Last updated: June 26, 2026

Poker rules · hole cards, board cards, betting rounds and showdown boundaries

Texas Hold'em rules explainedTwo hole cards, five community cards and the best five-card hand

Short answer: in Texas Hold'em, each player receives two private hole cards and can use five shared community cards. The final hand is the best five-card poker hand from seven available cards: both hole cards, one hole card or no hole cards.

A hand ends when everyone folds or at showdown after the river. Rules explain the deal and comparison flow; they do not prove profit, paid-play readiness, legal availability, tax outcome or control.

Written by Michael Johnson. Fact-checked by Sarah Roberts. Last fact check: June 26, 2026.

Direct answer

How Texas Hold'em works in one rules pass

Texas Hold'em is a community-card poker game. Each player starts with two private cards. The board can add five shared cards across the flop, turn and river. If more than one player remains after the final betting round, each player compares the best five-card hand available from the seven total cards.

The rules answer only the game flow.

They do not answer whether a bet, call, raise, operator, bonus, state, tax filing or paid-play decision is suitable.

Hole cardsTwo private cards dealt to each player.

Board cardsUp to five shared cards: flop, turn and river.

Hand useUse both, one or zero hole cards if that makes the best hand.

End pointEveryone folds, or remaining players reach showdown.

Editorial boundary

This is a rules page, not a poker-site recommendation

This guide explains the Texas Hold'em deal, blinds, button, betting rounds, actions, hand construction and common beginner mistakes. It does not rank poker rooms, promote deposits, tell readers to play for money, or turn poker rules into legal, tax, operator or gambling-control advice.

Source snapshot

Sources to check before relying on a Texas Hold'em rules claim

Use this table to separate game rules, tournament procedure, tax records and gambling-support routes.

Source checks for Texas Hold'em cards, betting rounds, tournament procedure, tax records and gambling-support boundaries.
Source	Source owner	Checked	What it proves	What it does not prove	Safest use
Live table rules / poker-room help screen	Current table or poker-room operator	Before play	Current table format, blinds, limits, eligible variants and room procedure.	Legal availability, tax outcome, suitability or gambling-control safety.	Check before relying on a generic rules page.
Texas Hold'em beginner reference	Poker.org	June 26, 2026	Common beginner framing for hole cards, board cards and showdown.	That every poker room uses the same procedures, limits or eligibility rules.	Use as a rules comparison point, not as an operator route.
Texas Hold'em rules FAQ reference	PokerNews	June 26, 2026	Common public-language explanations of blinds, streets and actions.	Paid-play suitability, legal availability, bonus eligibility or strategy outcome.	Use only for rule-language cross-checks.
Texas Hold'em betting-round reference	CardPlayer	June 26, 2026	Basic betting-round and action terminology used in Hold'em explanations.	Operator terms, game availability, rake, tax result or player readiness.	Use as plain rule terminology context.
Tournament rule reference	Poker Tournament Directors Association	June 26, 2026	Tournament-procedure rules exist and can differ from casual explanations.	Cash-game procedure, house rules, legal availability or operator suitability.	Use for tournament context, then verify the specific event or room rules.
Gambling income and loss records	IRS	June 26, 2026	US gambling income/loss recordkeeping needs current tax-source review.	Personal tax outcome, state tax treatment or whether poker play is suitable.	Keep records and use qualified tax help for personal filing questions.
National Problem Gambling Helpline	NCPG	June 26, 2026	Call/text/chat support route for gambling-related help.	Game safety, skill level, profit potential, legal status or gambling outcome.	Use before continuing if poker, losses, stakes, tournaments or strategy pressure feel hard to control.

Start here by Hold'em question

Choose the first rule layer before moving to examples, odds or strategy language.

I am learning the dealStart with hole cards, blinds, button and community cards.

I am confused by streetsTrace pre-flop, flop, turn, river and showdown in order.

I am reading a boardCompare best five-card hands, kickers and board-only outcomes.

I am thinking about moneyStop the rules page and check state, operator, tax and support context separately.

Texas Hold'em rules decision matrix

Use the row that matches the question. Do not use a rule answer as a shortcut for paid-play decisions.

