The game itself is logical and simple, requiring just a few minutes to learn. But to truly become a master, as the familiar saying goes, takes a lifetime. This article provides all the information you need to start playing the game. Each topic contains links in the text to more in-depth articles on that specific subject (the same links are available at the bottom of this page). Before we get into describing the rules and game-play, here’s a quick glossary of terms you’ll encounter. Blinds: Short for “blind bets,” these are the forced bets made before the cards are dealt. In Hold’em, blinds take the place of the classic “ante.” Burn Card: The card dealt facedown before any community card is dealt. Button: Nickname for the player acting as the dealer in current hand. Check: Similar to a call, but no money is bet. If there is no raise preflop, the big blind may check. Fifth Street: See River. Flop: The first three community cards dealt. Fourth Street: See Turn. Preflop: Anything that occurs before the flop is dealt is preflop. River: The final (5th) community card dealt; also known as fifth street . Showdown: When players reveal their hands to discover the pot’s winner. Turn: The fourth community card dealt; also known as fourth street . Overview Texas Hold’em is a community card poker game, with game play focused as much on the betting as on the cards being played. Although the rules and game play remain mostly the same, the end goal is slightly different depending on if you’re playing a cash game or a tournament. A Hold’em tournament is the same as any other game of Hold’em with a few added rules and twists. If you’d like to learn the rules unique to tournaments, head to this article . (There will also be a link at the bottom of the page). Texas Holdem is played on a single table with two to 10 players. The goal is simple: win as many chips as you can, one pot at a time. You win a pot by having the best hand, or by having all other players fold before the showdown. The structure of Texas Hold’em can be broken up into three main divisions: Setup Betting Rounds Showdown Setup Once you have your players sitting around the table, the first thing you need to have is chips. Before you can figure out what kind of chips to give each player, you need to understand how the game works a little better, so we’ll get back to this. For now, assume all players have chips in front of them. The next step is picking the player who will start with the dealer button. Hold’em is played with what’s known as a rotating dealer, meaning a player will act as the dealer for one hand, handing the role of dealer to the player on their left when the hand is completed. To choose the dealer, either deal every player one card, or spread the cards facedown on the table and have every player choose one. The player with the highest-valued card (aces are high for selecting a dealer) starts as the dealer. If you’re in a place with a professional dealer, or someone volunteers to always physically deal the cards, the dealer button will still rotate around the table. Even though they’re not physically dealing the cards, for all intents and purposes, the person with the button is viewed as being the dealer for the hand. Once the hand completes, the player with the dealer button will pass it to the player on their left. Putting Out the Blinds Now that you have a dealer, you need to put out the blinds. There are two blinds in Holdem – a small blind and a big blind. The player directly to the left of the dealer puts out the small blind. The big blind (exactly, or conveniently close to, double that of the small blind) is placed by the player to the left of the small blind. The size of the blinds will dictate the stakes of the game you’re about to play. Typically, you want players to buy in for no less than 100 times the size of the big blind. If you want to buy in for $20, you should play with blinds 10
