How to Play Texas Hold’em
Want to enjoy a game of Texas Hold’em poker? Here you will find key details about 🧬 Texas Hold’em to help you learn the game including the rules, hands, different variants of this game type and more.
What 🧬 is Texas Hold’em Poker?
Texas Hold’em poker is one of the most popular poker variants in the world. Despite its relative 🧬 simplicity, Texas Hold’em has the potential to be played with a seemingly infinite variety of strategies and tactics.
The Rules of 🧬 Texas Hold’em
To start playing Texas Hold’em games, it’s important to understand the basic rules: Every player is dealt two cards 🧬 which only they will see (known as ‘hole cards’)
The dealer spreads five cards (community cards) - three at once, then 🧬 another, then another - these can be used by all players to make their best possible five-card hand
Before and after 🧬 each card(s) is revealed, players take turns to bet. To stay in the hand and see the next card, all 🧬 players must have put the same amount of chips in the pot as each other (unless one player is already 🧬 all-in)
The best poker hand wins the pot. A player may use any combination of the seven cards available to make 🧬 the best possible five-card poker hand, using zero, one or two of their private hole cards
The Blinds
In Hold'em, a marker 🧬 called ‘the button’ or ‘the dealer button’ indicates which player is the dealer for the current game. Before the game 🧬 begins, the player immediately clockwise from the button posts the "small blind", the first forced bet. The player immediately clockwise 🧬 from the small blind posts the "big blind", which is typically twice the size of the small blind (blinds can 🧬 vary depending on the stakes and betting structure being played). In Limit games, the big blind is the same as 🧬 the small bet, and the small blind is typically half the size of the big blind (but may be larger 🧬 depending on the stakes). For example, in aR$2/$4 Limit game the small blind isR$1 and the big blind isR$2. In 🧬 aR$15/$30 Limit game, the small blind isR$10 and the big blind isR$15. In Pot Limit and No Limit games, the 🧬 games are referred to by the size of their blinds (for example, aR$1/$2 Hold’em game has a small blind ofR$1 🧬 and a big blind ofR$2). Depending on the exact structure of the game, each player may also be required to 🧬 post an ‘ante’ (another type of forced bet, usually smaller than either blind, posted by all players at the table) 🧬 into the pot. Now, each player receives their two hole cards. Betting action proceeds clockwise around the table, starting with 🧬 the player ‘under the gun’ (immediately clockwise from the big blind).
Player Betting Options
In Hold'em, as with other forms of poker, 🧬 the available actions are ‘fold’, ‘check’, ‘bet’, ‘call’ or ‘raise’. Exactly which options are available depends on the action taken 🧬 by the previous players. If nobody has made a bet, then a player may either check (decline to bet, but 🧬 keep their cards) or bet. If a player has bet, then subsequent players can fold, call or raise. To call 🧬 is to match the amount the previous player has bet. To raise is to not only match the previous bet, 🧬 but to also increase it.
Pre-Flop
After seeing their hole cards, each player now has the option to play his or her 🧬 hand by calling or raising the big blind. The action begins to the left of the big blind, which is 🧬 considered a ‘live’ bet on this round. That player has the option to fold, call or raise. For example, if 🧬 the big blind wasR$2, it would costR$2 to call, or at leastR$4 to raise. Action then proceeds clockwise around the 🧬 table. Note: The betting structure varies with different variations of the game. Explanations of the betting action in Limit Hold'em, 🧬 No Limit Hold'em, and Pot Limit Hold'em can be found below. Betting continues on each betting round until all active 🧬 players (who have not folded) have placed equal bets in the pot.
The Flop
Now, three cards are dealt face-up on the 🧬 board. This is known as ‘the flop’. In Hold'em, the three cards on the flop are community cards, available to 🧬 all players still in the hand. Betting on the flop begins with the active player immediately clockwise from the button. 🧬 The betting options are similar to pre-flop, however if nobody has previously bet, players may check, passing the action to 🧬 the next active player clockwise.
The Turn
When the betting action is completed for the flop round, the ‘turn’ is dealt face-up 🧬 on the board. The turn is the fourth community card in Hold'em (and is sometimes also called ‘Fourth Street’). Another 🧬 round of betting ensues, beginning with the active player immediately clockwise from the button.
