Game stats
RTP
98.9%
Volatility
Low volatility
Play Texas Hold'em Poker Online with Bitcoin, Ethereum and Other Cryptocurrencies
Texas Hold'em is one of the most popular and widely played variations of poker. It's known for its strategic depth, psychological elements, and the exciting blend of skill and luck.
It’s recognised as the most prestigious card game in the World of Series Poker, an annual event where the world’s top poker players compete. This legendary status highlights the game’s role as the main event of competitive poker tournaments.
While the basic rules are easy to follow, mastering the art of Texas Hold’em lies in strategic play and observing other players. It’s a poker game that’s both easy to learn and endlessly rewarding to master.
Although it relies on a heavy dose of luck and random chance, poker is one of the few games where you truly can out-manoeuvre your opponent using strategy and skill alone. However, this is what makes the many poker variations available so difficult to master. As they frequently say on the casino floors: “Poker takes an hour to learn and a lifetime to master!”
Despite the massive popularity that crypto poker has earned within the last several years thanks to the rise of online casino gaming, it is still by far the most complex game out there.
Ready to deal yourself into the action? Explore the game mechanics, rules, and gameplay to become a more confident player at the poker table. This beginner’s guide can help you improve your skills and relish the thrill of crypto Texas Hold’em from the comfort of your home at Bitcasino.
Rules and terminology
Texas Hold'em is typically played with a standard 52-card deck and can accommodate 2 to 10 players. The goal is to win money by either having the best hand at the showdown or by convincing other players to fold their hands.
Deal: Each player is dealt two private cards, and five community cards are placed face-up in the center of the table.
Rounds: There are four betting rounds in total, with opportunities to bet, check, raise, or fold:
Deal: Each player is dealt two private cards (hole cards), and five community cards are placed face-up in the center of the table.
Betting Rounds: There are four betting rounds in total, with opportunities to bet, check, raise, or fold:
Preflop: After receiving hole cards.
Flop: After the first three community cards are revealed
Turn: After the fourth community card is revealed.
River: After the fifth and final community card is revealed.
Showdown: If there are two or more players remaining after the final betting round, a showdown occurs. Players reveal their hole cards, and the best five-card hand wins the pot
Hand Rankings: The standard poker hand rankings apply in Texas Hold'em, ranging from high card to royal flush. The best possible hand is a Royal Flush, while the lowest is a High Card. Read more about poker hands in our blog.
Texas Hold’em vs Other crypto poker variations
Most poker variants follow the same hand rankings, betting rounds, and table rules. However, Texas Hold’em has distinct features that set it apart. Here’s how it differs from other poker games, such as Seven Card Stud and Omaha Hold’em:
|
Feature |
Texas Hold’em |
Seven Card Stud |
Omaha Hold’em |
|
Dealing cards |
Two hole cards are dealt face-down, and five community cards are dealt face-up throughout the game stages |
Two face-down cards and one upcard at the start, with three additional face-up and one face-down cards revealed throughout the rounds |
Four hole cards and five community cards are dealt throughout the stages |
|
Order of play |
Clockwise direction based on table positions |
Clockwise direction based on table positions |
Clockwise direction based on table positions |
|
Gameplay |
Pre-flop, flop, turn, river, showdown |
Pre-flop, flop, turn, river, showdown; two of the player’s hole cards and three community cards must be used to build the hand |
Third street, fourth street, fifth street, sixth street, river (seventh street), showdown |
Texas poker rules, positions, and hand rankings
Understanding the rules of Texas Hold'em is vital for enjoying the game more, making better decisions, and advancing as a confident poker player. Here are the rules you must know before playing Texas Hold’em:
Poker actions
These actions decide how involved you are in the game and how much you want to bet. It can impact the pot size, reveal details about your hand, and influence how others perceive your hand’s strength.
Here are the key actions you’ll encounter when playing Texas Hold’em:
- Call: You match the current bet placed by another player.
- Raise: You increase the current bet, setting a new minimum bet amount that others must match to continue playing.
- Check: You stay in the game without betting, which you can only do if nobody else has bet before you in the round.
- Check-raise: A surprise move where you check at first but then raise when another player bets.
- Fold: You give up your hand and forfeit the game.
Betting rounds
In Texas Hold’em, you’ll be seated around a table with two to ten players, depending on the table and casino rules. The game unfolds in five betting rounds:
The pre-flop
Two players make initial bets to build the pot, and you receive your first two hole cards. Players will then start betting based on their cards.
- The Flop
Three community cards are dealt face-up and placed at the centre of the table, followed by another betting round.
The Turn
One more community card is revealed, and another round of betting begins.
The River
The last community card is revealed, and all players place their final bets.
The showdown
All remaining players reveal their cards, and the strongest hand wins the pot. If all other players fold, the last player wins without showing their cards.
