Chapter One
Texas Hold’em
The rules in full. Make the best five-card hand. Make the others fold first.
I · Objective
Win the pot
You can win in one of two ways. Either show down the best five-card hand at the end of the river, or bet hard enough that everyone else surrenders before then. Both count the same on the chip stack.
II · Hand Rankings
Strongest to weakest
Royal Flush
Ace-high straight, all one suit.
Straight Flush
Five sequential cards of one suit.
Four of a Kind
All four cards of one rank.
Full House
Three of a kind plus a pair.
Flush
Five cards of one suit, any order.
Straight
Five sequential cards, any suit.
Three of a Kind
Three cards of one rank.
Two Pair
Two different pairs.
One Pair
Two cards of one rank.
High Card
No pair; highest card wins.
III · Game Flow
From deal to showdown
- 01
Hole Cards
Every player is dealt two face-down cards. Only you see your own.
- 02
Pre-Flop
The player left of the big blind acts first. Each player folds, calls, or raises.
- 03
The Flop
Three community cards turn face up in the middle. A betting round follows.
- 04
The Turn
A fourth community card joins the board. Another betting round.
- 05
The River
The fifth and final community card. Last betting round.
- 06
Showdown
Remaining players reveal hole cards. Best five-card hand wins the pot.
IV · Betting Actions
Five things you can do
- Check
- Pass the action without betting. Only allowed when no one has bet this round.
- Bet
- Open the round by putting chips into the pot.
- Call
- Match the current bet exactly. The only way to stay in without raising.
- Raise
- Increase the bet. Forces every remaining player to call, re-raise, or fold.
- Fold
- Surrender your hand. You lose what you have already committed; nothing more.