To be a truly great Texas Hold 'Em Poker player, you need to be able to read your opponents, ascertaining when they are bluffing and then they really have a solid hand.

But learning some "basic" strategies and general rules will go a long way toward making sure you can at least hold your own in a friendly game.

Here is a Typical Layout found in most places. Note, some places use rectangle rather then oval.

        Dealer ^ Here

Two Things to Always Remember

It may seem silly to be reminded of the following fundamental facts, but it's surprising how often players get swept up in the excitement of the game and forget the basics.

So, always remember these two things:

1. The two cards you hold are the only cards, that set you apart from the other players and give you the chance to win.

2. All of the face-up cards are community cards, shared by you and every other player. It's vital that you focus on what those cards could mean to someone else at least as much as you focus on what they mean to you. In particular, keep your eyes open for your opponents' straight and flush possibilities.

Evaluating Your Cards

Usually, the first decision you make in a hand of Texas Hold 'Em Poker happens with your only knowledge being what your two cards are.

When you look at your cards, be careful not to reveal anything with your reaction -- facial or otherwise. Taking a sharp breath, no matter how quietly you do it, can tell a wily opponent all he needs to know to have an advantage over you. Keyword: emotionless.

How do you know if your cards are good?

It depends in part on how many players are in the game, but a general rule is that you should seriously consider folding before the flop if you have two non-pair cards, both less than 10. A more conservative player might fold if just one of the cards is less than 10; a more aggressive player might stay in with, for example, an 8 and 9 of the same suit (because those cards give you decent possibilities for a straight or a flush).

If the big blind (a forced bet designed to ensure that every hand has a pot) is low enough, it may be worthwhile to pay in so that you can see the flop even if you don't have particularly strong cards in your hand. But don't abuse this exception to the rule -- it can get you into trouble more quickly than you imagine.

A lot of Texas Hold 'Em strategy is based on the cards in your hand. You must be willing to suffer through a series of poor hands (e.g. 5-8, 2-6, 4-9) without getting impatient. The good hands will come, eventually, and you'll be in better position to take advantage of them if you don't waste your chips trying to get something out of nothing.

The Flop

After seeing the flop, don't be afraid to cut your losses. A common mistake made by novices is to decide, "I'm already in this hand, so I might as well play it out." Wrong.

With seven players at a table, two pair or better will generally be the winning hand. If you don't have the high pair after the flop (e.g. if the flop is K-9-5, the high pair would be two Ks), and you're not in good position for a straight or a flush, you should probably get out of the hand.

However, remember that as the number of players goes down, so does the potential of a strong hand -- so if you're at a table with just two other players, it could pay off to be more aggressive.

If you're first to bet after the flop, don't be afraid to check. This can work to your advantage in two ways. First, if your hand is on the weak side, you might be able to see one more card without having to put more into the pot. Second, if your hand is strong, you could convince an opponent or two that it's weaker than it really is.

Fourth Street and Fifth Street

Also know as The Turn and The River, respectively, the fourth and fifth community cards give you two more chances to either get out of the pot before you lose even more money -- or increase your winnings.

At this point, it's likely there will only be one or two other players still in the pot with you. The best advice here is to be cautious. After fourth street, don't stay in the pot hoping for a straight or flush, unless you can do so on a check (that is, without putting more chips into the pot). Although there will be times when you would have drawn the straight or flush, they will be outweighed by the times you wouldn't.

The bottom line is this: Don't allow yourself to get sucked in too far with a weak hand.

That said, there is a point where the investment you've already made virtually dictates that you hang in there. It's useful to measure this in terms of percentage of your chips. For example, if you've already committed 40% of your chips to the pot, another 5% isn't that much. This is a gray area, so once again the best advice is to be cautious.

This next link will take you to an "Odds" Chart you can print out.  http://holdemknow-how.com/odds.html  Just take it with you when you come to play.

Good luck, and have fun!

At American Legion; you will be playing with Plastic Cards:  It has been asked "Why" Plastic instead of Paper?  For us it is a matter of value and cost of replacement and better quality control.  We won't be too fancy either, as most people are already with the most common form of a deck of cards as shown below.

Why should you play with plastic poker cards instead of regular paper cards that you can pick up at any store?

First Reason - Quality. From the moment you first shuffle your deck of poker cards, you know. The feel and the action across the felt that a only a plastic card can give will be evident from the beginning if you have never played with one of these decks.

Second Reason - Durability. Paper cards can be easily worn out. After a few games of poker, your average paper cards will already show signs of wear. Conveniently as well for your not so honest players, the corners will "accidentally" get folded, and the card is now marked. The design on a paper card can easily be scratched as well with a thumbnail to mark the card. It would take a LOT of effort to actually bend a corner of a plastic card, and even more effort to scratch the design on the back of the card. Our selection of Copag Poker Cards, KEM Poker Cards, and Gemaco Poker Cards are all 100% plastic, and they will last you for years and save you money on constantly buying paper cards. (and if in your game beer gets spilled on them, they just wash right off....try that with a paper playing card.).

Third Reason - Style. COPAG was recently endorsed by the World Series of Poker as the "official" card of the WSOP. KEM and GEMACO cards are of equal quality to COPAG cards. Poker professionals play with nothing less and neither does your casino when dealing at a poker table (other tables like blackjack might use a paper card). Why would you want anything less for yourself? Play with what the professionals and aspiring professionals play with.

Still not convinced? Go check your paper cards right now and see which cards are marked.

Standard five-card Poker hands are ranked here in order of strength, from the strongest Poker hand to the weakest.

Royal Flush
This is the best possible hand in standard five-card Poker. Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10, all of the same suit.

Straight Flush
Any five-card sequence in the same suit (e.g.: 8, 9, 10, Jack and Queen of clubs; or 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of diamonds).

Four of a Kind
All four cards of the same value (e.g.: 8, 8, 8, 8; or Queen, Queen, Queen, Queen).

Full House
Three of a kind combined with a pair (e.g.: 10, 10, 10 with 6, 6; or King, King, King with 5, 5).

Flush
Any five cards of the same suit, but not  in sequence (e.g.: 4, 5, 7, 10 and King of spades).

Straight
Five cards in sequence, but not  in the same suit (e.g.: 7 of clubs, 8 of clubs, 9 of diamonds, 10 of spades and Jack of diamonds).

Three of a Kind
Three cards of the same value (e.g.: 3, 3, 3; or Jack, Jack, Jack).

Two Pair
Two separate pairs (e.g.: 2, 2, Queen, Queen).

Pair
Two cards of the same value (e.g.: 7, 7).

High Card
If a Poker hand contains none of the above combinations, it's valued by the highest card in it.

This link will show you some poker hand rankings in full color shots:  http://www.quazen.com/Games/Card-Games/Poker-Hand-Rankings.112745 

This link will take to a site that gets into the game a bit more, both for out and about and at home if you want to practice:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_hold_%27em

You-Tube Links: shows a game at another American Legion Post run by the Son's, and while it is NOT exactly like our Post 19 facility it helps to know what to expect:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6_2-RlGUKI 

Our Game will,Even make allowance for Smoke Breaks, Drinks, Food, Etc.

If you like a "How-to" video?  Here it, is just for you:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vPpAhwhM1M 

Avoid being dominated:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqktkFPx8qE&feature=channel