Poker table positions: Why it matters
Where you sit at the table affects how you play, where some positions have an edge over others. That’s why knowing the different table positions in poker is vital.
Here are the table positions at a nine-handed poker table:
The Small Blind
This position sits on the left of the button or dealer. You start the betting action by wagering in chips without seeing your cards. This is one of the least favourable positions since you’re betting without knowing your cards.
The Big Blind
This position sits two seats to the left of the button. Likewise, you must place a forced bet before the dealer deals any cards. In most games, the big blind is double the small blind amount.
Under the Gun (UTG)
This position sits on the left of the big blind and is the first to bet after dealing cards. Players consider this one of the worst positions, as you have eight other players to act after you.
UTG+1 and UTG+2
These positions play similarly to UTG. However, they’re slightly better since you see another player’s action before making a move.
Middle position
Seated between early and late positions. You have more information than those in early positions but less than those in late positions.
The Hijack
This position is two seats to the right of the button. You can gain a lot of information as you are among the last to wager and can be more aggressive with your betting decisions.
The Cutoff
It sits on the right of the button, allowing you to observe other players before acting. You can also raise aggressively and force the button to fold.
The Button
This is the best seat at the table. You act last, allowing you to see how everyone else has bet before deciding.
Poker hand rankings
Check out the table below for poker hands ranked from strongest to weakest.
|
Hand ranking |
Card combination |
|
Royal flush |
Ten to ace in the same suit (A-K-Q-J-10 of any suit) |
|
Straight flush |
Five cards in a row with the same suit, but not the highest-ranking ones like in a royal flush |
|
Four of a kind |
Four cards of the same rank in different suits |
|
Full house |
Three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank |
|
Flush |
Five cards with the same suit, but not in sequential order |
|
Straight |
Five consecutive cards with different suits |
|
Three-of-a-kind |
Three cards of the same rank with different suits with two random value cards |
|
Two pair |
Two pairs of the same rank with different suits with one random value cards |
|
Pair |
Two cards of the same rank with different suits and three random-value cards |
|
High card |
No hand is made, and the highest-value card determines your hand-value |
Types of bets
Blind bet
Blinds are forced bets placed by two players before the start of each round. Big blinds are equal to the minimum bet, while small blinds are half of the big blinds.
Side bet
Also called bonus bets, these are extra wagers made on separate outcomes from the main game. They often offer higher payouts. Here are two common side bets in poker:
Flop bets: Side bets placed on what cards will be dealt during the flop.
Pick a card: All players have a chosen card or card value. If that card appears on the flop, you win the side bet.
Gameplay process: How to play Texas Hold’em poker?
The goal is to build the strongest five-card hand by combining your two hole cards and the five community cards.
Here’s a quick rundown of Texas Hold’em’s gameplay process:
Place the forced bets
Two players to the left of the dealer make forced bets called ‘blinds’. These are the small blind and the big blind, which sets a starting point for wagering.
The dealer deals hole cards
After placing the initial bets, each player receives two hole cards dealt facing down.
The betting starts
Throughout the game, the dealer will reveal five community cards. Players take turns making actions and placing bets based on their hole and community cards.
The dealer announces the winner
If more than one player remains at the end of the betting rounds, a showdown occurs in which players reveal and compare their cards to decide the winner.
How to win in crypto Texas Hold’em: Texas Hold’em strategy and tips
Winning requires more than just luck in playing poker. The secret to applying the best poker strategy lies in honing your poker skills and knowledge of Texas Hold’em strategy to win.
Here are some Texas Hold’em tips and strategies to boost your winning chances in Texas Hold’em.
Learn to bluff effectively
A well-timed bluff can scare away opponents even when you have weak hands. However, using this strategically is crucial since skilled players can call your bluff.
Network with other players
Talk to pro players, observe their strategies, and learn from their methods. This can help sharpen your skills and spot areas for improvement in your strategy.
Know when to fold
Folding when you know you have weak hands helps you save chips and avoid unnecessary losses. It also allows you to focus on better hands with winning potential.
Manage your bankroll effectively
Set limits on how much you’re willing to risk in a game or round. This prevents major losses and ensures long-term success in your poker journey.
Choose your starting hands wisely
Focusing on hands with high win potential immediately gives you a big edge. This means being disciplined and avoiding the temptation to chase after weaker combinations. It’s also important to consider how it might play out after more community cards get revealed. If it doesn't improve much, be ready to adjust your strategy.
Learn how to beat aggressive players
Playing against aggressive players who raise with strong hands can be intimidating. Let them take the lead in betting and bluffing, especially if you have a strong hand. This lets them build the pot for you.
You can put on a weak act by checking or calling with small bets. This might trick opponents into adding more chips to the pot, surprising them when you reveal your strong hand.
