The first step for a new player who desires to learn how to play Holdem poker properly is read one of the hundreds of excellent books obtainable about the game. You can find a huge assortment of poker books at online stores such as amazon or ebay, or have a look in your local bookstore. Another good way to learn the game is by watching some of the poker tournaments on TV closely watching how the professionals play; the commentators usually explain the player’s actions reasonably well, and talk you through the game. When starting out you should always play at the low limit tables until you begin to grasp the basics of the game.
The play of a hand is as follows: Each player is dealt two cards face down before the first betting round, unless you have placed a small or big blind bet you have the option to continue or fold. The next deal is to the center of the table with the dealer placing three cards face up for everybody to see. This is followed by two more deals of one card each and one card to the center of the table with rounds of betting between, eventually making a total of five cards in the center of the table. These five cards are common to all of the...