Texas Holdem Rules

Texas Holdem is the most popular form of poker in the world. If you take a few minutes to learn the rules of the game, you’ll be able to start up a poker game almost anywhere in the world. New players often say that the game looks complicated at first but after they play a few rounds they quickly catch on. Once you get the basic idea, join in a friendly game and have your friends walk you through a few hands. It won’t take long at all before you have the rules down like a pro.

1. The dealer’s button moves one spot to the left.

The dealer’s button is a small disc that’s used to signify position at the table. Before each hand, the dealer’s button is moved one spot to the left. Don’t worry; this will make more sense later.

2. The blinds are paid.

The blinds are antes, or forced bets, that are paid at the beginning of each hand. These are used to get money in the pot and generate action. The two players to the left of the dealer are responsible for paying the blinds each hand. As the dealer’s button moves around the table, each player will take turn in paying the blinds.

The player to the immediate left of the dealer pays the small blind and the player to the left of the small blind pays the big blind. The small blind is equal to half the size of the big blind.

3. Each player receives 2 cards face down

These are referred to as the “hole cards” and are dealt one at a time to each player at the table, starting with the player to the left of the dealer.

4. First betting round

After all the cards have been dealt, the player to the left of the big blind starts the action. This person may call, raise or fold. If he calls, he just has to pay an amount of money equal to the big blind.

The action continues clockwise around the table. If a player elects to raise instead of call, all the other players must at least match that bet or raise it.

5. The Flop – Three cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table

These three cards are referred to as “the flop” and are community cards. All the players share these cards and use them in combination with their hole cards to make their poker hands.

6. Second betting round

After the flop is dealt, a second betting round begins. This time the action starts with the first player to the left of the dealer. This person may check, bet or fold.

The action continues clockwise around the table until all the bets have been matched. If any player makes a bet or a raise, all the other players must either match that bet or fold.

7. The Turn – One card is dealt face up in the middle of the table

A fourth card is now dealt face up in the middle of the table. This is another community card and it too is shared by all the players at the table.

8. Third betting round

This betting round is played identically to the previous betting round. The action starts with the first player to the left of the dealer and play continues clockwise around the table.

9. The River – One card is dealt face up in the middle of the table

One final card is dealt face up in the middle of the table. This is the final community card.

10. Fourth betting round

There is one last betting round identical to the last round.

11. The Showdown

All the players remaining in the hand after the last betting round now reveal their hands. The player with the best five card poker hand, using any combination of his hole cards and the community cards wins the pot.

A player may use all, one or none of his hole cards to make a hand.

Poker hand rankings.