How to Play Texas Hold’em | Texas Hold’em Rules

At every Texas Hold’em table, the dealer rotates clockwise from hand to hand. For any given hand, the two players directly to the left of the dealer are forced to make a minimal bet, known as blinds (because you are betting without seeing your cards).

The player to the dealer’s immediate left is the small blind, which is an amount that is half of the big blind, posted by the person sitting to the small blind’s left. Who posts the blind rotates each hand, but when you are the small or big blind, the hand’s strategy changes.

Once the blinds are posted, the dealer will give every player two cards, face down. These are known as your “hole” cards and will be the only ones that differentiate your hand from any other opponents.

After hole cards are dealt, the first round of betting commences. To stay in the hand, a player must at least match the amount of the big blind already on the table. They can also choose to raise the starting amount, requiring any challenger at least match the amount of the raise.

Non-blinds can fold at this stage without committing any bets to the pot.

Once the first round of betting is complete, the dealer with place three cards in the middle of the table, face up. These three cards are called “the flop” and are community cards. Therefore, these any of these three cards can be combined with one or both of a players hole cards to make the best poker hand possible.

After the flop, there is another round of betting. Each player can fold without risking any more chips, can check the current pot and stay in the hand so long as no other player bets, or can raise the pot. Once someone has bet, to see another card, each player must at least match that amount of chips.

After the flop and subsequent betting round, if more than one player is still in the hand, the dealer will show another card, face-up, in the center of the table. This card is known as “The Turn” or “Fourth Street.” It is also a community card that can help any remaining players hand.

Another round of betting begins, where players can fold, check, or bet, based on table position and the action before them.

Finally, the dealer will place a fifth community card in the middle, face up. This is “The River.” Each remaining player at the table now compiles the best five-card poker hand they can from their two hole card and the five community cards.

After the river card, there is a final round of betting. If more than one player calls the last bet, those players will reveal their cards and determine who has the strongest hand and therefore wins all the chips in the pot.