An Introduction To Texas Holdem Poker:

So you're new to Texas Holdem poker? Not a problem. Texas Holdem poker is by far the best game for a beginner to learn. Instead of other poker games like Omaha High or 7 card stud which entail a great many more possibilities for calculating odds and perhaps even trying to count cards, Texas Hold em can be learned in a few minutes by anyone, and you can be playing fairly well with a few hours practice. In order to learn the game, however, you must play and you must play fairly often.

A Texas Hold'em poker game goes as follows:

The betting structure can vary. Sometimes antes are used, but most games start with two players to the left of the dealer placing out a predetermined amount of money so there is an initial amount to get things started. This is called posting the blinds. Check out our page on blinds and antes. The dealer shuffles up a standard deck of 52 playing cards.

Each player is dealt two cards face down. These are called your hole or pocket cards. Then there is a round of betting starting with the guy to the left of the two who posted the blinds. This round is usually referred to by the term pre-flop.

Much like most games of poker, players can call, raise, or fold. After the betting round ends, the dealer discards the top card of the deck. This is called a burn card. This is done to prevent cheating. The dealer then flips the next three cards face up on the table. These cards are called the flop. These are communal cards that anyone can use in combination with their two pocket cards to form a poker hand. There is another round of betting starting with the player to the left of the dealer.

After the betting concludes, the dealer burns another card and flips one more onto the table. This is called the turn card. Players can use this sixth card now to form a five card poker hand. The player to the left of the dealer begins another round of betting. In many types of games, this is where the bet size doubles.

Finally, the dealer burns a card and places a final card face up on the table. This is called the river. Players can now use any of the five cards on the table or the two cards in their pocket to form a five card poker hand. There is one final round of betting starting with the player to the left of the dealer. After that, all of the players remaining in the game begin to reveal their hands. This begins with the player to the left of the last player to call. It's called the showdown. Players use a combination of their pocket cards and the community cards to form a poker hand. The player who shows the best hand wins! There are cases where players with equal hands share the winnings.

Once you understand this basic structure of the game, you can play texas hold 'em and even some of the many texas holdem variants out there. Texas Hold em is an easy game to learn, just difficult to master. With practice you'll be on your way!  Sign up for Poker classes here.
 

THIS IS THE OFFICIAL RULEBOOK FOR TOP GIRL POKER

Your membership in our tournaments signifies that you agree to abide by our rules and procedures. By taking a seat in one of our tournament games, you are accepting our management to be the final authority on all matters relating to that game. TOP GIRL POKER (TGP) reserves the right to amend these rules without notice. All decisions regarding interpretations of rules, eligibility, etc., for any of our events, will be determined by TGP, and are subject to change without notification. All TGP decisions are final.

TOP GIRL POKER RULES

TOURNAMENT SET UP

1.      TopGirlPoker.com requires that all participants act in a respectful fashion. Upon participating in
any tournament held by TopGirlPoker.com, you agree to abide by our rules and regulations.

2.      Any use of profanity will not be tolerated.

3.      During tournament play, all participants will refrain from any disturbance such as loud arguments, and any kind of altercations concerning other players, poker dealers and floor personnel. Any person who violates these rules will be verbally warned of there first offence. The second offence will be subject to suspension for a specified period  of  time and the third offence will be subject to disqualification of the tournament.

4.      As to not disrespect any players only the English language will be used at the playing tables.

5.      Any player who uses a cell phone in any manner while a hand is in play will have their cards mucked by the dealer.

6.      Upon being eliminated from the game the player must leave their seat immediately and stay at least six feet away from all playing areas.

7.      In the event we need to balance the amount of players at the tables, the players   involved shall be moved to their relative position to the big blind.

8.      All limits and blinds will  be raised at regularly scheduled time intervals.

9.      During regular  tournament play the starting value of chips will be equal to the amount of 2500. The value of the chips will be as follows: Green chip value= 25 Black chip value= 100  Purple chip value= 500   Yellow chip value= 1000   Pink chip value= 5000.

10.  When the specified time has elapsed in a round the floor person in charge will announce the new level of the established blinds. This new level will commence at the start of the next dealt hand.

11.  The posting of the blinds will be scheduled as follows:           

25/50         15 minutes.

a.       50/100  15 minutes.   (upon completion, Green chips will be colored up to Black before next blind level.) Any player with just one Green chip will be awarded a Black valued chip.

100/200     15 minutes.

b.      5 minute break.

