Betting Tips
Betting is key to winning in Texas Holdem and deciphering the betting structure can be a first time player's biggest challenge. Terms like dealer button, big blind, small blind and straddle are enough to confuse even experienced poker players of other poker variants. The good news is that with little more explanation and some practice, you too can master Texas Holdem betting.
In a house standard game, the dealer usually calls the game, shuffles the cards and deals. The two immediate players to his left are responsible for the blinds and the player to the left of the big blind is then responsible for starting the action. This situation the dealer is last to act giving him a distinct advantage. In house games every player takes turn dealing; therefore, the dealer advantage is passed equally to all the players.
In a structured Texas Holdem game at casinos or card rooms the dealer is provided. Using the same rules of a normal house game, this would give the player to the right of the dealer the advantage of acting last in every round. This small button, or chip, is passed around the table in the usual fashion. Even though the dealer is provided, the dealer button signifies that player to be in the dealer position for that hand and acts last. The casino dealer will start dealing the hand to the left of the dealer button. Once the hand is over, the dealer button is passed to the next player to the left.
Seeding the pot with cash for each hand is done through blinds (small and big blinds). Blinds are forced bets and are assigned to the two players directly to the left of the player possessing the dealer button. As the dealer button moves around the table so does the responsibility of the blinds so all players equally seed the pot. You should also note that if you are playing in a casinos or card room they will take a "rake", a small percentage of each pot. The rake is to maintain the game, facilities, and pay the dealers.
Normally there are two blinds called the "SMALL BLIND" and "BIG BLIND". The small blind is placed by the first player to the left of the dealer button and is half of the opening bet. For example in a $10/$20 Holdem game the small blind would be $5. The second player to the left of the dealer button is the big blind. The big blind is equal to the opening bet, so in the above example the big blind would be $10.
Once the blinds are placed and the cards are dealt, each player left of the big blind can call, raise or fold. Once the action goes around the table, the small blind can complete the bet by calling (matching the big blind or total bet if someone raises) or fold. Folding would forfeit their small blind. The big blind at the end of the first round of betting has one last chance to raise before the flop is dealt.
In some casinos, "STRADDLE" bets are permitted. A straddle is an additional blind that is not forced. The player to the left of the big blind may choose to place a straddle bet, which is typically double the amount of the big blind. A straddle bet is a raise before anyone has seen any cards. When someone elects to straddle, it makes that game twice as expensive to play. Basically, a straddle will turn a $10/$20 game into a $20/$40 for that hand. If you ever hear the dealer announce that a player has chose to straddle, you must match his initial raise to play the hand.
Betting is key to winning in Texas Holdem and deciphering the betting structure can be a first time player's biggest challenge. Terms like dealer button, big blind, small blind and straddle are enough to confuse even experienced poker players of other poker variants. The good news is that with little more explanation and some practice, you too can master Texas Holdem betting.
In a house standard game, the dealer usually calls the game, shuffles the cards and deals. The two immediate players to his left are responsible for the blinds and the player to the left of the big blind is then responsible for starting the action. This situation the dealer is last to act giving him a distinct advantage. In house games every player takes turn dealing; therefore, the dealer advantage is passed equally to all the players.
In a structured Texas Holdem game at casinos or card rooms the dealer is provided. Using the same rules of a normal house game, this would give the player to the right of the dealer the advantage of acting last in every round. This small button, or chip, is passed around the table in the usual fashion. Even though the dealer is provided, the dealer button signifies that player to be in the dealer position for that hand and acts last. The casino dealer will start dealing the hand to the left of the dealer button. Once the hand is over, the dealer button is passed to the next player to the left.
Seeding the pot with cash for each hand is done through blinds (small and big blinds). Blinds are forced bets and are assigned to the two players directly to the left of the player possessing the dealer button. As the dealer button moves around the table so does the responsibility of the blinds so all players equally seed the pot. You should also note that if you are playing in a casinos or card room they will take a "rake", a small percentage of each pot. The rake is to maintain the game, facilities, and pay the dealers.
Normally there are two blinds called the "SMALL BLIND" and "BIG BLIND". The small blind is placed by the first player to the left of the dealer button and is half of the opening bet. For example in a $10/$20 Holdem game the small blind would be $5. The second player to the left of the dealer button is the big blind. The big blind is equal to the opening bet, so in the above example the big blind would be $10.
Once the blinds are placed and the cards are dealt, each player left of the big blind can call, raise or fold. Once the action goes around the table, the small blind can complete the bet by calling (matching the big blind or total bet if someone raises) or fold. Folding would forfeit their small blind. The big blind at the end of the first round of betting has one last chance to raise before the flop is dealt.
In some casinos, "STRADDLE" bets are permitted. A straddle is an additional blind that is not forced. The player to the left of the big blind may choose to place a straddle bet, which is typically double the amount of the big blind. A straddle bet is a raise before anyone has seen any cards. When someone elects to straddle, it makes that game twice as expensive to play. Basically, a straddle will turn a $10/$20 game into a $20/$40 for that hand. If you ever hear the dealer announce that a player has chose to straddle, you must match his initial raise to play the hand.
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