What is Texas Hold'em?
Texas Hold'em uses a standard 52-card deck with no jokers, and a table usually seats 2 to 9 players (6-max and 9-handed tables are most common online). Each player is dealt 2 private hole cards, and 5 community cards shared by everyone are dealt face up in the middle of the table.
From your 7 cards (2 hole cards + 5 community cards), you make the best possible 5-card hand. You can use both hole cards, one, or even none and play the board.
Best 5 cards: A A K K 9 → two pair (aces and kings)
There are two ways to win the pot: have the best hand at showdown, or bet so that every other player folds. Because you can win without the best hand, Texas Hold'em has all the fun of bluffing and mind games.
How a hand of Texas Hold'em plays out
A hand of Texas Hold'em starts with the blinds, goes through four betting rounds and ends with a showdown:
- 1
Post the blinds
The two players to the left of the dealer must post the small blind and the big blind (the small blind is usually half the big blind), so there is always something to play for.
- 2
Pre-flop
Everyone gets 2 hole cards. The player to the left of the big blind (under the gun) acts first, then the action moves clockwise: call, raise or fold.
- 3
Flop
Three community cards are turned over together. The second betting round starts with the first player still in the hand to the left of the dealer.
K♦︎9♣︎4♠︎ - 4
Turn
The fourth community card is dealt, followed by the third betting round.
K♦︎9♣︎4♠︎A♥︎ - 5
River
The fifth and final community card is dealt, followed by the last betting round.
K♦︎9♣︎4♠︎A♥︎2♦︎ - 6
Showdown
If two or more players are left after the last betting round, they reveal their hole cards and the best hand wins the pot.
Betting actions in Texas Hold'em
When it is your turn, you can choose one of these actions. Which ones you can use depends on whether anyone has bet yet in this round:
| Action | Chinese | What it means | When you can use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Check | 過牌 | Don't bet and pass the action on | No one has bet this round |
| Bet | 下注 | Put chips in first | No one has bet this round |
| Call | 跟注 | Match the current highest bet | Someone has bet |
| Raise | 加注 | Put in more than the current highest bet | Someone has bet |
| Fold | 棄牌 | Give up your hand and the chips already in | Any time |
| All-in | 全下 | Push all your chips into the pot | Any time |
For more table talk, see the poker glossary.
Seats and position: why position matters so much
After every hand of Texas Hold'em, the dealer button moves one seat clockwise, so everyone takes turns in each position. The later you act after the flop, the better your position, because you see what your opponents do before you decide.
- Early position (UTG, UTG+1): you act first with the least information, so play only strong hands.
- Middle position (MP, LJ, HJ): you can open up your starting hands a little.
- Late position (CO, BTN): the best seats, where you can play more hands and put pressure on others.
- The blinds (SB, BB): you have already put chips in, but you act first after the flop, which is a disadvantage.
Want to know which hands to play from each position? See our Texas Hold'em beginner strategy and starting hand chart.
Betting structures: No-Limit, Pot-Limit and Fixed-Limit
No-Limit (NL)
You can bet up to all-in at any time. This is the most popular form of Texas Hold'em today, and it is what NLH means on online sites.
Pot-Limit (PL)
The maximum bet is the current size of the pot. Omaha (PLO) is most often played this way.
Fixed-Limit (FL)
Bets and raises are fixed amounts each round, with a cap on the number of raises, so the pace is steadier.
Showdown rules and ties
- Choose the best 5 of your 7 cards. See poker hand rankings for the order of hands.
- If the hand types match, compare the ranks that make the hand, then the remaining cards (kickers).
- Suits never count in Texas Hold'em. Identical 5-card hands split the pot.
- If the best 5 cards all come from the board, everyone is playing the board and the pot is usually split.
Both players have a pair of kings, but Player A's ace kicker beats the queen, so Player A wins.
Tips for beginners
- Play fewer, better hands: the most common beginner mistake is playing too many hands. Sticking to strong starting hands cuts your losses dramatically.
- Respect position: the same hand is much easier to play in late position than early.
- Be aggressive, not passive: if you want to play, raise. Limp less.
- Learn pot odds: with a draw, use the rule of 2 and 4 to estimate your equity and decide whether a call is worth it.
- Manage your emotions and budget: set a time limit and entertainment budget for each session. Don't chase losses, and quit while you're ahead.
Once you know the rules, pick a beginner-friendly room from our poker room guide and start at low stakes.
Poker rooms where you can play Texas Hold'em
These 6 rooms offer Texas Hold'em. Pick one for its download guide and how to join:
QQPokerA fun, easy-to-learn poker app with plenty to do★ 4.3
WPT GlobalThe official online poker site of the World Poker Tour★ 4.7
Red Dragon PokerThe online poker app from a well-known poker tournament brand★ 4.3
CoinPokerAn international poker site played with cryptocurrency★ 4.4
ClubGGThe poker club app from GGPoker Network★ 4.7
X-PokerA club app with lots of games and fair play★ 4.5
More on Texas Hold'em
FAQ
Texas Hold'em FAQ
How many players can play at a Texas Hold'em table?
A Texas Hold'em table seats 2 to 10 players. Online, 6-max and 9-handed tables are most common, and a game between two players is called heads-up.
Do you have to use both hole cards in Texas Hold'em?
No. In Texas Hold'em you can use 0, 1 or 2 hole cards with the board to make your best 5-card hand. It is Omaha where you must use exactly 2 hole cards.
Do suits rank in Texas Hold'em?
No. Suits are all equal in Texas Hold'em. If two hands have exactly the same type and ranks, the pot is split.
What are the big blind and small blind?
The blinds are forced bets posted before the deal by the two players to the left of the dealer. The small blind is usually half the big blind, and they make sure every hand has chips to play for.
What does NLH mean in Texas Hold'em?
NLH stands for No-Limit Hold'em, where players can bet up to all-in at any time.