Texas Hold'em is the most played poker game in the world. Each player gets two cards of their own, five cards are shared in the middle, and you make the best five card hand you can from the seven. It takes a few minutes to learn and a long time to get good at.
The blinds and the button
One player has the dealer button, and it moves one seat to the left after every hand. The two players to the left of the button post the blinds before any cards are dealt:
- Small blind: the player directly left of the button, usually half the big blind.
- Big blind: the next player, the full minimum bet.
The blinds make sure there is something to play for in every hand.
How a hand plays
- Preflop. Everyone gets 2 cards face down. Betting starts with the player left of the big blind.
- The flop. Three cards are dealt face up in the middle. Another round of betting, starting with the first player still in to the left of the button.
- The turn. A fourth card goes on the board. Another round of betting.
- The river. A fifth and last card. A final round of betting.
- Showdown. If more than one player is left, hands are shown and the best one wins the pot.
If everyone else folds at any point, the last player in wins the pot without showing.
Your options when it's your turn
- Check: pass, if nobody has bet yet this round.
- Bet: put chips in when nobody has yet.
- Call: match the current bet.
- Raise: make the bet bigger. In no-limit, a raise has to be at least as big as the last bet or raise.
- Fold: give up the hand.
In no-limit Hold'em you can bet everything in front of you at any time. That is going all in.
Making your hand
Your hand is the best five cards out of your two and the five on the board. You can use both of your cards, one of them, or none. If the five board cards are your best hand, you are "playing the board", and the best you can do is split the pot.
Hand rankings, best to worst
- Royal flush: A K Q J 10, all one suit.
- Straight flush: five in a row, all one suit, like 9 8 7 6 5 of hearts.
- Four of a kind: four cards of one rank.
- Full house: three of one rank and two of another.
- Flush: five cards of one suit.
- Straight: five in a row, any suits. An ace can be high (A K Q J 10) or low (5 4 3 2 A).
- Three of a kind
- Two pair
- One pair
- High card
When two players have the same kind of hand, the higher cards win. If those match too, the next highest cards, called kickers, decide it. Suits never break a tie.
An example hand
The board ends K♦ 9♠ 4♣ 2♥ 7♦.
- You have A♥ K♣. Your best five are K K A 9 7: a pair of kings with an ace kicker.
- Your opponent has Q♦ Q♠. Their best five are Q Q K 9 7: a pair of queens.
Kings beat queens, so you win. If they had held K♥ J♠ instead, both of you would have a pair of kings, and your ace would beat their jack.
Tips for your first games
- Play fewer hands. Most two card hands lose money. Big pairs, two high cards and suited aces are the ones worth playing.
- Position matters. Acting last means you see what everyone else did first. Play more hands on the button and fewer from the blinds.
- Watch the board. Before you bet, ask what the best possible hand is right now. Four cards of one suit on the board means a flush is out there.
Play it
You can play Texas Hold'em on Bink with friends in your browser, for chips. Open a table, send the link, and add bots to fill seats while you learn.