LET'S PLAY
POKER
Texas Hold’em is the king of Poker, but it’s also a game with a steep learning curve—not because of complex rules, but because of the strategy, psychology, and deception involved. While the basic mechanics are simple—make the best five-card hand using your two hole cards and the five community cards—mastering the game requires reading your opponents, managing your bets, and knowing when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em. Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to sharpen your skills, this guide will break down the essentials so you can confidently take a seat at the table.
Object
Be the Last Player Standing by winning all the chips, or have the most chips when a predetermined stopping point (e.g., time limit or tournament rules) is reached.
What You Need
• A standard 52-card deck
• Poker chips or other betting tokens (divided into different values)
• A dealer button, small blind, and big blind markers (optional but helpful)
• A table with enough room all players.
• Texas Hold’em is can be played with 2-10 players. The game plays best with 6-10 players.
Card Ranks
The cards are ranked from highest to lowest as follows:
Ace (A), King (K), Queen (Q), Jack (J), 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2
• Aces can be high or low – They can be the highest card (above a King) or the lowest card (below a 2) when forming a straight (e.g., A-2-3-4-5).
• Suits have no rank – Spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs are all equal in value.
These rankings determine hand strength in a showdown and tiebreakers when two hands are otherwise equal.
Set Up
1. Determine the First Dealer – Each player draws a card; the highest card deals first (aces are high). Alternatively, the dealer can be chosen randomly. The dealer button rotates clockwise after each hand.
2. Distribute Chips – Each player exchanges their buy-in for poker chips, with different colors representing different values.
3. Assign the Blinds – The two players to the left of the dealer post forced bets:
• Small Blind (half the minimum bet)
• Big Blind (equal to the minimum bet)
4. Shuffle and Deal – The dealer shuffles and deals two private hole cards to each player, face down.
If playing for cash, players buy in for an agreed-upon amount and receive a set number of chips.
Game Play
The Dealer shuffles the deck and the player to their right cuts the card. The Dealer then deals out two face down cards, one at a time. Dealing clockwise they begin with the Small Blind Position, then the Big Blind, then the 'Under the Gun' player and so on. The Dealer is last to get a card. This leads to the Pre-Flop phase.
A full game of Texas Hold’em consists of multiple rounds, each with its own betting phase:
1. Pre-Flop – Players receive two private hole cards and decide whether to call, raise, or fold based on their strength.
2. The Flop – Three community cards are dealt face up, followed by another betting round.
3. The Turn – A fourth community card is dealt face up, followed by another betting round.
4. The River – The fifth and final community card is dealt face up, followed by a final betting round.
5. The Showdown – If multiple players remain after the last round of betting, all hands are revealed, and the best five-card hand wins the pot.
At any point, a player can bet aggressively to try to force others to fold before the showdown, allowing them to win the pot without revealing their hand.
Turn Actions
On a player’s turn, they have the following options:
• Check – Pass the action to the next player without betting (only possible if no bet has been made in the current round).
• Call – Match the current bet to stay in the hand.
• Raise – Increase the current bet, forcing all remaining players to match or fold.
• Fold – Give up the hand and forfeit any chips already in the pot. That player is out of the game until the next round. They hold their seat as long as they still have chips.
If a player raises, all others must match the new bet (call), raise again, or fold. The betting round ends when all players have either called the highest bet or folded.
Winning Hands & Rankings
The player with the best five-card combination at showdown wins. Hands are ranked as follows (from highest to lowest):
1. Royal Flush
A, K, Q, J, 10 of the same suit.
2. Straight Flush
Five consecutive cards of the same suit.
3. Four of a Kind
Four cards of the same rank.
4. Full House
Three of a kind plus a pair.
5. Flush
Any five cards of the same suit (not in sequence).
6. Straight
Five consecutive cards of any suit.
7. Three of a Kind
Three cards of the same rank.
8. Two Pair
Two sets of pairs.
9. One Pair
A single pair of matching cards.
10. High Card
If no one has a pair or better, the highest card wins.
If two players have the same ranked hand, the kicker (the highest unpaired card) decides the winner.
Complete 30min guide with all rules, gameplay and tips.
5 minute Poker Quick Guide.
Just the Poker Hand Rankings
Ending the Game
Texas Hold’em is often played as a tournament or cash game. In tournaments, play continues until one player has all the chips. In cash games, players can buy in or leave at any time. In friendly 'Poker Night' games there is usually a limit of one or two additional buy-ins to keep everyone's friendships safe.
Variations
• No-Limit Hold’em – Players can bet any amount of their chips at any time.
• Limit Hold’em – Betting is restricted to set increments.
• Pot-Limit Hold’em – Players can bet up to the total size of the pot.
Final Thoughts
Texas Hold’em is the most popular poker variation in the world. While it has a steep learning curve, mastering the game involves reading your opponents, managing bets, and understanding probabilities. Whether you’re playing for fun or at a serious table, poker is a game of skill, patience, and strategy.