Like the title suggests, this page is designed to take a
person who knows nothing about Texas holdem and walk them step
by step through the game so they can start playing without
embarrassing themselves. The title should really say Texas
holdem for the ignorant because not knowing about something is
ignorance, not a matter of being dumb. But for dummies is much
more catchy so we went with it.
One of the first and most important things to learn when playing Texas Hold'em is which starting hands are worth staying in with - and which you should fold. Deciding whether or not those two down cards you're first dealt are playable is the most important decision in every hand because while you have to be in it to win it, you also can't lose money you haven't bet.
- Texas hold'em is played by a rotating dealer and the player on button receives last action on all post-flop streets of play. Once the hand completes, the player with the dealer button will pass it to the player left to him or her. The Blinds (blind Bets) There are two blinds in Holdem: a small blind and a big blind.
- Learn more about the unique rules of Texas Holdem poker tournaments. Meanwhile, a Texas Holdem cash game is played on a single table with 2 to 10 players. The goal is simple: win as many chips as you can, one pot at a time. You win a pot by having the best hand or by having all other players fold before the showdown.
Just understand that what you don’t know about Texas holdem
doesn’t rank you with the dummies of the population, and after
reading this page you’ll have graduated to a level far above the
dummies stage. If you really study and learn from the details
below you’ll probably advance past the bottom 25% of the poker
population immediately.
Where else can you get a jump on a quarter of the population
by simply reading a page?
One of the best ways to learn how to play a new game is by
watching other players, but if you don’t understand the terms
the players are using and don’t understand the rules it can take
a long time to pick up on the fine points of the game.
It’s somewhat like trying to learn a new language by moving
to a new country without taking any language lessons.
This page starts with the basics by covering the important
terms you’ll hear at the table and then goes over the possible
poker hands and their strengths. Then you’ll learn the exact
step by step way a game of Texas holdem is set up and how a hand
is played, and as a bonus we’ve included a basic strategy
section.
If your goal is to be able to start playing Texas holdem as
quickly as possible without looking like you’re inexperienced or
don’t know what you’re doing this page will prepare you like no
other resource.
Basic Terms
In order to understand a game at the most basic level you
have to learn some of the common terms. Like many games, Texas
holdem players use a specialized language with terms that aren’t
used in normal conversation or terms that mean something
different than you’re used to.
Here’s a list of common terms used at the Texas holdem table.
- Hole Cards
The two cards dealt face down to each
player. Your two card starting hand is your hole cards. - Burn Card
The dealer places a card in the discard
pile, also called the muck, before dealing the flop, turn,
and river. This card is called a burn card. The phrase burn
and turn refers to burning a card and turning over the next
community card. - Community Cards
The community cards are cards placed
face up in the center of the poker table. These cards are
used in combination with your hole cards to make the best
possible five card poker hand. Every player uses the
community cards. The community cards are made up of the
flop, turn, and river. Some players call the community cards
the board. - Flop
The flop is the first set of community cards
dealt after the first betting round. Three cards are dealt
face up. - Turn
The turn is a single community card dealt
following the betting round conducted after the flop. - River
The final community card is called the river and
it is dealt after the betting round following the turn. - Showdown
After all of the community cards are dealt
and all of the betting rounds have been completed all of the
remaining players show their hole cards and the winning
player receives the pot. When the players show their cards
it’s called the showdown. - Fold
When you fold you turn your cards in to the
dealer face down instead of calling the current bet. - Call
If you decide to remain in the hand you must call
any bet that has been made earlier in the round. This
includes the big blind on the first round of betting. - Raise
A raise is when you not only call the current
bet but decide to place a larger bet. This is all done at
one time, unlike what you often see on television. You don’t
say I’ll call and raise. You simply state that you’re
raising and push the amount of chips forward to cover the
call and the raise. If you say I call and raise it’s a
string bet and this isn’t allowed in poker rooms. - Check
When there hasn’t been a bet on the current
round of betting you may check to the next person. You can’t
