Poker: Texas Hold'em
The Cadillac of Poker · 2–10 players · Ages 16+ · Variable
Texas Hold'em is the most widely played poker variant in the world. Players combine two private hole cards with five community cards to make the best five-card hand. The interplay of incomplete information, betting strategy, and psychology makes it one of the deepest competitive games ever devised.
Hand Rankings (Best to Worst)
| Rank | Name | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Flush | A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠ | Highest straight flush |
| 2 | Straight Flush | 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥ 4♥ | Five consecutive same suit |
| 3 | Four of a Kind | K♠ K♥ K♦ K♣ 7♠ | Four same rank |
| 4 | Full House | Q♠ Q♥ Q♦ 9♠ 9♥ | Three of a kind + pair |
| 5 | Flush | A♦ J♦ 8♦ 5♦ 2♦ | Five same suit, not sequential |
| 6 | Straight | 10♣ 9♦ 8♥ 7♠ 6♣ | Five consecutive, mixed suits |
| 7 | Three of a Kind | J♠ J♥ J♦ 6♠ 2♣ | Three same rank |
| 8 | Two Pair | A♠ A♦ 9♥ 9♣ K♠ | Two different pairs |
| 9 | One Pair | 7♠ 7♦ A♠ K♣ Q♥ | Two same rank |
| 10 | High Card | A♠ K♦ 9♥ 6♣ 3♠ | None of the above |
Tie-breaking: Same hand rank = compare highest card(s). A-2-3-4-5 is the lowest straight (a "wheel"). Suits are never used to break ties; split the pot if hands are identical.
Equipment
- Standard 52-card deck (no jokers)
- Dealer button (a white disc)
- Blind chips
- Chips for betting
- Optional: Cut card
Positions and Blinds
The Button
The dealer button rotates clockwise one position after each hand. The button player deals (or nominates the deal) and acts last post-flop—the most advantageous position.
Blinds
Small Blind (SB): The player immediately to the left of the button posts a mandatory bet (the small blind) before cards are dealt.
Big Blind (BB): The player to the left of the small blind posts the big blind, typically double the small blind. The big blind sets the minimum bet for the first betting round.
Antes: In some games, every player posts a small ante in addition to or instead of blinds. Common in tournament play at later stages.
Deal and Betting Rounds
Pre-Flop
- Each player receives two private cards (hole cards), dealt face down one at a time starting with the small blind.
- First betting round begins with the player to the left of the big blind (under the gun or UTG).
- Players may call the big blind, raise, or fold. The big blind gets a final option to raise even if no one else raised.
The Flop
Three community cards are dealt face up in the center of the table. Second betting round begins with the first active player to the left of the button.
The Turn
One more community card is dealt face up. Third betting round (same order as flop).
The River
The fifth and final community card is dealt. Fourth and final betting round.
The Showdown
If two or more players remain after the final betting round, there is a showdown. The last aggressor (last player to bet or raise) shows first; others may show or muck. Players use the best five-card combination from their two hole cards and the five community cards.
Splitting: If the best five cards use all five community cards and no hole cards, all remaining players split the pot equally.
Betting Actions
At each betting round, each player (in order) chooses:
- Fold: Discard hand, surrender all bets. Done for the hand.
- Check: Pass the action with no bet (only available when no bet has been made this round). Not available pre-flop (the big blind counts as a bet).
- Call: Match the current bet.
- Bet: Place the first bet of a round (when no bet has been made yet).
- Raise: Increase the current bet. The minimum raise is at least equal to the previous bet or raise in that round.
- Re-raise (3-bet, 4-bet, etc.): Raise again after a raise has been made.
Betting Structures
No-Limit (NL): Players may bet any amount up to their entire stack at any time. The dominant format in tournaments and modern cash games. "All-in" = betting your entire remaining stack.
Pot-Limit (PL): Maximum bet is the current pot size. Less common in Hold'em; dominant in Omaha.
Fixed-Limit (FL): Bets and raises are set amounts, varying by street (typically double on the turn and river). Once common in casinos; now rare.
Spread-Limit: Bets must fall within a minimum and maximum. Common in smaller home games.
All-In and Side Pots
When a player goes all-in with fewer chips than the current bet, they can only win an amount from each opponent equal to their own all-in amount (a side pot is created for the excess).
Example: Player A has $50, B has $200, C has $200. A goes all-in for $50. B and C put in $200. The main pot contains $150 (50 × 3). The side pot contains $300 (150 × 2). A can only win the main pot; B and C contest the side pot among themselves.
Tournament Play
Tournament vs. Cash Game Differences
| Feature | Tournament | Cash Game |
|---|---|---|
| Buy-in | Fixed entry fee | Flexible |
| Chips | Non-redeemable tournament chips | Real money value |
| Blinds | Escalate on schedule | Fixed |
| Rebuys | Usually limited or none | Always available |
| Object | Survive; finish in the money | Win chips |
| Strategy | Stack depth shifts; ICM considerations | Constant chip EV |
Blind Levels
Tournament blinds increase at set intervals (e.g., every 20 minutes). As blinds rise, average stack depth (in big blinds) decreases, forcing play. Late in tournaments, average stack is often 15–30 big blinds, dramatically changing strategy.
ICM (Independent Chip Model)
Tournament chips are not worth their face value in cash—their value depends on your stack relative to others and the prize structure. ICM calculations inform calling and folding decisions near the money and at final tables.
Bubble Play
The bubble is when one more elimination means all remaining players cash. Bubble play involves extreme risk aversion by short stacks (protecting min-cash), and aggression from chip leaders (who can threaten elimination without risk to themselves).
Core Strategy Concepts
Starting Hand Selection
Play tight in early position (few hands); widen in late position (button/cutoff). Premium hands: AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AK. Good hands: TT-99, AQ, AJs. Marginal hands depend heavily on position and stack depth.
Position
Late position is the most powerful position: you act with more information. Raise hands that are marginal in early position when in late position. Fold hands from early position that you'd play from the button.
Pot Odds and Equity
Pot odds = the ratio of the current bet to the total pot you'll win. If you need to call $20 into a $100 pot (total pot = $120), you're getting 6:1. Compare pot odds to your hand's equity (probability of winning). If equity > pot odds requirement, calling is profitable in the long run.
Equity example: Open-ended straight draw has ~32% equity. Flush draw has ~36%. If pot odds offer 3:1 (25% required), calling a flush draw is correct.
Implied Odds
The additional chips you expect to win if you complete your hand. Deep stacks increase implied odds (opponent has more chips you can win). Implied odds justify calling draws that don't immediately meet pot odds.
Bluffing
Bluffing succeeds when your story is credible (you represent a hand consistent with your actions) and your opponent can fold. A bluff must succeed often enough that its EV exceeds the EV of not bluffing. Semi-bluffs (betting with a draw) are generally superior to pure bluffs.
Bet Sizing
- Value bet: Size to get called by worse hands. Typically 50–75% of pot on the river.
- Bluff: Same sizing as value bet (balanced ranges). Oversized bets can be powerful but are exploitable.
- C-bet (continuation bet): Bet on the flop after raising pre-flop, regardless of whether you hit. Typical size 33–50% of pot.
Ranges
Think in terms of ranges—all the hands your opponent could have in a given situation—rather than assigning a specific hand. Decisions improve when made against distributions, not guesses.
See also: Poker: Omaha, Bridge (partnership card strategy), Spades