Poker night: Texas Hold'em

Key facts · Part 1 Essentials

• Best five of seven: two private cards, five shared cards, best five wins
• The four streets: preflop, flop, turn, river, then showdown (three, one, one)
• The button and blinds: the button moves clockwise each hand and acts last after the flop
• The betting moves: fold, check, call, raise. You can only check when nobody has bet
• The ranking ladder: the rarer the hand, the higher it ranks. A flush beats a straight
• Play fewer hands: tight early, looser near the button, raise instead of limping
• Table manners: act in turn, chips in one motion, words are binding, quiet during a live hand

Key facts · Part 2 Deeper

• Cash game versus tournament: in a tournament the blinds rise on a timer
• The straddle: an optional blind raise from under the gun, a house rule to ask about
• Tilt: after a bad beat, don't chase losses with weak hands
• Wet versus dry boards: on a wet board, one pair is weaker, and a big bet means respect the flush
• The calling station: never bluff a player who calls with almost anything; respect a tight player who suddenly raises
• The value bet: bet when a worse hand might call; bluff less in a friendly game

Key facts · Part 3 Drill

• Best five of seven: two private cards, five shared cards, best five wins
• The four streets: preflop, flop, turn, river, then showdown (three, one, one)
• The rarer the hand, the higher it ranks: a flush beats a straight, a full house beats a flush
• Fold, check, call, raise: you can only check when nobody has bet
• Play fewer hands, act in turn, and be gracious