The River
When betting action is completed for 🧬 the turn round, the ‘river’ or ‘Fifth Street’ is dealt face-up on the board. The river is the fifth and 🧬 final community card in a Hold'em game. Betting again begins with the active player immediately clockwise from the button, and 🧬 the same betting rules apply as they do for the flop and turn.
The Showdown
If there is more than one remaining 🧬 player when the final betting round is complete, the last person to bet or raise shows their cards, unless there 🧬 was no bet on the final round in which case the player immediately clockwise from the button shows their cards 🧬 first. The player with the best five-card poker hand wins the pot. In the event of identical hands, the pot 🧬 will be equally divided between the players with the best hands. Hold'em rules state that all suits are equal. After 🧬 the pot is awarded, a new hand of Hold'em is ready to be played. The button now moves clockwise to 🧬 the next player, blinds and antes are once again posted, and new hands are dealt to each player.
How many Hand 🧬 Combinations are there in Texas Hold’em?
There are 1,326 possible combinations for your opening hand in Texas Hold’em poker. However, because 🧬 suits have no value in this poker variant, a lot of these combinations will have the same value before the 🧬 flop. When we eliminate identical combinations, there are 169 starting hands in Texas Hold’em. Pre-flop, Pocket Aces is the best 🧬 starting hand. However, if your hand doesn’t improve on the board, you will only have one pair. Particularly in multi-way 🧬 pots, this may not be a strong enough holding for you to continue in later betting rounds, or to win 🧬 the hand if it gets to showdown. When playing heads up games (vs just one opponent), you typically need to 🧬 play an extremely wide range of starting hands, especially when on the button. However, in multi-way games (vs several opponents), 🧬 you need to be more selective with your starting hands, taking table position and the actions of your opponents into 🧬 account. Hands with generally strong playability include: Top pairs – AA and KK are the premium starting hands in Texas 🧬 Hold’em. They can be played extremely confidently and aggressively pre-flop, and you shouldn’t be deterred from getting your stack in 🧬 the middle at this stage if you get the opportunity. QQ and JJ are the next best pairs which can 🧬 also be played positively, though you need to proceed with caution if facing a lot of pre-flop aggression, or if 🧬 over cards are dealt on the flop.
– AA and KK are the premium starting hands in Texas Hold’em. They can 🧬 be played extremely confidently and aggressively pre-flop, and you shouldn’t be deterred from getting your stack in the middle at 🧬 this stage if you get the opportunity. QQ and JJ are the next best pairs which can also be played 🧬 positively, though you need to proceed with caution if facing a lot of pre-flop aggression, or if over cards are 🧬 dealt on the flop. Small pairs – small to middle pairs like 44 or 66 are good to play in 🧬 late position if you can see a flop relatively cheaply, to try and hit a set on the flop. If 🧬 you do, your hand will be pretty well disguised against opponents playing bigger pairs or higher cards. Folding is recommended 🧬 against a lot of pre-flop action, or if you face a bet after missing the flop.
– small to middle pairs 🧬 like 44 or 66 are good to play in late position if you can see a flop relatively cheaply, to 🧬 try and hit a set on the flop. If you do, your hand will be pretty well disguised against opponents 🧬 playing bigger pairs or higher cards. Folding is recommended against a lot of pre-flop action, or if you face a 🧬 bet after missing the flop. Suited connectors – cards with consecutive numbers and the same suit (e.g. JH, 10H). These 🧬 holdings have great playability post-flop and can give you the chance to make straights or flushes. It’s recommended that you 🧬 play a lot of these hands multi-way and/or when you have a deep stack, as you have the potential to 🧬 win large pots against players with inferior holdings like two pair or three of a kind.
– cards with consecutive numbers 🧬 and the same suit (e.g. JH, 10H). These holdings have great playability post-flop and can give you the chance to 🧬 make straights or flushes. It’s recommended that you play a lot of these hands multi-way and/or when you have a 🧬 deep stack, as you have the potential to win large pots against players with inferior holdings like two pair or 🧬 three of a kind. Suited aces – hands like AH, 4H give you the potential to make straights, but more 🧬 importantly, the nut flush. Again, this can be extremely profitable against players with inferior holdings – especially players who may 🧬 also hit lower value flushes. In addition, suited aces are great bluffing hands against pre-flop raises. Holding an ace means 🧬 you block the combinations of aces that your opponent(s) can be holding. And if you’re called, your holding still has 🧬 decent playability post-flop.
