The first step is to determine how many people will be playing in your Texas Holdem tournament. If you have more than 10 players (the maximum number of players that can typically fit at a Texas Holdem table), try to ensure that there is the same number of players at every table. This way, each table will begin with the same total chip value. For example, each player can begin the Texas Holdem tournament with $10,000 in chips. The chips can be divided as follows:
At the start of each hand, players will be dealt two cards, face down. Cards should remain on the table at all times. Otherwise, it can be difficult to determine who has folded and who is still in the hand.
If a card is dealt face-up or exposed by the dealer during the pre-flop deal, it should be considered a misdeal and the hand will be redealt. In the off chance that a joker appears in a game during the pre-flop deal, the player receiving the joker must call attention to it and they will be last to receive their second card. If a joker appears during the community cards, it will be replaced by the next card. If a player does not call attention to the joker among his down cards before acting on his hand, he forfeits the right to receive a replacement down card and must continue the hand with only one down card.
The first round of betting will begin with the person sitting to the left of the "Big Blind." Players can call, raise, or fold when it's their turn to bet. To call a hand in the first round with no bets, a player must match the total of the "Big Blind." If the pot has not been raised by any of the players prior to the player with the "Big Blind," he has the option to call or raise. Players should wait for their turn to make a bet or fold their cards. If they do so before that time, it would gives players acting in an earlier position an unfair advantage knowing that there is less competition for the hand.
The second and subsequent rounds of betting begin with the player to the left of the dealer (the player with the "Small Blind").
Players should not show their cards to anyone else during an active hand. Discussing a hand while the hand is in progress should also not be permitted. Showing one's hand to any player at any time (even after the hand is completed) requires showing the hand to the entire table.
Texas Holdem should be played for fun so use the "Cards speak" rule to determine the winner of a hand. This means the cards read for themselves and override any oral hand declaration. Players are responsible for holding onto their cards until the winner is finally declared. Throwing one's cards face down into or towards the muck, even at showdown, will fold one's hand.
Texas Holdem is an easy game to learn, but a difficult one to master. In fact, it's doubtful that it can be mastered, but that's what makes it so much fun to play. Every time you play Texas Holdem you will learn something that you didn't know the last time you played, so the more you play the better you will get.
