One hand, start to finish
Three decision points, and what happens after each one.
A hand of UTH is a short ladder with three steps. You can climb off at any step by making your Play bet.
Step 1: preflop. You see your two cards. Choose:
- Bet 4× (or 3×) the Ante in the Play circle, or
- Check: bet nothing for now and see the flop.
Step 2: the flop. If you checked, three community cards are dealt. Choose:
- Bet 2× the Ante, or
- Check again.
Step 3: the river. If you checked twice, the turn and river come out together. Now you must choose:
- Bet 1× the Ante, or
- Fold: give up your Ante and Blind and stop.
The moment you make a Play bet, at any step, you're done deciding. The dealer deals any remaining community cards, turns over their two cards and settles everything.
Notice what you can't do. You can't fold before the river, and you can't raise twice. You also can't take a bet back. Checking early is free, so the only ways to lose more than your Ante and Blind are by choosing to make a Play bet.
There's one more thing to know about folding: it costs exactly 2 Antes (your Ante and Blind), no matter what the dealer has. If you bet 1x instead, you can win or lose up to 3 Antes. Lesson 11 shows when that's worth it.
Quiz
You checked before the flop. What can you bet after the flop?
- 4×
- 3×
- 2×
- 1×
Show the answer
C: 2×. The flop raise is 2× the Ante.
Quiz
You bet 4× before the flop. What do you decide on the river?
- Whether to fold
- Whether to add 1×
- Nothing, your decisions are over
- Whether to take the bet back
Show the answer
C: Nothing, your decisions are over. One Play bet per hand. After it, the dealer just finishes the hand.
Quiz
When can you fold?
- Any time
- Only before the flop
- Only on the river, after checking twice
- Never
Show the answer
C: Only on the river, after checking twice. The only fold is at the last decision, instead of betting 1×.
Quiz
Your Ante is $10. How much does folding cost?
- $10
- $20
- $30
- Nothing
Show the answer
B: $20. You lose the Ante and the Blind, $10 each.