Texas Hold'em Poker – Rules

Play Texas Hold'em Poker against the computer

1. Overview

What is it about? Everyone gets two face-down cards. Five face-up community cards in the middle belong to everyone. From those seven cards each player forms the best hand of five. Over four betting rounds players bet, raise or fold. Because you don't know the others' cards, clever betting and bluffing matter as much as the cards.

2. Cards and material

• Pack: 52 French cards without jokers.
• Ranking (high → low): A, K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2. The ace can also be low in the straight A-2-3-4-5.
• Suits: All four suits are equal.
• Chips: Every player starts with the same number of chips.
• Dealer button: Marks the dealer; moves one seat to the left after each hand.
• Face up and face down: Your two own cards (hole cards) face down, the community cards face up.

3. Preparation and start

1. Chips: Everyone gets the same number of chips (e.g. 1000).
2. Button: Everyone draws a card; the highest gets the button.
3. Blinds: Left of the button the small blind posts (e.g. 10), left of that the big blind (twice as much, e.g. 20). These are forced bets.
4. Shuffle and deal: Everyone gets 2 cards face down, one at a time clockwise, starting with the small blind.
5. Start: The player left of the big blind opens the first betting round.

Start example: Player 2 has the button. Player 3 posts 10 (small blind), Player 4 20 (big blind). Player 1 sits left of Player 4 and acts first.

4. Goal and winning

• A hand: Whoever shows the best five-card hand at the end (showdown) or is the only one left wins the pot.
• Game: Play until one player has all the chips, or for an agreed number of hands; then the player with the most chips wins.
• Tie: Equal hands split the pot.

5. Play in detail

The four betting rounds.

1. Pre-flop: after the deal; starts left of the big blind.
2. Flop: Three community cards are turned up; from now on the first active player left of the button starts.
3. Turn: A fourth card is turned up.
4. River: The fifth card is turned up. Then comes the showdown.

Options in a betting round.

• Check: bet nothing – only allowed if nobody has bet yet this round.
• Bet: be the first to put chips in.
• Call: match the highest bet.
• Raise: bet more than the current bet.
• Fold: throw away your cards and leave the hand.
• A betting round ends when all remaining players have put in the same amount.

Hand ranking (high → low).

Example with Players 1 to 4. Blinds 10/20. Player 1 holds the ace and king of hearts.

1. Pre-flop: Player 1 raises to 60. Player 2 folds. Player 3 folds. Player 4 calls (pays 40 more). Pot: 10 + 60 + 60 = 130.
2. Flop: 10 of hearts, king of clubs, 4 of hearts. Player 1 has a pair of kings and four hearts towards a flush. Player 4 checks, Player 1 bets 80, Player 4 calls. Pot 290.
3. Turn: 4 of spades. Player 4 bets 150. Player 1 calls. Pot 590.
4. River: 2 of hearts. Now Player 1 has five hearts: a flush (A K 10 4 2). Player 4 checks, Player 1 bets 200, Player 4 calls.
5. Showdown: Player 4 shows the 4 of diamonds and 10 of clubs. That gives him 4-4-4 (three of a kind) and 10-10 (pair) = full house. A full house beats a flush. Player 4 wins the pot of 990.

Remember: The board showed two fours and a ten – so a full house was possible.

6. Scoring

• There are no points, only chips. The pot goes to the winner of the hand.
• Best hand: The best five of your 2 hole cards and the 5 community cards count – you may use 0, 1 or 2 of your own cards.
• Same hand type: The higher combination wins, then the highest side card (kicker).
• Rising blinds: In tournaments the blinds go up regularly.

7. Special rules and situations

• All-in: A player without enough chips to call bets everything. They can only win as much from each opponent as they put in themselves; the rest goes into a side pot.
• Minimum raise: A raise must be at least as large as the previous raise (at least one big blind).
• Heads-up (two players): The button is the small blind and acts first before the flop, last after it.
• Showing cards: At showdown the last player to bet or raise shows first. A loser may muck their cards face down.
• Exposed card: A card turned up while dealing is replaced.
• Acting out of turn: Usually stands if nothing changes before it's that player's turn.
• Common mistakes: forgetting the community cards (a pair on the board belongs to everyone); confusing flush and straight; playing too many hands.

8. Variants

Standard in this description: No limit (any bet size), blinds, four betting rounds.

When playing against the computer on cardgames.zone you play no limit against up to five opponents with 500, 1000 or 2000 starting chips; the blinds rise every 10 hands. A game lasts 25 or 50 hands or until one player has all the chips.

9. Tips for beginners

1. Few, good hands: Mainly play high pairs and high cards (e.g. A-K, A-Q).
2. Position matters: Acting late lets you see what others do – there you can play more hands.
3. Read the board: After every card, check which strong hands are possible.
4. Folding is no mistake: Get out when your hand is no longer good enough.
5. Bluff with purpose: A bluff works better against few opponents.
6. Manage your chips: Never risk everything with a mediocre hand.
7. Watch others: Note who bluffs often and who only bets strong cards.

10. Summary in 10 steps

1. 52 cards, everyone with the same chips.
2. Left of the button: small blind and big blind.
3. Everyone gets 2 face-down cards.
4. Pre-flop betting starting left of the big blind.
5. Flop: 3 community cards, betting round.
6. Turn: 4th card, betting round.
7. River: 5th card, betting round.
8. Options: check, bet, call, raise, fold.
9. Showdown: best 5 of 7 cards wins the pot.
10. The button moves left, next hand.

11. Frequently asked questions

Must I use both hole cards?

No. The best five of all seven cards count – even just the five on the board.

What beats what: flush or straight?

The flush beats the straight. A full house beats both.

What is a kicker?

The highest side card that decides between equal combinations – e.g. a pair of aces with a king beats a pair of aces with a queen.

What happens when I'm all-in?

You play on to the showdown but can only win the part of the pot your chips cover.

Is poker without money allowed?

Yes, with play chips poker is an ordinary party game. On cardgames.zone there is never any real money involved.

How long does a hand take?

Usually two to four minutes.

Origin & history

Poker emerged in the early 19th century around New Orleans/Mississippi, influenced by the French Poque and the Persian As-Nas. Texas Hold'em is said to have originated in Robstown (Texas) in the early 20th century, came to Las Vegas in 1967 and has been the main event of the World Series of Poker since 1971. Worldwide boom from 2003 thanks to online poker and TV broadcasts with hole-card cameras.