Free Poker Guides - A Basic Guide to Texas Hold Em Poker Games
It doesn’t matter what type of poker you are playing, pay or free poker. Hold’em is played in this way: Each player gets two cards, face down. Like any other game, you ante at the start and the first betting interval comes after the first two down cards are dealt. The play rotates to the left of the dealer. On this opening round, a player must stay or get out (fold).
The following play involves an additional 3 community cards being dealt out by the dealer in the middle of the table face up- also known as the “flop”. These cards are an essential part of the players “hand” and will be used alongside the original 2 cards in hand. After the flop the next round of betting takes place, although there is now an opportunity to “pass” due to the pot previously commencing.
As with before 2 additional cards (”the turn” and “the river”) are then dealt out to the middle of the table with the suit facing upwards for all to see. After each card there is a further chance to have a flutter, check or walk away and fold.
When I play I make it good practice to ‘throw away’ the top cards at every turn: throw one away then turn another. The min theory behind this method is to stop swindling. I will explain; in nearly all cases of marked card deception the top cards are used as marking points, but by throwing away the top card(s) breaks this cycle.
Not that for one moment I’m suggesting that this element exists in all games; it does on the other hand remain a custom (throwing away the top card) in which most expert and novices become a custom too.
Most of the games I play in have no limit, but hold’em is an interesting game to play with a limit, because after the turn there are plenty of times that you’ll have something good to draw at.
If you are new to Hold’em then have a go at playing free poker online where its totally free and you wont lose any of your own cash.