Texas Holdem Poker Rules
Texas holdem games are available in ring games and tournaments, but the same basic rules govern how to play both types of games. If you follow the step by step details below you'll be able to play in any type of Texas holdem game.
Joining or Starting a GameIf you join a ring game in progress the dealer and blind positions will be set from the previous hand. Depending on the house rules you may have to wait for the big blind to come around to where you're seated before you can start playing. Some places let you post a bet equal to the big blind to start playing right away.
If you're seated at the beginning of a tournament or when a ring game starts the dealer shuffles the cards and then deals one card face up to each player at the table. The player who receives the highest card is awarded the dealer button for the first hand.
Dealing & The BlindsThe first player to the left of the dealer button places the small blind and the next player to the left places the big blind. Then the person dealing the cards deals two cards to each player at the table, one at a time starting with the small blind and going to the left, finishing once the button player has received her second card.
Initial Betting RoundAt this time the first player to the left of the big blind folds, calls the big blind, or raises. Play continues to the left with each player either calling the current bet or blind if no one has raised, folding, or raising. Play continues until each player has called the last bet or folded. In a limit game all bets and raises are the amount of the smaller limit on this round and the next betting round.
If no one raises the small blind can call the half bet, called completing the bet, and the big blind has the choice to check if the pot hasn't been raised, or fold.
The FlopAfter all of the betting action has been completed on the first round of betting the dealer burns the card on top of the deck and then turns the next three cards face up in the center of the table. These three cards are the first of the five community cards and called the flop.
Each player uses their two hole cards in combination with the five board cards to make their best possible five card hand. You can use both of your hole cards with three of the community cards, one of your hole cards with four of the community cards, or all five of the community cards and neither of your hole cards.
After the flop the first person to the left of the dealer button remaining in the hand can check or bet. In a limit game the bet must be the smaller limit amount. In a no limit game the bet can be any amount up to and including the amount of chips the player has in front of them.
Play continues to the left. Each player may check if no bet has been made, call if a bet has been made, bet if a bet hasn;t been made, or raise if a bet has been made. Play continues to the left until each player has checked or each player has called the most recent bet or folded.
The TurnThe dealer burns the top card and deals the next card face up with the other community cards. This is called the turn. In limit Texas holdem all bets on the turn and river are at the higher limit.
After the turn card is dealt the first player to the left of the dealer button remaining in the hand either checks or bets. Play continues to the left like it did on the flop with each player checking, calling, betting, or raising depending on what has happened before on this betting round.
The River & ShowdownWhen all of the betting has been completed on the turn the dealer burns a final card and places the fifth and final community card face up. A betting round identical to the one on the turn is completed. After the river betting round all of the remaining players turn their cards over and the player with the best hand wins the pot. If more than one player has the exact same winning hand the pot is split between the players with the tied best hand.
After the dealer gives the pot to the winning player the dealer button is passed one place to the left and the blinds move one place to the left. Once the two blinds pay their forced bets the next hand starts.
Texas holdem games are available in ring games and tournaments, but the same basic rules govern how to play both types of games. If you follow the step by step details below you'll be able to play in any type of Texas holdem game.
Joining or Starting a GameIf you join a ring game in progress the dealer and blind positions will be set from the previous hand. Depending on the house rules you may have to wait for the big blind to come around to where you're seated before you can start playing. Some places let you post a bet equal to the big blind to start playing right away.
If you're seated at the beginning of a tournament or when a ring game starts the dealer shuffles the cards and then deals one card face up to each player at the table. The player who receives the highest card is awarded the dealer button for the first hand.
Dealing & The BlindsThe first player to the left of the dealer button places the small blind and the next player to the left places the big blind. Then the person dealing the cards deals two cards to each player at the table, one at a time starting with the small blind and going to the left, finishing once the button player has received her second card.
Initial Betting RoundAt this time the first player to the left of the big blind folds, calls the big blind, or raises. Play continues to the left with each player either calling the current bet or blind if no one has raised, folding, or raising. Play continues until each player has called the last bet or folded. In a limit game all bets and raises are the amount of the smaller limit on this round and the next betting round.
If no one raises the small blind can call the half bet, called completing the bet, and the big blind has the choice to check if the pot hasn't been raised, or fold.
The FlopAfter all of the betting action has been completed on the first round of betting the dealer burns the card on top of the deck and then turns the next three cards face up in the center of the table. These three cards are the first of the five community cards and called the flop.
Each player uses their two hole cards in combination with the five board cards to make their best possible five card hand. You can use both of your hole cards with three of the community cards, one of your hole cards with four of the community cards, or all five of the community cards and neither of your hole cards.
After the flop the first person to the left of the dealer button remaining in the hand can check or bet. In a limit game the bet must be the smaller limit amount. In a no limit game the bet can be any amount up to and including the amount of chips the player has in front of them.
Play continues to the left. Each player may check if no bet has been made, call if a bet has been made, bet if a bet hasn;t been made, or raise if a bet has been made. Play continues to the left until each player has checked or each player has called the most recent bet or folded.
The TurnThe dealer burns the top card and deals the next card face up with the other community cards. This is called the turn. In limit Texas holdem all bets on the turn and river are at the higher limit.
After the turn card is dealt the first player to the left of the dealer button remaining in the hand either checks or bets. Play continues to the left like it did on the flop with each player checking, calling, betting, or raising depending on what has happened before on this betting round.
The River & ShowdownWhen all of the betting has been completed on the turn the dealer burns a final card and places the fifth and final community card face up. A betting round identical to the one on the turn is completed. After the river betting round all of the remaining players turn their cards over and the player with the best hand wins the pot. If more than one player has the exact same winning hand the pot is split between the players with the tied best hand.
After the dealer gives the pot to the winning player the dealer button is passed one place to the left and the blinds move one place to the left. Once the two blinds pay their forced bets the next hand starts.