Learn How to Play Texas Holdem Poker

This primer on how to play Texas holdem poker will teach you the language of betting, the betting structure, and specifics on how to play.  Texas holdem poker is an extremely popular game that is very easy to learn.  Practicing and playing will help you to develop your skills.

How to Play Texas Holdem Poker

The Language of Betting:

Make sure you know the language of betting (it’s easy and you probably already know it):

1. Fold
2. Call – matching the bet that is in front of you
3. Check – pass the action to the next player without betting
4. Bet
5. Raise

The betting structure of Texas Hold Em Poker games is as follows:

A Limit Texas Hold Em Poker game means that the size of the bet is fixed on each street.  An example of this would be, in a $1/$2 Texas Holdem poker game, the bets are made in increments of $1 before and after the flop.  On the turn and the river the bets increase to $2.  If you are new to the game I highly recommend that you play in a structured limit game.

A Pot Limit Texas Hold Em Poker game is a combination of structured limit/ No limit, in which you can make a maximum bet at any time up to the amount of money that is in the pot.

In a No Limit Texas Hold Em Poker game there is no limit to the amount that you can bet.  But there is usually a minimum for each bet.

The Specifics on How to Play Texas Holdem Poker

The Shuffle, The Deal and The Blinds

The dealer shuffles a standard 52-card deck. When playing in a casino, the dealer does not play.  If you are playing with a group of friends then the dealer can and usually is a player.

A round disc -- known as a "dealer button" -- moves clockwise from player to player with each hand. The button marks which player would be the dealer if the deal were advanced from player to player as the game went along.

The two players to the left of the dealer start by putting a predetermined amount of money into the pot before any cards are dealt, ensuring that there's something to play for on every hand. This is called "posting the blinds."

Most often, the "small blind" -- the player to the left of the dealer -- puts up half the minimum bet, and the "big blind" puts up the full minimum bet.  For example, in a $4/$8 game the "small blind" would be $2 and the "big blind" would be $4.

Each player is then dealt two cards, face down. These first two cards are "hole cards."

A round of betting then takes place, beginning with the player to the left of the two who posted the blinds. Players can call, raise, or fold when it's their turn to bet.

The Flop

After the first betting round, the dealer discards the top card of the deck. This is called burning the card. This is done to ensure that no one accidentally saw the top card, and to help prevent cheating. 

The dealer then flips the next three cards face up on the table. These cards are called the "flop."

After the flop, another round of betting takes place, beginning with the player to the left of the dealer (the button). During this and all future rounds of betting, players can check, call, raise, or fold when it's their turn to bet.

Fourth Street

The dealer burns another card and plays one more face up onto the table.  This, the fourth community card, is called the "turn" or "Fourth Street." The player to the left of the dealer (the button) begins the third round of betting.

The River

The dealer burns another card before placing the final face-up card on the table.  This card is called the "river" (or "Fifth Street"). Players can now use any combination of seven cards -- the five community cards and the two hole cards known only to them -- to form the best possible five-card Poker hand.

The fourth and final round of betting starts with the player to the left of the dealer (the button). After the final betting round, all players who remain in the game reveal their hands. The player who made the initial bet or the player who made the last raise shows their hand first.

The player with the best hand wins.

The best way to learn to play poker is of course to actually play it, and you can start practicing your poker skills right now, for free at any of our recommended online poker rooms.