Texas Holdem Rules Complete Guide for Beginners

Texas Holdem is simple to learn: each player receives two private cards, then five community cards appear in stages. Your job is to make the best five-card poker hand or win before showdown when everyone else folds.

The Flow of a Hand

1. Small blind and big blind post forced chips.
2. Each player receives two hole cards.
3. Preflop betting begins.
4. The flop reveals three community cards.
5. The turn reveals one more card.
6. The river reveals the final card.
7. Remaining players compare the best five-card hand.

Worked Example

Your hand is AQ. The board is A-9-7-4-2. Your best hand is one pair of aces with a queen kicker. If another player has AJ, your queen kicker wins.