Fixed Limit Texas Holdem
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
- 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.
- 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
- 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).
- 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).
-
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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
-
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).
- 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
- 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.
-
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.
- 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
- 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.
- The betting then moves clockwise from the button, as on the
flop and the turn.
-
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.
- The hand is over.
- The dealer moves the button one position clockwise. The deck
is reshuffled and dealt again.
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