Texas Holdem Rules

Texas Holdem
If you've watched poker on television, then you've likely viewed the action that Texas Holdem can provide. In recent years, No Limit Holdem has become one of the world's most favourite poker games, as well as the most potentially lucrative, thanks to live tournaments such as the World Poker Tour and of course, the World Series of Poker.
The Game
In its simplest definition, Texas Holdem, or Holdem, is a poker game in which each player receives two cards (hole cards) dealt face down, while five community cards are dealt face up on the table throughout a series of four betting rounds.
Rules
In Texas Holdem poker, the object of the game is to win the pot that players invest in by betting during the various rounds. All players play their best five cards using any combination of their two hole cards and the five community cards on the table. The best five-card poker hand among those in contention for the pot wins.

How to Play No Limit Texas Holdem

The Button
In Texas Holdem, a disc known as the dealer "button" serves to recognize which player sitting at the table is the dealer for that particular hand. The cards are dealt in a clockwise direction from the dealer button. Each time the cards are dealt, a new betting round begins. A Texas Holdem hand starts when the first card is dealt and ends when a winner is declared. After each hand has been completed, as with standard poker rules, the "button" moves clockwise to the next active player. This is done because there is an advantage to having to act last and therefore each player will get his fair share of early, late and middle positions. This player will be considered to be "playing the button" for that hand.

Blinds
The player to the immediate left of the button is first to receive a card and is required to post a "small blind". The small blind is equal to half the lower limit bet rounded down to the nearest dollar (For example, in a $1-$2 game, the small blind is $1; in a $5-$10 game, the small blind is $5. The player to the immediate left of the small blind is required to post the "big blind", equal to the lower limit bet (For example, in a $1-$2 game, the big blind is $2.). When a new player sits down at a Texas Holdem poker game, they must either post the equivalent of the big blind or wait for their turn in the big blind. This prevents players from gaining an advantage by avoiding the blinds and jumping in and out of games. If you have missed one or both blinds, our software will prompt you to put in the correct amount. You can also wait for the blind to get to your position. This is called coming in on the blind. Both blinds in Texas Holdem poker are considered live bets and therefore, according to poker rules, have the option of checking, calling, raising or folding when the betting action returns to their position.

Betting Rounds
First Round (Pre-Flop) - After the Texas Holdem players in the blind positions put their blinds into the pot the dealer deals two cards called "hole cards" to each player. At this time each player can see his own cards but not those of his opponents. After seeing their hole cards, players now have the option to play their hands by calling, raising or folding. On the first round only, a player cannot check (make no bet) and still retain his hand. On the first round only, the betting starts with the first active player to the immediate left of the big blind. The minimum bet in this round is the size of the big blind. Thus in a $5/$10 No Limit Texas Holdem game, it would cost a minimum of $10 for the player who acts first to call in this initial round of betting.

Second Round (Flop) - Next, three cards are dealt face-up on the board also known as the "flop". These three community cards are available to all active players. In this round play begins with the first active player to the immediate left (clockwise) of the dealer button, who has one of three choices, check, bet, or fold. Until there is a bet, each succeeding active player has the same choices. Once a bet is made, each succeeding Texas Holdem player then has, in turn, one of three choices; call, raise, or fold. Bets and raises occur in lower limit bet increments. Therefore in a $5/$10 No Limit Texas Hold'em game the bet would cost a minimum of $10.

Third Round (Turn) - When betting action is completed for the flop round, the "turn" is dealt face-up on the board. The turn is the fourth community card in a Texas Hold'em poker game. Play once again begins with the active player immediately left (clockwise) of the dealer button and the same rules apply as the second round except that poker betting doubles from the lower limit bet to the higher limit bet. In a $5/$10 game, betting on the turn is done in $10 increments.

Fourth Round (River) - When betting action is completed for the turn round, the "river" is dealt face-up on the board. The river is the fifth and final community card in a Texas Hold'em game. Play once again begins with the active player immediately left (clockwise) of the dealer button as explained above.

