Texas Hold’em Rules: How to Play from Deal to Showdown

• Players: Usually 2–10 at a table.
• Deck: Standard 52-card deck, no jokers.
• Goal: Win chips by making the best 5-card hand or getting everyone else to fold.
• Structure: Blinds (and sometimes antes) ensure there is always something to play for.
• Action: Four betting rounds with community cards revealed along the way.

For how the betting rounds feel in practice, see Betting Rounds & Structure.

The dealer button

• A round disk marks the dealer position. It moves one seat clockwise every hand.
• In casinos and online, a dedicated dealer handles the cards, but the button still determines order of action.
• Players closer to the button act later and have a positional advantage.

Blinds

• The player to the left of the button posts the small blind (SB).
• The next player to the left posts the big blind (BB).
• The big blind is usually twice the size of the small blind (e.g., $1/$2).
• Blinds are forced bets that create an initial pot and ensure action.

Antes

• Some games and tournaments also use antes: small forced contributions by every player.
• Antes increase pot sizes and encourage more preflop action.

Preflop

• Each player receives two private cards face down (hole cards).
• First betting round starts with the player to the left of the big blind (under the gun).
• Options: fold, call (match the big blind), or raise.

Flop

• The dealer burns (discards) one card face down.
• Three community cards are dealt face up in the middle (the flop).
• Second betting round starts with the first active player to the left of the button.

Turn

• The dealer burns another card, then deals one additional community card face up (the turn).
• Third betting round follows, same order as after the flop.

River

• The dealer burns a card, deals the final community card face up (the river).
• Fourth and final betting round begins.

Showdown

• If more than one player remains after the river betting, there is a showdown.
• Players reveal their hands, and the best 5-card hand wins the pot.
• If everyone but one player folds at any point, that player wins immediately without showing.

In Texas Hold’em, you make your best 5-card hand using any combination of your two hole cards and the five community cards. You are not required to use both hole cards.

• Use both hole cards: e.g., A♠ K♠ plus three suited community cards for a nut flush.
• Use one hole card: e.g., pair your hole card with a board card for top pair.
• Play the board: Sometimes the best 5-card hand is entirely on the board. In that case, all remaining players tie and split the pot.

If you’re not sure what beats what yet, review Poker Hand Rankings with examples.

All-in basics

• When a player bets all their remaining chips, they are “all-in”.
• A player can never be forced to fold because they have fewer chips than the current bet amount.

Side pots

• When one or more players are all-in for different amounts, side pots are created.
• The smallest stack can only win the main pot (the pot they fully contributed to).
• Larger stacks can also win side pots that contain extra chips they and other big stacks put in.

Showdown order

• Often the last aggressor shows first; otherwise the first player to the left of the button shows first.
• In casual games, many players simply turn their cards up together—follow house rules.
• If a player’s hand cannot beat the current best hand, they may “muck” (fold without showing).

1. Setup: $1 small blind, $2 big blind. You are on the button.
2. Preflop:
   • You are dealt A♠ Q♠ on the button.
   • Action folds to you; you raise to $6.
   • Small blind folds, big blind calls. Pot: $13.
3. Flop: J♠ 7♠ 2♦ (you have a flush draw and overcards).
   • Big blind checks, you bet $8, big blind calls. Pot: $29.
4. Turn: 3♣.
   • Big blind checks, you bet $18, big blind calls. Pot: $65.
5. River: K♠ (you make the nut flush).
   • Big blind checks, you bet $40, big blind calls.
   • Showdown: big blind shows K♦ J♦ (top two pair), you show a nut flush and win the pot.

This example combines basic rules with strategy ideas from Pot Odds & Outs and Postflop Strategy.

• “I must use both hole cards”: Not in Hold’em. You can use zero, one or both.
• “Suits are ranked”: Suits are equal for hand strength; no suit beats another.
• “If I show one player my hand, others can’t see it”: Many rooms have “show one, show all” policies.
• “I can raise twice in one turn without saying anything”: Most rooms treat a single forward motion as one bet; no string betting.

For etiquette and behavior rules beyond the formal mechanics, see Poker Table Etiquette.

What is Texas Hold’em?

It’s the most popular modern poker game. Each player gets two private cards and uses them with five community cards to make the best 5-card hand.

How many betting rounds are there?

Four: preflop, flop, turn and river, followed by showdown if needed.

How do I win a pot?

Either everyone else folds at some point, or you show the best 5-card hand at showdown.

Where do I go after learning the rules?

Move on to Preflop Strategy and Postflop Strategy to turn the rules into a solid winning framework.