Texas Hold'em rules

Texas Hold'em is a community-card poker game. You play against the other players at the table, not against the house. Each player receives two private cards, called hole cards, and five shared cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table. At the showdown, the best five-card poker hand made from any combination of a player's two hole cards and the five shared cards wins the pot.

Blinds and the deal

Instead of an ante, most games use two forced bets called blinds. The player to the dealer's left posts the small blind and the next player posts the big blind. Each player is then dealt two cards face down.

The four betting rounds

1. Pre-flop: betting starts with the player to the left of the big blind. Players can fold, call, or raise.
2. The flop: three shared cards are dealt face up, followed by a round of betting.
3. The turn: a fourth shared card, followed by another round of betting.
4. The river: a fifth and final shared card, and a last round of betting.

If more than one player remains after the river, the hands are shown and the best five-card hand wins. Players can use both hole cards, one, or neither (playing the board). Equal hands split the pot.

How the house makes money

Because players compete with each other, there is no house edge in the usual sense. A card room or poker site makes its money from a fee, usually a percentage of each pot called the rake, or from tournament entry fees. Over time the rake is a cost that every player pays. See our poker and U.S. law guide for where online poker is actually licensed.

Limit, pot-limit, and no-limit

The betting structure changes the game. In fixed-limit games, bets and raises are set amounts. In pot-limit games, a raise can be as large as the current pot. In no-limit games, a player can bet all of their chips at any time.

Play safely, or not at all

This guide is educational. We do not offer games, accept bets, or link to casinos. In the U.S. states that currently license online casinos, you must be at least 21 and physically located in that state. Every casino game on this page has a built-in house advantage or a fee, so treat any money you play with as money you may lose. Set a budget and a time limit before you start. If gambling is causing harm, call or text the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738) or see our responsible gambling help page.

Sources

• Pagat.com, Texas Hold'em rules

See also: all game guides, where online casinos are legal, and responsible gambling help.