How to Play Texas Hold'em online

Texas Hold'em has become the most popular variation of Poker that there is today. Naturally it is also a favorite online and is available to play at exclusive poker sites and online casinos. Many of these casinos and poker sites do offer you the chance to play for fun or practice before you place real money bets in a real money poker game which can help you get to know the game but nothing beats the excitement of a real money Texas Hold'em Poker game. If you are familiar with the game o Texas Hold'em then playing online will come very easily to you but it is always a good idea to read over the instructions of the game you choose to play before you jump in and place real money bets. There are some online casinos that offer live dealer games where a live dealer will deal the cards through a video feed and a number of players from all over the world can join in the game. When playing Texas Hold'em online there are also games just against the computer i.e. on a single basis too.

How the Game Begins

When playing Texas Hold'em each player is dealt two cards face down to begin with. These cards are known as the hole cards and are only for the player to see. Once these cards have been dealt the first round of betting starts known as the pre-flop bet. You can choose the amount you want to bet using the on screen controls to increase and decrease your coin sizes. It is important to make sure you have money in your casino account before placing bets. After the first bet has been placed by all players which sit in a central pot, the dealer will then burn a single card to ensure there is no cheating and three cards are then turned over. These are called the flop and make up the first three cards of the community cards. The aim of the game is to land the best hand by using the two hole cards that you are keeping secret and making use of the community cards.

The Intricacies of Betting and Final Showdown

Once the flop cards have been reviewed by each player if you are playing a group game or by yourself if you are playing a single game, the next betting round ensues. In this case you can choose to call, raise or fold. Calling means that you think you have the best hand possible and want to reveal your cards to end the game. Raise means you will add an additional bet which has to be at least the value of the first bet or more. Fold is the giving up option because you don't want to or cannot place any more bets. After the decision has been made by all players a fourth card is turned over to the community pile - this is the turn card. The same options apply to each player for this round; raise, call or fold. The final card to be turned over to the community pile is the River card and once this has been revealed all players then have to show their cards, this is called the showdown. The winner is the player who can make the highest five card poker card from the seven cards that he has use of, i.e. his two hole cards and five of the community cards.

Excitement with Real Money Games

You can play endless games for fun or practice online but nothing beats the excitement and heightened tension of the real money games online. The beauty of playing online is that you connect with players all over the world and enjoy the different skill levels of each and every one. Playing Texas Hold'em online is not a difficult game and it is a very exciting and special game to be a part of.