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What is the Button in poker? and how is it played in real games during bidding?
The following is a brief description of four position terms heard frequently at a Holdem table:
* Under the Gun: Is the first player to act as soon as the cards have been dealt. It's the person to the immediate left of the big blind.
* First Position: Being first to act after the flop means you are in the small blind. After the cards hit the board, you must act FIRST before everyone else.
* Cut Off: This is the player to the right of the button. Poker players refer to it as the cutoff because that position often "cuts off" the dealer's power to steal blinds by betting.
* "Dealer," "Dealer's Button," or "Button": This is the preferred position as the player in the dealer's seat will be the last to act on all betting rounds.
Here is how you play Holdem...
How To Play Texas Holdem: The Basics
A hand of Texas Holdem starts with two players left of the dealer putting in the blinds-or forced bets.
* There is a SMALL BLIND and a BIG BLIND. The big blind is usually twice as much the small blind.
* The blinds are determined before the game begins. The REASON for blinds is to encourage action.
* Once you get your feet wet you will see without blinds, players would just fold, fold, fold until they got pocket Aces or Kings (the two best possible hands).
After two players put in their blinds, each player receives TWO CARDS face down. These are the "hole cards" or "pocket cards."
* Now, each player has the opportunity to CALL THE BLINDS, MAKE A RAISE, and OR FOLD.
* The person to the immediate left (the action always moves clockwise) of the big blind is first to act. This player is "under the gun" or early position.
* If no one raises the pot, the last person to act is the player who put in the big blind. He can either CHECK (and let the flop come out) or he can bet and start another round of betting. The big blind is the only position on the table to the "option."
How To Play Texas Holdem: The Flop
After the betting round ends, it is time for the flop.
* The dealer discards the top card of the deck. This is called a burn card. This is common procedure to prevent cheating.
* The dealer then flips the next three cards face up on the table. These are community cards that anyone can use in combination with their two pocket cards to form a poker hand.
* Then another round of betting begins. For the rest of the hand action will start to the immediate left of the dealer and move clockwise...with the dealer acting last in any round of action.
How To Play Texas Holdem: The Turn
Once the second round of betting is completed, the dealer burns another card and then places a FOURTH card on the table.
* This is commonly known as the "turn" or "Fourth Street." Once again, players place their bets. Many times during this round, it is where the bet size doubles.
* Players can use this sixth card now to form a five-card poker hand.
How To Play Texas Holdem: The River
Finally, the dealer burns a third card and then places a fifth and final card on the "board"...this card is termed as "Fifth Street" or the "river."
* Players can now use any of the five cards on the table or the two cards in their pocket to form a five-card poker hand.
* A final round of betting begins.
* After that, all of the players remaining in the game begin to reveal their hands. This begins with the player to the left of the last player to call. It's called the showdown. Players use a combination of their pocket cards and the community cards to form the best poker hand.
* The player who shows the best poker hand wins! There are cases where players with equal hands split the pot. Both players would get 50% if the pot and the next hand would begin.
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