check on the first round unless you’re in the big blind and
no one has raised. You must call, raise, or fold on the
first round in any position other than the big blind. - All In
In a no limit Texas holdem game you can push
all of your chips into the pot whenever it’s your turn to
place a bet. When you bet all of your chips it’s called all
in. You can say I’m all in. - Limit Holdem
Limit Texas holdem has a strict bet and
raise limit on each round of betting. The first two betting
rounds are the same size as the big blind and the last two
rounds are played at double this amount. If the big blind is
$40, the small blind will be $20, the first two betting
rounds will be $40 per bet and the last two will be
conducted at $80 per bet. This means that when you bet you
have to bet the amount for the current round. When you arise
you can only raise the current limit. On the first betting
round of the example above, you can fold, call the $40 big
blind, or raise to a total of $80, which is your call of $40
and a raise of $40. A limit game with the above limits is
called a $40 / $80 game. - No Limit Holdem
No limit Texas holdem has a small and
big blind like limit holdem but you can raise any amount up
to the size of your stack of chips. The only restriction is
if you raise you have to raise at least an amount equal to
the last bet of the round. If the last bet was $20 you have
to raise at least $20. If no one has made a bet on the
current round you can raise any amount. - Big Blind
The big blind is a forced bet that a player
must make on every hand of Texas holdem. It’s also the name
of the position for the player who’s forced to make the bet.
The big blind is two seats to the left of the player in the
dealer position. After each hand the big blind moves one
seat to the left. In limit Texas holdem the big blind is
equal to the smaller of the two betting limits. In a $20 /
$40 game the big blind is $20. In a no limit game the size
of the big blind is determined by the house. - Small Blind
The small blind is a forced bet that is
made on each hand of Texas holdem. It also refers to the
position of the player making this forced bet. The small
blind is between the player in the dealer or button position
and the big blind. The amount of the small blind is almost
always half the amount of the big blind. If the big blind is
$20 the small blind is $10. Occasionally you may see a table
with a small blind that is a different amount, but it’s
rare. The small blind rotates one seat to the left after
each hand. - Dealer or Button
The dealer or button is the player
who is the last person to act on every round except the
first one. This player usually has a small round disc in
front of them that looks somewhat like a button. In a poker
room the casino personnel who deal the cards is called a
dealer, but when you hear someone refer to the dealer
position or button they mean the player, not the person
dealing the cards. The dealer button is passed to the next
player to the left after each hand. - Under the Gun
Under the gun refers to the position who
is first to act on the first betting round. This player is
seated immediately to the left of the big blind. - Chips
Chips, or poker chips, are the round things,
usually made of clay, you receive in exchange for your cash.
You use the chips to make bets and when you’re done you
exchange the chips back for cash in the cashier cage area. - Stack
Your stack is your collection of poker chips at
the poker table you use to place bets with. - Position
Position is a term used to describe where
you’re seated at a table in relation to the other players.
Your position changes as the dealer button is passed around
the table. Early position is when you have to act first or
second in the hand and late position is when you have to act
in the last two positions of the hand. Middle position is in
between early and late position. - Nuts
The nuts is a term used to describe the absolute
best possible poker hand in the current situation. If the
best possible hand is an ace high flush, if a person holds
an ace high flush he has the nuts. If you have the nuts
after the river you can’t lose the hand unless you fold.
Many players incorrectly use this term when they have a very
strong hand but not the absolute best possible hand. - Rake
In real money Texas holdem games the casino or
poker room makes money by taking a small amount from each
pot. This is called the rake. Both land based and online
poker rooms take rake. - Ring Game
A ring game is a Texas holdem game that has
players join and leave as they run out of chips or decide to
stop playing. You bring chips to the table and leave with
whatever chips you have left or have won. If you run out of
chips you can buy more and keep playing if you wish. If you
walk into a local poker room or log into an online poker
room and join a game in progress it’s a ring game. - Sit and Go Tournament
A sit and go tournament is a
small tournament, usually with nine or 10 players. You pay a
set buy in and the final three players win prize money.