How are hands ranked in Texas Hold’em?
Understanding hand rankings beyond your starting hands is important as you look 🧬 to play your best possible five-card hand from the seven available cards. Texas Hold’em poker uses traditional high poker hand 🧬 ranks: Royal Flush – 10-A of the same suit
Straight Flush – Five cards of the same suit, in consecutive order 🧬 numerically
Four of a Kind – Four cards of the same rank, and one side card/’kicker’
Full House – Three cards of 🧬 the same rank, and two other cards which also match rank
Flush – Five cards of the same suit
Straight – Five 🧬 cards in sequence numerically
Three of a Kind – Three cards of the same rank, and two unrelated side cards
Two pair 🧬 – Two cards of matching ranks, another two cards of matching rank, and one side card
One pair – Two cards 🧬 of matching rank, and three unrelated side cards
High card – No matching cards and no other hand type More information 🧬 on hand ranks, including examples of poker hands, is available in our How to Play section.
Limit, No Limit, Pot Limit 🧬 and Mixed Texas Hold'em
Hold'em rules remain the same for Limit, No Limit and Pot Limit poker games, with a few 🧬 exceptions
Limit Texas Hold'em
Betting in Limit Hold'em is in pre-determined, structured amounts. Pre-flop and on the flop, all bets and raises 🧬 are of the same amount as the big blind. On the turn and the river, the size of all bets 🧬 and raises doubles. In Limit Hold'em, up to four bets are allowed per player during each betting round. This includes 🧬 a (1) bet, (2) raise, (3) re-raise, and (4) cap (final raise). No Limit Texas Hold'em
The minimum bet in No 🧬 Limit Hold'em is the same as the size of the big blind, but players can always bet as much more 🧬 as they want, up to all of their chips.
Minimum raise: In No Limit Hold'em, the raise amount must be at 🧬 least as much as the previous bet or raise in the same round. As an example, if the first player 🧬 to act betsR$5 then the second player must raise a minimum ofR$5 (total bet ofR$10).
Maximum raise: The size of your 🧬 stack (your chips on the table).
In No Limit Hold'em, there is no ‘cap’ on the number of raises allowed. Pot 🧬 Limit Texas Hold'em
The minimum bet in Pot Limit Hold'em is the same as the size of the big blind, but 🧬 players can always bet up to the size of the pot.
Minimum raise: The raise amount must be at least as 🧬 much as the previous bet or raise in the same round. As an example, if the first player to act 🧬 betsR$5 then the second player must raise a minimum ofR$5 (total bet ofR$10).
Maximum raise: The size of the pot, which 🧬 is defined as the total of the active pot plus all bets on the table plus the amount the active 🧬 player must first call before raising.
Example: If the size of the pot isR$100, and there is no previous action on 🧬 a particular betting round, a player may bet a maximum ofR$100. After that bet, the action moves to the next 🧬 player clockwise. That player can either fold, callR$100, or raise any amount between the minimum ($100 more) and the maximum. 🧬 The maximum bet in this case isR$400 - the raiser would first callR$100, bringing the pot size toR$300, and then 🧬 raiseR$300 more, making a total bet ofR$400.
In Pot Limit Hold'em, there is no ‘cap’ on the number of raises allowed. 🧬 Mixed Texas Hold'em
In Mixed Hold'em, the game switches between rounds of Limit Hold'em and No Limit Hold'em. The blinds are 🧬 typically increased when the game switches from No Limit to Limit, to ensure some consistency in the average pot size 🧬 in each game. The betting rules on each round follow the rules for that game, as described above.
In the PokerStars 🧬 software, it’s not possible to bet less than the minimum or more than the maximum. The bet slider and bet 🧬 window will only allow you to bet amounts within the allowed thresholds.
Learn How to Play Texas Hold'em for Free
If you 🧬 want to learn how to play Hold'em, then download the PokerStars software and join any of the free poker games 🧬 where you can play online against other players. Unlike our real money poker games, since there is nothing at stake, 🧬 you can be comfortable learning the ropes of the game and all the rules of Hold'em. As well as Texas 🧬 Hold’em, we also offer many other poker variants. See our Poker Games page to learn more.
Additional information
