There are actually two different types of poker tables – the Texas Hold’em and Omaha tables. A standard poker table has six rows and six columns, with each row and column having its own set of cards.
This means that there are a total of 36 cards dealt out at any given time.
The Texas Hold’em table has an additional row in the middle, called the “middle seat”. This row is used exclusively for playing Omaha poker.
The Omaha table has an additional column in the middle, called the “under-the-glass” or “boot” column. This column is used exclusively for playing high-low split hands.
In a standard poker game, each player is dealt two hole cards, then three face cards (jack, queen, king). These are placed face down in front of the player. The remainder of the deck is then placed face down in the middle of the table, next to the player’s stack of chips. After all players have taken their initial turns, the dealer flips over one card from the deck and sets it on top of the remaining cards. This is now known as “the flop”.
The dealer then flips over one more card and sets it on top of the flop. This is now known as “the turn”. After both players have had a chance to look at this new card, the dealer flips over another card and sets it on top of all three previous cards – this is now known as “the river”. Play now resumes with each player hoping to make a better hand than their opponents by using either their two hole cards or their newly acquired three face cards.
