How to Play Texas Holdem

If you would prefer to learn to play Texas Holdem using a more hands-on method, we offer free poker games in our poker room for you to practice your poker skills. Just visit our free poker download page, install our award winning poker software and you'll be learning Texas Hold'em in no time.

However, if you'd rather familiarize yourself with the rules of Texas Hold'em first, then these instructions should help.

The Blinds

In Texas Holdem, a disc called "the button" indicates 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 from 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.

Pre-Flop

After seeing his or her pocket cards, each player now has the option to play his or her hand by calling or raising the big blind. As mentioned before, the big blind is the size of a full small bet. Thus in a $2/$4 Texas Hold'em game, it would cost $2 to call in this initial round of betting (known as the "pre-flop").

In Texas Holdem the available actions are bet, call or raise. These options are available depending on the action taken by the previous player. Each poker player always has the option to fold. The first player to act has the option to bet, call or raise. Subsequent players have the option of calling or raising. To call is to bet the same amount as the previous player has bet. To raise is to match the previous bet and increase the bet.

Now, the "flop" is dealt face-up on the board. The flop consists of the first three community poker 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). The same rules apply from above to complete this round of poker betting.

Note: The betting structure varies with different variations of the game. Explanations of the betting action in limit holdem, no-limit holdem, and pot-limit holdem can be found below.

The Flop

Now three cards are dealt face-up on the board - this is known as the flop. In Texas Hold'em, the three cards on the flop are community cards available to all players still in the hand. Betting begins with the active player immediately clockwise of 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 Texas Hold'em poker game. Play begins with the active online player immediately clockwise the button. On this round, Same rules apply as above except that poker betting doubles from the small bet to the big bet. In a $2/$4 game, betting on the turn is done in $4 increments.

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 Texas Hold'em. Play begins with the active player immediately clockwise of the button. On this round, the betting doubles from the small bet to the big bet. Thus, in a $2/$4 game, betting on the turn is upped to $4 bets.

The River

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 Texas Hold em game. Betting begins with the active player immediately clockwise the button and the same poker rules apply as they do in the fourth card explained above.

The Showdown

If there is more than one remaining poker player when the final betting round is complete playing Texas Hold'em, 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 Texas Hold'em pot. In the event of identical hands, the poker pot will be equally divided between the players with the best hands.

At the end of the final betting round, if there is more than one remaining poker player, the last bettor or raiser shows his or her cards first. 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. Texas Hold'em rules state that all suits are equal, so split pots are more common than in other variations of poker.

After the pot is awarded, a new game of Texas Hold'em is ready to be played. The button now moves clockwise to the next player and new hands are dealt to each player.

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Limit, No Limit, Pot Limit and Mixed Holdem

Texas Hold'em rules remain the same for limit, no limit and pot limit poker games, with a few exceptions:

Limit Texas Hold'em

In Limit Texas Hold'em a maximum of four bets is allowed per player during any betting round. This includes a (1) bet, (2) raise, (3) re-raise, and (4) cap (final raise), but in No Limit Texas Hold'em and Pot Limit Texas Hold'em there is no limit to the number of raises that a player can make.

No Limit Texas Hold'em

Minimum raise: In no limit Texas 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 bets $5 then the second player must raise a minimum of $5 (total bet of $10).

Maximum eligible raise: The size of your stack (your chips on the table).

Pot Limit Texas Hold'em

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 bets $5 then the second player must raise a minimum of $5 (total bet of $10).

Maximum raise: The size of the poker 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.

Mixed Hold'em

In Mixed Hold'em, the game switches between rounds of Limit Hold'em and No Limit Hold'em. Please note that the blinds are increased when the game switches from No Limit to Limit. This is to ensure that the stake levels are consistent.

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Learn How to Play Texas Holdem for Free

If you want to learn how to play Texas Hold'em, then download the PokerStars software and join any one of our free poker games where you can play online against other players. Unlike our real money poker games, since there is nothing at stake, you'll be comfortable learning the ropes of the game and all the rules of Texas Hold'em. We hope to see you in our poker room and good luck at the tables!