First place usually receives 50% of the prize pool; second
place gets 30%, and third place receives 20%. When you run
out of chips you’re eliminated from the tournament. A few
online poker rooms run two or three table sit and go
tournaments, but traditionally they’re single table events. - Multi Table Tournaments
Multi table tournaments make
up every other tournament. The events at the World Series of
Poker are multi table events and many online poker rooms run
big events. You pay a fee, receive a set number of chips,
and play until you win all of the chips in play or run out
of chips. Usually somewhere around the top 8 to 12% of the
tournament entrants finish in the money. A few tournaments,
called re-buy tournaments, allow players to buy back into
the tournament for a limited time if they lose all of their
chips. Most tournaments don’t offer re-buy opportunities so
if you lose all of your chips you’re eliminated.
Hand Values
Each game of Texas holdem is dealt using a standard playing
card deck of 52 cards. Each deck has four suits made up of 13
cards per suit. The four suits are spades, hearts, clubs, and
diamonds. In Texas holdem each suit is equal in value.
The ranks of card in each suit from lowest to highest are 2,
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, jack, queen, king, and ace.
The following hand values are ranked from highest value to
lowest. Go down the list until you find the value of your
highest possible hand. Then do the same for your opponent’s
hand. Whoever has the highest hand on the list wins the hand.
- Royal Flush
A royal flush consists of the top five
cards all in the same suit. The ace, king, queen, jack, and
10 of hearts make up one of the four possible royal flush
hands. The same five cards, all in spades, or all in
diamonds, or all in clubs is also a royal flush. - Straight Flush
A straight flush is five cards in
order, all of the same suit. The 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 all of clubs
is a straight flush. - Four of a Kind
Four of a kind is a hand with four
cards of the same rank. A hand that has the 10 of clubs, 10
of hearts, 10 of spades, and 10 of diamonds has a four of a
kind in 10’s. In the case of two players each having four of
a kind, the player with the higher ranked four of a kind
wins the hand. If the board has four of a kind the player
with the highest other card wins the hand. If the board has
four of a kind and a higher fifth card than any remaining
player the pot is split between all remaining players. - Full House
A full house has three cards of the same
rank and two cards of the same rank that don’t match the
first three cards. If you have three aces and two kings, you
have a full house. If you hear a player say they have a full
house with aces full of kings, the three of a kind is stated
first and the pair is stated second. If two or more players
each have a full house the player with the highest ranked
three of a kind wins the hand. If the three of a kind is the
same the player with the highest pair wins the hand. - Flush
A flush is a hand with all five cards of the
same suit. If two or more players have a flush, the one with
the highest ranked card wins the hand. If two or more
players have the same highest ranked card they compare their
next highest ranked card and so on until one player has a
card of higher rank than the other players. - Straight
A straight is five cards in sequential order
but not all of the same suit. For the purposes of a straight
an ace can be used as the card above a king or below a two.
An example of a straight is 10, 9, 8, 7, and 6 with at least
two different suits. If two or more players have a straight
the one with the highest card in their straight is the
winner. - Three of a Kind
Three of a kind is three cards of the
same rank. If you have the 8 of diamonds, 8 of clubs, and 8
of spades you have three of a kind of 8’s. If two players
have the same three of a kind their next highest card
decides the winner. If two players have different three of a
kind hands the one with the highest ranked three of a kind
is the winner. If a player has a pair in their hole cards
and the board makes them a three of a kid hand it’s called a
set. If the board has two matching cards and you match them
with one of your cards it’s called trips. - Two Pair
Two pair is two cards of the same rank and
another two cards of the same rank that aren’t the same rank
as the first pair. If you have a 7 of spades and a 7 of
hearts and an 8 of hearts and an 8 of diamonds you have two
pair. If two or more players have two pair the player with
the highest ranked pair is the winner. - Pair
A pair of cards is two cards of the same rank.
Two aces or two threes both count as a pair. If two or more
players have a pair the player with the highest ranked pair
is the winner. If two players have the same ranked pair the
player with the next highest ranked card wins. - High Card
If no players have a pair or better the
player with the highest ranked card is declared the winner.