200/400     15 minutes.

c.       300/600  15 minutes.  (upon completion, Black chips will be colored up to Purple chips.)  Any player with just one Black chip will be awarded a Purple valued chip.

500/1000    15 minutes.

d.      5 minute break.

e.       1000/2000  15 minutes.

f.        2000/4000  15 minutes.

g.       3000/5000  15 minutes.

h.       At this point blinds will double.

i.         Final table will be limited to 10 minute blinds.

j.        ***Time limits may be changed at the discretion of the floor person in charge in order to meet the necessary needs of each event.

12.  Any player away from their seat at time of play will be dealt a hand and any blinds and antes will be eliminated from their chip stack.

 
PLAYING NO LIMIT TEXAS HOLD'EM

13.  In order for any player to stop any action in play by calling time out, the player must present at the table.

14.  If any player at a table feels that another player is taking to long to make a decision on a play, only a player who is still in the hand my call for a clock at which time the said player has a maximum of thirty seconds to make his decision. If the player has not acted before the time has expired there will be a ten second countdown. If  the player has not acted at the time the countdown is over the players hand will be ruled dead.

15.  If a player is not seated at the table by the time the action reaches his hand, the dealer shall immediately muck the cards. The dealer will not be allowed to delay play for a player to arrive at the table. Any player that delays their fold of the cards so that a player may arrive at the table will be suspended from playing for five minutes. No player may change their table or seat unless they are asked to do so by the assigned floor supervisor.

16.  All chips must be placed where they are easily visible to the dealer and all other players at the table.

17.  All chips including bonus chips must be used for the tournament in which they are playing. (i.e. if your are given chips prior to play in the first tournament they must be played in the first tournament. If you sign on line and you are late for the first tournament the bonus chips must be used in the second tournament.) “The reason we have this rule is due to the fact that some players forget they have chips in their pockets until they get home and forget to return them.

18.  No chips may be held in a players hands while they are involved in any playing action.

19.  Chips may not be taken off the table, which includes putting chips in ones pockets for use in an other tournament. This may result in disqualification from a tournament.

20.  No player shall be allowed to play with or move the dealer chip to the next assigned dealer position so as to not confuse the position of play.

21.  To avoid any controversy players are not allowed to touch any chips but their own which includes making change for another player. Change will be made by the dealer only.

22.  To avoid any unforeseen problems, we ask that you keep your hands off the felt of the table and to not pick up your cards until all hands are dealt to a completion.

23.  Players may not leave their seats to view action at another table.

24.  Unless the dealer ask players to show their hands at the end of play, No Player is allowed to show any other player their hand during play or before they are mucked.

25.  If a dealer deals a player a card and it turns face up due to the fault of the dealer the card will be use as a buried card and the player will get her card as the final card dealt. However, if the dealer deals a card and it turns over because a players hand or arm caused it to turn over the player must keep that card.

26.  If any player needs to leave the tournament for any reason the chips will be turned in to the dealer. The chips will not be shared evenly amongst the other players at the table.

27.  There will be no rabbit hunting!! (which means if the hand is over before all the community cards are turned over, please do not ask the dealer to continue play to see what hand you would have had.)

  
RAISING METHODS WHEN BETTING

 
28. When raising the bet the player must verbally let it be known of their intent to raise the bet.           

29. If a player intends to raise the minimum bet, it must be double the previous bet.

30. If a player intends to bet all their chips, the player has the option to move all of her chips forward in front of her cards, verbally announce an all in bet prior to moving her chips forward or verbally announce the total amount of her chips as she is pushing them forward. If any player loses an all in bet and realizes  that she mistakenly did not place all of her chips into the pot the remainder of her chips
will go to the winning player, unless the winning player did not have the extra chip count to cover the
all in bet.

31. When the betting has been completed, the player who first called an all in bet must show her cards first.

32. There will be no string betting. (String betting, is having a hand full of chips and slowly dropping the amount of chips you wish to bet on the table without calling a raise.) If a player string bets only the amount of the previous  bet may be played. You may not raise on a string bet.

33. If you place a bet on the table and did not realize that a player had previously made a raise you may  not change your mind . You must place the raised bet, so please pay attention to all the action at your table.

34. If a player acts out of turn (bets, calls, raises, re-raises, folds)  the player must wait until her turn. Action out of turn will be binding if action to that player has not changed. Checking calling and folding is considered action changing. Acting out of turn repeatedly may result in penalties and / or ejection from the tournament.

35. If two (or more) players go broke during the same hand, the player having  the best hand finishes in the higher tournament place.

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