Learn Holdem Basics

In this article, I am going to demonstrate the betting rules of a 2-4 limit holdem game. The 2-4 could just as easily be 3-6, 5-10, or 10-20. The blinds will be 1 and 2, but they also could be adjusted to fit the level of game. I will repeat some of the concepts as we progress to help you to absorb the information quicker. Let's get started.

Hierarchy of Poker Hands

Whatever poker game you play, the hierarchy of poker hands will remain the same. For those of you who need a reminder or a reference list, here are all the possible hands listed from the highest to the lowest:

Royal Flush: 10, J, Q, K, A of the same suit.
Straight Flush: Any five card sequential combination of the same suit.
Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank, QQQQ, aka quad queens.
Full House: Three of a Kind plus a pair, AAA-99 is called Aces full of nines.
Flush: Any five card combination of the same suit. As, 10s, 9s, 3s, 2s, is an Ace high spade flush.
Straight: Any 5 card sequential combination of two or more suits. 7s, 8d, 9h, 10h, Jc, is a Jack high straight.
Three of a Kind: Three cards of equal rank. KKK is called a set if you hold two in the hole, trips if you have one in the hole.
Two Pair: Two cards of equal rank plus two cards of equal rank. AA-KK is called Aces over Kings.
One Pair: Two cards of equal rank. 99 is called, nines.
High Card: Highest card wins starting with the Ace.

Positions

From the vantage point of looking down at a 10 player table from above, let's begin with the Dealer Button. The cards are dealt clockwise from the Dealer Button, starting with the player to the dealer's left which is called the Small Blind. Moving  clockwise, or to to the left of the Small Blind, is the Big Blind, The next two positions are called Under The Gun 1 (UTG1) and Under The Gun 2 (UTG2). These first 4 players are in Early Position.

Players 5, 6, & 7 are in Middle Position. Players 8, 9, and 10 are in Late Position. Regardless of how many player are at the table, the player immediately to the right of the dealer is in the Cut of Postion. Completing the circle brings us all the way back to the Dealer who receives his cards and makes his bets last.

How to Deal

In home games, you will have to deal when the button rotates in a clockwise direction to you. In the casino, the dealer will deal for you when the Dealer Button rotates to you.

The cards will be dealt in four stages: the Hole Cards, the Flop, the Turn, and the River. The first round of dealing will be to deal the two hole cards, one at a time, to each player, beginning with the Small Blind which is immediately to the left of the Dealer Button, continuing clockwise, and ending with the Dealer Button. Then you begin the first round of betting.

When the first round of betting is finished, you will Burn one card face down, and then deal three cards up in the center of the table. This is the Flop. It begins the second round of betting.

When the second round of betting is finished, you will burn another card face down and then deal a fourth card up, placing it to the right of the Flop. This fourth card is called the Turn or Fourth Street and begins the third round of betting.

When the third round of betting is finished, you will burn one more final card down, and then deal one final card up, placing it to the right of the Turn. This fifth and final up card is called the River or Fifth Street. This begins the fourth and final round of betting. When the betting is completed, all player who are still in the hand turn their hole cards up for the Showdown.

The winning cards are determined by the best combination of five cards between the hole cards and the five community cards. Sometimes, the best combination of winning cards are all in the community cards, and the pot is split.

How to bet

As I explain the mechanics of how to bet in a 2-4 limit holdem game, you will have a chance to review many of the concepts we have already covered, which will help you to reinforce the information.

Before the dealer begins to deal the first hole card to each player, the two players to the left of the dealer must place their blinds in front of them. A blind is a forced bet. It primes the pot. The player to the left is the Small Blind. To his left is the Big Blind. In a 2-4 limit game, the Big Blind will typically be in for 2 and the Small Blind will be in for 1. (Exact blind requirements may vary from casino to casino). Once the blinds have been, place, the dealer may proceed to deal clockwise, one card, beginning with the Small Blind and ending with the Dealer. Then a second card is dealt to each player which will complete the first round of dealing.

Pre-Flop Betting
Since the Small and Big Blinds are already in the pot, the betting will begin with the next player to the left of the Big Blind, also know as Under The Gun 1 (UTG1). There are four possible decisions to make, depending on the situation: check, call, fold, or raise. In the case of this first round of betting, checking is not an option. UTG-1 must call, fold, or raise. In 2-4 holdem, betting and raising during this first round will be done in units of 2. So, UGG-1 must call 2, fold, or raise 2 for a total bet of 4. Each of the players, starting with UTG1 moving clockwise all the way back to the small blind must call, fold, or raise according to previous players actions. During the first round of betting, the Big Blind is last to act. He always has an option to raise when all other players have called.

Post-Flop Betting
After the dealer burns one card and deals three cards up for the Flop, the second round of betting begins. This time we will begin the betting decisions with the Small Blind, instead of UTG1. Since the Small Blind is the first to act, he will have two options: check or bet. As soon as a player makes that first bet, all other players have these options: call, raise, or fold. Checking is no longer an option. The amount of the bets and raises during the Flop is also in units of 2, just like the first round.

Betting on the Turn
Once all players have made their decisions, the dealer burns one card down, and one card up. During this round, the betting is done in units of 4. The betting begins once again with the Small Blind. He may check or bet 4. If he bets 4, all other players have the option to call 4, fold, or raise by 4. Players may also re-raise in units of 4. Successive players must at least call this cumulative amount. Casinos will have differing rules on how many re-raises are allowed and when. For your home games, you may determine this yourself.

Betting the River
Once all players have finished checking, calling, raising, and folding, the dealer burns one card down and turns one card up, the River card. This final round of betting is also done in units of 4. Betting still begins with the Small Blind, immediately to the left of the Dealer. The small blind may check or bet 4. If he checks, all other players may check or bet 4. Once a bet of 4 is made, all remaining players must call the accumulated amount, raise by 4, or fold.

The Showdown
When the final round of betting is completed and the final player has checked, folded, or called, all remaining players show their cards, for the showdown. It is now the dealer's job to determine the best hand shown and to distribute the chips to the winner(s).

Have Fun and don't forget to read "Holdem Starting Hands" so you can play stronger hole cards and throw away the weaker ones.