If they have the same highest ranked card their next highest
ranked cards are compared. This continues until one player
has a higher ranked card than their opponent. If all five
cards are the same rank the pot is split.
How to Play
Texas holdem games are available in ring games and
tournaments, but the same basic rules govern how to play both
types of games. If you follow the step by step details below
you’ll be able to play in any type of Texas holdem game.
Joining or Starting a Game
If you join a ring game in progress the dealer and blind
positions will be set from the previous hand. Depending on the
house rules you may have to wait for the big blind to come
around to where you’re seated before you can start playing. Some
places let you post a bet equal to the big blind to start
playing right away.
If you’re seated at the beginning of a tournament or when a
ring game starts the dealer shuffles the cards and then deals
one card face up to each player at the table. The player who
receives the highest card is awarded the dealer button for the
first hand.
Dealing & the Blinds
The first player to the left of the dealer button places the
small blind and the next player to the left places the big
blind. Then the person dealing the cards deals two cards to each
player at the table, one at a time starting with the small blind
and going to the left, finishing once the button player has
received her second card.
Initial Betting Round
At this time the first player to the left of the big blind
folds, calls the big blind, or raises. Play continues to the
left with each player either calling the current bet or blind if
no one has raised, folding, or raising. Play continues until
each player has called the last bet or folded. In a limit game
all bets and raises are the amount of the smaller limit on this
round and the next betting round.
If no one raises the small blind can call the half bet,
called completing the bet, and the big blind has the choice to
check if the pot hasn’t been raised, or fold.
The Flop
After all of the betting action has been completed on the
first round of betting the dealer burns the card on top of the
deck and then turns the next three cards face up in the center
of the table. These three cards are the first of the five
community cards and called the flop.
Each player uses their two hole cards in combination with the
five board cards to make their best possible five card hand. You
can use both of your hole cards with three of the community
cards, one of your hole cards with four of the community cards,
or all five of the community cards and neither of your hole
cards.
After the flop the first person to the left of the dealer
button remaining in the hand can check or bet. In a limit game
the bet must be the smaller limit amount. In a no limit game the
bet can be any amount up to and including the amount of chips
the player has in front of them.
Play continues to the left. Each player may check if no bet
has been made, call if a bet has been made, bet if a bet hasn;t
been made, or raise if a bet has been made. Play continues to
the left until each player has checked or each player has called
the most recent bet or folded.
The Turn
The dealer burns the top card and deals the next card face up
with the other community cards. This is called the turn. In
limit Texas holdem all bets on the turn and river are at the
higher limit.
After the turn card is dealt the first player to the left of
the dealer button remaining in the hand either checks or bets.
Play continues to the left like it did on the flop with each
player checking, calling, betting, or raising depending on what
has happened before on this betting round.
The River & Showdown
When all of the betting has been completed on the turn the
dealer burns a final card and places the fifth and final
community card face up. A betting round identical to the one on
the turn is completed. After the river betting round all of the
remaining players turn their cards over and the player with the
best hand wins the pot. If more than one player has the exact
same winning hand the pot is split between the players with the
tied best hand.
After the dealer gives the pot to the winning player the
dealer button is passed one place to the left and the blinds
move one place to the left. Once the two blinds pay their forced
bets the next hand starts.
Basic Strategy
It;s one thing to be able to play Texas holdem, but it;s
another thing to be able to do it without losing all of your
money quickly. If you want to not only play your first Texas
holdem game but want to have a decent chance to break even
here;s a few tips to help you get started.
You should know that winning Texas holdem players have been
playing and studying for years in most cases. While you can
learn a few thing that can help you be competitive quickly, this
represents a small part of strategy. If you want to learn more
or become competitive faster you need to check out our strategy
section.
