Ultimate Texas Holdem is a casino game from ShuffleMaster based on the most popular poker game in the world. As with most other poker-based casino games, players compete against the dealer, as opposed to each other, but what makes Ultimate Texas Holdem unique is the ability to check through to the river.

To begin the game, players place a Blind bet and an Ante bet of equal size. They may also choose to place a Trips bet. The latter is an optional bonus bet that pays out if the player gets three of a kind or better, regardless of whether their hand beats the dealer or not. When all initial bets have been placed, two cards are dealt face down to the player and to the dealer.

Having seen your two hole cards, you can decide to check your hand or bet up to four times your original Ante. The flop is dealt in the centre of the table and the action turns to you again. If you bet in the previous round, you cannot bet again, but if you checked previously you can either check again or bet up to two times your original Ante. The turn and river cards are then dealt at the same time and if you have only checked to this point you must make a bet equal to the size of your original Ante or forfeit the hand.

The aim is for the player to beat the dealer by making a better Texas Holdem poker hand using his two hole cards and the five community cards. If he succeeds his Ante bet is paid out at odds of even money and his Blind bet according to the strength of his hand. If he fails to beat the dealer his bets lose. If both the dealer and the player tie, the bets are refunded. However, if the dealer doesn’t have a pair or better, his hand doesn’t qualify and the player’s Ante bet is returned before his Blind bet is settled.

Essentially, Ultimate Texas Holdem provides all the excitement and profit potential of heads-up poker, but with the convenience and speed that you’d expect from a casino game. The next time you see it, give it a go. If you like poker, we think you’ll love Ultimate Texas Holdem.