Who Bets First Texas Holdem
Poker is played with various betting structures and rules for how much you can bet, raise or check-raise.
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In some formats and games, for example, you can only bet a certain fixed amount for any bet and the amount of bets per round are capped; in other formats you can bet all your money in one go at any time.
If you've watched poker on TV you're likely most familiar with this form - aka 'No Limit' - which makes for spectacular 'all ins' and exciting showdowns.
The game usually being played on TV is No-Limit Texas Holdem so while these betting rules apply to many different forms of poker, consider these de facto Texas Holdem betting rules.
But No-Limit isn't the only way to make bets in poker. In fact for decades the most commonly played forms of poker were slow, steady 'Limit' betting rounds that kept variance and wild bankroll swings to a minimum. Pot-Limit formats (more on this below) are also quite common (eg Pot-Limit Omaha).
In this beginners guide to poker betting we'll take a look at the most common betting rules in Texas Hold'em and beyond. We'll start with the most popular one, of course - No Limit. It's easier to explain, even though it's not at all easy to master.
Beginners Guide to Poker Betting
No-Limit Poker
In No-Limit Poker, as soon as it's your turn to bet you're allowed to bet all the chips that you have in front of you into the pot. You don't even have to have the most chips at the the table -- you can go 'all in' with whatever you have in your stack.
As we mentioned it makes for great drama at the table and tense, cards exposed Texas Hold'em showdowns where one player is playing for their cash game or tournament life on the turn of a single card.
Don't get confused by the exaggerated scenarios of film or TV though - you still can't throw your car keys or your bearer bonds into the pot as they do it in the movies. You can't even dig into your wallet for more cash in the middle of a hand.
Today's No-Limit poker games always use a rule called 'table stakes.' It means that you can never bet anything above and beyond the money you had on the table when the hand started.
As the sharp observer will have noticed this means that there's a 'limit' to the betting after all. So 'no-limit' poker isn't actually without limits. But for the sake of simplicity, No Limit is the term used to describe it.
Don't make the mistake of thinking that no-limit poker is more dangerous for your bankroll than fixed-limit poker. It all depends on what stakes you play at. A game of Limit Texas Hold'em with blinds of $100/$200 certainly isn't cheaper than a No-Limit Texas Hold'em game with blinds of $1/$2.
Fixed-Limit Poker
In fixed-limit poker, the size of each bet is fixed in advance. In Hold'em and Omaha, the first two betting rounds use bets and raises the size of the big blind (called the small bet). In the following two betting rounds, bets and raises are twice the big blind (called the big bet).
When you specify the size of a fixed-limit game, the convention is to give the size of the small bet and the big bet. If the blinds are $1/$2, you'd say that the game is $2/$4. For the internet generation this may seem a bit odd, and it's different from no-limit and pot-limit poker. Still, it's common use.
Often, the number of raises in each betting round is limited to three or four, after which the betting is 'capped.' This means that you won't be able to put in more than $6 or $8 during the first round of betting in a Texas Hold'em game with blinds at $1/$2.
This rule is often put out of play when only two players remain in the hand, in which case they can continue raising until all their money is in the pot. If they want to, that is.
Don't make the mistake of thinking that fixed-limit poker is easier than no-limit poker. Sure, you don't stand to lose your entire stack after a single mistake, but on the other hand you won't double your stack in one single move either. Fixed-limit is another game altogether and you have to play it differently.
Pot-Limit Poker
In Pot-Limit poker the amount you can bet when it's your turn is limited by the size of the pot. The pot-limit rule goes like this:
- You can raise up to the amount that is in the pot after you have called the previous bet.
This may sound a bit complicated and in practice it can get even trickier. Have courage though; there are some tricks you can use to master the pot bet. Read are in-depth guide to the pot bet here:
Don't make the mistake of thinking that pot-limit poker is safer for your bankroll than no-limit poker. Even if they are limited to the size of the pot, bets in pot-limit poker are generally not smaller than in no-limit.