- Play at the smallest limits available. This keeps your
initial investment as low as possible and will keep you from
losing too much as you make mistakes while you’re learning. - Play at the limit Texas holdem tables at first instead
of the no limit tables. While you can still lose money
quickly, a single mistake usually won’t cost you your entire
stack like it can at the no limit tables. - If you can find tables with other new or inexperienced
players it can give you the best chance to win. - Learn about pot odds and start using them to make
decisions at the table. We have an extensive page on them so
you can quickly learn more. - At the most basic level you need to focus on only
playing with your best starting hands. When you start with a
better hand than your opponents you’ll end up with a better
hand more often than they will. Most players play too many
hands, so focus on playing fewer hands and remain patient. - Don’t bluff. If you watch poker on television you see
many players bluffing. As you’re learning how to play forget
about bluffing. When you have a good hand bet and raise and
when you have a poor hand check and fold. You can worry
about bluffing once you become a better player. - A full house is a monster hand and rarely loses in a
Texas holdem game. Flushes are the next most powerful hand,
followed by three of a kind. When you have one of these
three hands you’ll usually win the pot. Many pots are won
with a high pair or a two pair hand, but both of these hands
are vulnerable to better hands. - You can practice playing online at the free money
tables, but the play is so bad it’s difficult to get better
from a strategy standpoint. You still need to try to play
using the best strategy but until you start playing for real
money it can be hard to see if your decisions are right or
not. - Instead of playing at the free money tables take a seat
at the micro limit tables. Many online sites have limit
Texas holdem tables as low as .05 /.10. Even though you’re
only playing with nickels and dimes the play is much more
realistic at these levels and you can work on improving your
game. - Always focus on playing the best game possible. Even if
you’re playing for free or small stakes treat each game and
hand like it’s for thousands of dollars. If you want to be
the best player possible you need to concentrate every time
you play poker. - The best position at the table is the dealer button. You
get to see how the other players play the hand before you
have to play. The blinds and under the gun are the worst
positions. Play fewer hands from the poor positions and more
hands from the best positions. - Always pay attention while playing Texas holdem. Watch
the other players even when you fold your hand. See if you
can figure out which ones are good and which ones aren’t.
You can often learn things about other players by watching
that you can use to make more money against them in the
future.
How to Get Started
The quickest way to get started is by signing up for an
online poker room. Your options depend a great deal on where you
live. If you live in the United States you’ll only find a few
poker rooms available, unless you live in one of the states with
specific laws allowing online play. If you live in the UK or
many other places around the world you’ll have more options.
Once you find a poker room sign up for a free account and
head over to the cashier area. Make a deposit and claim a bonus
if the poker room is offering a sign up bonus. Most bonuses
aren’t placed in your account right away. You have to play a
certain amount of real money hands before the bonus is released,
usually in small increments of $10 or so.
To make a deposit you can use a credit card, a bank wire, or
one of the popular online wallet accounts, depending on where
you live. The cashier area will have additional details about
the methods available to players where you live.
If you just want to play for free you don’t have to make a
deposit, but you should still sign up for a place that lets you
play for real money. This way all you have to do is make a
deposit to switch from play money to real money play.
If you want to play at a local casino or poker room walk in
and find the registration desk in the poker area. Tell them
which game you’d like to play, your name, and ask them where to
buy chips. Most poker rooms want you to buy chips at the cage,
but a few let you buy them at the table.
Most rooms have a list of available games, but if they don’t
ask what the lowest Texas holdem limit game is they’re currently
spreading. If they have a seat available they’ll point you in
the right direction and if not they’ll put you on the list and
call for you when a seat opens up.
Once you get seated simply follow the directions of the
dealer. When the big blind comes around to you place your bet in
front of you and get ready to start playing. If the dealer asks
if you want to play or wait for your big blind you can do
whatever you prefer. If you decide to play slide an amount equal
to the big blind out. Some rooms let you start playing right
away without placing a bet on your first hand.
No one knows the house rules the first time they play, and
they vary from room to room. If you play online the software
takes care of everything so all you have to do is click the
button when the software asks about the blinds.
The main thing to keep in mind is that everyone was a
beginning Texas holdem player at one point. If you don’t know
something simply ask. Casino and poker room personnel are there
to help you and most poker players are friendly enough to help
new players. If you run into a grumpy player just ignore them
and ask someone else.
