Before you head in for your bucks party or private tournament remember to get to know the rules of the game!Learn the basics of Texas Hold'em poker with our illustrated guide below.

And remember - all Raw Poker private poker tournaments include a complimentary poker lesson - so anyone can play.

Good Luck!

Texas Hold'em Rules

1. A small dealer button identifies a player as a dealer. The dealer button moves left in a clock wise fashion to the next player, after every hand.

2. Before any cards are dealt to the players, the pot (the place where the bets are put) is formed through bets known as blind bets or ante.

1. First player to the dealers left puts the first blind bet called small blind.
2. Second player to the dealers left puts the second blind bet called big blind (This is usually twice the size of the small blind).
3. The first blind bet is smaller then the second blind bet that's why we call them the small blind and the big blind.
4. As the bets are made prior to the players receiving cards they are considered to be blind bets.
5. According to poker rules, blinds are considered live bets and can be checked (this applies to the big blind, where no one has increased the bet above your original big blind) , called (where someone has increased the bet, and you now in turn match that bet), raised (increased) or folded (where you surrender both your cards to the dealer for that hand).

3. Each player is dealt two cards face-down called private cards . Face-down means no one is able to see the cards except you.

4. The player left of the big blind makes the first bet starting the first betting round, where you can call (match the big blind), raise (increase the bet above the big blind) or fold (exit the game by handing your two cards face-down to the dealer).

5. Now three cards are dealt face-up by the dealer in the middle of the table. This starts the second betting round. And is known as the "Flop"

1. The player to the left to the dealer is the first person to bet.
2. The cards in the middle are called community cards , since they are available to all players who are still in the hand.

6. The fourth community card is dealt face-up in the middle of the table starting the third betting round called the "Turn" .

7. The fifth and the final community card is dealt face-up in the middle of the table to start the lfinal round of betting. This card is also referred to as the "River" .

8. After the final round of betting it's time for a showdown and the player with the highest hand wins the pot. Where two players have an identical hand this is known as a split pot (the chips are divided equally amongst the two players. At the end of the hand the dealer button moves to the left.

Poker Hand Rank Chart

Royal Flush

This hand is the highest possible in poker. All 5 cards are suited and sequential and must contain the 10, JACK, QUEEN, KING and ACE.

Straight Flush

All 5 cards are suited and in a sequential order.

Four of a Kind

Simply put, four of the same value card.

Full House

Three of one type of card and a pair of another. A full house is the best hand that you will see on a regular basis.

Flush

All 5 cards are the same suit. The value of your highest card determines the strenght of your flush (the higher the better).

Straight

When you have 5 cards in sequential order (but they are not of the same suit).

Three of a Kind

Three cards that are of the same value.

Two Pair

Two Pairs of different value cards. The highest pair determines hands power. Aces and twos is a better two pair than Kings and Jacks.

One Pair

A pair of the same value card.

High Card

The highest card in your hand. When there is no pair. If you both hold the same high card it would then go to your next highest card.

We host memorable bucks parties all over Australia almost every day although more often on weekends, to be honest during the week we're pretty much hosting fantastic corporate texas hold'em events.