Online Poker: Playing Texas Holdem on the Internet

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The explosion of the internet has caused an explosion in the most popular poker game today, Texas Hold 'Em. It is now possible to play online poker 24/7 with people in tournaments from all over the world from the comfort of their own homes.

Online poker sites where people bet real money use a "rake system", where a small amount of money is "raked" from the pot before the prize is awarded to the winner of the online game. With thousands of games and tens of thousands of players at any one time playing Texas Holdem online, the online poker sites can make lots of money while individual players barely notice the small amounts.

This system is gives the advantage to the players instead of the house because the house gets paid no matter what, and therefore does not have to "skew" the odds in its favor. The "rake system" also encourages people to become more skilled, because just like regular casino games, the more skilled players make the most money.

Playing an internet poker game such as Texas Holdem online is both easy and fun. Once you have played at one site, playing on any of the other of thousands of internet poker sites gives you a similar experience. After logging in, you usually enter the "lobby" where you choose a table of your choice based on the betting limit and the number of players.

"Empty seats" are shown, and you let the "game" know how much money you are "bringing" to the game. You also have the choice to just "sit it" and wait for the "blinds" (betting) to pass before joining in. There are buttons available to let you bet, call, raise, fold, and so on. The game software, which acts as the "dealer", keeps track of everything and everyone in the game, and allows the game to move along at a fast pace, increasing the excitement.

The rules for playing Texas Holdem online are similar to those for playing at a real table:

  1. "Posting the Blinds" starts the game with with players on the left of the dealer placing a predetermined amount of money.
  2. "Hole Cards" or "Pocket Cards" are the two cards dealt face down to each player.
  3. "Pre-flop Round" starts the betting with the person who posted the blinds.
  4. Players can call, raise, or fold as their turn comes around.
  5. The dealer then discards the "burn card" which is the top card of the deck; this is done to discourage cheating.
  6. "Flop cards" are the next three cards that the dealer places face up on the table to be used by any of the players to improve their changes of making a poker hand with their two pocket cards.
  7. Another round of betting starts with the player on the dealer's left, after which the dealer "burns" another card and flips yet another card, called the "turn" card on the table. This sixth card is used by the players to make up their five-card poker hand.
  8. In the next round of betting, the bet size usually doubles, and the dealer puts a final card on the table, called the "river". The players can use this river card and any of the other five cards on the table as part of their poker hand.
  9. The player to the left of the dealer starts the final round of betting; the players now begin to reveal their hands.
  10. The "showdown" is where the player to the left of the last player to call shows first, and the player with the best hand wins.

 

There are countless online "game rooms" for those who would like to play Texas Holdem online. Players can play just for fun with their family and friends, and can choose to join games in progress around the clock and around the world. Most internet poker sites contain modules where players can host a game, play in a tournament, manage their personal "bankrolls", and calculate the payout from the prize pool among all of the players among many other features that won’t be found in a casino.