Even the most seasoned pros make mistakes, so don’t worry
about the ones you’re going to make. Simply understanding that
it’s not the end of the world if you do something wrong can make
your experience more enjoyable. You’ll see players with years of
experience play out of turn, forget to do something like place
the blinds, or get lost in thought. Just correct your mistake
and move onto the next hand.
Summary
Many new players are afraid they’ll do something that makes
them look stupid or foolish at the table. They try to hide the
fact that they’re new to the game from the other players.
While you can do whatever you feel is best, have you
considered just telling the other players that you’re new to the
game? Almost universally, poker players are happy to have new
players at their table. New players usually make mistakes, which
are good for the other players, so most players go out of their
way to make newbies feel welcome.
If you have questions about something ask the dealer. She’s
there to run the game smoothly, and part of that job is helping
the players.
Another option for your first time playing is going to a
local poker room with someone you know who is an experienced
player. Your friend can help you get signed up for a table, buy
chips, and get started.
Of course if you want to play online you’ll be operating
behind a screen name so no one will know who you are, but you
can start playing at the free money tables so even if you make
mistakes it won’t cost you more than your time.
Table Of Contents
If you want to learn how to play Texas hold'em games, then you need to start from the basic rules and hands. That's exactly what you'll find on this beginner's guide to the game.
Texas hold'em is a simple poker game, but it can be daunting to get to grips with.
But don't let that put you off. By the time you are down with this beginner's guide to Texas hold'em, you will know:
1. What Is Texas Hold'em Poker?
Texas Hold'em is the most popular of all poker variations.
All of the marquee tournaments around the world (including those played at the World Series of Poker, the World Poker Tour, the and the European Poker Tour) feature the no-limit variation of this game.
Texas hold'em is so popular that is the only poker game many players will ever learn.
It takes a moment to learn, but a lifetime to master.
Discovering how to play Texas hold'em poker is not difficult and the simplicity of its rules, gameplay, and hand-ranking all contribute to the popularity of the game.
However, don't let the simplicity of the game mislead you.
The number of possible situations and combinations is so vast that Texas hold'em can be an extremely complex game when you play at the highest levels.
If you are approaching the game of Texas hold'em for the first time, starting from the basic rules of the game is key. Not only these are the easiest ones to learn, but they are also essential to understand the gameplay and, later on, the game's basic strategy.
Want to Practice Poker Online?These are the best sites to play free games of Texas hold'em online. Use your e-mail address to register and sit at the free tables to play!
'>2. Texas Hold'em Rules
So how do you play Texas hold'em?
The goal of a Texas hold'em game is to use your hole card and in combination with the community cards to make the best possible five-card poker hand.
Hold'em is not unlike other poker games like five-card draw.
However, the way players construct their hands in Texas hold'em is a little different than in draw poker.
It's always possible a player can 'bluff' and get others to fold better hands.
- In a game of Texas hold'em, each player is dealt two cards face down (the 'hole cards')
- Throughout several betting rounds, five more cards are (eventually) dealt face up in the middle of the table
- These face-up cards are called the 'community cards.' Each player is free to use the community cards in combination with their hole cards to build a five-card poker hand.
While we will see each betting round and different phase that forms a full hand of a Texas hold'em game, you should know that the five community cards are dealt in three stages:
- The Flop: the first three community cards.
- The Turn: the fourth community card.
- The River:The fifth and final community card.
Your mission is to construct your five-card poker hands using the best available five cards out of the seven total cards (the two hole cards and the five community cards).
You can do that by using both your hole cards in combination with three community cards, one hole card in combination with four community cards, or no hole cards.
If the cards on the table lead to a better combination, you can also play all five community cards and forget about yours.
In a game of Texas hold'em you can do whatever works to make the best five-card hand.
If the betting causes all but one player to fold, the lone remaining player wins the pot without having to show any cards.
For that reason, players don't always have to hold the best hand to win the pot. It's always possible a player can 'bluff' and get others to fold better hands.
