The Deal

Everyone is dealt two cards face down. (* = button, X = face down card, C = clubs, D = diamonds, H = hearts, S = spades)

• *Mark: X (10 C), X (7 C)
• Jennifer: X (6 C), X (10 S)
• Kurt: X (8 S), X (ace S)
• Rob: X (2 H), X (queen C)
• Mike: X (9 D), X (6 H)
• Joe: X (3 S), X (2 C)
• Pam: X (4 S), X (4 C)
• Debbie: X (ace D), X (king C)
• George: X (3 H), X (6 S)

Mark has the button in front of him, so the two players to his left-Jennifer and Kurt-must pay the blinds. Since the betting spread is $2-$4, Jenniler pays the small blind ($1, half of the lower amount) and Kurt pays the big blind ($2, the lower amount).

After the blinds are paid, the dealer gives each player two cards. one al a time in a clockwise motion, starting with Jennifer because she is the first person to the left of Mark, who has the button. Then the first round of betting begins.

Rob begins the betting, because he’s the player to the left of the player who paid the big blind (Kurt). Rob’s choices are to call, raise, or fold. If Rob wants to call, he has to pay $2, the amount of the big blind. If Rob wants to raise the bet, he can raise it $2, no more, no less. (The betting increments in our example are $2 or $4.

Players can bet the $4 increment only after the fourth community card is revealed.) Rob’s two cards–a two of hearts and a queen of clubs-are pretty weak, so he decides to fold. He doesn’t lose any money on this hand.

The next player to go is Mike, to the left of Rob. He’s holding a six of hearts and a nine of diamonds, another weak hand. Mike’s choices are the same as Rob’s: call, raise or fold. Mike decides to fold, so he doesn’t lose any money on this hand either.

The next player is Joe. He has a two of clubs and a three of spades. He can call, raise, or fold. Since he has two cards to a straight and wants to see the flop (the first three community cards). he calls the big blind bet of $2.

The next player is Pam, who has a pair of fours. Her choices are to call (bet $2), raise (bet $4, $2 for the call and a $2 raise), or fold. Pam has a start to an OK hand, so she’s going to drive out some players by raising the bet. Pam raises and bets $4.

The next player is Debbie. She’s holding an ace of diamonds and king of diamonds, very good cards with a lot of potential to develop into a strong hand. Debbie’s choices are to call (bet $4). raise (bet $6, $4 to call and a $2 raise), or lold. Since her hand is not much right now, but with a good possibility of developing into a strong hand, she calls and bets $4.

Next is George. His two cards are six of spades and three of hearts, a very weak hand. His options are to call (bet $4 to call Pam’s bet), raise (bet $6, $4 to call plus the $2 raise), or fold. George decides to fold and is out of the hand without losing any money.

Next comes Mark, and his two cards are the ten of clubs and seven of clubs. A good start to a possible straight, flush, or straight flush. Mark’s choices are to call (bet $4 to call Pam’s bet), raise (bet $6, $4 to call plus the $2 raise), or fold. Mark decides to call and bets $4.

Now we are back to Jennifer. Jennifer first bet the small blind, which is $1. To remain in the hand, she must now either call, raise, or fold. To call would cost $3. Why only $3? Since Jennifer already bet $1 for the small blind, she’d now have to put into the pot the difference between the small blind ($1) and the last bet ($4). With only a six of clubs and a ten of spades, Jennifer decides to fold and is out of the hand with a loss of $1.

Now it’s Kurt’s turn again. Kurt initially bet the big blind, $2. If he wants to stay in the hand, he must either call (bet $2 to make up the difference between the last bet and the big blind bet) or raise (bet $4, $2 to call to make up the difference between the big blind and current bet plus a $2 raise). Kurt can also fold and be out of the hand. Since he has two spades, he decides to call and bets $2.

Now it’s Joe’s turn again. The first time around he called the big blind bet of $2. Now he can call (bet $2 more to call Pam’s bet), raise (bet $4, $2 to call plus $2 to raise), or fold. Joe decides his chances of getting a straight and beating the four other players are slim, so he decides to fold. Joe’s loss on this hand is $2.

Now we are back to Pam. Since everyone called her bet of $4, it’s time to reveal the flop or the first three community cards. The casino dealer deals three cards to the center of the table face up, so all remaining players can see the cards. The cards are seven of dia-monds, ten of diamonds, and king of hearts. Each player mentally adds these three community cards to his or her hand. The table now looks like the following:

• Community Cards: 7 D, 10 D, king D
• *Mark: X (10 C), X (7 C)
• Kurt: X (8 S), X (ace S)
• Pam: X (4 S), X (4 C)
• Debbie: X (king C), X (ace D)

Second Round

Now the second round of betting begins. Pam is the first player still in the hand to the left of Kurt, who paid the big blind, so she begins the second round of betting.

