1. The object of Texas Hold ’Em is to make the best five-card high hand, using any combination from your two face-down cards and the five face-up “community” board cards.
2. The basic rules of the game for Texas Hold ’Em are as follows:
a. At the beginning of each hand of Holdem, the designated Dealer starts to the left of the button, and deals around until each player has two cards face down.
b. The Dealer button moves to the left after each hand. (In casino games, there is a house Dealer, so a rotating “button” is put in front of the player to signify that he/she is designated Dealer for that hand, and thus, gets cards last and acts last in each betting round).
c. There is one round of betting on these first two cards.
d. The Dealer now burns one card face down and deals three consecutive cards face up on the middle of the table. These cards are called the “Flop.” There are community cards used in common by every player still in the hand.
e. There is then a second round of betting.
f. After that, Dealer burns one card and a fourth card called “Fourth Street” or “the Turn” is dealt face up and a third round of betting occurs.
g. The Dealer burns one more card and a fifth and final card called “Fifth Street” or “the River” is then turned up and the last round of betting takes place.
h. If there is more than one player left in the game at the end, the winner of the pot is the player with the best five out of seven cards (the two in the player’s hand and the five in the middle of the table.) Occasionally, there is a split.
1. The object of Omaha Hold ’Em is to make the best five-card hand using two of your four face-down cards and three of five “community” board cards.
2. The basic rules for Omaha Hold ’Em are:
a. Omaha Hold ’Em is dealt in the same manner as Texas Hold ’Em.
b. The exception is that the guest is dealt four cards instead of two. The winning hand consists of the best five out of nine cards. Two cards from the guest hand and three cards from the community cards are used when determining the winning hand.
1. The object of Seven Card Stud is to make the best five-card hand out of seven cards.
2. The basic rules for Seven Card Stud are:
a. Three cards are dealt to each player, two face down and one face up.
b. There is a forced bet from the lowest card showing. When there are two low cards of the same rank, the card of the lowest rating suit (clubs, diamonds, hearts, spades) starts the action.
c. After the first betting, a card is burned and a fourth card called “Fourth Street” is dealt face up, and now the high hand on board starts a second round of betting. If there are two identical high hands, the one closest to the Dealer’s left begins.
d. Dealer burns another card and a fifth card called the “River Card” is dealt face down followed by the final round of betting.
e. Dealer burns another card and a sixth card called “Sixth Street” is dealt face up followed by another betting round.
f. Dealer burns another card and a seventh card called the “River Card” is dealt face down followed by the final round of betting.
g. In each case the high hand on board starts the action. In the showdown, the best five-card high hand wins.