READ ALSO: Common Poker Tells: How to Read People in Poker
If two or more players make it all of the way to the showdown after the last community card is dealt and all betting is complete, the only way to win the pot is to have the highest-ranking five-card poker hand.
Now that you know the basics of Texas hold'em and you start to begin gaining an understanding of how the game works, it's time to get into some specifics.
These include how to deal Texas hold'em and how the betting works.
Basic Rules Key Takeaways:
- A game of Texas hold'em feature several betting rounds
- Players get two private and up to five community cards
- Unless all players abandon the game before the showdown, you need the highest poker hand to win
How to Play
Let's have a look at all the different key aspects of a Texas hold'em game, including the different positions at the table and the betting rounds featured in the game.
The Button
The play moves clockwise around the table, starting with action to the left of the dealer button.
The 'button' is a round disc that sits in front of a player and is rotated one seat to the left every hand.
When playing in casinos and poker rooms, the player with the dealer button doesn't deal the cards (the poker room hires someone to do that).
In when you play poker home games with friends the player with the button usually deals the hands.
The button determines which player at the table is the acting dealer.
The first two players sitting to the immediate left of the button are required to post a 'small blind' and a 'big blind' to initiate the betting.
From there, the action occurs on multiple streets:
- Preflop
- Flop
- Turn
- River
Each one of these moments (or 'streets' in the game's lingo) is explained further below.
The button determines which player at the table is the acting dealer.
In Texas hold'em, the player on button, or last active player closest to the button receives the last action on all post-flop streets of play.
While the dealer button dictates which players have to post the small and big blinds, it also determines where the dealing of the cards begin.
The player to the immediate left of the dealer button in the small blind receives the first card and then the dealer pitches cards around the table in a clockwise motion from player to player until each has received two starting cards.
READ ALSO: Poker Positions Explained: the Importance of Position in Poker
The Blinds
Before every new hand begins, two players at the table are obligated to post small and big blinds.
The blinds are forced bets that begin the wagering.
How To Texas Hold'em Poker
Without these blinds, the game would be very boring because no one would be required to put any money into the pot and players could just wait around until they are dealt pocket aces (AA) and only play then.
The blinds ensure there will be some level of 'action' on every hand.
In tournaments, the blinds are raised at regular intervals. In cash games, the blinds always stay the same.
In tournaments, the blinds are raised at regular intervals.
- As the number of players keeps decreasing and the stacks of the remaining players keep getting bigger, it is a necessity that the blinds keep increasing throughout a tournament. [*]In cash games, the blinds always stay the same.
The player directly to the left of the button posts the small blind, and the player to his or her direct left posts the big blind.
The small blind is generally half the amount of the big blind, although this stipulation varies from room to room and can also be dependent on the game being played.
In a '$1/$2' Texas holdem game, the small blind is $1 and the big blind is $2.
First Betting Round: Preflop
The first round of betting takes place right after each player has been dealt two hole cards.
The first player to act is the player to the left of the big blind.
This position referred to as 'under the gun' because the player has to act first. The first player has three options:
- Call: match the amount of the big blind
- Raise: increase the bet within the specific limits of the game
- Fold: throw the hand away
If the player chooses to fold, he or she is out of the game and no longer eligible to win the current hand.
Texas Holdem Poker How To
Players can bet anywhere from the amount of the big blind (the minimum bet allowed) up to the total amount in the current pot.
The amount a player can raise to depends on the game that is being played.
In a game of no-limit Texas hold'em, the minimum opening raise must be at least twice the big blind, and the maximum raise can be all of the chips a player has in his or her stack (an 'all-in' bet).
There are other betting variations in hold'em poker.
In fixed-limit hold'em (or just 'limit hold'em), a raise is always exactly twice the big blind.
In pot-limit hold'em (played much less often than the other variations), players can bet anywhere from the amount of the big blind (the minimum bet allowed) up to the total amount in the current pot.
After the first player ('under the gun') acts, the play proceeds in a clockwise fashion around the table with each player also having the same three options — to call, to raise, or fold.
Once the last bet is called and the action is 'closed,' the preflop round is over and play moves on to the 'flop.'
