This is an article which aims to provide a brief overview of the betting patterns and protocols for Texas holdem. It is not meant to be the authority on all betting patterns or to provide a full analysis of the system. The confines of a small article do not allow for such extensive analysis. This is a taster designed to give you the readers some inspiration to take up Texas holdem, even if it is done as a pastime without the possibility of earning a major income.

Bets can vary in size but they are usually blind when you are playing Texas holdem. Blind bets can be described as those that are arising out of the action of a couple of participants. Alternatively it is possible to use the Antes system which involves an additional betting protocol to the one described above. In the online versions, there is a mechanism to represent the dealer function. These are set up in the fashion of a knob so that they can be twisted to indicate what type of bid which is being placed on the screen. Once the players have understood and applied these initial functions and roles, then the game can begin at a slightly more complicated level.

Read the rest of this entry »

Background

There has long been a tradition of healthy skepticism about gambling in general. This has had some pseudo religious motivations whereby people of faith felt that the real world should reflect some of the ideals they aspired to as they worshipped. There was also an element of base snobbery that believe in the theory that naughty things belonged to rich people as they were the only ones capable of controlling their emotions in the face of such wicked temptations. In looking at the specific case of Texas holdem, I was particularly impressed by writers who identified some of the issues which can cause a conflict between the gambling policy and the game itself. In this article I will point out the main themes that drive this debate.

Read the rest of this entry »