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