Know how to steal or defend your blinds
Aggressive players love to make blind steal attempts. This means raising before the flop, hoping to win the blinds even without a strong hand. Stealing the blinds can give you more chips early on. At the same time, defending your blinds prevents you from losing chips.
You have a blind steal opportunity if:
- You are in the late positions (the Hijack, Cutoff, Button)
- All other players have folded
To protect your blinds, evaluate your hand strength and only call if you believe it has the potential to win.
Crypto Texas Hold'em Strategies
Pre-flop strategy
Pre-flop strategy in Texas Hold ‘em can vary quite dramatically, and there is a lot more complexity in the strategies you can employ in this part of the game than you might have initially thought. There are several ways you can approach this in general terms. The first way is to play it ‘tight’, meaning more conservatively. Being conservative in the pre-flop stage is a good way to avoid any trouble, particularly if you are hoping to stay in the game as long as possible.
A conservative pre-flop strategy involves raising only on premium hands and doing so quite rarely. This gives you more space to take more strategic betting action once you have been dealt more cards. Second, you can also be a lot more aggressive. However, this exposes you to a lot more risk, but it does allow you to quickly build up the pot in a lower risk part of the game. An aggressive pre-flop strategy is best suited for more experienced players who won’t get spooked as easily when the other players react to their bets.
Post-flop strategy
First, when you are trying to establish a post-flop strategy, you should take a moment to ‘read’ the table. This basically means taking a lay of the land and figuring out the vibe at the table – how did the other players react to your pre-flop shenanigans, what sort of bets did they make, and what is their general demeanour. These are all vital bits of information you can call on to discern your next moves.
If you raised in the pre-flop phase, you need to figure out how you are going to respond to this. There is a line of thought that says you should always follow through on a pre-flop raise. However, there is another school of thought that says this is so common that it rarely causes other players to fold. There is no right or wrong answer to this, but you should use your awareness of the table to figure out what might be the most effective post-flop first move based on the table itself. It’s also important to vary this approach, as you want to avoid becoming predictable in how you react.
The impact of table size
Another common situation in Texas Hold ‘em that can have a big impact on how you should formulate your strategy relates to table size. Players are often quick to overlook the fact that table size can have a big impact on how things play out in a game. If the table is quite full and the players all seem keen to fight each other, this might be a good time to lay low and wait for the right hand. This allows you to quietly let the pot increase while the other players take each other out. At packed tables, however, you do need to be flexible in how you implement your strategies, as the action can often change direction quite quickly.
On the other end of the spectrum, if you find yourself at an emptier table, this can be a good time to take charge. At a smaller table, decent hands suddenly become more powerful, which could mean it’s a good time to be more assertive in how you approach things. This doesn’t mean you should play every hand like it’s a guaranteed win, but it does mean that you can have that little bit more confidence in what you do have. When the numbers dwindle on a table, even small advantages become amplified.
Key Strategies:
Starting Hand Selection: One of the most critical aspects of Texas Hold'em is knowing which hands to play and which to fold. Starting with strong hole cards increases your chances of success.
Position Matters: Your position at the table is vital. Players in later positions have more information about others' actions and can make more informed decisions.
Bluffing: Skillful bluffing is essential. It involves representing a stronger hand than you have to make opponents fold better hands. Be cautious not to overdo it, as skilled players can catch on.
Pot Odds and Implied Odds: Understanding pot odds helps you make informed decisions about whether to call, raise, or fold. Implied odds factor in potential future bets to make more accurate decisions.
Reading Opponents: Pay attention to your opponents' behavior, betting patterns, and tendencies. This information can help you make better decisions and exploit their weaknesses.
Bankroll Management: Managing your chips is crucial. Don't overcommit with weak hands, and avoid going all-in too frequently. Protect your stack and make strategic bets.
In summary, Texas Hold'em is a thrilling and strategic poker variation that combines psychology, skill, and a bit of luck. Mastering the game requires a deep understanding of the rules, solid strategies, and the ability to read your opponents effectively.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How to play Texas Hold’em poker?
Your goal is to build the best five-card hand using your two hole cards and the five community cards. Betting rounds happen when the dealer reveals community cards. The player with the best hand or the last remaining player wins.
What is the best starting hand at Texas Hold’em?
The two Aces (AA) or ‘pocket Aces’ is the most powerful starting hand. Aces are the deck's highest card value and can potentially form unbeatable hands like the Royal Flush.
How do I know when to bluff in Texas Hold’em?
Don’t bluff if you’re one of the first to act. Bluff less when many players are aggressive or when the pot is small. Meanwhile, bluff more against players who fold easily. Bluffing is also better when the pot is big since others want to keep their chips safe.
Is Texas Hold’em profitable?
Yes, playing poker can be profitable for skilled players who employ effective strategies and know how to make informed decisions.
