Texas Hold'em Rules for Beginners

The dealer button and the blinds

A round disc called the dealer button marks who deals. It moves one seat to the left (clockwise) after every hand, so everyone takes turns.

Before any cards are dealt, the two players to the left of the button put in forced bets called blinds, so there is always something to win:

• Small blind: the player right after the button. Usually half the big blind.
• Big blind: the next player. This is the minimum bet for the hand.

Home game tip: with chips worth 1, 5 and 25, blinds of 1 and 2 work well for a relaxed game.

What you can do on your turn

Check

Pass without betting. Only possible when nobody has bet yet in this round.

Bet

Put chips in when nobody has bet yet.

Call

Match the current bet.

Raise

Increase the current bet. The raise must be at least as big as the previous bet or raise.

Fold

Give up your cards and any chips you've already put in.

All-in

Bet all the chips you have left.

A betting round ends when everyone still in the hand has put in the same amount (or folded).

The four betting rounds

1. Pre-flop: everyone gets 2 private cards (“hole cards”). Betting starts with the player to the left of the big blind.
2. Flop: 3 shared cards are dealt face up in the middle. Betting starts with the first player still in the hand to the left of the button, and stays that way for the rest of the hand.
3. Turn: a 4th shared card, then another betting round.
4. River: the 5th and last shared card, then the final betting round.

If everyone but one player folds at any point, that player wins the pot right away without showing their cards.

Showdown: who wins

If two or more players are left after the river, they show their cards. Each player makes the best five-card hand out of their 2 hole cards and the 5 shared cards. You can use both of your cards, just one, or none at all (“playing the board”).

The best hand wins the whole pot. If the best hands are exactly equal in value, the pot is split. Suits never break a tie. Not sure who won? Use the comparator, or check the hand rankings.

All-in and side pots

If you go all-in and others keep betting, you can only win the chips you were able to match from each player. The extra chips go into a separate side pot that only the players who put chips in it can win.

Example: Ana goes all-in with 20 chips. Ben and Carla each bet 50. The main pot is 60 (20 from each), and the side pot is 60 (the extra 30 from Ben and Carla). Ana can only win the main pot.

Common beginner mistakes

• Forgetting the board plays for everyone. If the five shared cards make a straight, every player has at least that straight.
• Thinking suits break ties. A flush in hearts is not better than a flush in spades. Compare the card values instead.
• Counting more than five cards. Three pairs is not a hand: only your best two pairs plus one kicker count.
• Acting out of turn. Wait until the player to your right has acted. It keeps the game fair.