Texas Hold'em Betting

The options at the time of the first round of betting are:

• to fold;
• to call the bet of the big blind or some other player; or
• to raise.

In a "table limit" game, each raise is limited to the amount of the stated table-limit bet. Then all the others at the table, in their turn, chose between folding, calling (or "seeing"), or raising. Only three raises per round are permitted. When the betting gets back to the small blind, that person can fold with a loss of only ½ the minimum bet, or see the wager and call, or raise if a raise is still available. The big blind is the last to move by folding, calling or raising, if that option is still open.

After the first round of betting, no more "blind" bets are required. In addition to the options of folding, betting or raising, players can also "check" if they are all paid in at the current level of betting.

After a hand has been lost, won and paid off, the "dealer button" passes to the left.

For the novice, it is essential to know the order of rank and priority of poker hands.