Pam still holds just a pair of fours: the community 7 D, 10 D, and king D are of no good to her at this point. Her choices are to check (bet nothing but remain in the hand), to bet $2, or fold. She decides to check and see what happens.

In Debbie’s hand, the community king D teams with the king C in her hand to give her a pair or four diamonds, for a possible flush. She can check (bet nothing and stay in the hand), bet $2, or fold. Debbie decides to bet $2 on the possi bility of getting her flush.

Mark benefits from the community’s 7 D and 10 D to pair up with the 10 C and 7 C in his hand, for two pair. His choices are to call (bet $2 to call Debbie’s bet), raise (bet $4, $2 to call Debbie’s bet and $2 to raise), or fold. On the strength of the two pair, Mark decides to raise and bets $4.

Kurt’s best poker hand right now is ace high. The community cards don’t help him at all. His choices are to call (bet $4 to call Mark’s bet), raise (bet $6, $4 to call Mark’s bet plus $2 to raise), or fold. Since he didn’t get good cards on the flop, Kurt decides to fold. His loss on this hand is $4.

We’re back to Pam. Pam checked the first time around, so she now needs to call (bet $4 to call Mark’s $4 bet), raise (bet $6, $4 to call and $2 to raise), or fold. (Note: Only in casinos in Nevada can you check and raise in the same round.) Pam reevaluates her hand and decides to fold, losing $4 on this hand.

Now we’re back to Debbie. Debbie bet $2 the first time around this round, on her pair of kings. Her choices now are to call (bet $2 to call Mark’s bet), raise (bet $4, $2 to call and $2 to raise the bet), or fold. Debbie decides to call and bets $2. This ends the second round of betting.

Now we’re down to two players, Mark and Debbie. The casino dealer deals the fourth community card face up in the center of the table: a king of spades. Now the table looks like the following:

• Community Cards = 7 D, 10 D, king H, king S
• *Mark’s hand = X (10 C), X (7 C)
• Debbie’s hand = X (king D), X (ace D)

Third Round

Now the third round of betting begins with Debbie, the first remaining player to the left of the player who bet the big blind. The fourth community card makes her pair of kings into three kings. She also has the possibility of getting a flush if the last community card is a diamond. Debbie’s betting choices are check, bet (bet either $2, or $4, the higher increment now that there are four community cards), or fold. Debbie decides to bet $4, since she feels she has a stronger hand than Mark.

Mark’s best hand is still two pairs, kings and tens. Actually, he could also have a pair of sevens, but poker hands can consist of only five cards, so he goes with the two higher pairs. Mark didn’t improve his hand this round. His choices are to call (bet $4 to call Debbie’s bet), to raise (bet $8, $4 to call Debbie’s bet plus $4 to raise), or to fold. He decides to call and bets $4. This ends the third round of betting.

Now the casino dealer deals the final community card face up in the middle of the table. That fifth community card is the king of clubs. Now the table looks like the following:

• Community Cards: 7 D, 10 D, king H, king S, king C
• *Mark: X (10 C), X (7 C)
• Debbie: X (king C), X (ace D)

Final Round

Debbie begins the final round of betting because she is the first remaining player to the left of the player who paid the big blind.

Debbie’s poker hand is very strong: four kings. Debbie’s choices are check (bet nothing but remain in the hand), bet ($2 or $4), or fold. Debbie decides to bet $4.

Mark’s hand has improved to a full house, three kings and two tens. Mark’s choices are call (bet $4 to call Debbie’s bet), raise (bet $8, $4 to call Debbie’s bet plus $4 to raise), or fold. Mark decides to call and bets $4. Now the hand is over, except for the showdown.

Mark called Debbie’s final bet, so Debbie must form her best poker hand. She turns over her two hole cards and says “four kings.” Mark would now reveal his cards if he could beat Debbie’s hand. Since he can’t, he concedes the hand and the money in the pot goes to Debbie.

The total amount in the pot is $43. The 10 percent casino rake would be $4.30, but the maximum is $3, so the pot is reduced to $40. Debbie makes a profit of $24 and Mark loses $16 on this hand.

This completes a hand of Texas hold’em.