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