Texas Hold'em rules decision matrix.
User question	Rule answer	Check next	Boundary
What are the basic Texas Hold'em rules?	Each player gets two hole cards and can use five shared board cards to make the best five-card hand.	Button, blinds, action order and betting limit.	Basic rules do not prove table suitability.
Hole cards and community cards	Hole cards are private. Community cards are shared by all remaining players.	Whether the hand uses both, one or zero hole cards.	A strong-looking hole card can fail to play.
Button and blinds	The dealer button marks position. The small blind and big blind post forced bets before cards are dealt.	Pre-flop action starts left of the big blind in normal multi-player hands.	Heads-up button/blind action is a special case.
Betting rounds	Standard streets are pre-flop, flop, turn and river.	Available action: fold, check, call, bet or raise.	Street order does not decide whether an action is suitable.
Showdown	If two or more players remain after river action, hands are compared using the best five-card poker hand.	Hand category, kickers and whether the board plays.	Showdown result does not prove earlier action quality.
Does this prove readiness?	No. A rules page can only explain mechanics.	State access, operator terms, rake, tax records and responsible-gambling tools.	Rules learning is not a paid-play clearance check.

Street flow

Visual card-flow order

Hold'em is easiest to read when the forced bets, private cards, board cards and showdown are separated.

1. ButtonDealer position rotates one seat each hand.

2. BlindsSmall blind and big blind post forced bets.

3. Hole cardsEach player receives two private cards.

4. Pre-flopFirst betting round happens before board cards.

5. FlopThree community cards are dealt together.

6. Turn / riverOne community card is added on each street.

7. ShowdownRemaining players compare best five-card hands.

Betting rounds in Texas Hold'em

The street name tells you which cards are visible, not whether the next action is profitable or suitable.

Texas Hold'em betting rounds and rule boundaries.
Street	Cards visible	Who usually acts first	What can happen	Boundary
Pre-flop	Two private hole cards for each player.	First active player left of the big blind in a multi-player hand.	Players fold, call the blind, raise or face reraises.	Starting cards do not decide the final hand.
Flop	Three community cards.	First active player left of the button.	Players can check if no bet is made, or respond to bets and raises.	A draw is not a completed hand.
Turn	Fourth community card.	First active player left of the button.	Another betting round occurs with one card still to come.	One card can change board texture sharply.
River	Fifth and final community card.	First active player left of the button.	Final betting round before showdown if multiple players remain.	No future board card remains to improve a hand.
Showdown	All board cards and remaining hands if table rules require showing.	Show order depends on room or house procedure.	Best five-card hand wins, or identical hands split.	Room rules control exact show order and muck procedure.

Common actions: fold, check, call, bet and raise

Action words are rule states. They are not recommendations.

Common Texas Hold'em actions.
Action	Plain meaning	When it can appear	Beginner caution
Fold	Release the hand and stop contesting the pot.	When facing action or choosing not to continue.	Folding is part of the rules, not a failure signal.
Check	Pass action without betting.	Only when no current bet must be called.	Checking does not close the round if later players can bet.
Call	Match the current bet amount.	When another player has bet or raised.	Matching a bet does not mean the call is suitable.
Bet	Put chips in when no bet is already live on that street.	Post-flop when action checks to a player, or under room-specific formats.	A bet size depends on limit type and table rules.
Raise	Increase an existing bet.	After a bet or raise, subject to limits and minimums.	Minimum raise rules and cap rules vary by format.
All-in	Commit all remaining chips.	When a player cannot or chooses not to keep chips behind.	Side pots and eligibility can become complex.

Hand rankings summary for Hold'em showdowns

Texas Hold'em uses standard high-poker hand ranking unless a specific table rule says otherwise.

From strongest to weakest, the standard high-hand order is royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair and high card. For detailed examples, use Poker hand rankings.

Hand construction matrix: both, one or zero hole cards

This is the core Hold'em rule that differs from Omaha.

Texas Hold'em hand construction matrix.
Hand-use case	How it works	Example	Beginner boundary
Both hole cards play	The final five-card hand uses both private cards and three board cards.	You hold A-K and the board supplies Q-J-10-4-2 for a straight.	Both cards playing does not prove earlier action quality.
One hole card plays	Only one private card improves the best five-card hand.	You hold A-7 on A-K-9-4-2; the ace plays and the seven may not.	The unused card is not a hidden extra kicker.
Board plays	The best five-card hand is entirely on the board.	A-K-Q-J-10 on the board makes the same straight for all players without a better flush.	Private cards may not matter.
Kicker decides	Players share a hand category, so the next highest relevant card breaks the tie.	A-A-K-9-4 beats A-A-Q-9-4.	Kickers only matter within the correct category.
Chop pot	Remaining players have the same best five-card hand.	Both players use the same board straight with no higher flush possible.	Room rules control odd-chip and side-pot handling.

