In Limit Texas Hold'em the bets are fixed. There are small bets and big bets.
The small bets are used in the first two rounds of betting and the big bets
used in the third and fourth rounds of betting. The big bets are always
double the sum of the small bets. The amount of the bets depends on the
size of the game.
Before the cards are dealt
1. One player functions as the dealer (in a casino this person has a
plastic marker in front of him). This spot is called the button.
The button determines the order in which the players are to act
in the hand and rotates clockwise after each hand is played.
2. The first player to the left of the button (the number 1 seat)
puts a forced bet on the table, called the small blind, and the
second player to the left of the button (the number 2 seat) also
places a forced bet on the table, called the big blind. The big
blind is always the same size as the small bet, whereas the small
blind is usually half the size of the big blind. For example, in a
$10/$20 Limit Texas Hold'em game, the small bet is $10 and the big
bet is $20. Therefore, the big blind is $10 (the size of the small bet)
and the small blind is $5 (half the size of the big blind and the small bet).
The cards are dealt
The cards are dealt clockwise, starting with the player to the left
of the button (the small blind) and ending with the player who is
acting as dealer (the button). Each player receives two hole cards,
which are placed face down on the table. This hand is called the
starting hand.
The first round of betting
1. The action starts with the player sitting to the left of the big
blind (the number 3 seat, also known as sitting under the gun).
This player has the option of folding (throwing his hole cards in
the middle of the table, called the muck), calling (putting the
same amount as the big blind on the table) or raising (by placing
two small bets in front of him).
2. The action now rotates to the number 4 seat (the player sitting to
the left of the number 3 seat), who has the option of folding, calling,
raising or re-raising (though only if it has been raised in front of him).
3. The betting continues clockwise until every player that has not folded
has contributed equally to the pot.
Example
It is a $10/$20 Limit Texas Hold'em game and 10 players are seated
at the table. The cards are dealt and the first player to act
(sitting under the gun) decides to raise. He must then put $20
into the pot (two small bets). The players sitting in seats 4, 5, 6
and 7 opt to fold and throw their cards in the muck. The player in
the number 8 seat chooses to re-raise and must therefore contribute
$30 into the pot (three small bets). The player sitting in the number
9 seat decides to call and, consequently, must put $30 into the pot
(three small bets). The player sitting on the button (the dealer) folds.
The small blind, who already has $5 committed to the pot, calls and,
as a result, must contribute an additional $25 to the pot ($30 in total;
equal to three small bets). The action moves to the big blind, who opts
to re-raise and, as such, has to put $40 into the pot (since he had $10
in the pot at the start of the hand, he has to put in an additional $30
thus making his bet $40 in total; equal to four small bets).
This is called cap the betting, which means that raises are no longer
allowed. In each betting round there are only three raises allowed,
making it four bets in total. After the cap, the remaining players
can either fold or call. The action resumes with the initial raiser
who is sitting under the gun.
4. Once the first betting round is finished and all remaining players
have contributed equally to the pot, it is time for the flop.
The flop and the second round of betting
1. The dealer begins by burning the top card of the deck and placing it
face down on the table. This is done in order to prevent cheating in
case the top card is marked. This card, the burn card, is henceforth
excluded from play. The dealer then flips up three cards on the table
for everybody to see. These three cards are the flop. This is a defining
moment for all remaining players, as only two more cards are left to come.
In other words, 5 out of 7 cards have been revealed. The flop contains
community cards, which are used together with the two hole cards to
create the best possible 5-card poker hand.
2. Since the blinds are only used on the first round of betting, it is
now the small blind who acts first (sitting in the number 1 seat).
If the small blind folds before the flop, it becomes the big blind's
turn to act, and so forth.
3. The first player to act has the option of checking (the action moves
clockwise towards the next remaining player) or betting (if the player
bets, it must be exactly one small bet). If all players check on the flop,
they are all allowed to see the fourth card (the turn) without putting
in any additional money.
4. The betting progresses in the same pattern followed in the first round,
with a permitted maximum of three raises (four small bets in total).
Example
It is a $10/$20 Limit Texas Hold'em game and 10 players are sitting
around the table. Following the first round of betting, only the players
seated in the small blind, the big blind and on the button are left in
the hand. The dealer brings in the pot and puts it in the middle of the
table, burns the top card (places it face down on the table) and flips
open the three community cards (the flop). Given that the betting proceeds
clockwise from the button, it is the small blind who is first to act and
he decides to check. The big blind bets ($10; equal to one small bet) and
the button opts to call (puts in $10). Once again, it is the small blind's
turn to act and he can raise (make it $20; referred to as a check-raise),
fold (throw his hole cards in the muck) or call (put in $10).
5. Once the second round of betting is finished and all remaining players
have equally contributed to the pot, it is time for the turn.
The turn and the third round of betting
1. The dealer burns the top card of the deck and flips open a fourth
community card next to the flop. This card is called the turn.
2. The betting then advances clockwise from the button, as on the flop.
The only difference is that now the bets are doubled and are referred
to as big bets.
Example
It is a $10/$20 Limit Texas Hold'em game and 10 players are seated at
the table. After the flop, only the players sitting in the big blind
and the button stay in the hand. Since the betting progresses clockwise
from the button, the big blind must act first. The big blind decides to
bet (puts in $20; equal to one big bet), the button chooses to raise
(puts in $40; equal to two big bets) and the big blind elects to call
(puts in another $20; making two big bets in total). The third round of
betting is now complete.
3. Once the third round of betting is finished and all remaining players
have given equally to the pot, it is time for the river.
The river and the fourth round of betting
1. The dealer burns the top card of the deck and flips open a fifth community
card next to the flop and the turn. This card is called the river.
2. The betting then moves clockwise from the button, as on the flop and the turn.
3. The bets equal the same amount as those placed on the turn.
Example
It is a $10/$20 Limit Texas Hold'em game and 10 players are seated
around the table. After the turn, only the players sitting in the
big blind and the button are left in the hand. Since the betting
advances clockwise from the button, it is the big blind who is
first to act. The big blind chooses to check and the action continues
on to the button, who bets (puts in $20; equal to the size of one big bet).
The big blind now has the option of folding, raising or calling and
decides to call (puts in $20; equal the size of one big bet). The button
has been called and, because this is the last round of betting, he has
to flip two hole cards face up on the table. He then combines his hole
cards with the five community cards to create the best possible 5-card
poker hand. The big blind has the option of throwing his hole cards in
the muck (in case he can not beat the button's hand), or of flipping his
hole cards face up on the table to show the winning hand. In order to
win the pot, both hole cards must be flipped face up, even though only
one hole card might be used for making the best hand.
4. The hand is over.
5. The dealer moves the button one position clockwise. The deck is
reshuffled and dealt again.
