How to Play Texas Hold'em: Rules for Beginners

The goal

Each player gets two private cards, the hole cards. Five shared community cards are dealt face up. You win the pot by having the best five-card hand from your two cards and the board, or by making everyone else fold.

Blinds and the deal

Two players post forced bets before the cards are dealt: the small blind, directly left of the dealer button, and the big blind, usually twice the small blind. The button moves one seat clockwise every hand, so everyone pays the blinds in turn.

The four betting rounds

Preflop: after the hole cards are dealt, players act starting left of the big blind. The flop follows, three community cards, then the turn, a fourth card, and the river, a fifth. Each deal is followed by a round of betting.

If more than one player is left after the river betting, they reach the showdown and show their cards. The best five-card hand wins; equal hands split the pot.

Your options

When no one has bet, you can check (pass) or bet. Facing a bet, you can fold, call by matching it, or raise. In no-limit Hold'em you can bet any amount from the minimum up to all your chips, called going all in. A raise must be at least the size of the previous bet or raise.

Folding costs nothing more but gives up your chance at the pot. Most beginners lose by playing too many hands, so folding weak starting hands is the first skill to learn.

Questions

How many cards do you get in Texas Hold'em?

Two private hole cards. Five community cards are dealt to the board in three stages: the flop, the turn and the river.

What is the difference between the blinds and the button?

The blinds are forced bets posted by the two players left of the button, which moves one seat each hand so that everyone pays them in turn.