Texas Hold'em Poker Rules & Strategy
Texas Hold’em (or simply,
"Hold’em") is the most popular poker game in the casinos
and cardrooms of North America and Europe. Each player is
dealt two cards ("hole cards") which belong only to that
player. Five community cards are dealt face-up on the
"board". All players may use these cards in conjunction
with their own hole cards to make the best five-card poker
hand possible. To view the rankings of poker hands, visit
our hand ranks
page.
  In
Hold’em, a disc also known as "the button", serves to
indicate which player is the nominal dealer for the
current game. Before the game begins, the player
immediately clockwise the button posts the "small blind",
typically half a small bet (for example, $1 in a $2/$4
game). The player immediately clockwise the small blind
posts the "big blind", which is always a full small bet
($2 in a $2/$4 game). Now, each player receives his or her
two hole cards. Betting action proceeds around the table,
starting with the player immediately clockwise the big
blind.
Now, the "flop" is dealt face-up on the board. The flop is
the first three community cards available to all active
players. Betting begins with the active player immediately
clockwise the button. All bets and raises occur in small
bets (increments of $2 in a $2/$4 game).
When 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 a Hold’em game. Betting begins
with the active player immediately clockwise the button.
On this round, betting doubles from the small bet to the
big bet. In a $2/$4 game, betting on the turn is done in
$4 increments.
When betting action is completed for the turn round, the
"river" is dealt face-up on the board. The river is the
fifth and final community card in a Hold’em game. Betting
begins with the active player immediately clockwise the
button.
If there is more than one remaining player when the final
betting round is complete, the last bettor or raiser shows
his or her cards. If there was no bet on the final round,
the player immediately clockwise the button shows his or
her cards first. The player with the best five-card hand
wins the pot. In the event of identical hands, the pot
will be equally divided between the players with the best
hands.
After the pot is awarded, a new game of Hold’em is ready
to begin. The button now moves clockwise to the next
player.
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