What this article covers
This page explains the core rules of Texas Hold'em—especially the flow you will see in common no-limit games—so you can sit down and play. Details such as all-in procedures and minimum raise sizes can vary by cardroom or tournament; see the primary sources at the end for the official wording.
Core idea: make the best five-card hand from two hole cards + five board cards
In Texas Hold'em, each player receives two private hole cards. The dealer then reveals five community cards on the board: the flop (three cards), the turn (one card), and the river (one card).
You may use any combination of your two hole cards and the five board cards to make the best five-card poker hand. It is legal to play the board—meaning your best five cards are all five community cards.
Table setup: dealer button and blinds (SB / BB)
A dealer button marks the nominal dealer position and moves one seat clockwise after each hand. In a typical setup, the player immediately left of the button posts the small blind (SB) and the next player posts the big blind (BB). Those blinds are forced bets before anyone looks at their cards.
Example: how much to add when calling a raise
With SB = 5 and BB = 10, if someone raises to 25 total, then:
- SB adds 25 − 5 = 20 more to call
- BB adds 25 − 10 = 15 more to call
That is because the blind amounts are already in the pot as live money.
Hand flow from preflop to showdown
1) Each player gets two hole cards
Every active player receives two face-down hole cards.
2) Preflop betting
Preflop action begins with the first player to the left of the big blind. In a typical 6-handed game, that seat is under the gun (UTG). Depending on the situation, players can fold, call, or raise. If no one has raised, the big blind may also check (take no further action and see the flop) because the BB is already considered a live blind bet.
3) The flop (three cards) → betting
The dealer burns one card and deals three community cards (the flop). From the flop onward, betting usually starts with the first active player to the left of the button—often the small blind if that player is still in the hand. If there is no bet yet, players may check or bet. After a bet is made, players can fold, call, or raise.
4) The turn (fourth board card) → betting
The dealer burns again and adds one community card (the turn). Another betting round follows, using the same pattern as on the flop.
5) The river (fifth board card) → betting
After another burn, the final community card (the river) is placed. There is one last betting round.
6) Showdown
If more than one player remains after the final betting round, hands go to showdown. Each remaining player tables the best five-card hand they can make. The strongest hand wins the pot. If hands tie, the pot is split according to house rules.
A common rule is that the last player to bet or raise on the final street shows first at showdown; if there was no bet on the river, showdown order can follow seat order starting near the button.
Basic betting actions
As CardPlayer summarizes for postflop play: if there is no bet yet, you can check or bet; once a bet is in, you can raise, call, or fold.
In practice, the main actions are:
- Fold: discard your hand and stop playing the current hand
- Check: pass the action without putting more money in, only when no bet is facing you
- Bet: put the first money into the pot on a street
- Call: match the current bet or raise
- Raise: increase the current price to continue
- All-in: put all of your remaining chips at risk
Minimum raise sizes (rule of thumb)
In no-limit games, raises generally must be at least the size of the previous bet or raise (with common exceptions for all-in amounts that are less than a legal full raise).
For tournament standards, many venues follow the Poker Tournament Directors Association (TDA) rules; the latest PDF/Word rulebook is published on the official TDA site.
Hand rankings
From strongest to weakest, the standard ten categories are listed below.
| Rank | Hand | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal flush | A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit |
| 2 | Straight flush | Five consecutive ranks, same suit |
| 3 | Four of a kind | Four cards of the same rank plus one kicker |
| 4 | Full house | Three of a kind plus a pair |
| 5 | Flush | Five cards of the same suit (not necessarily consecutive) |
| 6 | Straight | Five consecutive ranks, mixed suits |
| 7 | Three of a kind | Three cards of the same rank plus two kickers |
| 8 | Two pair | Two different pairs plus one kicker |
| 9 | One pair | Two cards of the same rank plus three kickers |
| 10 | High card | No pair; compare the highest cards, then kickers |
Example hands (with card images)
These examples show the shape of each hand type using five cards. In Hold'em you make a five-card hand from seven available cards (two hole cards plus five board cards), so the final combination can mix hole cards and board cards in any way.
Ties and kickers
When two players make the same category of hand, winners are decided by the ranks of the cards that form the hand, then by kickers (the remaining cards that break ties).
FAQ
Do I have to use my hole cards?
No. If the five board cards make your best possible five-card hand, you can play the board.
Can I "call" on the flop when nobody bet?
No. A call matches an existing bet. If there is no bet, your options are typically to check or to bet (depending on whether action is open to you).
What happens in an all-in situation?
A player who is all-in cannot put in more chips later in the hand. When stacks differ, pots can split into a main pot and one or more side pots; settlement follows the house or tournament rules.
WSOP rules also discuss showdown order when side pots exist—side-pot participants may table hands before main-pot-only players in some situations.
Play Texas Hold'em online (free)
If you already know the rules and want a browser-based place to practice with hand history and stats, see nlh.poker: How to Play and Feature Guide.
References (retrieved 2026-05-13)
- WSOP: How To Play | Texas Holdem Rules
- CardPlayer: How to Play Texas Hold'em
- WSOP: Poker Hands Chart
- Poker Tournament Directors Association: TDA Poker Rules