1. Rules
Each player is dealt with two cards face down (hole cards), five more cards are dealt face up to form the board throughout several betting rounds. Placed in the middle of the table, these face-up cards are known as ‘community cards.’ Players can use the community cards with the hole cards to make their best possible five-card poker hand. The aim is to construct a five-card poker hand with available five cards from the seven.
2. How to Play
The Button
The game moves clockwise around the table. The button is a round disc placed before a player rotated one seat to the left of every hand. The game requires the players seated at the immediate left of the button to post a “small blind” and a “big blind” to begin the betting. The action then starts on different stages; Preflop, Flop, Turn, and River. Apart from deciding the blinds, the button also tells where the card dealing begins. The first card goes to the player to the immediate left in the small blind; the others receive cards around the table in a clockwise motion.
The Blinds
Two players must post small and big blinds before every new hand begins. The Blinds are forced bets beginning the wagering; they ensure a fun game and plenty of action.
Common blind levels: $1/$2, $2/$5, $5/$10
Preflop
Preflop is the first betting round that occurs after each player has been dealt two cards. The player to the big blind’s left is the first to act. This player has three options:
Call: match the big blind amount
Raise: increase the amount within the game s specific limits
Fold: throw the hand away(the player is out of the game and not eligible to win)
The Flop
The first three community cards are dealt, and the second betting round begins. It starts with the first active player to the button’s left who has not folded. The player can “check” (pass to the next) if there is no betting action.
The Turn
The ‘turn,’ the fourth community card, is dealt face-up for the third betting round following all the betting action on the Flop stage. Another round occurs once completed. Players have an option to bet, call, fold, raise, or check.
The River
The River is the final betting round involving the fifth community card; the river is dealt face-up following all the turn’s betting action. Another betting round follows.
The players have an option to check, bet, fold, call, or raise.
After completing all betting actions, remaining players with hole cards show their holdings to determine the winner; this action is known as the Showdown.
The player with the best five-card combination wins the pot.
