OBJECTIVE: To become a winner you should make up the highest possible poker hand of five cards, using the two initially dealt cards and the five community cards.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS: 2-10 players
Texas Hold'em uses the standard 52-card French deck and the standard poker hand rankings, with the Royal Flush (Ace-King-Queen-Jack-Ten) the best possible hand. Players at the table take turns clockwise, with a stack of poker chips in front of them that they'll use to make betting decisions. A Texas Hold’em tournament is the same as any other game of Hold’em with a few added rules and twists. 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.
NUMBER OF CARDS: 52- deck cards
RANK OF CARDS: A-K-Q-J-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2
THE DEAL: Every player is dealt two cards face down which is commonly called ‘hole cards’.
TYPE OF GAME: Casino
AUDIENCE: Adults
Introduction to Texas Hold ‘Em
How to Play
Basic Texas Holdem Rules Printable
First Round Betting: The Pre-Flop
Second Round Betting: The Flop
Third & Fourth Round Betting: The Turn & The River
Ties
Pairs– if two players are tied for highest pairs a “kicker” or the next highest-ranking card is used to determine the winner. You continue until one player has a higher-ranking card or both are determined to have the same exact hand, in which case the pot is split.
Two pairs– in this tie, the higher ranked pair wins, if top pairs are equal in rank you move to the next pair, then move to kickers if necessary.
Three of a kind – higher ranking card takes the pot.
Straights – the straight with the highest-ranking card wins; if both straights are the same the pot is split.
Flush – The flush with the highest-ranking card wins, if the same you move to the next card till a winner is found or hands are the same. If hands are the same split the pot.
Full house – the hand with the higher ranking three cards wins.
Four of a kind – the higher ranking set of four wins.
Straight flush – ties are broken the same as a regular straight.
Royal Flush – split the pot.
Hand Ranking
Master the rules of Texas Holdem in minutes and learn how to play this extremely popular poker game.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 15 Minutes
What You Need:
- 52-Card Deck
- 2-20 Players
- Money or Chips
Here's How:
- The two players to the left of the dealer put out blind bets. The player directly to the dealer's left puts out the small blind, while the player two to the dealer's left puts out the big blind, which is twice as much as the small blind.
Don't know what blinds are? Read more about Betting Basics - Every player is dealt two cards, face down. These are called hole cards or pocket cards.
- The action, or the first move, falls on the player to the left of the big blind. They can either call the blind, raise it, or fold. The size of a raise must be at least twice the size of the bet preceding it; the maximum depends on whether you are playing with a limit or no-limit betting structure. Betting then continues around the table, clockwise.
- After the betting round is completed, three cards are dealt face up in the center of the table, which is referred to as the board. The first three cards in Texas Hold'em are called the flop. These cards are “community cards” meaning everyone can (and will need to) use at least three of them in combination with their own hole cards to make the best hand.
- From the flop on, betting begins with the player to the dealer’s left, who can check or bet. The players after must either check or bet if no one has bet yet; or they must call, raise, or fold if someone has.
- A fourth card is dealt face up onto the board. This is called fourth street or the turn card.
- Another round of betting.
- The final card is dealt face up. This card is also called fifth street or the river.
- A final round of betting occurs. The remaining players show their cards and the person who can make the best five-card hand by combining their pocket cards with the cards on the board wins.
Note: In some rare cases in Texas Hold'em, the five cards making up the board will actually be the best hand, in which case everyone left in the hand divides up the poker. - The deal passes to the next player to the left (who was small blind last hand) and a new hand is dealt.
And now you know all the basic rules to Texas Hold'em poker!
Tips:
Official Texas Holdem Poker Rules
- Make sure you learn the best starting hands in Texas Hold'em poker and how to play them, as well as the worst starting hands to play. Playing the former and folding the latter will immediately make you a better player.
- Once you've got the basics of how to play, make sure to understand how your position at the table can help or hurt you.
- It's always a good idea to follow good poker etiquette.