The Rules of Texas Hold'em Poker
Texas Hold'em Poker is the most played poker variant worldwide. This game is played with a deck of 52 cards and chips for betting. To learn how to play, it's important to know the basic poker rules, the course of the game, and the possible combinations. We will cover all of this in this article!
How to Win a Texas Hold'em Poker Game?
The goal of Texas Hold'em Poker is to form the best possible combination (called a "hand") of five cards, with two cards dealt to each player and five community cards placed on the table. To win in Texas Hold'em, you need to have a better hand than your opponents or place the last uncalled bet before all the community cards (showdown) are revealed. Poker is a game of chance but also of psychology. Bluffing plays a big role, as you can win with a "bad hand" by betting to make your opponents believe you have a strong hand, thereby forcing them to fold. Now that you know how to win at poker, feel free to discover our Video Poker games, or continue reading the article to learn about the full game process.
The Course of a Texas Hold'em Poker Game
The Principle of Texas Hold'em Poker
Texas Hold'em is played with multiple players: between two and ten. At the beginning of each game, the dealer deals two cards to each player, which remain hidden. Players can secretly look at these cards. Then, three community cards are revealed and placed in the middle of the table, followed by two more cards that are revealed one at a time. The players must then form the best possible combination to win.
In poker games, there is usually a forced bet for each hand: the Small Blind, paid by the player to the dealer's left, and the Big Blind, paid by the player to the left of the Small Blind. These are mandatory, regardless of whether the player wants to play or fold. Subsequent players in clockwise order must match the Big Blind to play. They can also bet more (raise) if they wish. These bets form the starting pot, and any bets in subsequent rounds, if applicable, are added to the pot. The winner of the hand takes the pot.
Seating and Blinds in Texas Hold'em Poker
Before the game, each player must pay their buy-in to sit at the table, with a minimum amount set for each table. At a "classic" poker table, each player takes turns dealing; in a casino, a dealer handles all the hands. A special button with a "D" (Dealer) marks the dealer, and it moves clockwise to the next player after each hand.
Before the cards are dealt, the two players to the left of the dealer must place the Small Blind and Big Blind. The amount of these bets varies depending on the table and is communicated to the players.
Dealing the Cards
The dealer or croupier shuffles the deck and asks the player to their right to "cut" the deck. Then, they deal two hidden cards to each player.
Betting: The Pre-Flop
After the cards are dealt, the player to the left of the one who placed the Big Blind goes first. They have the following options:
- They can call, matching the highest bet in that round;
- They can raise, betting at least double the highest bet in that round;
- They can fold, discarding their cards and giving up this hand.
If it’s a "No Limit" version, the player can go all-in, betting all their chips at once.
It’s then the next player's turn, and so on. The betting round ends when all players who wish to stay in the game have matched the same amount. These bets form the pot.
The Flop
The dealer or croupier "burns" the top card of the deck by discarding it face down, and lays the next three cards face up on the table. A new betting round begins, with the player to the left of the dealer going first. The same options as the previous round are available, but with an additional option: the player can check, meaning they don’t place a bet and wait to see what the others do. If all players check, the betting round ends. However, if someone bets, the other players can no longer check and must either bet or fold.
The Turn
The dealer or croupier "burns" another card and lays the fourth community card face up on the table. A third betting round begins, following the same principles as the second.
The River
The dealer or croupier burns a card and draws the fifth card, which is placed face up on the table. The final betting round takes place before the remaining players reveal their cards.
The Showdown
The croupier determines the player with the best hand (showdown), and that player wins the pot. The dealer button is moved to the left, and the cards are reshuffled for the next hand.
The Hand Rankings in Texas Hold'em Poker
In poker, suits are referred to not by colors like red or black, but by specific suits and symbols. There are four suits:
- Spades (♠);
- Clubs (♣);
- Diamonds (♦);
- Hearts (♥).
The "strength" of the cards, from weakest to strongest, is as follows:
- 2;
- 3;
- 4;
- 5;
- 6;
- 7;
- 8;
- 9;
- 10;
- Jack (J);
- Queen (Q);
- King (K);
- Ace (A).
Here is the ranking of hands in Texas Hold'em Poker, from the weakest to the strongest:
| High Card | No combination, the strength of the hand is determined by the highest card. | Example: K♣ J♦ 8♠ 3♣ 2♥ |
| One Pair | Two cards of the same value and three unrelated cards. | Example: 9♣ 9♠ 4♦ 3♠ 7♥ |
| Two Pair | Two cards of the same value, another two cards of the same value, and one unrelated card. | Example: J♣ J♥ 3♠ 3♦ 6♥ |
| Three of a Kind | Three cards of the same value and two unrelated cards. | Example: 7♣ 7♦ 7♥ 5♠ 3♦ |
| Straight | Five consecutive cards, but of different suits. | Example: 9♣ 8♥ 7♠ 6♦ 5♥ |
| Flush | Five cards of the same suit. | Example: Q♠ 10♠ 6♠ 4♠ 2♠ |
| Full House | A three of a kind and a pair, with the three of a kind determining the rank. | Example: J♠ J♣ J♦ 7♣ 7♠ |
| Four of a Kind | Four cards of the same value and one unrelated card. | Example: Q♣ Q♥ Q♦ Q♠ 7♦ |
| Straight Flush | Five consecutive cards of the same suit. | Example: 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥ 4♥ |
| Royal Flush | Five consecutive cards of the same suit, from Ace to Ten. | Example: A♣ K♣ Q♣ J♣ 10♣ |