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Texas Holdem Rules

The rules for texas holdem are very easy to learn, yet it can take a lifetime of studying the game and you still probably won’t have mastered it. Before you can get started reading the articles and strategies that we have listed on this site, you first need to know how the game is played. This set of rules will guide you through the basics and regulations for game play, and will set you on the right track to learning how to play texas holdem.


Two cards are dealt face down to each player that is involved in the hand at that moment. General notion goes that there should be no more then 9-10 people at a table, and no less then 5-7 to start off with. Players can run out of money, and eventually if the game is continuous you will get down to two players (heads up play) and then eventually one.


After the two face down cards are dealt, the two players to the left of the dealer are forced to post blinds (a bet without looking at your cards that is rotated around the table in the form of a big and small blind. Usually the small blind is 1/2 the amount of the big blind.) Along with blinds, there can also be an ante but this is not always played with when you use blinds.


As soon as the blinds are posted, the initial round of betting can start, usually with the player to the left of the big blind. Often times, this rule will be changed and just the player to the left of the dealer will start the initial round of bets. During this round of bets you have the option to call the blind, raise the blind, fold, or check if you are in the big blind. This round of betting ends when the final bet made by the big blind is either a check or call.


As soon as the round of betting ends, the dealer burns one card (places it face down) and then deals out 3 cards face up. These cards are known as community cards and are referred to as the flop. You can now use those 3 community cards to make you best 5 card hand, but keep in mind you still have 2 more community cards coming. After the flop there is a round of betting which goes about the same way as explained above.


After this round of betting is over, the dealer burns one more card and then places one card face up. This is called the turn or fourth street, and is your 4th community card of 5. You now try to make your best 5 card hand using the two that you were dealt face down and 3 of the 4 community cards. A round of betting occurs, and after this the dealer burns one last card and then deals face up the last community card.


This card is known as the river or 5th street, and is the last card that you have. You now have all the cards that you will get, and you must use your two plus three from the community cards to make your best five card hand. A round of betting occurs and the best hand wins unless you fold because of a bluff.


Depending on what kind of stakes you are playing you must make sure that your bets are following the rules. In no limit you obviously can bet it all, but in some limit games you can only bet the size of the pot or there is a limit to each bet. The reason a card is burned before each set of community cards is dealt is so that there can be no cheating.


Hand Rankings
High card- Ace high
Pair- Two Aces
Two pair- Two Aces and Two kings. Highest pair wins.
Three of a kind- Three aces
Straight- five cards in sequential order such as 10 J Q K A
Flush- five cards of the same suit and highest card in the flush wins if two or more players have flushes.
Full house- Three of a kind and a pair. Highest three of a kind wins.
4 of a kind- four cards such as 4 aces.
Straight flush- five cards in sequential order all of the same suit. Highest card in the straight flush wins.
Royal flush- 10 J Q K A suited.