Texas Hold'em: Complete Guide to the World's Most Popular Poker
Texas Hold'em is the most played poker variant worldwide, featured in major tournaments and casual games. Learn the rules, hand rankings, betting structure, and basic strategy.
What is Texas Hold'em?
Texas Hold'em is a community card poker game where each player receives two private cards (hole cards) and shares five community cards with all players. Players make the best five-card hand using any combination of their two hole cards and the five community cards.
The game features four betting rounds and can accommodate 2-10 players. It's the variant used in the World Series of Poker Main Event and most major poker tournaments.
How to Play Texas Hold'em
Gameplay Steps
- Blinds: Small blind and big blind posted (forced bets)
- Hole Cards: Each player receives 2 cards face down
- Pre-Flop: First betting round
- Flop: 3 community cards dealt face up
- Turn: 4th community card dealt
- River: 5th community card dealt
- Showdown: Best 5-card hand wins the pot
Hand Rankings
1. Royal Flush
A, K, Q, J, 10 all of the same suit
2. Straight Flush
Five consecutive cards of the same suit
3. Four of a Kind
Four cards of the same rank
4. Full House
Three of a kind plus a pair
5. Flush
Five cards of the same suit
6. Straight
Five consecutive cards of different suits
7. Three of a Kind
Three cards of the same rank
8. Two Pair
Two different pairs
9. One Pair
Two cards of the same rank
10. High Card
Highest card when no other hand is made
Betting Actions
Check
Pass action to next player (no bet required)
Bet
Place the first bet in a betting round
Call
Match the current bet to stay in the hand
Raise
Increase the bet amount
Fold
Give up your hand and forfeit any bets
All-In
Bet all your remaining chips
Starting Hand Selection
Premium Hands (Always Play)
- • Pairs: AA, KK, QQ, JJ, 10-10
- • High cards: AK, AQ, AJ, KQ (suited or unsuited)
- • Suited connectors: A-K suited, K-Q suited, Q-J suited
Playable Hands
- • Small pairs: 9-9, 8-8, 7-7 (play for set value)
- • Suited aces: A-2 through A-9 suited
- • Connectors: 9-10, 10-J, J-Q
Fold These
- • Low unsuited cards: 2-7, 3-8, etc.
- • Gapped low cards: 2-5, 4-7, etc.
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