How to Play Texas Hold'em Poker at Home

Texas hold'em is the poker game on television and at almost every home game. Each player gets two private cards, five shared cards go in the middle, and the best five-card hand wins. It takes a minute to learn and a lifetime to play well.

What you need

• 2 to 10 players. Six to eight makes the best home game.
• One 52-card deck. Plastic cards survive a night of poker far better than paper.
• Chips, and a dealer button with small and big blind buttons.

The button and the blinds

A dealer button sits in front of one player and moves one seat to the left after each hand. It decides who acts last.

Before any cards are dealt, the two players to the left of the button post forced bets:

• Small blind — the player directly left of the button, usually half the big blind.
• Big blind — the next player along.

The blinds make sure there is always something to play for.

The hand, step by step

1. Hole cards. Everyone gets two cards face down, dealt one at a time starting left of the button.

2. Pre-flop betting. The player left of the big blind acts first. Each player can fold, call (match the big blind) or raise. Betting moves around the table until everyone still in has put in the same amount.

3. The flop. The dealer discards the top card face down (the burn card) and turns three cards face up in the middle. These are shared by everyone. Another round of betting begins with the first active player left of the button. Now players can also check — pass without betting — if nobody has bet yet.

4. The turn. Burn one, turn up a fourth shared card. Betting round.

5. The river. Burn one, turn up the fifth and last shared card. Final betting round.

6. The showdown. Players still in show their cards. Each makes the best five-card hand from their two hole cards and the five on the board — using both, one or neither of their own cards. The best hand wins the pot.

If everyone folds to a bet at any point, the last player standing wins without showing.

Hand rankings, highest first

Royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, high card. See our full poker hand rankings with examples.

Limit or no-limit

• No-limit: you can bet any amount up to everything in front of you — "all in".
• Limit: bets and raises are fixed sizes. Calmer, and good for beginners.

Texas hold'em with 2 players

Heads-up play changes one thing: the player on the button posts the small blind and acts first before the flop, then last on the flop, turn and river. The other player posts the big blind.

Tips for a first game

• Fold most hands before the flop. Pairs, two high cards and suited Aces are worth playing; most other hands are not.
• Position matters. Acting last, you see what everyone else does first.
• Set the blinds to rise every 20–30 minutes in a tournament so the night ends.

A felt topper turns the dining table into a poker table, and a proper button set keeps track of who deals and who posts.

Frequently asked questions

Can an ace be low in Texas hold'em?

Yes. An ace counts high or low in a straight, so A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest straight and 10-J-Q-K-A is the highest. It cannot wrap around, so Q-K-A-2-3 is not a straight.

Does suit matter in Texas hold'em?

No. All four suits are equal, so two hands of the same rank split the pot. Suit only matters in that five cards of one suit make a flush.

Does a flush beat a straight?

Yes. A flush ranks above a straight, and a full house ranks above a flush.

Why do you burn a card in Texas hold'em?

The dealer discards the top card face down before the flop, turn and river. It protects the game in case the top card was seen or marked.