How to Play Texas Hold'em — Complete Rules Guide

Texas Hold’em is the most widely played form of poker in the world. The rules are learnable in an afternoon, but the game rewards study and practice at every level. This guide covers every stage of a hand from the first blind post to the showdown.

The setup: table, deck, and positions

A standard Hold’em game uses a single 52-card deck (no jokers) and seats two to nine players. One player holds a button — a small disc labelled “D” for dealer — which rotates clockwise after every hand. The button marks the nominal dealer position and is crucial because it determines who acts last in most betting rounds. Acting last is a significant advantage: you have seen every other player’s action before making your own decision.

The two players to the immediate left of the button post blinds before seeing any cards:

• The player directly left of the button posts the small blind — typically half the big blind.
• The player two seats left of the button posts the big blind — the minimum bet for the hand.

Blinds exist to create a pot worth fighting for and to ensure action on every hand. In tournament poker, blinds increase at set intervals, putting pressure on short stacks to play.

Step 1: Dealing the hole cards

The dealer (or, in live games, a professional dealer controlled by the button position) deals two private cards face down to each player, starting with the small blind and proceeding clockwise. These are your hole cards (also called pocket cards). No other player may see them.

Step 2: Pre-flop betting

The first betting round begins with the player to the left of the big blind — a position known as under the gun (UTG). Each player in turn, moving clockwise, must choose one of three actions:

• Fold — discard the hand and take no further part in the pot.
• Call — match the big blind amount.
• Raise — increase the bet above the big blind. All subsequent players must call the raise, re-raise, or fold.

The small blind acts second-to-last and the big blind acts last. The big blind has the option to raise even if no one else has raised — this is called the option or live big blind.

In no-limit Hold’em (the most common format), a player may raise any amount up to their entire stack at any time. In limit Hold’em, raises are fixed to predetermined amounts. In pot-limit, the maximum raise is the current size of the pot.

Step 3: The flop

After pre-flop betting concludes, the dealer burns one card (discards it face down — a security measure against marked cards) and then deals three community cards face up in the centre of the table. These three cards are called the flop.

The flop is shared by all remaining players. Combined with each player’s two hole cards, the flop gives everyone a five-card hand to evaluate, with two more community cards still to come.

A second betting round begins. Crucially, the first player to act in all post-flop rounds is the first active player to the left of the button (not UTG). Action proceeds clockwise. Players now have an additional option:

• Check — pass the action without betting, provided no one has bet yet in this round.
• Bet — place chips if no one has bet yet this round.
• Call, Raise, or Fold — as above, in response to a bet.

Step 4: The turn

After the flop betting round, the dealer burns another card and deals one more community card face up. This is called the turn (or fourth street). There are now four community cards on the table.

A third betting round follows, using the same rules as the flop. In limit Hold’em, the bet size typically doubles on the turn and river; in no-limit, any amount remains playable.

Step 5: The river

The dealer burns another card and deals the fifth and final community card face up. This is the river (or fifth street). The board is now complete: five shared community cards are available to all players.

The fourth and final betting round takes place. This is the last opportunity to bet, raise, or fold before the hand is decided.

Step 6: The showdown

If two or more players remain after the river betting round, a showdown takes place. The player who made the last aggressive action (bet or raise) on the river shows their cards first. If the river was checked by all remaining players, the first active player to the left of the button shows first.

Each player’s best five-card hand is formed from any combination of their two hole cards and the five community cards — they may use both hole cards, one hole card, or neither (playing the board). The player with the highest-ranking five-card hand wins the entire pot.

For a complete explanation of which hand beats which, see Texas Hold’em Hand Rankings.

The all-in rule and side pots

A player who bets all of their remaining chips is said to be all-in. An all-in player cannot lose more chips than they put in, but they can only win an equivalent amount from each opponent.

If a player goes all-in for an amount smaller than the current bet or raise, other players with more chips form a side pot for the excess chips. The all-in player is eligible to win the main pot only. At showdown, side pots are resolved from the most recent to the earliest, and the all-in player competes only for the main pot.

Example: Player A has 50 chips, Player B has 200, Player C has 200. A goes all-in for 50. B calls 200, C calls 200. The main pot contains 150 (50 × 3). The side pot contains 300 (150 × 2 from B and C). A can win the main pot of 150. B and C compete for the side pot of 300.

Muck and live hand rules

A player who folds surrenders any right to the pot. Once cards are mucked (discarded), they cannot be retrieved. At showdown, a player may choose not to show their hand — called mucking at showdown — but only if they do not claim the pot. If there is any doubt about whether a hand qualifies as the best, showing the cards is the safest approach.

In most cardrooms, a hand must be tabled (placed face up on the felt) to win at showdown, even if the player believes they hold the best hand. Verbally declaring a hand does not constitute a claim.

Pot rules and rake

In all forms of poker, the dealer is responsible for ensuring bets are placed correctly and that the pot total is accurate. Players should not put chips directly into the pot — instead, place chips in front of you and the dealer collects them.

In casinos and poker rooms, the house charges a rake — a small percentage of each pot (typically 3–5%, capped at a maximum). This is how the room profits, unlike table games where the house edge is mathematical. Online poker rooms charge rake on a similar basis or use a time charge for high-stakes games.

Common mistakes for beginners

Acting out of turn. Always wait for the action to reach you. Acting before your turn gives information to other players and can be penalised at serious tables.

String betting. You must declare the full amount of a raise in one motion. Saying “I call… and raise” is a string bet and is generally disallowed. Verbally announcing “raise” before putting chips in is the safe approach.

Showing cards before the hand is over. Even in casual games, showing hole cards mid-hand gives others an unfair advantage and can affect the outcome of side pots.

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Once you are comfortable with the rules, the next step is developing a strategy for how to play. Texas Hold’em Strategy covers starting hand selection, position, pot odds, and bankroll management. For the ranking of all hands you will encounter, see Hand Rankings. Put the rules into practice: play poker online for free.