Showdown - When all the betting is done, and if more than one player is still in for the pot, then the showdown determines who wins the game of Texas Holdem. In No Limit Texas Holdem, it is possible that one or more betting rounds not take place if only one active player has any chips left with all other active players having bet all their chips (all-in). When this occurs, any remaining community cards will be dealt face up and a showdown will take place. The last player to open with a bet or raise is required to show their cards first and anyone else can fold. Players who elect to fold do not have to show their cards. (i.e. muck his cards if he decides he has lost. The player with the best five-card hand wins the pot. In the event of identical hands, the pot will be equally divided between the players with the best hands. Texas Hold'em rules state that all suits are equal, so split pots are more common than in other variations of poker.

No Limit Texas Holdem
In No Limit Texas Holdem, the minimum amount a player can bet must be equal or greater than the big blind and a raise must equal or be greater then the last bet or raise within the same round. There is no maximum amount to bet, a player may bet his entire stack at any time. The number of raises is only limited to a player's chips total.

Jackpot Rules

From now on, 1S Poker will reward you for making a big hand while playing on our site.

How to join

1. All 1S Poker players are eligible to join.
2. Players have the option to choose whether they would like to be in the running for the Jackpot prize.
3. Each winner shall receive the following percentage of the Jackpot:

Winning results of the Jackpot will constantly be updated on our Jackpot main page.

In a situation where 2 or more players make a high hand in the same hand, the winner of the hand will claim the Jackpot prize:

• Example 1- One player makes a lower straight flush and the other makes a higher straight flush in the same hand, the jackpot will only be paid to the winner of the hand, which will be the higher straight flush.

• Example 2- The five community cards on the board read a straight flush and all players remaining in the hand are utilizing the straight flush on the board to make their best five card hand, all remaining players in the hand will win the hand and split the money in the pot. Therefore, they will also split the Jackpot prize.

1S Poker will periodically have promotions and inject bonus amounts into the Jackpot.

1S Poker will replenish the Jackpot pool with $3000 USD every time a player hits the Royal Flush Jackpot.

Sit & Go Tournament Rules

1. Sit & Go Tournaments begin soon after there are enough registered players to fill the tournament.

2. Once a tournament has begun, players cannot change their seats.

3. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, all players begin with an equal number of chips and the blinds and antes     are raised at regular intervals. See our Tournament Structure for details.

4. Sit & Go Tournaments are played through completion without breaks.

5. Sit & Go Tournaments are usually played until one player has all of the chips.

6. If a player loses their Internet connection or otherwise disconnect from the server, their blinds and antes will     be posted and their cards folded until they are able to reconnect and rejoin their tournament.

7. In tournament play, 1S Poker observes a policy of no missed blinds in order to make sure that every player
posts the big blind when it is their turn to do so. As a result, there are instances in which a player will
retain the dealer button for more than one hand.

8.1S Poker does not encourage, sanction, facilitate or enforce any deals or partnerships made among
players. Players who engage in deal making do so at their own risk. 1S Poker neither permits deal
making in the player chat at the table nor enforces any deals made between players.

9. Players are prohibited from discussing their cards and their opponents' cards, as well as the playing of the     hand, until that hand has been completed.

10. Players who engage in unethical behavior such as soft playing or chip dumping risk disqualification from        the tournament as well as the termination of their player accounts.

11. In case of disputes, all decisions made by 1S Poker are final.

12. At our sole discretion, 1S Poker reserves the right to modify these rules at any time.

1 Million Bonus Hand Rules

Beginning the 12th of January 2011, 1S Poker will be giving out a monetary prize for every 100,000 hands and 1 million hands played on 1S Poker Cash Game tables.

For every 100,000 hands, the prize distribution is as follows:

• $500 USD will be awarded to the winner of the 100,000th hand.
• $100 USD will be awarded to All the remaining players who are dealt in the 100,000th hand. (Players who are sitting out will not be awarded.)

