Texas hold 'em on TV

I'll try to explain --

Each player is dealt two cards.

Three community cards are turned up on the center of the table.

Bets are made by combinding what is in your hand with the community cards.

Another card is dealt into the community pile.

Another round of betting.

The last card is dealt to the community pile.

Another round of betting.

The end.

Each player has a total of seven cards, two of thier own and five community cards, to make their best hand.

Thankee, Boomer. I think I get it now. Is this brand new? I don't recall this variant when I was playing, back 30 or 40 years ago. It's a little bit like 7-card stud except for sharing the community cards. Or is this something that was a local game in Texas for years and has just now made the transition to popular world-wide attention?

I don't know the origin of the game but it is very much like seven card stud.

I think it's popularity stems from the fact that it is easy for novices to watch and learn the game since the community cards mean there is a lot less to track. It lets you in on the strategy of poker more than when each person conceals a full hand.

if you click on the game to load it - there is a "how to play" tutorial and an option to play with computer opponents for practice purposes

Yes, Beth, I'm on dial-up. I don't have access to many sites. Not only am I on dial-up, but my computer is ancient and not very powerful.

Andy, What I find interesting about the game on tv is that we can see each player's hole cards. So we know who's bluffing, who's got a pair of kings that will lose to a straight, etc. I think that without seeing the hands, it would be deadly dull--unless you're playing. I've seen seven card stud on TV. It makes for ok viewing. I used to play it too, in my youth.

The popularity of the game, stimulated by television, has become something of a phenomenon.

It sounds like an interesting game. With those community cards available to all, it must throw the usual poker probability odds of what you can expect to get on a draw right out the window. Three of a kind Kings means nothing if one of the cards on the table is an Ace and your opponent is taking out a second mortgage to keep on betting.

BTW, thanx for starting this thread, 'Berta. Believe it or not, I had been thinking of starting my own thread, asking someone to answer the question which has now been answered: just how in hell (or anywhere else) do you play this game?

You got it exactly right, Andy. You've got two queens as your down cards. A king and an ace appear as the up cards. Are your queens still good? Can you or should you assume that someone has an ace in his hand? The possibilities are interesting. Also interesting is how people play the possibilities.

Suppose you're dealt a seven and a two. The first three up cards include an ace. You can bet as if you've just paired an ace and scare everybody out of the hand.

Glad this thread answered your question.

... and I ended up playing on the Nabisco site for three hours last night.
Setanta may be suing Roberta for alienation of affection

Ha!

At least having your affection alienated by poker is better than my cat and the rubber broom lawsuit!

That IS it, Roberta. The dynamics change so quickly because of the community cards. The bluffs are better, the bets are edgier. In your first post you mentioned the suspense of the game and I think it is exactly knowing the cards that creates that that suspense.

Ususally it is NOT knowing something that creates suspense.

Hmmmm.

Beth, I'm jealous you get to play.

Boomer, Yes, it's the dynamics. But it's especially that we can see all the cards. ESPN Classics showed a game from before the time the little cameras were in place. Boring doesn't even begin to describe it. It's the knowing that makes the difference.

BTW, my cable system last night had three different Texas hold 'em shows on at the same time! GSN--celebs vs. pros; Travel Channel, World Poker Tour battle of champions; ESPN Classics, 2004 World Series.

Whoda thunk poker would become so hot?

Another possibility for the popularity. Anybody can play. The last three years, amateurs have won the World Series.

Poker on TV
I think watching poker on television is the greatest. I'm a big fan of reality television, and this is definitly reality television at it's best. There is nothing better than getting to take a look at some of the greatest poker players ever to live and watching them what they do best. To me, it's like watching Michael Jordan play basketball. Plus, there is nothing better to root for underdogs when they play the big boys. I think that is why poker has caught an eye to so many people. They watched amateurs like Chris Moneymaker win the WSOP, and they thought, "I could do that." Poker on television is not only entertaining, but it also is a learning tool to beginning and regular poker players.

That would explain a lot about you.....

:wink: