Texas Hold’em
Build the best five-card poker hand using any combination of your two private cards and the five community cards.
Object of the Game
The goal of each player is to win the pot, which contains the chips wagered during the hand.
A player may win the pot by having the best five-card poker hand at showdown or by making a bet that causes all other players to fold.
At showdown, each remaining player forms the best possible five-card hand using any combination of the two private cards in their hand and the five community cards on the table.
Starting the Hand
Small Blind & Big Blind
Before the cards are dealt, the two players immediately to the left of the dealer button post forced bets known as the small blind and the big blind.
Two Hole Cards
Each player receives two private cards face down. These cards belong only to that player and are not shown to the other players during the hand.
Pre-Flop Betting
The first betting round begins with the first active player to the left of the big blind and continues clockwise around the table.
The Play
During each betting round, players may have the option to check, bet, call, raise or fold depending on the action that has already taken place.
Betting continues clockwise until all remaining players have contributed the required amount to the pot or folded their hands.
Check
Pass the action to the next player without placing a bet.
A player may check only when no bet has yet been made during the current betting round.
Bet
Place chips into the pot when no previous bet has been made during the current betting round.
Call
Match the amount of the current bet in order to remain in the hand.
Raise
Increase the size of the current bet. Other players must then match the new amount, raise again or fold.
Fold
Withdraw from the current hand and give up any claim to the pot.
Four Betting Rounds
Texas Hold’em is played over four betting rounds: Pre-Flop, Flop, Turn and River.
After the Pre-Flop betting round is completed, community cards are gradually revealed in the center of the table.
On the Flop, three community cards are revealed. One additional card is revealed on the Turn, followed by the fifth and final community card on the River.
After the Flop, Turn and River are dealt, a new betting round takes place. In these rounds, action begins with the first active player to the left of the dealer button.
Players receive two private cards and complete the first betting round.
The first three community cards are placed face up.
A fourth community card is revealed, followed by another betting round.
The final community card is revealed before the last betting round.
All players still in the hand may use these cards together with their private cards.
Build the Best Five-Card Hand
If two or more players remain after the final betting round, the hand proceeds to a showdown.
Each player may use both, one or none of their two private cards together with the community cards to form the strongest possible five-card poker hand.
The winning player receives the pot.