For every 1 million hands, the prize distribution is as follows:

• $1000 USD will be awarded to the winner of the 1 Millionth hand.
• $200 USD will be awarded to All the remaining players who are dealt in the 1 millionth hand. (Players who are sitting out will not be awarded.)

Players need not buy the jackpot to qualify for the Bonus Hand Promotion, all players playing on 1S Poker cash game tables qualify to win.

Bonus Hand Promotion applies to ALL 9-handed and 6-handed cash game tables only.

Players playing on Heads-Up (1 vs 1) tables are not entitled to win the Bonus Hand Promotion.

There must be a minimum of 3 players dealt in the hand for the hand to qualify for the Bonus Hand Promotion. (e.g If only 2 players are dealt in a hand while sitting on a 9 player
table, the hand is not qualified to win the Bonus Hand Promotion.)

In a scenario of a split pot situation, the winners will split the first prize and there will be no change in the amount the rest of the table will receive. (e.g If 2 players win the
100,000th hand, the 2 winners will receive $250 each and the rest of the table will receive $100 each.)

*1S Poker reserves the right to make amendments to the rules stated above without prior notice.

FAQs

• What must I know before I start playing for real money?
• What is the currency used at 1S Poker?
• Who am I playing with?
• Does 1S Poker have the right to amend the exchange rate?
• What is the security & password policy in 1S Poker?
• What is my Sign-In Name and Password?
• Can I change my Sign-In Name and Password?
• What is the player screen name?
• How do I play a game?
• How do I leave the table without losing all the money I have won already?
• How does the house charge on every game? How does 1S Poker make money?
• Can I play more than one table?
• How can I add more money to the table?
• How should I manage if I did not know how to play the game?
• I am just learning to play the game. Where can I play for fun before I begin playing for real money?
• How do I play for real money game?
• What is the computational method for my base currency exchanges with US dollar?
• How are funds transferred to and from the tables?
• How can I check the outcome of a hand?
• Why do I experience a slow/interrupted connection?
• What will happen if I disconnected from the internet while I am in the middle of playing a game?
• I am being abused at the tables! What can I do?
• Two players are colluding at the table. What can I do to stop them?

Q. What must I know before I start playing for real money?
A. We advise you to start playing our Play for fun to familiarize yourself to the various games. If you would like to play for real money, please contact your agent to obtain credit.

Q. What is the currency used at 1S Poker?
A. The currency used to play all games are denominated in United States Dollar (US$). The prevailing market rates will be updated every Monday and indicated on your statement. This exchange rate will remain constant up till the next update on the following Monday.

Q. Who am I playing with?
A. You will be playing against other members from around the world. 1S Poker does not play but merely charges a small rake from every game played.

Q. Does 1S Poker have the rights to amend the exchange rate?
A. 1S Poker reserves the rights to amend the exchange rate without prior notice

Q. What is the security & password policy in 1S Poker?
A. Your Password - You are responsible for the security of your password. Change your password on a regular basis. Never reveal your password to anyone. Never write it down where anyone can find it or figure out what it is.
Logging Out - Please use our "Log out" feature if you are going to be away from your computer for an extended period of time. The sign out feature will end your session, and you will have to re-submit your sign in name and password before entering the 1S Poker game client again. We strongly recommend shutting down your game client to prevent others from using your account. 1S Poker reserves the right to alter this policy and render final decisions on all matters herein at its sole discretion. Policy changes and relevant decisions will be communicated accordingly by 1S Poker using electronic and/or written mean

Q. What is my Sign-In Name and Password?
A. Your Sign-In Name and Password will be the one provided to you when you open an 1S Poker account.

Q. Can I change my Sign-In Name and Password?
A. You cannot change your Sign-In Name BUT you may change your password. You can change your password by clicking on “Password”, then “Change Password” from the main lobby screen. You need to provide your existing Password and key in your new Password.

Q. What is the player screen name?
A. You will be asked to enter a unique screen name (nickname) upon first login and it will display on the game table played. This screen name may completely unrelated to with your sign-in name and it can’t be changed, unless under special circumstances.

