Texas Hold'em Rules: Complete Beginner Guide
Texas Hold'em is the world's most popular poker variant found in every casino and online room. Learning the rules takes about 10 minutes — this guide gives you everything needed to play your first hand confidently.
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The Basic Setup
Texas Hold'em uses a standard 52-card deck between 2 and 10 players. The goal is the best five-card hand using any combination of your two private cards (hole cards) and five community cards dealt face-up in the centre.
The dealer position rotates clockwise, marked by a button. The two players to the left post forced bets called blinds — small blind (SB) and big blind (BB) — creating initial action every hand.
The Four Betting Rounds
A hand plays out over four betting rounds:
| Round | Cards Dealt | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-flop | 2 hole cards per player | Bet, raise, call or fold based on hole cards |
| Flop | 3 community cards face-up | First round with shared cards visible |
| Turn | 1 more community card (4th) | Second betting round with four board cards |
| River | Final community card (5th) | Last betting round before showdown |
| Showdown | Remaining players reveal cards | Best five-card hand wins the pot |
Your Betting Options
On your turn you have these options:
Check: Pass without betting (only if no one has bet this round).
Bet: Place the first wager.
Call: Match the current bet.
Raise: Increase the current bet — others must call or fold.
Fold: Discard your hand and forfeit chips already in the pot.
Betting continues until all players have put in equal amounts or folded. A hand ends immediately if all opponents fold — the remaining player wins without a showdown.
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How to Win the Pot
Two ways to win:
1. Make everyone fold: If all opponents fold to your bet at any point, you win immediately without showing cards.
2. Best hand at showdown: If two or more players reach the end, everyone shows their cards. The best five-card hand using any combination of your two hole cards and five community cards wins. You can use both hole cards, one, or neither — whichever makes your best hand.
Game Formats and Structures
No-Limit Hold'em: Bet any amount up to all your chips at any time. This is the standard format in tournaments and most cash games — what you see on TV.
Pot-Limit Hold'em: Maximum bet equals the current pot size. Less common.
Fixed-Limit: Bet sizes fixed — smaller pre-flop and flop, doubled on turn and river. Rare but available at some tables.
Blinds: Small blind is typically half the big blind. In a £1/£2 game, SB posts £1, BB posts £2, creating the starting pot.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cards do you get in Texas Hold'em?
Each player gets 2 private hole cards. Five community cards are dealt to the board. You use any combination of your 2 and the 5 board cards to make your best 5-card hand.
What beats what in Texas Hold'em?
Rankings highest to lowest: Royal Flush, Straight Flush, Four of a Kind, Full House, Flush, Straight, Three of a Kind, Two Pair, One Pair, High Card.
Who acts first pre-flop?
The player to the left of the big blind acts first pre-flop. From the flop onwards, the first active player left of the dealer button acts first.
What if two players tie?
The pot splits equally between tied players. An odd chip goes to the player closest to the dealer's left.
Can you play Texas Hold'em with 2 players?
Yes — called heads-up. The dealer posts the small blind, the other posts the big blind. Dealer acts first pre-flop but last on all subsequent streets.
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