Most bets in no-limit poker are actually the size of the pot or smaller.
How Betting Rounds Work in Poker
Each poker hand is made up of a number of betting rounds. The number of betting rounds depends on the poker variation.
In Texas Holdem there are four betting rounds. In Seven Card Stud there are five and in Five Card Draw there are just two betting rounds.
Fold, Call or Raise
In each betting round, the betting moves clockwise around the table. Each player in turn must either match the bet of the previous player (call) or get out of the hand (fold).
Or, instead of just calling, when it's your turn to bet you can also choose to bet more than the previous bet (raise).
When all players have either folded or called the last raise, the betting round is over. All bets that have been made during the betting round are added to the pot.
All players who remain in the hand have now put in the same amount. They have all matched the biggest bet in that betting round. You can think of this as a negotiation - players agreeing on the price to see another card.
When the betting round is over, if all players except one have folded, the remaining player wins the pot. If everybody else but you folds, you don't even have to show your cards to win. That's what makes bluffing possible in poker.
The Check
Before a bet has been made in the current betting round, the player whose turn it is can choose not to bet (check). Checking simply means passing on the turn to the next player without making a bet.
If it helps, you can think of checking as calling a zero bet. It it doesn't help you, please just forget about it.
The Check-Raise
Let's say that a player checks and another player puts in a bet. When the betting comes around to the player who checked may either fold, call the additional but - or raise!
If he raises here his move is called a 'check-raise.' This is not really a rule per se but it's still good to know what check-raising means.
Texas Hold'em Betting Order & The Blinds
At the start of each poker hand some players have to make a bet even before the cards are dealt.
This is to create a small pot to compete for. Without those 'forced bets' all players could fold every hand without any cost and poker would probably be a very slow game.
In some poker variations, the forced bets are called Blinds. The player to the left of the dealer puts in the small blind and the next player to the left puts in the big blind.
This is how it works in Texas Hold'em and Omaha. Blinds are 'live bets,' which means that they count as valid bets in the first betting round.
Once the cards have been dealt it is the player to the left of the big blind who starts the first betting round (this position is called 'under the gun'.)
He or she must either match the big blind, fold, or raise. Checking is not an option since the big blind is considered as a valid bet. Remember that you can only check if no player has bet before you in that betting round.
Important note: In subsequent Texas Hold'em betting rounds the player closest to the left of the dealer begins the betting round. SO that means while the small and big blind get to act last in the first round, if they are still in the hand they will act first after the flop is dealt.
The player with (or closest to) the dealer button will act last for the rest of the betting rounds. This is called 'having position' in Texas Hold'em and it is a very important concept for playing proper Texas Hold'em strategy.
Big Blind Has an Option
Normally in a betting round, when all players have either folded or called the current bet, the betting round is over. However, when you play with blinds there is an exception to this rule in the first betting round.
In the first betting round of Texas Holdem or Omaha, if all players fold or call the big blind the player in the big blind has an option: He or she may either check or bet.
Antes Instead of Blinds
Some poker variations use antes instead of blinds. An ante is a forced bet that all players have to put in the pot before the cards are dealt. As opposed to blinds, antes are not live bets. They are just put in the middle to stimulate the betting but do not count in betting for any one player.
When there are no blinds there must be some other rule to decide who begins the betting. In Seven Card Stud the player with the lowest card showing must start by putting in a half or a whole small bet (called bring in).
From there, the betting goes on a usual. Since there's no big blind there's also no big blind option in the first betting round.
The Showdown
When the last betting round is over, if two or more players remain in the hand there is a showdown. Players show down their cards and the best hand wins the pot. If two hands are equally good, the pot is split equally between them.
Who Shows Cards First in Poker Showdown?
