Texas Holdem Poker

Poker is one of the most popular card games, especially among betting games. While poker is played in a multitude of variations, Texas Hold'em is the version played most often at casinos and is the most popular among the "community cards" variants of poker. It is also the variant played at the World Series of Poker and on the World Poker Tour.

Texas hold'em (also known as hold'em or holdem) is a variation of the standard card game of poker. The game consists of two cards being dealt face down to each player and then five community cards being placed face-up by the dealer—a series of three ("the flop") then two additional single cards ("the turn" and "the river" or "fourth and fifth street" respectively), with players having the option to check, bet, raise or fold after each deal; i.e., betting may occur prior to the flop, "on the flop", "on the turn", and "on the river".

Texas Holdem Poker Rules 

Each hand is played with a whole deck. One player is the dealer (this role rotates clockwise after each hand), and bets are placed in a clockwise order starting with the player on the dealer's left. Each hand has four stages, and after each stage there is a round of betting. The four stages are:

• (Pre-flop) Everyone gets two cards (dealt face down)
• (Flop) Three cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table.
• (Turn) A fourth card is dealt face up in the middle of the table.
• (River) A fifth card is dealt face up in the middle of the table.

The object of the game is to form the best five-card hand possible using the player's two cards and the five "community cards" dealt in the middle of the table. A hand is won by having the best hand among the players who did not fold (i.e. refuse to match an opponent's bet, as described below, or by having everyone else fold.

We are going to use a $1/$2 betting structure. Before the pre-flop, the two players to the left of the dealer must bet $1 (these mandatory bets are called blinds, since the player must make them before she sees her cards). Then, following the betting order, each player may raise the bet, up to four times per player per betting round. (The blinds act as a bet, so in the pre-flop betting round, the first player to act will be the person three seats to the left of the dealer). Whenever a player raises the bet, the other players must call (that is, accept the raise), fold (that is, give up and lose the money already bet) or raise the bet even more. On the pre-flop and flop, the players bet $1 at a time, while on the turn and river they bet $2 at a time. 

The hand ends when all but one player has folded or when all the cards have been dealt and the last betting round is over. In this last case, the players must show their cards and the player with the highest hand wins.

Texas Holdem Poker Ranking of Poker Hands

From highest to lowest, the possible five card hands in texas holdem  poker are ranked as follows:

1. Straight Flush
   
   Five cards in sequence all of the same suit, for example 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - J all in hearts. Aces can be treated as either above kings or below twos. If multiple players both have straight flushes, the players compare the high cards of their straight flushes (higher card wins). A straight flush with A - K - Q - J - 10 is called a Royal Flush and is the highest hand in the game.
2. Four of a Kind
   
   Four cards of the same rank (and one card of some other rank). When comparing four of a kind hands the four of a kind of higher rank wins.
3. Full House
   
   Three matching cards of one rank and two matching cards of a different rank. If multiple players both have full houses the player whose set of three cards has higher rank wins.
4. Flush
   All five cards of the same suit. If multiple players both have flushes, the player with the single card of highest rank wins. In situations where players both have the same rank high card they then compare the rank of their second highest cards, then third highest cards, etc. Two flushes with cards of the same ranks tie.
5. Straight
   
   All five cards in sequence. As with straight flushes, aces can be high or low and two straights are compared by looking at high cards.
6. Three of a Kind
   
   Three cards of the same rank and two unmatched cards. Three of a kind hands are compared by looking at the rank of the set of three cards.
7. Two Pair
   
   Two cards of the same rank, two cards of another rank (matching each other but not the first two cards), and one card with a third rank. Two of a kind hands are compared by looking at each player's highest ranking pair (higher ranks wins). If players have the same high pair then they compare the rank of their low pairs. If this still does not decide a winner then the rank of the unmatched card (also called the "kicker") is compared.
8. One Pair
   
   Two cards of the same rank and three cards all of different ranks (both from the pair and from each other). One pair hands are compared by looking first at the rank of each player's pair, and if needed then considering the rank of each player's unmatched cards in the same way as for a flush.
9. High Card
   
   A set of five cards that does not fit into any of the above categories. High cards hands are compared by considering the rank of each player's cards as described above in the case of a flush.

There is no ranking of suits in poker, so two players who have identical hands but in different suits tie the hand and split the pot. The two cards that a player does not use in making his five card hand are ignored; they are not used to break ties between five card hands.