Second Betting Round: The Flop
After the first preflop betting round has been completed, the first three community cards are dealt and a second betting round follows involving only the players who have not folded already.
A check simply means to pass the action to the next player in the hand.
In this betting round (and subsequent ones), the action starts with the first active player to the left of the button.
Along with the options to bet, call, fold, or raise, a player now has the option to 'check' if no betting action has occurred beforehand.
A check simply means to pass the action to the next player in the hand.
Again betting continues until the last bet or raise has been called (which closes the action).
It also can happen that every player simply chooses not to be and checks around the table, which also ends the betting round.
Third Betting Round: The Turn
Call – match the amount of the big blind
The fourth community card, called the turn, is dealt face-up following all betting action on the flop.
Once this has been completed, another round of betting occurs, similar to that on the previous street of play.
Again players have the option to options to check, bet, call, fold, or raise.
Final Betting Round: The River
Fold – throw the hand away
The fifth community card, called the river, is dealt face-up following all betting action on the turn.
Once this has been completed, another round of betting occurs, similar to what took play on the previous street of play.
Once more the remaining players have the option to options to check, bet, call, fold, or raise.
After all betting action has been completed, the remaining players in the hand with hole cards now expose their holdings to determine a winner. This is called the showdown.
The Showdown
Players construct their hands by choosing the five best cards from the seven available
The remaining players show their hole cards, and with the assistance of the dealer, a winning hand is determined.
The player with the best combination of five cards wins the pot according to the official poker hand rankings.
3. The Hands in Texas Hold'em
These hand rankings aren't specifically part of Texas hold'em rules, but apply to many different poker games.
- Royal Flush — five cards of the same suit, ranked ace through ten; e.g., A♥K♥Q♥J♥10♥
- Straight Flush — five cards of the same suit and consecutively ranked; e.g., 9♣8♣7♣6♣5♣
- Four of a Kind — four cards of the same rank; e.g., Q♣Q♥Q♦Q♠4♦
- Full House — three cards of the same rank and two more cards of the same rank; e.g., J♣J♥J♠8♦8♥
- Flush — any five cards of the same suit; e.g., A♠J♠8♠5♠2♠
- Straight — any five cards consecutively ranked; e.g., Q♣J♦10♥9♠8♦
- Three of a Kind — three cards of the same rank; e.g., 8♣8♠8♦K♣4♥
- Two Pair — two cards of the same rank and two more cards of the same rank; e.g., A♠A♣J♦J♣7♠
- One Pair — two cards of the same rank; e.g., 10♥10♣9♥4♦2♦
- High Card — five unmatched cards; e.g., A♣J♦10♠5♣2♥ would be called 'ace-high'
Players construct their hands by choosing the five best cards from the seven available (their two hole cards and the five community cards).
If the board is showing 9♣5♠K♦3♠A♥, a player with the two hole cards 9♠ would have two pair (aces and nines) and would lose to a player who has 9♦9♥ for three of a kind (three nines).
Learning hold'em poker begins with understanding how hands are dealt and the order of play as described above.
Of course, learning Texas hold'em rules is just the beginning, as the next step is to learn strategy which involves understanding what constitutes good starting hand selection, the odds and probabilities associated with the game, the significance of position and getting to act last during those post-flop betting rounds, and many other aspects of the game.
4. How to Play Texas Hold'em Games Online
Now that you know how Texas Hold'em works, it's time to put the theory into practice and play your first games.
The best way to start playing Texas Hold'em is to start from these free poker games available online and then move up to the real money action only when you feel comfortable enough to do so.
All the 'must-have poker rooms' below offer free games to practice online.
If you are completely new to the game, you should go for play money options, first. These risk-free games with fake money are an excellent way to familiarise with the different moments of play and the betting rounds.
The play money games are a great way to learn more about the hand rankings and begin to read the board fast enough to take all the right decisions at the right time.
After that, you should more to the poker freerolls. These are free poker tournaments with actual prizes on tap that range from free money to free entries into more expensive real money games.
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