Showdown examples

Showdown compares five-card hands, not the two private cards by themselves.

Simple Texas Hold'em showdown examples.
Board	Player A	Player B	Result
A-K-Q-J-2	10-9	A-8	Player A makes Broadway straight using the 10.
K-K-8-8-3	A-2	Q-J	Player A wins with the ace kicker.
9-8-7-6-5	A-A	K-K	The board straight can play for both if no player has a better straight or flush.
Q-Q-Q-4-2	4-4	A-Q	Player B has four queens; Player A has a full house.

Kicker examples

Kickers are often where beginner Hold'em readings go wrong.

Texas Hold'em kicker examples.
Situation	Best hand A	Best hand B	Winner
Same pair	A-A-K-9-4	A-A-Q-9-4	A, king kicker.
Same two pair	K-K-8-8-A	K-K-8-8-Q	A, ace kicker.
Board supplies high kicker	A-A-K-Q-9	A-A-K-Q-9	Tie, same five-card hand.
Straight tie	10-9-8-7-6	10-9-8-7-6	Tie, same straight.

Playing the board examples

Playing the board is allowed in Texas Hold'em, but it often means private cards do not improve the result.

Playing the board in Texas Hold'em.
Board	Hole cards	Best hand	Lesson
A-K-Q-J-10	7-7	Board straight.	Pocket pair does not matter if the board is stronger.
K-K-K-5-5	A-2	Board full house.	Many players can share the same final hand.
Q-J-10-9-8	A-3	Board straight.	An ace does not add a sixth card.
A-A-K-K-Q	J-2	Two pair with queen kicker from the board.	Hole cards may not play at all.

Home game vs online poker-room rules

The basic card flow can be similar, but procedure, tools, limits and eligibility can differ.

Home game and online poker-room rule differences.
Topic	Home game	Online poker room	Check first
Dealer and button	A player may deal while the button rotates.	Software controls button movement and dealing.	House procedure for misdeals or disconnects.
Bet sizing	Often agreed by players before the session.	Controlled by table format and software.	No-limit, pot-limit, fixed-limit and cap rules.
Tool use	Players may set their own study rules.	Terms can restrict charts, solvers and assistance.	Current operator tool policy.
Eligibility	Local laws and private-game rules can matter.	State availability, KYC and account terms matter.	State guides, operator terms and legal context.

Limit, no-limit and pot-limit differences

The word Hold'em describes the card game. The betting structure describes how bet sizes are constrained.

Betting-structure differences in Texas Hold'em.
Format	What changes	Beginner issue	Boundary
No-limit Hold'em	A player can usually bet up to the chips in front of them.	All-in and stack-size pressure appear often.	No-limit does not mean no rules.
Fixed-limit Hold'em	Bet and raise sizes are fixed by the limit structure.	Cap and street-size rules matter.	Smaller fixed increments do not remove risk.
Pot-limit Hold'em	Bet or raise size is limited by the current pot calculation.	Pot-size calculation can be confusing.	Verify room procedure before acting.
Tournament Hold'em	Blinds, antes, levels and payout pressure change over time.	Tournament chips are not the same as cash-game chips.	Tournament terms and fees need separate review.

What Hold'em pages often leave unclear

These gaps create many beginner mistakes.

Board-only handsThe board can play, but only the best five-card hand matters.

KickersA high side card only matters when it is part of the best five-card hand.

Heads-up actionThe button is the small blind and acts first pre-flop in heads-up play.

Room rulesShow order, misdeals, caps, tools and disconnects depend on posted rules.

Beginner Hold'em mistakes to correct early

Common beginner mistakes and rule corrections.
Mistake	Correction	Why it matters
Comparing only hole cards	Compare the best five-card hand from seven available cards.	The board can improve or cancel private-card value.
Thinking both hole cards must play	Hold'em can use both, one or zero hole cards.	This is different from Omaha.
Ignoring kickers	When categories tie, compare the next relevant cards.	Many pair and two-pair hands are decided by kickers.
Checking when facing a bet	A player facing a bet must fold, call or raise if those actions are available.	Check is allowed only when no live bet must be matched.
Using rules as a confidence shortcut	Keep mechanics separate from legal, tax, operator and support checks.	Rules learning does not remove gambling risk.

Beginner quiz and checklist

Use these prompts to check rule recognition before moving to odds or strategy examples.

CardsCan you name the two private cards and five board cards?

StreetCan you identify whether the hand is pre-flop, flop, turn or river?

ActionCan you tell whether check is allowed or a bet must be answered?

