Ultimate Texas Hold'em is Texas hold'em played one-on-one against the dealer. The other players at the table are not your opponents; everyone plays their own hand against the dealer's.
You make the best five-card hand from your two hole cards and five community cards in the middle of the table. There is no bluffing. What you decide is when and how much to bet, and the stronger your hand, the earlier and bigger you can bet.
Poker hands
Hands higher in the list beat lower ones; within the same hand, higher cards win. The ace is the highest card, but it can also play low in the straight A-2-3-4-5 ("five high").
Hand
Example
Royal flush
A♥K♥Q♥J♥10♥
Straight flush
9♠8♠7♠6♠5♠
Four of a kind
Q♣Q♦Q♥Q♠4♦
Full house
8♥8♣8♠3♦3♣
Flush
K♦10♦7♦4♦2♦
Straight
10♣9♥8♦7♠6♣
Three of a kind
5♠5♥5♦K♣9♠
Two pair
J♠J♦4♣4♥A♦
One pair
7♣7♦K♠Q♥3♣
High card
A♥J♣8♠6♦3♥
How a hand plays out
Bets: put equal amounts on the ante and the blind. The trips side bet is optional.
The deal: you and the dealer get two cards each, face down. You see only your own.
Before the flop: bet 4× or 3× your ante on "play", or check.
The flop: three community cards are turned up. If you have not bet yet, bet 2× or check.
Turn and river: the last two community cards are turned up. If you still have not bet, bet 1× or fold. Folding loses the ante and the blind.
Showdown: the dealer turns over their two cards and settles with every player who bet.
You bet on play only once per hand. The earlier you commit, the more you can bet, and once you have bet you simply watch the rest of the cards.
The dealer's qualifying hand
The dealer "qualifies" with a pair or better. If the dealer does not qualify, only the ante is a push (returned); the play and blind bets are settled as usual.
How the bets are settled
Ante
Blind
Play
You win
1 to 1 (push if the dealer does not qualify)
by the pay table (push below a straight)
1 to 1
Dealer wins
loses (push if the dealer does not qualify)
loses
loses
Tie
push
push
push
Fold
loses
loses
—
The blind pay table
The blind pays only when you win with a straight or better. A win with anything less is a push, and a loss takes the blind.
Winning hand
Pays
Royal flush
500 to 1
Straight flush
50 to 1
Four of a kind
10 to 1
Full house
3 to 1
Flush
3 to 2
Straight
1 to 1
Anything else
push
The trips pay table
Trips is a side bet decided by your own seven cards alone. It pays on three of a kind or better, whatever the dealer holds, whether you win or lose, and even if you fold.
Hand
Pays
Royal flush
50 to 1
Straight flush
40 to 1
Four of a kind
30 to 1
Full house
8 to 1
Flush
7 to 1
Straight
4 to 1
Three of a kind
3 to 1
Anything else
loses
Trips pay tables differ between casinos; this is one of the tables used in real casinos.
Table limits
Ante (= blind): $10–$250
Play: 4×, 3×, 2× or 1× the ante (up to $1,000)
Trips: $10–$1,000 (optional)
Bet 4× on a $25 ante and you have $150 on the table: $25 ante, $25 blind and $100 play. A single hand moves more money than you might expect.