle. If a player straddles, the player to his left may be allowed to re-straddle (make a blind bet equal to twice the size of the previous straddle) and so on.
Some lower limit games have been known to get out of hand as time goes on due to the straddle.
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James nodded to himself. He felt relatively confident that he understood the rules and that even if he made a fool out of himself, it would not be rule-related.
As the dealer started to deal the first hand, James was momentarily distracted by the vision of Ms Chung standing up from her chaise and preparing to take a dive into the pool.
On James' right, Phil could be seen nodding to himself as he noticed James' distraction.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
DuWang
DuWang Not much plot in this chapter... sorry.
Going forward, rules of the game will be more important as James takes on different variants and more obscure games.
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