Best fiveCan you name the best five-card hand without adding a sixth card?

KickerCan you explain whether a side card actually plays?

BoundaryCan you name one reason rules knowledge is not a paid-play decision?

Practice caveat

Practice Hold'em rules without turning drills into commands

Use Free poker practice for no-money hand-reading and action-order drills after the rules are clear. Practice can help you identify cards, streets and showdown results, but it cannot simulate real-money pressure, operator terms, rake, legal availability, tax obligations or control.

Page boundaries

This page stops at Hold'em rules and beginner reading checks.

Game-rule boundaryExplains cards, blinds, streets, actions and showdown, not operator quality.

Legal boundaryDoes not prove online poker is available in a specific state.

Tax boundaryDoes not answer personal gambling-income or loss-reporting questions.

Strategy boundaryDoes not recommend hands, ranges, bluffing, bankroll use or stakes.

Support boundaryStop and use help if poker creates urgency, secrecy, debt or chasing.

State context: A Texas Hold'em rules guide does not prove that online poker is available where you live. If your question is legal availability, age rules, product access or local support, use state guides before relying on poker-room, bonus or operator claims.

Contextual routes

Where to go after this Texas Hold'em rules page

Use these only after the Hold'em mechanic you need is clear.

Contextual routes for related poker rules questions.
Remaining question	Use this route	Why	Boundary
I need the broader poker route.	Poker guide hub	Places Hold'em inside broader poker learning order.	Not a poker-site recommendation.
I need high-hand order.	Poker hand rankings	Explains the hand categories behind showdown comparisons.	Hand rankings do not price a call or raise.
I am comparing Hold'em with Omaha.	Omaha rules	Shows why Omaha requires exactly two hole cards and three board cards.	Do not copy Hold'em board-use rules into Omaha.
I am comparing Stud with Hold'em.	Stud poker rules	Explains individual-card poker without a normal shared board.	Stud exposed cards do not remove hidden-card uncertainty.
I need position and action order.	Position in poker	Explains button, blinds, UTG, heads-up action and acting-last caveats.	Position does not reveal hidden cards.
I need variant comparison.	Texas Hold'em vs Omaha	Compares card-use rules and board-reading mistakes.	Variant comparison is not an operator recommendation.
I am checking odds or probabilities.	Poker odds and probability	Separates outs, pot odds and probability examples from rules.	Odds output is not a betting command.
I need no-money drills.	Free poker practice	Use drills to review hand construction and action order without paid-play pressure.	Practice does not prove readiness or results.
I need state context.	state guides	Start there for state availability, age rules and product access.	State pages still require current operator checks.
I need support resources.	Responsible gambling resources	Use before continuing if stakes, losses or strategy pressure feel hard to control.	Support is not a game-safety claim.

How this page is maintained

June 26, 2026: reviewed Texas Hold'em metadata, canonical URL, hole-card and community-card wording, button and blind sequence, betting-round matrix, hand-construction examples, source snapshot, state-context handoff, visible FAQ and responsible-gambling help routing.

Texas Hold'em rules FAQ

What are the basic Texas Hold'em rules?

Each player receives two private hole cards. Five community cards can be dealt in the middle. Players make the best five-card hand from the seven available cards, or the hand can end earlier if everyone but one player folds.

How many hole cards do you get in Texas Hold'em?

Each player receives two private hole cards before the first betting round.

How many community cards are dealt?

Up to five community cards are dealt: three on the flop, one on the turn and one on the river.

What are the betting rounds in Texas Hold'em?

The standard betting rounds are pre-flop, flop, turn and river. A showdown happens after the river only if at least two players remain.

Can you play the board in Texas Hold'em?

Yes. In Texas Hold'em, a final hand can use both hole cards, one hole card or no hole cards if the best five-card hand is already on the board.

Do you have to use both hole cards?

No. Unlike Omaha, Texas Hold'em does not require exactly two hole cards. Any five-card combination from the two hole cards and five board cards can play.

What is the difference between Texas Hold'em and Omaha?

Texas Hold'em gives each player two hole cards and allows any mix of hole cards and board cards. Omaha usually gives four hole cards and requires exactly two hole cards plus exactly three board cards.

Does knowing Texas Hold'em rules prove I am ready to play for money?

No. Rules knowledge does not prove legal availability, tax outcome, bankroll control, emotional control, operator suitability or paid-play readiness.

Where can I get help if poker is making me chase?

If poker, losses, strategy pressure or attempts to recover money feel hard to control, call or text 1-800-MY-RESET or use NCPG chat before continuing.