Texas Hold'em: the basics
Everything you need for your first home game, in about five minutes.
The goal
Win chips by holding the best five-card hand at showdown, or by betting so that everyone else folds before it gets there.
Each player gets two private cards. Up to five shared cards are dealt face up in the middle, and you make your best hand from any five of those seven.
Blinds
Before any cards are dealt, the two players to the left of the dealer put in forced bets: the small blind and the big blind (usually double the small).
Blinds make sure there's always something to play for. The dealer button moves one seat to the left after every hand, so everyone takes a turn paying them.
Pre-flop
Everyone receives two face-down hole cards. Starting with the player to the left of the big blind, each person calls, raises or folds.
The flop
Three community cards are turned face up at once. Another round of betting follows, this time starting with the first active player to the left of the dealer.
The turn
A fourth community card is dealt, followed by a third round of betting.
The river
The fifth and final community card arrives, then the last round of betting.
Showdown
If more than one player is still in after the final bet, everyone remaining shows their cards. The best five-card hand takes the pot.
Identical hands split the pot equally. Not sure which hand wins? Check the hand rankings.
Your actions
On your turn in any betting round, you can:
- Check
- Pass the action without betting. Only possible when nobody has bet yet in this round.
- Bet
- Put chips in when nobody else has this round. Others must match it to stay in.
- Call
- Match the current bet to stay in the hand.
- Raise
- Increase the current bet. Everyone else then has to match the new amount or fold.
- Fold
- Give up your cards and any chips you've already put in. You're out until the next hand.
Not sure which hand wins? See the hand rankings.