Get your cards
Every player receives two private hole cards.
Learn Texas Hold’em
KNOW THE GAME.
Two private cards. Five community cards. Make the best five-card hand and win the pot.
Build the board
The flop, turn and river reveal five shared cards.
Win the pot
Bet strategically or show the strongest five-card hand.
Before the deal
THE TABLE
STARTS MOVING.
Texas Hold’em uses a standard 52-card deck. Each player combines two private hole cards with the five community cards to build their strongest five-card hand.
The two players to the left of the dealer post the small blind and big blind. These required opening bets create the pot and rotate around the table after each hand.
If two or more players remain after the final betting round, their cards are revealed. The strongest valid five-card combination wins the pot.
Strongest to weakest
HAND
RANKINGS.
Royal flush
Straight flush
Four of a kind
Full house
Flush
Straight
Three of a kind
Two pair
One pair
High card
One hand, four stages
BETTING
ROUNDS.
Pre-flop
After the hole cards are dealt, action begins with the player immediately left of the big blind.
Flop
Three community cards are dealt face up, followed by another round of decisions and betting.
Turn
A fourth community card is added to the board before the next betting round.
River
The fifth and final community card is revealed, leading to the last round of betting.
THE ACTION.
Pass the action without betting.
Put chips in or increase the current bet.
Match the current bet and continue.
Release your hand and wait for the next deal.
Start at lower-stakes tables while you learn the rhythm of play. Watch betting patterns, understand the strength and rarity of each hand, and treat poker as entertainment rather than a guaranteed way to win.