Q. How do I play a game?
A. Please refer to the following steps to play a game: -
-Logon to 1S Poker
-Select the game you wish to play
-Enter the table stake you wish to play ($0.25, $0.50, $1.00, $2.00, $2.50, $5.00,$10.00)
-Double click on the table to play the game

Q. How do I leave the table without losing all the money I have won already?
A. If you have decided to leave the table at (any time), your money will be returned automatically to your account. If you are in the middle of a hand your balance after that particular hand will be returned to your account.

Q. How does the house charge on every game? How does 1S Poker make money?
A. 1S Poker charges a small percentage of rake in every hand played.

Q. Can I play more than one table?
A. 1S Poker allows players to play up to four tables at the same time.

Q. How can I add more money to the table?
A. By clicking on Reload button on the table and enter the amount that you wish to top up.

Q.What is the procedure if I do not know how to play the game?
A. You may inform our customer support department. Please click 24/7 Help and our customer support will assist you through Live Chat.

Q. I am just learning to play the game. Where can I play for fun before I begin playing for real money?
A. You can play our Play for Fun anytime. Your account will be credited with 1,000 play money for the first login. Simply click on Play for Fun icon on our main page to join a table.

Q. How do I play for real money game?
A. You will need to contact your agent to obtain credit. Your settlement will be made based on your home currency.

Q. What is the computational method for my base currency exchanges with US dollar?
A. The buy-in rate from your base currency to USD is calculated on the exchange rate set at the time of buy-in. Upon settlement, the sell back from USD to your base currency will be the exchange rate from your last buy-in. For example, if there is only one buy-in and one sell back, the exchange rate used will be the same. However, if there were a few buy-ins at different exchange rates, the sell back exchange rate will follow the last buy-in exchange rate.

Q. How are funds transferred to and from tables?
A. All funds transferred to and from the table are denominated in US$. As for the calculation of Win/Loss, each of these transfers are “tagged” with prevailing exchange rate in the system, between US$ and the member's based currency. The “Win/Loss of the member” is “the amount transferred out of a table”, less “all funds transferred to that table”. Member can make multiple transfers of funds from his account to a table, but may only transfers all remaining funds out of that table once. At the time of the funds being transferred out, the exchange rate used shall be “that rate used for the last fund transferred into that table”.

Q. How can I check the outcome of a hand?
A. 1S Poker only keeps track of the real money game hand in details. To check the hand details in the game, Click on the hand history icon to see the previous hands you’ve played at the table.

Q. Why do I experience a slow/interrupted connection?
A. This may be caused by internet traffic at your location; background downloading, as well as other variables can contribute to a slow connection. Your Internet connection is rated on the signal bar at the top right corner of your screen.

Q.What happens if I disconnect from the internet while I am playing a game?
A. If you are disconnected from the Internet while playing a game there are two outcomes. The first outcome is, if you haven't place a bet, you will have your cards folded and you will be excluded from the game until you reconnect. The second outcome is if you have made a bet, and you get disconnected, you will have 20 seconds to reconnect and proceed with the hand.
1S Poker cannot be held accountable for any funds lost due to disrupted gaming

Q. I am being abused at the tables! What can I do?
A. 1S Poker would like to apologize for the abuse you have suffered. We do not condone this behavior in any way. We would like you to report this person immediately. Abuse does not just consist of swearing and racial slurs. Abuse also includes harassment, provoking, constant pestering, revealing personal information of a user and threatening. You may contact us to report this injustice. You may send an email or click on the24/7 Support button and you will be connected to Customer Support.

Q. Two players are colluding at the table. What can I do to stop them?
A. 1S Poker does everything in its power to stop or limit colluding. Colluding means when a player or more players are controlling the game or two players (or more) are discussing their hands. Anyone that suspects the players are colluding should contact Customer Support immediately. Please click on 24/7Support with both users screen name & hand numbers and we will deal with them accordingly.