Previously we discussed the different variants of Poker, but from here on we will focus on Texas Hold'em, the most popular variant of the game. In the following blog post, we will discuss the blinds, and actions that can be taken during a hand.
What are Blinds and How Do They Impact the Play
Blinds are forced bets placed by two players before the cards are dealt. They help to initiate the action and create a pot. There are two types of blinds:
Small Blind: Placed by the player to the immediate left of the dealer button.
Big Blind: Placed by the player two seats to the left of the dealer button and is typically double the small blind.
Blinds rotate around the table clockwise with each hand, ensuring that all players contribute to the pot over time. The presence of blinds ensures that there is always something to play for, encouraging action. As your game develops, you will have specific strategies for both attacking and defending the blinds.
Preflop, the player to the left of the big blind must act first, so the blinds have an advantage as they are last to act, and can see what decisions all the other players at the table have made before making their own. This changes on the flop however, as the blinds must then go first, starting from the small blind and rotating clockwise around the players still in.
Actions: Fold, Check, Bet, Call, and Raise
1. Fold
When a player decides not to continue with their hand, they discard their cards and forfeit any chance of winning the pot.
2. Check
If no bet has been made in the current round, a player can check, passing the action to the next player without betting.
3. Bet
A player can bet by placing chips into the pot. This action requires subsequent players to call, raise, or fold. In other words, a player acting afterwards no longer has the option to check.
4. Call
To call is to match the current highest bet made during the round.
5. Raise
A player can raise by increasing the amount of the current bet. Subsequent players must then call the new amount, raise further, or fold. The most a player can raise, is to go all in, where they bet all of the chips they have.
Showdown: Determine the Winner After the Final Betting Round
After the final betting round on the river, if more than one player remains, a showdown occurs. Players reveal their hole cards, and the best five-card hand using any combination of their hole cards and the community cards wins the pot.
If a player moves all in before the River, and is called by one opponent, then showdown occurs immediately, and the full five community cards are dealt out before determining the winner.
Conclusion
When you first start playing you may forget exactly what you can do at each stage. If you are playing live then players will be accomodating of new players asking what they can do, and you should address your question to the dealer. If you decide to play online, then the actions you can take will be presented to you on screen. Next time, we will discuss position at the table, and how your changing position should change your strategy.
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