Texas Hold'em Rules for Beginners
Learn how two hole cards and five community cards work, who acts first, what each action means and how a hand reaches showdown.
In Texas Hold'em each player receives two private hole cards. Five shared community cards appear in three stages: the flop, turn and river. There are four betting rounds in total. At showdown, the strongest five-card combination wins; a hand also ends if only one player remains. The examples here use play chips to explain the rules.
The objective
Hold'em uses a standard 52-card deck, usually with 2 to 10 players. Chips placed in the middle form the pot. The pot goes to the last player who has not folded, or to the best five-card hand at showdown. Identical best hands share the pot. Our poker hand rankings chart explains how the hands compare.
The dealer button and the blinds
A disc called the dealer button tracks the dealer position. It normally moves clockwise after each hand. In games with three or more players, the first active player to the button's left acts first after the flop; the button acts last if still in the hand.
- Small blind: the player directly left of the button puts in a small forced bet (for example 5 chips).
- Big blind: the next player puts in a bigger forced bet, usually double (10 chips).
Blinds create the initial pot. In a heads-up game (two players), the button posts the small blind, acts first before the flop and acts last after the flop.
Your betting options
| Action | What it means |
|---|---|
| Fold | Throw your cards away and give up any claim to the pot. |
| Check | Pass the action without adding chips when there is no outstanding bet to match. The big blind may also check before the flop if nobody raised. |
| Call | Match the current bet. |
| Bet | Put chips in when no one has bet yet in this round. |
| Raise | Increase the amount to match. A full raise increases it by at least the last full bet or raise increment: after 10 is raised to 30, the next full raise is to at least 50. Short all-ins have special rules. |
| All-in | Commit the chips remaining in a player's stack. That player is eligible only for the pot portions they contributed to; additional chips from other players form side pots. |
The four betting rounds
Pre-flop
Everyone receives two hole cards face down. Action starts with the player to the left of the big blind and moves clockwise; each player folds, calls the big blind or raises. The big blind gets the last chance to act and may check if no one has raised.
The flop
Three community cards are dealt face up. A new betting round begins with the first active player to the left of the button. Players can now check if no bet has been made.
The turn
A fourth community card is dealt, followed by another betting round in the same order.
The river
The fifth and final community card is dealt, followed by the last betting round. If two or more players remain afterwards, the hand goes to showdown.
The showdown
Players still in the hand compare their best five-card combinations from the seven available cards. They may use both, one or neither hole card. The best hand wins the eligible pot; identical hands split it. For a normal, non-all-in showdown, the last river bettor or raiser usually shows first. If the river was checked, the first active player to the button's left usually shows first. House rules govern the procedure; all-in tournament showdowns have additional requirements.
Example hand, step by step
Six players, blinds of 5 and 10 play chips. You are on the button with A♠ J♠.
- Pre-flop: the first player folds, the next calls 10, the next folds. You raise to 30. The small blind folds, the big blind calls 30, and the earlier caller also calls. Pot: 95 chips.
- Flop — J♥ 7♠ 2♦: you have top pair with an Ace kicker. The big blind and the other player check; you bet 60. The big blind folds, the other player calls. Pot: 215.
- Turn — 4♣: your opponent checks, you bet 140, they call. Pot: 495.
- River — Q♦: both players check.
- Showdown: your opponent shows J♦ 9♣ — also a pair of jacks. Your best five cards are J-J-A-Q-7 against their J-J-Q-9-7, so your Ace kicker wins the 495-chip pot.
Two players often make the same pair. The kicker — your highest unpaired card — decides it, which is why A-J is stronger than J-9 even when both hit a jack.
No-Limit, Pot-Limit and how Omaha differs
In No-Limit, a player acting in turn can commit up to their remaining stack, subject to minimum bet and raise rules. In Pot-Limit, an opening bet is capped at the pot size. When facing a bet, the maximum raise is calculated using the pot after calling; it is not simply the pot before the call.
Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) uses similar community-card rounds, but normally deals four hole cards. A hand must use exactly two hole cards and exactly three board cards. Hold'em allows zero, one or two hole cards instead.
Common rules mistakes
- Counting more than five cards. A sixth card never breaks a tie; only the best five count.
- Assuming both hole cards are required. Hold'em allows zero, one or two; Omaha requires exactly two.
- Confusing checking and calling. A check adds nothing. A call matches an outstanding amount.
- Using the wrong action order heads-up. The small blind/button acts first before the flop and last afterwards.
- Ignoring variant rules. Confirm whether a demonstration uses standard Hold'em, Short Deck, Limit or another format.
Hold'em glossary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Board | The five community cards everyone can use. |
| Button | The dealer position; acts last after the flop. |
| Blinds | Forced bets posted by the two players left of the button. |
| Ante | A small forced bet from every player, common in tournaments. |
| Hole cards | Your two private cards. |
| Kicker | The highest unpaired card that breaks ties between similar hands. |
| Nuts | The best possible hand on a given board. |
| Check-raise | Checking, then raising after an opponent bets. |
| Side pot | A separate pot created when a player is all-in and others keep betting. |
| Muck | To fold or discard your cards without showing them. |
| River | The fifth and final community card. |
| All-in | Betting every chip you have left. |
Check your understanding without wagering
Lay out two private cards and five community cards with a physical deck. Identify the flop, turn and river, then choose the best five-card hand. You can explain the action order with counters or play chips; no account, deposit or real money is needed.
Rules reference: the Poker Tournament Directors Association rules, including heads-up action order and full-raise requirements. Those are tournament procedures; house and variant rules can differ. This is an educational overview, not wagering advice.
Common Questions
How many cards do you get in Texas Hold'em?
Two private hole cards. Five community cards are then dealt face up on the board, and you make the best five-card hand from all seven.
Can you check in Texas Hold'em?
You can check when you have no outstanding bet to match. After the flop this usually means nobody has bet yet. Before the flop, the big blind can check if nobody has raised.
What happens if two players have the same hand?
Compare the five best cards, including kickers. If the five-card hands are exactly equal, the pot is split. Suits never break a tie — see our tie-break rules.
What is the difference between Hold'em and Omaha?
In Omaha you get four hole cards instead of two (five in 5-card Omaha) and must use exactly two of them with exactly three board cards. Omaha is usually played Pot-Limit.
Who acts first after the flop?
The first player still in the hand to the left of the dealer button — usually the small blind. Before the flop, the player to the left of the big blind acts first.
Compare the poker hands
Use the rankings chart to check combinations, kickers and split pots.