Texas Hold’em Rules

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Texas hold’em is a community card game. Every player is dealt two cards face down, and then five community cards are dealt in the middle of the table. The five community cards may be used by every player.

When played in casinos, texas holdem is played with a dealer button to mark who the dealer would be if the casino weren’t providing one for the table. The button rotates clockwise around the table between every hand. This is important as the “dealer” is the last to act, and thus has the greatest advantage for that hand.

Texas Holdem Rules - Objective

To make your best five card hand using any combination of the five cards on the board and the two in your hand.

Note: Using all five community cards to make your best five card hand is called “playing the board”

Texas Holdem Rules - Forced Bets

Ante Texas hold’em occasionally has an ante (usually only in tournament play) where every player must place a specified amount in the pot prior to the beginning of each hand. The ante does not count toward any future bets.

Blinds Texas holdem rules dictate that there be two forced bets every hand, called blinds. There is a small blind, which is 1/2 of the low limit bet size, and a big blind, which is equal to the low limit bet size. Before the hand begins, the player to the immediate left of the dealer button is forced to post the small blind, and the player to the left of that person is forced to post the big blind. These bets count towards that player’s first round bet, and are considered live, meaning the player may choose to raise even if nobody else has.

Note: In a heads up match (1 on 1), the player with the dealer button posts the small blind, and the other player posts the big blind. The player with the dealer button is the first to act before the flop, but acts after his opponent in the three betting rounds to follow.

Texas Holdem Rules - Betting Rounds

There are four rounds of betting. In fixed limit Texas hold’em game, in the first two rounds of betting, all bets must be equal to the size of the low limit bet. In the last two rounds of betting, all bets must be equal to the high limit bet. If, for example, you’re playing 3-6 Texas holdem, all bets in the first two rounds will be in increments of 3 dollars, and all bets in the last two rounds will be in increments of 6 dollars. A maximum of 3 raises are allowed per betting round.

Note: In a heads up match, some poker rooms will allow more than the customary 3 raises per betting round. 5 is common, as is unlimited raises.

1. Preflop - The player to the immediate left of the dealer button is forced to post the small blind. The player to the left of him, or two to the left of the dealer button, is forced to post the big blind. Two cards are dealt to every player face down, starting with the small blind. The action begins with the player to the immediate left of the big blind, who must decide to fold, call (by putting in the low limit bet), or raise (by putting in twice the low limit bet). Action proceeds clockwise around the table. The small blind may call (assuming nobody has raised) by adding the other 1/2 of the low limit bet he was already forced to put in. The big blind may simply check (assuming nobody has raised), as he has already put in the full size of the first round bet.

2. The Flop - Three cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table. In this round, and in the following two rounds, the player to the immediate left of the dealer button is the first to act. Play proceeds in a clockwise manner around the table. All bets and raises must be equal to the low limit bet size.

3. The Turn - A fourth card is dealt face up in the middle of the table. Play proceeds as in the previous round, except now all bets and raises must be equal to the high limit bet size.

4. The River - A fifth and final card is dealt face up in the middle of the table. Play proceeds as in the previous round. All bets and raises must be equal to the high limit bet size.

Showdown - Anyone who has not folded after the last round of betting will now have the option of showing their hand and possibly winning the pot. The person who bet last is the first to show their hand, and then it proceeds clockwise from there, with each remaining player either choosing to show their hand, or muck it. Often times a player will muck their hand if they aren’t going to win the pot, and don’t want their opponents to see what they played.

Hint: Most online poker rooms offer the option of automatically mucking your losing hands, so the other players won’t see what you played. It’s generally a good idea to select this.

Texas Hold’em Rules - Optional Rules

Chop In a game where chopping is allowed, if there are no callers, the two players who posted the blinds have the option of having their bets returned to them, and moving on to the next hand. Both players must agree to chop.

Straddle In a game where straddling is allowed, the player to the immediate left of the big blind may choose to raise before looking at their cards. Often times this is considered a live bet, which means that player may choose to raise again when it’s their turn, regardless of whether anyone else has reraised.

Kill Pot In a game where kill pot is allowed, a player may choose to post an overblind that is equal to twice the size of the big blind, and effectively doubles the betting limits. In some games, the player may be allowed to kill for a larger amount, usually no larger than half their stack. In most poker rooms, the person who kills the pot will act last during the first betting round only, and will then act in normal turn order.

Texas Hold’em Rules - Variations

Kill and Half Kill In a kill game of Texas hold’em, if a player meets a specified condition, usually winning two pots in a row, the stakes are doubled for the next hand. In a half kill game, the stakes are increased 50%. The player who met the kill condition must post a blind equal to the new lower limit bet size. This is in addition to the normal blinds posted for the game. If the player who met the kill condition is supposed to place the small or big blind, the new blind bet is placed instead of, not in addition to. In some casinos, the killer acts last after the blinds; in others he acts in normal turn order.

Spread Limit Spread limit Texas holdem rules are the same as fixed limit Texas hold’em rules, with the exception that the bettor may bet any amount between the stated minimum and maximum bets. For example, in a 10-to-30 spread limit Texas holdem game, a player may bet any amount between 10 dollars and 30 dollars. In addition, all bets and raises must be greater than or equal to the previous bet or raise, with the exception of a player that is raising all in. If a player does raise all in, and that bet is not greater than or equal to the previous raise, then the door is not opened for the original raiser to reraise. For example, if Player A bets 30 dollars, Player B calls, and Player C raises all in for a total less than 60 dollars, Player A would not be able to reraise that bet.

Pot Limit Pot limit Texas hold’em rules are the same as fixed limit Texas holdem rules, with the exception that the maximum bet is equal to the current pot size. A player may bet or raise any amount they wish, up to the amount that is currently in the pot. There are still minimum bets. If you’re playing 10-20 no limit Texas hold’em, for example, then you have to bet at least 10 dollars in the first two rounds, and at least 20 dollars in the latter two rounds. In addition, all bets and raises must be greater than or equal to the previous bet or raise, with the exception of a player that is raising all in. If a player does raise all in, and that bet is not greater than or equal to the previous raise, then the door is not opened for the original raiser to reraise. For example, if Player A bets 30 dollars, Player B calls, and Player C raises all in for a total less than 60 dollars, Player A would not be able to reraise that bet. In some casinos, when playing pot limit, the number of raises per betting round are unlimited.

No Limit No limit Texas holdem rules are the same as fixed limit Texas hold’em rules, with the exception that there is no maximum bet. A player may bet or raise any amount they wish, up to the amount they have in front of them. There are still minimum bets, however. If you’re playing 10-20 no limit Texas holdem, for example, then you have to bet at least 10 dollars in the first two rounds, and at least 20 dollars in the latter two rounds. In addition, all bets and raises must be greater than or equal to the previous bet or raise, with the exception of a player that is raising all in. If a player does raise all in, and that bet is not greater than or equal to the previous raise, then the door is not opened for the original raiser to reraise. For example, if Player A bets 30 dollars, Player B calls, and Player C raises all in for a total less than 60 dollars, Player A would not be able to reraise that bet. In some casinos, when playing no limit, the number of raises per betting round are unlimited.