Texas Hold’em rules: how to play, step by step

What you need to know before the deal

• Players: 2–10 (our tables seat 5 — the fun, fast format).
• Deck: standard 52 cards, no jokers.
• Goal: win chips by taking pots.
• The one rule that matters: your final hand is always your best five cards out of the seven available (your 2 + the board’s 5).

The button and the blinds

A dealer button moves one seat clockwise every hand and marks who “deals.” The two players after the button post forced bets before seeing any cards:

• The small blind (e.g. 50 chips at our starter table).
• The big blind — usually double, e.g. 100 chips.

Blinds exist so there’s always something to fight over. Without them, everyone would fold until they held aces.

Step 1 — Hole cards and the pre-flop betting round

Everyone receives two cards face down (“hole cards”). Starting with the player left of the big blind, each player either:

• Folds — throws the hand away, done for this pot;
• Calls — matches the big blind;
• Raises — puts in more, forcing others to match.

Betting continues until every player still in the hand has put in the same amount. (Full details in betting basics.)

Step 2 — The flop

Three community cards are dealt face-up in the middle. These are shared — everyone uses them. A second betting round begins, starting with the first active player left of the button. Now that no new bet is required, players may also check (bet nothing and pass the action along).

Step 3 — The turn

A fourth community card hits the board, followed by another betting round. In no-limit games the pots start getting serious here.

Step 4 — The river and the showdown

The fifth and final community card is dealt, and the last betting round plays out. If two or more players remain, it’s a showdown: hands are revealed and the best five-card hand takes the pot (see the hand rankings). Equal hands split the pot evenly.

Remember: most pots never reach showdown. If everyone folds to a bet at any point, the bettor wins immediately — without showing a thing. That’s why bluffing works.

A complete example hand

Five players, blinds 50/100. You’re on the button with A♠K♥.

1. Pre-flop: two players fold, you raise to 300, the small blind folds, the big blind calls. Pot: 650.
2. Flop: K♦7♣2♠ — you’ve made top pair with the best possible kicker. The big blind checks, you bet 400, they call. Pot: 1,450.
3. Turn: 9♥. Check, you bet 900, call. Pot: 3,250.
4. River: 3♣. The big blind checks a third time; you bet 1,800 and they call, showing K♣J♥.
5. Showdown: both players have a pair of kings, so the kicker decides — your ace beats their jack. Your best five cards (K-K-A-9-7) beat theirs (K-K-J-9-7). You drag a 6,850 pot.

House rules you’ll meet at our tables

• No-limit betting: you may bet anything from the minimum up to your whole stack, any time it’s your turn.
• Automatic dealing: hands start as soon as two players are seated.
• Action timer: take too long and your hand is checked or folded for you, so games never stall.
• All-ins & side pots: run out of chips mid-hand and you stay in for what you’ve contributed; the engine builds side pots automatically and settles them exactly.