- If the pot was raised, it's the player who put in the last raise
- If there was a bet but the pot wasn't raised, it's the player who put in the first bet
- If there was no betting, it's the first remaining player to the left of the dealer
The player who shows first has to show down his or her cards. Then the other remaining players show their cards in clockwise order. If their hands are losing hands, they don't have to show their cards - they can just slide their hands to the dealer without revealing what they hold.
Texas Holdem Who Bets First After Flop
You can, however, always show your cards if you feel like it.
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If you’re new to Texas holdem (or any other poker game), one of the first things you need to learn and understand is who goes first in poker. In Texas holdem games, this is related to your position relative to the blinds. In other games, other criteria determine the order in which you bet.
The purpose of this post is to explain poker rules related to position and who bets first and reveals first. It can be a complicated subject if you’re new to the game, but it’s hard to overstate how important it is.
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How the Blinds Work
I’ll start this discussion of who goes first in poker with a discussion of the blinds, because how the blinds work is tied so closely to what order everyone plays in.
First, a definition:
The blinds are forced bets, similar to ante,s that stimulate the action at the poker table. Unlike an ante, you only need to post a blind twice every rotation around the table.
In home games, the dealer position rotates around the table, and the 2 players to the left of the dealer post the blinds. The size of the blinds are determined by the table stakes. There’s a small blind and a big blind. The big blind is normally the size of the small bet, while the small blind is usually half that.
For example, if you’re playing in a $4/$8 Texas holdem game, the bets during the first 2 rounds are made in $4 increments. During the second 2 rounds, the bets are made in $8 increments. The blinds for such a game are usually $2 for the small blind and $4 for the big blind.
In casino games, a professional dealer handles all the dealing, so they use a white disk labeled “dealer” to determine position. This is called “the button.” The players to the left of the button post the blinds–the small blind is immediately to the left of the button. The big blind is the player next to him.
Texas Holdem Rules Related to Position, or Who Bets First in Texas Holdem?
The rules for Texas holdem related to position are actually simple enough, especially if you just look for the button. Preflop, after you get your first 2 cards, the players bet in order starting with the player to the immediate left of the big blind. The player in the big blind is the last to act in this betting round.
In all subsequent betting rounds, the first player to bet is the player to the immediate left of the button. This means if you’re in the big blind, you get to act last preflop, but you act first on all subsequent betting rounds.
Betting always happens in turn, moving clockwise around the table.
Here’s a list of who bets and in what order in Texas holdem :
- Under the gun – The player to the left of the big blind acts first preflop.
- Early position – The next couple of players to the left of the UTG player.
- Middle position – The next 2 or 3 players after early position.
- Late position – The last 2 or 3 players to act before the blinds.
- The button – Acts before the blinds except after the flop, when the button becomes the last player to act.
- The small blind – Next to last to act preflop. First to act after the flop.
- The big blind – Last to act preflop. Acts after the small blind after the flop.
It’s rude and inappropriate to bet when it isn’t your turn. Even if you’re going to fold, wait until it’s your turn to act. It’s not fair to the players acting later to know what action you’re planning to take.
What Position Is Best in Texas Holdem Poker?
If you’re smart, you’ve probably already started to think about the strategic implications related to position. That’s good, because position is one of the most important aspects of the game.
It seems obvious to some, but not to others, that the later you get to act, the better off you are. The later you act, the more information you have about the other players and their plans.
The best position in Texas holdem is the last person to act. This means that if you’re in the big blind, you have the best possible position before the flop, but you also have the worst possible position after the flop.
How Position Affects Strategy
The strategic rule of thumb to follow is that you need a stronger hand to bet or raise if you’re acting earlier than if you’re acting late.
Here’s why:
Let’s say you’re the first person to act preflop, and you have a pair of 10s. That’s a playable hand. You raise the big blind, so you put $8 in the pot.
The player behind you raises it to $12, the player after him raises it to $16, and the player after him raises it to $20.
When it’s your turn to act again, you really don’t have much choice but to fold. The probability that at least one of those players has a higher pair in the hole than you do is just too great to continue to put money in the pot.
