Beginner’s Guide to Poker Betting Rules

Poker can be a somewhat frightening game when you’re new to it, but this guide to beginner poker betting rules explained for new players is a great first step to getting comfortable at a poker table. A bit of basic information helps you quickly grasp the game’s flow and start your path toward winning at cards.

Steps of a Poker Hand – How Betting Works

In Texas Hold’em, a poker hand has four distinct rounds: pre-flop, the flop, the turn, and the river. In each round, players act in order. Generally, the player in the small blind acts first, and action proceeds around to the left until all players have acted. The exception to this rule is that, in the pre-flop round, action starts with the player who is “under the gun” (UTG). This is the player to the left of the blinds.

Pre-Flop

Before dealing any cards, two players must post automatic antes called “blinds” because they place them without seeing any cards. This is where we’ll start our story of beginner poker betting rules explained for new players.

There are two blinds: small and big. At a $1/2 table, the small blind is a dollar, and the big blind is $2. The first two players to act post these bets, and the dealer then deals two face-down cards to each player. The UTG player to the left of the big blind can choose from a few actions:

• Fold. Folding is tossing your cards into the discard pile (aka the “muck”) and quitting the hand.

• Call. In this example,to call, a player posts a $2 bet and is now in the hand.

• Raise.  A player can bet more than $2, raising the ante. All players who want to stay in the hand will have to put in this new, higher amount to play the hand. In No Limit Hold’Em, a player could go “all in,” right at the start! This means putting all their chips into the pot (the communal pile of money/chips that all players are competing for in a hand of poker). It’s a part of why this game can be so exciting.

When a player raises, other players in the hand can re-raise to increase the stakes. In limit games, the rules cap raises at four. However, in no-limit play, the only limit is the number of chips a player has. If another player raises more than your stack, you can go all-in and call only the portion of the bet you can cover. The original bettor gets the remaining chips back unless another player matches the full bet.

Each player decides what to do as the action proceeds around. At the end of the circle is the player who is “on the button.” This refers to the dealer button that marks the last person to act in each round if they choose to stay in the hand. After this person has made their decision, action finally reaches the small blind, who decides to complete their ante (if no one has raised). This completes pre-flop play.

Flop

The dealer now places three communal cards in the center of the table, known as the “flop.” Action begins with the first player to the left of the dealer button who is still in the hand. That player can choose to fold, check, or bet. Checking costs nothing and is signaled by tapping the hands on the felt. If all players check, the round continues with no additional money added to the pot.

If someone wants to bet, they can. All players will have to call this bet to stay in the hand. After a player has bet, another player can raise or re-raise. The basic idea is that to stay in a hand, you have to match the largest amount that has been raised so far.

Protip: be careful not to get caught between two players who are re-raising each other when you don’t have a strong hand. For example, let’s say that Player A bets and you call, then Player C behind you raises. Player A will then have to call (or could also re-raise). If Player A re-raises and you call again, Player C has yet another chance to re-raise! This is because Player A did not simply call Player C’s bet. You’re stuck between a rock and a hard place and could be donating a lot of money to players who have very strong holdings.

Turn

After betting has concluded on the flop, a fourth community card is dealt. This is called the “turn.” Another round of betting will take place. Players who don’t have much will likely be folding to bets and raises at this stage. Some may chase draws, which are hands that are not yet made. For example, having four cards to a flush and hoping the fifth card will come and complete the hand can be an enticing situation to stick around in a hand, provided the bets aren’t too expensive.

Protip: There’s a roughly 1 in 4 chance you’ll complete that flush on the next card. Thus, you wouldn’t want to bet more than a fourth of the pot to see that card, or your action will lose you money in the long run. That is, if someone bets $25 into a $100 pot, you’ll call it to see a possible flush card.

River

After the turn betting is done, a fifth and final card is dealt, known as the “river.” One final round of betting takes place, and players have a showdown. The strongest hand wins the money in the pot. If players have identical hands, they split the pot.Note: all of these rounds together are referred to as a “hand” of poker, but the cards a player has in their hands are also known as their “hand.”

Basic Poker Strategy – When to Bet, When to Raise, and More

As a part of this guide to beginner poker betting rules explained for new players, it’s helpful to understand when to take each action.

Checking

Mostly, you want to check when your hand is weak. You can also check to trap players when your hand is strong. You fake weakness to entice another player to bet. Then, you might even check-raise your opponent as a surprise.

Folding

Normally, you use a check if your hand is not great. You might get to see more cards for free, after all. If a player bets, however, and your hand isn’t worth pursuing, then it’s time to fold.

Betting

This is a way to signal strength. A pot-sized bet says that you mean business. A half-pot bet is a bit more friendly. A quarter-pot bet is really akin to a check and won’t scare anyone away.

Raising

Raises put pressure on other players and grow the pot. Use them when your hand is strong. You can also raise as a bluff or semi-bluff when you want to scare other players away so that you can scoop up a pot without showing your hand.

Hitting the Tables

Ready to put your knowledge to work? Find a poker table at your desired stakes and have some fun!