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Texas Hold’em is a relatively straightforward flop game.

Royal Flush:

Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten of the same suit.

Straight Flush:

Any five consecutive cards of one suit.

Four of a Kind:

Four cards of the same rank and one other.

Full House:

Three cards of the same rank plus two cards of another rank.

Flush:

Any five cards of the same suit.

Straight:

Any five consecutive cards of the same suit.

Three-
of-a-Kind:

Three cards of the same rank.

Two Pair:

Two groups of two cards of the same rank.

One Pair:

Two cards of the same rank.

High Card:

The rank of hands containing no pair is determined by the highest ranking card, Ace high.

Play:

Pairs
High Cards
Suited cards
Connected cards
Aces with big kickers (side cards)

Consider:

When deciding what hands to play, remember that the location of the dealer button is very important in Texas Hold-em. If you are in an early position (the first 3-4 players to act on their hands) you should play stronger hands. If you are in a late position (the last 2-3 players to act on their hand) you may choose to play weaker hands.

As a point of reference only, the following hands are considered by many to be the ten best starting hands in Hold-em: AA, KK, QQ, JJ, Aks, TT, AQs, AJs, AK, and KQs. 

*The ‘s’ after the hand refers to the hand being suited.

Small pairs are worth seeing the flop with only if the blinds are low and unless the pot has been raised.  Later in the tournament you should only raise with them.

If you think the pot may be raised after you act (because your table is aggressive), consider playing higher hands only.

LIVE GAME ETIQUETTE FOR BEGINNERS

Although poker is a pleasurable pastime, it is enjoyable only when the game runs smoothly and quickly.  Most of the responsibility for ensuring this rests with the dealer, but players can do their part to keep the game moving in an orderly fashion. So you will know what is expected of you at the poker table, here’s some “rules of poker etiquette.”

Act in turn.

In poker, the action proceeds clockwise around the table, one player at a time. Acting out of turn not only shows a basic lack of manners but also may give a player an unfair advantage over his remaining opponents.

As an example, disregarding your hand before the action gets to you may tell a player who should have acted ahead of you that it is now easier for him/her to get away with a bluff.  This obviously is not fair to those players who already have chosen not to bet.

Do not throw your chips into the pot.

Throwing your chips directly into the pot, also known as “splashing the pot”, makes it difficult for the dealer and other players to determine whether you have bet the correct amount. In fact when a player splashes the pot it sometimes may be necessary for the dealer to interrupt play and count down the pot to make sure it is correct.

The proper way to make your bet is to count it directly in front of you on the table and pushing it forward. The dealer will inspect your bet for accuracy and then will add it to the other chips in the centre of the table.

String bets.

Avoid making “string bets” or “string raises”.  When you bet or raise, you should place the proper amount of chips in the pot at one time. A string bet/raise is an illegal play and occurs when a player places less than the full raise in the pot in one motion or without verbally announcing a raise.  This play is prohibited, as an unscrupulous player can use it to his advantage.

As a precaution always announce, “raise” when you intend to raise.

Decision time.

Make decisions in a timely manner. Most starting hands in poker are thrown away, which means that a great deal of your time is spent watching, not playing.  Therefore you want your opponents to play as quickly as possible and you should do the same.

This does not mean that when you are faced with a tough decision, you cannot take some time to figure it out but do not take unnecessary amounts of time.

Cards on the table.

Keep your cards on the table. Most card rooms prohibit you from taking your cards off the table. However, it is important to keep your cards in front of you for two additional reasons. 

First, when you pick up your hand, it may be seen by another player sitting next to you, which gives him/her an unfair advantage.  Secondly, the dealer usually looks down and in front of you. If they don’t see your hand he may deal your next card to someone else on a later round, causing confusion.

Showdowns.

Turn all your cards face up at the showdown. This is necessary so the dealer can read your hand and determine whether you have won the pot. In addition, the other players will see you have a legitimate hand, but also you may have missed something and by showing your hand the dealer will spot it immediately. Needless to say, if no one calls or raises your final bet, it is not necessary to show your cards.

Speech play.

Do not discuss your hand during play.  Providing information about your hand to other players, even if you have thrown it away, may give someone an unfair advantage.

For example if you abandoned your hand and then remark, “I just threw away an Ace and a King” a player holding one of these cards now may choose not to enter the pot with a hand he otherwise would have played.

All-in, side-pots and binning.

The games are played “table stakes”.  This means that only the money and chips you have in front of you on the table are in play. If you run out of money during the play of a hand, you are said to be “all-in” and can contest only the part of the pot that your bets cover (the side-pot).

You are not allowed to reach into your pockets and produce more money during that hand.  In addition, you are not permitted to remove money (known as binning) from the table until you are ready to leave the game.