On the other hand, if you’re the last person to act before the blinds, and all the players before you either limped in or folded, you might well be justified making a raise here. Since none of those players showed any strength before you acted, there’s a good chance you have the best hand preflop. If one of them is sandbagging, you can still play and see what the flop looks like.
To win at poker, you need to understand positional advantages.
This position advantage–the knowledge of what the others players who’ve acted first has done–continues throughout the game until the showdown. (I’ll have more to say about the showdown soon, too.)
By the way, this is how position is handled in related games, too, like Omaha and pineapple.
First, let’s talk about position and betting in the other popular variations of poker.
Who Goes First in Draw Poker?
5 card draw poker is mostly played with an ante, but that ante doesn’t affect the order of betting. Everyone has to place an ante before getting a hand.
In fact, in 5 card draw poker, the order of action is simple.
Betting just goes in clockwise order, starting with the player to the immediate left of the dealer. This is the order of action throughout the game, which only has 2 rounds of betting anyway.
Who Goes First in Stud Poker?
Position and betting in stud poker is more complicated than in draw or stud poker. Most stud games have an ante, but during the first round of betting, the player with the lowest face up card must place a “bring-in” bet. The size of the bring-in bet is usually half the size of the lower betting amount. (In a $10/$20 stud game, the bring-in would be $5.)
The bring-in also has the option to “complete” the bet, which would mean raising the size of the bet to $10.
Betting continues around the table clockwise, with the person to the immediate left of the bring-in continuing to act.
In all the subsequent rounds, the first player to bet is the player with the best hand showing. Since there are usually fewer than 5 cards showing, the best hand is usually determined by who has the highest card, the highest pair, or even 3 of a kind.
But there aren’t usually enough cards showing for someone to have a flush or a straight and bet first. Incomplete hands like this don’t count toward who goes first.
This has the interesting effect of changing who the first player to act is every round.
The Showdown
In all poker games, if more than one player stays in the pot (doesn’t fold), the game ends with a showdown. During the showdown, the players reveal their cards. The player with the best 5-card poker hand wins the pot.
In some games, the pot gets split between the player with the best poker hand and the player with the best qualifying low hand. This doesn’t affect the order in which the players show their cards.
There are a couple of things to remember about the showdown:
The first is that you must expose all your cards to win the pot, even if not all those cards count toward your final 5-card hand.
The second is that “the cards speak.” You get credit for the best possible 5-card hand you can make, regardless of what hand you announce.
Who Has to Reveal His Cards First in Poker?
Some players prefer not to reveal their cards at the showdown if they’ve lost. They don’t want to give any information to their opponents about how they play. This is good strategy.
But who has to reveal his cards first?
This is the same regardless of which variation you’re playing.
The last player to bet or raise is the player who must show his cards first. If everyone has checked or is all-in, players reveal their hands clockwise starting to the left of the dealer.
If you don’t have the winning hand, you can “muck” your cards, which means you put them in the pot without revealing them. You also give up any claim to the pot. Depending on the cardroom, you might be allowed to ask to see the mucked cards.
Texas Holdem Odds And Probabilities
When Are You Allowed to Show Your Cards in a Poker Game?
You’re only allowed to show your cards at the showdown or if there’s no more action following you. To show your cards before that provides information to the other players that they don’t need to have.
Different casino cardrooms handle this situation differently. In some casinos, if you expose your cards early, they muck your hand. In others, play continues, but the other players will almost certainly be irritated by your behavior.
Also, it’s considered unsporting to show your cards to another player without showing them to all the other players.
If you accidentally show one card, most players don’t get too upset, especially if it’s an honest mistake. If it happens repeatedly, expect to get a warning.
Finally
Who goes first in poker is one of the most important rules you can learn, in Texas holdem or any other variation. I’ve covered the basics in this post, but you should study this until you understand position and its implications well.
If you need to, practice online in free poker games until you grok all the concepts above.