Texas Hold'em Rules
POKER RULES

Texas Hold'em is arguably the most popular form of poker. It is widely considered to have the most strategy of all poker games, yet the rules are quite simple. Here is how a hand of Texas Hold'em is played:

1. Hole Cards. Each player is dealt two cards face down.
2. The Flop. Three cards are dealt face up on the table.
3. The Turn. A fourth card is dealt to the table.
4. The River. Finally, a fifth card is dealt to the table.

The five cards on the table are community cards. Your hand is formed by taking the best poker hand you can by using any five out of the seven cards (5 community + 2 hole cards). But remember, all the players have access to the community cards. When played for money, there is a round of betting after a round of cards is dealt (so four rounds of betting in total).

Example Hand

1. Hole Cards: You are dealt A Q. Your opponent checks to you. You decide to bet with this hand and one player calls.
   
2. The Flop: The board is A 10 9. Right now, you have a pair of aces. You make a bet and the other player calls.
   
3. The Turn: 10 comes on the board. You know have two pairs, aces and tens. Be aware that if your opponent has a ten in his hole cards, he now has a three-of-a-kind. However, you also now have the potential of hitting a flush if the river card is another spade. Again, you bet and the player calls.
   
4. The River: 2 comes on the river. The final board is  A 10 10 9 2. You now have a flush. You make a bet and your opponent calls.
   
5. Showdown: You show your flush. Your opponent shows J 10, so he has three-of-a-kind. You win.

Here are more examples of final Texas Hold'em hands after all five board cards have been dealt.

Example #1



In this example, you have a flush, because you can use the three clubs on the board with the two in your hand.

Example #2



In this example, you have a King pair with Queen Kicker. The kicker is very important, because you would beat a player holding KJ or K5, but you would lose to a player with AK.

Example #3



In this example, you have a straight to the king, by using all the community cards and none of your hole cards. But just remember, everyone else has a straight too. How could you win the entire pot in this situation, instead of splitting it? You might bet and represent (pretend you have) the ace. However, if someone else really does have the Ace, you would be raised and put into an awkward situation.

Next Article: Omaha Rules