Live Ultimate Texas Hold’em is a popular variant of classic Five Card Poker where the players play against the dealer instead of playing against each other.
This review does not just show you the basics of how to play Ultimate Texas Hold’em but also offers you an accurate outline of Ultimate Texas Hold’em rules as well the best Ultimate Texas Hold’em strategies and tips.
Every player is assured of a great deal of fun as the game holds the title for being one of the most popular versions of poker featuring the Trips bonus bet that gives players with good hands that are still weaker than the dealer’s the opportunity to win some amount, at least.
How to Play Ultimate Texas Hold’em
Table of Contents
Ultimate Texas Hold’em is about players going against the dealer with the goal of forming a five-card hand that ranks higher than what the dealer has. Of the five cards a player needs to win, two have to be their own and three have to be from the five community cards.
To kick off the game, each player needs to place an Ante bet. The Blind bet, which is also a requirement, is placed automatically along with the Ante bet. Both the Ante and the Blind bets have to be of equal value.
Since Live Texas Hold’em is played against the dealer, instead of the other players, you only need to be concerned with the house’s hand and your own hand.
Players are allowed to raise the Ante bet thrice or even four times, so long as it is during the first three community cards with only one raise is being made available for each round. In case a player fails to raise up until the fourth and the fifth community cards are dealt, he or she is allowed to raise one times the Ante. Otherwise, they have no option but to fold – a move that automatically forfeits both their Ante and Blind bets.
After the Ante and the Blind bets have been wagered the Bonus bet can then be placed. So long as a player manages to form a three of a Kind or better the dealer’s hand becomes inconsequential to the progress of the game.
As far as the main game, the dealer’s hand can either qualify or not qualify. In case it does not qualify the Ante will be a push. On the other hand, in case the dealer’s hand qualifies it is put against the player’s hand.
Ultimate Texas Hold’em Rules
Unlike regular Texas Hold’em, the player must learn how to play Ultimate Texas Hold’em since it does not have any rake and player skill makes a huge difference in the end. However, the Ultimate Texas Hold’em strategy that you apply has to conform to the rules that define the game. A brief rundown of the rules you follow after learning how to play Ultimate Texas Hold’em is as follows;
- One ordinary 52-card deck is used.
- The player must place equal bets on both the Ante and Blind and also place an optional Trips bet.
- The player and dealer are dealt two cards face down. The player is only allowed to look at his own cards.
- The player may check or make a Play bet equal to three or four times the Ante.
- The dealer then deals or flops the three community cards.
- If the player previously checked, then he may make a Play bet equal to two times his Ante.
- The dealer then deals two more community cards.
- If the player previously checked twice, then he must either make a Play bet equal to exactly his Ante or fold.
- The player and dealer will both make the best possible hand using any combination of his own two cards and the five community cards. The higher hand automatically wins.
- Winning Ante bets pay even money. However, if the dealer cannot open with a pair or higher, then Ante bets will automatically push.
- Winning Play bets always pay even money while winning Blind bets pay according to the posted pay table.
Live Ultimate Texas Hold’em Strategy and Tips
Once you see the first two cards you’re dealt, you are allowed to make a Play bet of up to four times your Ante. Another chance to place a Play bet comes up right after the first three community cards are flipped – where you get to make a Play bet of twice your Ante if you did not make the four-times bet. Lastly, you can make a Play bet that is equal to your Ante if you did not make any bet – this is after the last two cards are turned. This pro tip implies that you stand better chances of winning more if you are lucky enough to have strong cards at the early stages. Keep this in mind!