As the name implies, bets are fixed in Fixed Limit Texas Hold’em. There are either large or small bets. Small bets are placed in the first two rounds of betting and large bets are placed in the last two rounds. The large bets are always double the amount of the small bets and the amount of the bets depends on the size of the game.

Before Dealing the Cards:

The person dealing the cards occupies the spot called the button. In a casino the dealer has a marker placed in front of him indicating he is the dealer. In private games outside the casino a player must function as the dealer. The button determines the order that each player will play his hand and rotates clockwise to the next player after each hand is played.

The player sitting directly to the left of the button (the number one seat) places a forced bet on the table called a small blind. This is followed by another forced bet placed by the player sitting directly to the left of the first player (the number 2 seat). This bet is called the big blind.

The big blind is always equal to the amount of the small bet but the small blind is usually half the size of the big blind. For example, in a $10/$20 Limit Texas Hold'em game, the small bet is $10 and the big bet is $20. Therefore, the big blind is $10 (the size of the small bet) and the small blind is $5 (half the size of the big blind and the small bet).

Dealing the Cards:

Cards are dealt out in a clockwise manner beginning with the player in the number one seat (the small blind) and ending with the player acting as dealer (the button). Each player receives a starting hand, which is comprised of two hole cards placed face down on the table.

The First Round of Betting:

The action begins with the player seated third to the left of the button (also known as sitting under the gun). This player can either fold by throwing his hole cards into the area in the middle of the table called the muck, call by placing a bet on the table equal to the big blind amount on the table, or raise by placing two small bets in front of him. The action now rotates to the player sitting to the left of the 3 rd player (the 4 th seat) who can choose to fold, call, rise or re-rise (though only if it has been raised in front of him). The playing continues clockwise in this fashion until every player that has not folded has contributed equally to the pot.

For example, let’s say there are ten players seated at the table in a $10/$20 Limit Texas Hold'em game. The players have received their cards and the first player to act, (the player sitting under the gun), decides to rise. He must put $20 into the pot, which is equivalent to two small bets. The players seated in seats 4,5,6 and 7 decide to fold and throw their cards into the muck. The player seated in seat number eight decides to re-raise so he must place $30 on the table (equivalent to three small bets). Seat number nine player decides to call and must put in $30 (an amount equal three small bets). The last player, the button, folds.

The small blind player, who had already contributed $5 to the pot, decides to call and must, therefore, add $25 to the pot (bringing the total amount bet to $30, which is equal to three small bets). The action then moves on to the big blind player who chooses to re-raise and, therefore, must put in a total of $40 into the pot (since he had ten dollars in the pot already, he now must put in an additional $30 bringing his bet to $40, which is equal to four small bets).

This is called cap the betting, meaning that rises are no longer permitted. Only three rises are allowed in each betting round, making it a total of four bets. After the cap, the remaining players can either fold or call. The action continues with the initial raiser who is sitting under the gun. Once the first betting round is finished and all remaining players have contributed equally to the pot, it is time for the flop.

The Flop and the 2 nd Round of Betting:

Playing continues with the dealer burning the top card on the deck and placing it face down on the table. This is done to prevent cheating in case anyone has tampered with the first card. The burn card is not used throughout the remainder of the game. Next, the dealer flips up three cards and places them on the table for everyone to see. These three cards are called the flop. Since only two more cards are left to come, the flop is a defining moment for all remaining players. In other words, five of the seven cards to be dealt have been revealed. The flop contains community cards, which are used together with the two hole cards to create the best possible five-card poker hand. Since the blinds are only used on the first round of betting, the small blind now must act first (sitting in the first seat). If the small blind folds before the flop, it then becomes the big blind's turn to act, and so on. The first player to act can choose checking or betting (if the player bets, it must be exactly one small bet). If all players check on the flop, they are all permitted to see the fourth card (the turn) without placing any additional money on the table. Betting continues in the same pattern as the first round with three as the maximum number of allowed rises (four small bets in total).

For example, using the same example table as above with 10 players seated at a $10/$20 Limit Texas Hold'em game, let’s say that only the players seated in the small blind, the big blind and on the button are left in the hand after the first round of betting. The dealer brings in the pot and puts it in the middle of the table, burns the top card and places the flop on the table. Since betting proceeds clockwise from the button, the small blind must act first and decides to check. Next, the big blind bets ($10; equal to one small bet). The player in the button seat then chooses to call and puts in $10. Now, it is again the small blind's turn to act and he can raise (make it $20; referred to as a check-raise), fold (throw his hole cards in the muck) or call (put in $10).

Once the second round of betting has been completed and all remaining players have contributed equally to the pot, it is time for the turn.

The Turn and the Third Round of Betting:

Again, the dealer burns the top card of the deck and flips open a fourth community card, called the turn, placing it on the table next to the flop. The betting then proceeds clockwise from the button, as on the flop. The only difference is that now the bets are doubled and are called big bets.

For example, using the same table as above, let’s say it is after the flop. At this point, only the players sitting in the big blind and the button remain in the hand. The big blind must now act first because betting advances clockwise from the button. The big blind decides to bet (puts in $20; equal to one big bet), the button chooses to rise (puts in $40; equal to two big bets) and the big blind opts to call (puts in another $20; making two big bets in total). This then completes the third round of betting. It is now time for the river.

The River and the 4 th Round of Betting:

After burning the top card of the deck again, the dealer flips over another community card and places it next to the flop and the turn. This card is called the river. Betting proceeds clockwise from the button as it did on the flop and the turn. Bets are the same amount as the bets placed on the turn.

Using the same table example, but proceeding after the turn, only the players sitting in the big blind and the button are left in the hand. Again, the big blind must act first because betting advances clockwise from the button. The big blind decides to check and the action moves to the button player, who bets (puts in $20; equivalent to the amount of one big bet). Now, the big blind can choose to fold, rise or call but decides to call (puts in $20; equal the size of one big bet). The button has been called and, because this is the last round of betting, he has to flip two hole cards face up on the table. He then combines his hole cards with the five community cards to create the best possible 5-card poker hand. The big blind has the option of throwing his hole cards in the muck (in case he can not beat the button's hand), or of flipping his hole cards face up on the table to show the winning hand. In order to win the pot, both hole cards must be flipped face up, even though only one hole card might be used for making the best hand.