1. Set the button and blinds
Choose the dealer button position. The player immediately left posts the small blind and the next player posts the big blind. In a home game, agree on blind sizes before play begins.
TEXAS HOLD’EM LEARNING PATH
How to Deal Texas Hold’em Poker
Learn how to deal a Texas Hold’em hand in the correct order, including the button, blinds, hole cards, flop, turn, river and showdown procedures.
Use this page when…
- You want one clear answer before deeper strategy.
- You are learning Texas Hold’em from the beginning.
- You want a reference you can return to while playing or studying.
Last reviewed: August 25, 2026Editorial standard: beginner-first, rules-aware explanationsHow we verify poker information
Quick answer
Texas Hold’em dealing order
Place the button, collect the small and big blinds, deal two hole cards to each player, run the preflop betting round, then deal the flop (3 cards), turn (1), river (1) with betting after each street. If multiple players remain, conduct the showdown and award the pot.
Button & blinds2 hole cards eachFlop 3Turn 1River 1
2. Shuffle and deal the hole cards
Use a standard 52-card deck. After a thorough shuffle, deal one card at a time clockwise until each active player has two face-down hole cards. In live casino poker, house procedures may include a cut card and specific shuffle requirements.
3. Run preflop action
After the hole cards are dealt, preflop betting begins. Do not expose community cards until the betting round is complete and all remaining players have matched the required wager or are all-in.
4. Deal the board
For a traditional live deal, the dealer burns a card before the flop, turn and river, then deals the community cards face up. The flop contains three cards; the turn and river contain one each. Online poker handles these procedures automatically.
5. Handle showdown and award the pot
After river action, remaining players reveal hands according to the house procedure. Compare each player’s best five-card poker hand and push the pot to the winner. If hands tie exactly, split the pot as evenly as possible under the venue’s rules.
6. Move the button and start again
Once the pot is awarded, move the button one seat clockwise, post the next blinds, shuffle if needed, and begin the next hand. Consistent procedure prevents most home-game disputes.
Frequently asked questions
How many cards do you deal to each player?
Two private hole cards.
How many cards are on the flop?
Three community cards are dealt on the flop.
Do you burn cards in Texas Hold’em?
Traditional live dealing usually burns a card before the flop, turn and river; online software handles the dealing procedure automatically.