About Texas Holdem
How to play Texas Holdem
Before each hand, two players automatically post the blinds: $5 from the player immediately left of the dealer button and $10 from the next player. These bets put chips in the pot before any cards are played. The button moves one seat to the left after every hand, taking the blind positions with it.
Each player receives two face-down cards, called hole cards. Before the flop, the player left of the big blind acts first, with the big blind acting last. The big blind can still raise if everyone else has only called.
There are four betting rounds: before the flop, after the flop, after the turn and after the river. Fold means leave the hand, check means pass without betting when there is nothing to call, and call means match the current bet. Bet puts chips in when nobody has bet that round, while raise increases the amount others must match.
The smallest bet is $10, and no-limit means you can bet up to all your remaining chips. A raise must increase the bet by at least the size of the last full bet or raise that round, unless you are going all in for less. The buttons use “raise to”, so RAISE TO 360 means your total contribution for that round becomes 360, including chips you have already put in.
After the opening betting round, three shared cards appear in the middle: the flop. Another betting round follows, then the turn adds a fourth shared card, followed by more betting. The river adds the fifth and final shared card before the last betting round. In each round after the flop, the first player still in the hand to the left of the button acts first.
Make your best five-card hand using any combination of your two hole cards and the five shared cards. You can use both hole cards, just one or neither. If everyone else folds, you win without showing your cards.
At showdown, the remaining hands are revealed and the strongest wins, equal hands split the pot, and any extra chips bet beyond what an all-in player could match form a side pot that player cannot win. The winning five cards are highlighted, with a short explanation of the result. The result stays on screen until you press Next hand.
If you run out of chips, you can take a free $1,000 rebuy. Computer players who run out automatically rebuy before the next hand.
Texas Holdem Hand Rankings and Payouts
Hands are ranked from strongest to weakest. There is no fixed payout schedule: the winning player takes the eligible pot, including any side pots they can win.
| Hand | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | Ace, King, Queen, Jack and 10 of one suit | A, K, Q, J, 10, all hearts |
| Straight Flush | Five consecutive cards of one suit | 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, all clubs |
| Four of a Kind | Four cards of the same rank | 9, 9, 9, 9, K |
| Full House | Three of a kind plus a pair | K, K, K, 4, 4 |
| Flush | Five cards of one suit | 2, 5, 8, J, K, all diamonds |
| Straight | Five consecutive cards of mixed suits | 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 |
| Three of a Kind | Three cards of the same rank | 7, 7, 7, K, 2 |
| Two Pair | Two cards of one rank and two of another | J, J, 5, 5, A |
| One Pair | Two cards of the same rank | A, A, K, 8, 3 |
| High Card | When no other hand is made, the highest card plays | A, J, 8, 6, 3, with mixed suits |
Your hand is the best five cards from your two hole cards and the five shared cards. You can use both hole cards, one or neither. An Ace can be low in A, 2, 3, 4, 5 or high in 10, J, Q, K, A, but Q, K, A, 2, 3 is not a straight.
When players have otherwise matching hands, kickers, the remaining cards in their best five, can decide the winner. Equal five-card hands split the pot. Suits never rank.
Texas Holdem strategy and tips
Be selective with your starting hands
You do not have to play every hand. Start by favouring stronger cards, especially when you act early and several players still have decisions to make. Folding leaves your remaining chips available for another hand.
Use your position
From the dealer seat, you act last in each betting round after the flop while you remain in the hand. That lets you see what the other players do before deciding. Pay attention to the button as it moves, because the same cards can be harder to play when you must act first.
Read the cost before calling
The line beside the buttons shows how much a call costs and the size of the pot. Take a moment to compare them before committing chips. A relatively small call and a call that takes most of your stack deserve different levels of caution.
Watch who is doing the betting
Tap a computer player to see their style, then watch how they play. Big Sal is a Caller, so a call from him may tell you less than a raise from cautious Marlene. Use those styles as clues alongside the cards and betting, rather than treating them as guarantees.
Look at what the board makes possible
Read the shared cards as carefully as your own. A paired board can make a full house or four of a kind possible, while three cards of one suit can give someone a flush. Think about the hands another player could make before deciding how strong yours really is.
Give each bet a purpose
Use the Min, half-pot, three-quarter-pot and Pot presets to consider different amounts. Going all in commits every remaining chip, so take the confirmation prompt as a chance to review that decision. Check the total shown by RAISE TO before confirming a raise.
Let go when the hand changes
A promising starting hand does not stay strong on every board. If the shared cards create stronger possibilities and an opponent keeps betting heavily, reconsider what your hand can beat. You do not need to keep calling just because you have already put chips in.
Review decisions while they are fresh
Turn Coach on for short tips, and use Hint when you want a suggested action with a reason. The suggestion uses only information available to you, but it cannot guarantee the result. After a difficult hand, open History and follow the actions in order to see where your decision became tricky.
Texas Holdem FAQs
How do you play Texas Hold'em?
Each player gets two hole cards and uses them with five shared cards to make their strongest five-card hand. There are four betting rounds, and you win either by having the strongest hand at showdown or by being the last player who has not folded.
What beats what in Texas Hold'em?
From highest to lowest: royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair and high card. Where relevant, kickers decide between otherwise matching hands, and suits never rank.
What does no-limit mean, and what are the blinds?
No-limit means you can bet up to all your remaining chips, subject to the minimum bet and raise rules. The blinds are automatic bets posted before the deal, fixed here at $5 for the small blind and $10 for the big blind.
Can you use just the five cards on the table?
Yes. Your best hand can use both hole cards, one or neither, so you can play the five shared cards alone. Players with equal best five-card hands split the pot.
What is a side pot?
A side pot holds extra chips bet beyond the amount an all-in player could match. That player can win the pot they contributed to, but cannot win the side pot.
Is Texas Hold'em the same as Ultimate Texas Hold'em?
No. In this game, you play poker against five computer opponents rather than the house. Ultimate Texas Hold'em is played against a dealer.
Can the computer players see my cards?
No, the computer players never see your hole cards. Every hand is shuffled fairly, and changing the difficulty changes how well the opponents play, not which cards are dealt.
Is it free, and what happens if I run out of chips?
You play for free virtual chips with no sign-up. If you run out, you can rebuy for $1,000 free, and your progress is saved in your browser on your device.