Overview of Texas Hold'em
Texas Hold'em is a community card poker game accommodating 2 to 10 players. The game uses a standard 52-card deck with no jokers. Players compete to win chips or money by forming the best 5-card hand from a combination of their own hole cards and shared community cards, or by forcing all opponents to fold.
The Setup: Dealer Button and Blinds
Before any cards are dealt, two forced bets called blinds are posted:
- The player immediately left of the dealer button posts the Small Blind (typically half the Big Blind).
- The next player posts the Big Blind (the minimum bet for that table).
The dealer button rotates clockwise after each hand, ensuring all players take turns in every position. In casino games, a house dealer handles the cards, but the button still determines the order of play.
Dealing the Cards
The dealer distributes cards one at a time, clockwise, beginning with the player immediately left of the dealer button. Each player receives exactly two hole cards face down. These are private and must not be shown to other players during the hand.
Betting Round 1: Pre-Flop
Pre-flop action begins with the player immediately left of the Big Blind (this position is called "Under the Gun"). Each player in turn must:
- Fold — discard their cards and exit the hand
- Call — match the Big Blind amount
- Raise — increase the bet (must be at least twice the Big Blind in No-Limit)
The Small Blind and Big Blind act last in the pre-flop round. The Big Blind has the option to raise even if no one else has raised (the "option").
The Flop
After pre-flop betting concludes, the dealer burns one card (places it face down, out of play) and deals three community cards face up in the center of the table. These are shared by all players. Post-flop betting begins with the first active player left of the dealer button.
The Turn
The dealer burns one card and deals a fourth community card face up. Another round of betting follows, using the same structure as the flop.
The River
The dealer burns one card and deals the fifth and final community card face up. The final betting round takes place.
The Showdown
If two or more players remain after the final betting round, a showdown occurs:
- The player who made the last aggressive action (bet or raise) on the river shows their cards first.
- If everyone checked on the river, the player left of the dealer button shows first.
- Players may muck (discard without showing) their hand if it cannot beat the best hand shown.
- The player with the best 5-card hand using any combination of their hole cards and the 5 community cards wins the pot.
Side Pots
When a player is all-in (has bet all their chips) and other players continue betting, a side pot is created. The all-in player can only win the main pot (the portion they contributed to). Remaining players compete for the side pot separately. Multiple side pots can exist if multiple players are all-in for different amounts.
Winning Without a Showdown
A player wins the pot immediately — without a showdown — if all other players fold at any point during the hand. The winner is not required to show their cards in this situation.
Key Rules Summary
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Deck | Standard 52 cards, no jokers |
| Hole Cards | 2 private cards per player |
| Community Cards | 5 shared cards (3 flop + 1 turn + 1 river) |
| Hand Size | Best 5-card combination from 7 available |
| Betting Rounds | 4 (Pre-Flop, Flop, Turn, River) |
| Minimum Raise | At least the size of the previous bet/raise |