Overview
Texas Hold'em is the most popular poker variant in the world. It's a community card game where players combine their hole cards with community cards to make the best possible five-card poker hand.
TEXAS HOLD'EM
Community Card Game
Watch a Sample Hand
Step through a live deal — see exactly how a hand of Texas Hold'em unfolds from first card to showdown.
POT: $30
YOU (Hero)
WINNER!
Player 2
Player 3
Ready to Deal
Press Next Step to begin dealing the sample hand.
Step 0 of 9
Number of Players
2-10 players (typically 6-9 for optimal play)
The Deal
Each player receives two private cards (hole cards) that belong to them alone. Five community cards are dealt face-up in three stages:
- The Flop: Three community cards
- The Turn: Fourth community card
- The River: Fifth and final community card
Betting Rounds
- Pre-Flop: After receiving hole cards
- Flop: After three community cards
- Turn: After fourth community card
- River: After fifth community card
Hand Rankings
Players create the best five-card poker hand using any combination of their two hole cards and the five community cards. The hand rankings (from highest to lowest):
- Royal Flush: A, K, Q, J, 10, all of the same suit
- Straight Flush: Five consecutive cards of the same suit
- Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank
- Full House: Three of a kind plus a pair
- Flush: Five cards of the same suit
- Straight: Five consecutive cards
- Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same rank
- Two Pair: Two pairs of cards
- One Pair: A pair of cards
- High Card: The highest card if no hand is made
Blinds
Texas Hold'em uses a forced bet structure called "blinds."
- Small Blind: Half the minimum bet (posted by the player to the left of the dealer)
- Big Blind: Equal to the minimum bet (posted by the player to the left of the small blind)
How to Play
- Each player receives two hole cards face down
- Blinds are posted
- Pre-flop betting round (starting with player to the left of the big blind)
- The flop - three community cards are dealt face-up
- Betting round
- The turn - fourth community card is dealt
- Betting round
- The river - fifth community card is dealt
- Final betting round
- Showdown - remaining players reveal their hands
Strategy Tips
- Be selective with starting hands - play strong hands in early position
- Position matters - late position players have more information
- Pay attention to the board and possible draws
- Manage your bankroll and avoid chasing losses
- Watch your opponents for betting patterns