Texas Holdem Dealing: How to Deal Texas Holdem Like a Pro

In fact, when it comes to how Texas Hold'em poker is dealt with, we want to discuss what the dealing process looks like when unexpected situations arise. While some clubs may have different practices, I will use the WSOP dealing process as the standard to provide a detailed explanation of how a poker game is conducted.

Basic Procedure on How to Deal Texas Holdem

Let's first review the basic procedure of how to deal Texas Holdem poker :

1. Starting from the dealer button, cards are dealt to each player in a clockwise direction, including the small blind, the big blind, and the dealer. Two rounds of dealing are performed, with each player receiving two private cards.
2. After the betting is complete before the flop, the top card from the deck is burned (discarded face down), and three community cards (the flop) are dealt face up.
3. Following the betting after the flop, another burn card is discarded, and the fourth community card (the turn) is dealt face up.
4. After the betting following the turn, another burn card is discarded, and the fifth community card (the river) is dealt face up.

How to Deal Texas Holdem If Player’s Cards Face Up

If during the first round, a player's hole cards are unintentionally exposed, all players' hole cards are collected, the deck is reshuffled, and the cards are redealt.

If, during the second round, a player's hole cards are unintentionally exposed, the exposed cards are collected. After all players receive their initial hole cards, the player with the exposed cards is given a replacement card, and the exposed cards become burn cards for the community cards.

If more than one player's hole cards are unintentionally exposed, all hole cards are collected, the deck is reshuffled, and new hole cards are dealt.

When community cards are prematurely exposed before the betting round is complete, and the dealer does not notice, the following actions are taken:

1. Remove the prematurely exposed community card.
2. Complete the remaining community card dealing actions for the current round, placing the dealt cards face down on the table.
3. Complete the dealing actions for subsequent rounds, including burning cards.
4. After shuffling the prematurely exposed card back into the deck, deal a replacement card to the original position.

Procedures for Unexpected Events with Community Cards

If the river card is prematurely exposed

As there are no remaining community cards to be dealt, shuffle the prematurely exposed river card back into the deck.

Deal a face-down card to the river position.

Players continue their actions until the betting round is completed, and then the card is turned face up.

If the turn card is prematurely exposed

Move the exposed card aside.

Burn a card, deal the river card face down in the river position.

Shuffle the prematurely exposed turn card back into the deck.

Burn a card and deal a replacement card face down in the turn position.

Once the betting round for the turn is completed, reveal the turn card. After the betting round for the river is completed, reveal the river card.

Move the exposed cards aside.

Deal the remaining flop cards face down, and burn a card.

Deal the turn card face down in the turn position.

Burn a card and deal the river card face down in the river position.

Shuffle the prematurely exposed flop cards back into the deck.

Deal a replacement card face down in the flop position.

After the betting round for the river is completed, reveal the flop cards.

Once a winner is determined in the current betting round, the exposed covered cards are not revealed. All cards are shuffled before the next round of the game.

This covers the overall process of how to deal Texas Holdem. In addition to reviewing the standard procedure, we've also covered the handling of unexpected events involving exposed community cards.

For a professional Texas Hold'em player, understanding Texas holdem dealing is crucial. This knowledge ensures that in offline games or tournaments when unexpected situations occur, players know how to proceed with the game.