Welcome to the complete guide to Texas Hold’em poker: the world’s most popular poker variant. Whether you are preparing for the WSOP, a home game with friends, or your first online session, mastering the basic rules, hand rankings, and key concepts is essential.
The core rules remain consistent across professional tournaments and cash games worldwide. This evergreen guide breaks everything down clearly, with examples, charts, and tips to help you avoid common beginner mistakes and start playing with confidence.
How Texas Hold’em Works
Texas Hold’em is a community card poker game. Each player is dealt two private hole cards, and five community cards are dealt face-up on the board. Your goal: make the best five-card poker hand using any combination of your hole cards and the community cards.
- Suits are equal: Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, and Clubs have no ranking difference.
- No-limit is common: You can bet any amount up to your stack at any time.
Table Positions
Why does position matter? Because information is power. Acting last allows you to see what your opponents do before you have to make a decision.
“Under the Gun” acts first. You have no information and the whole table is left to act behind you.
- Strategy: Be very selective. Fold weak hands.
- Hands to Play: Big Pairs (AA, KK, QQ), AK, AQ.
The bridge between danger and safety. You can open up your game slightly, but caution is still required.
- Strategy: Play solid hands. Avoid calling too much.
- Hands to Play: Add Pairs (88+), Suited Connectors (T9s+).
The best seats. You act last post-flop. You can bluff more effectively and control the pot size.
- Strategy: Attack & Steal the blinds. Play aggressively.
- Hands to Play: Wide range. Most pairs, suited cards.
You are forced to put money in. Pre-flop you act last, but post-flop you act first (worst position).
- Strategy: Defend against steals, but don’t overplay.
- Challenge: Hardest spot to play profitably.
Official Poker Hand Rankings
Here is the standard hand ranking chart used globally, ordered from strongest to weakest.
Tie-Breakers Explained
Same hand type? Compare the highest cards (e.g., higher Four of a Kind wins).
Kicker: The unpaired card that breaks ties. Example: Pair of Aces with King kicker beats Pair of Aces with Queen kicker.
Board: Q♠ Q♥ 10♦ 10♣ A♠ (Two Pair: Queens & Tens, Ace kicker)
Both players’ hole cards are weaker than the board, so both play the exact same hand (Q-Q-10-10-A). Result: Pot is split.
The Betting Rounds
A hand unfolds over four betting rounds. Community cards are dealt in three stages: Flop, Turn, and River.
- 1. Pre-Flop: Two hole cards dealt. Blinds posted. Betting starts with the player left of the big blind.
- 2. Flop: Three community cards dealt (First 3 cards). Betting starts with the player left of the dealer button.
- 3. Turn: Fourth community card. Bets often increase here.
- 4. River: Fifth and final card. Last chance to bet or bluff.
Common Mistakes & FAQ
Beginner Mistakes to Avoid
Frequently Asked Questions
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