How to Play Texas Hold'em: A Beginner's First Hand
In Texas Hold'em you get two private cards, five shared cards come to the table, and the best five-card hand wins. This guide follows one hand from the first card to the end, so you know what to do at every step of your first session.
On this page
The idea in four lines
- You get 2 private cards, called hole cards.
- Five community cards are dealt face up in the middle. All players share them.
- Your hand is the best five cards out of your two and the five on the table.
- You win the hand at showdown with the best hand, or when everyone else folds.
This page is the practical first session. For the full list of rules, read Texas Hold'em rules. To learn which hand beats which, use the poker hand rankings.
Your first hand, street by street
- Blinds and cardsTwo players post forced bets, the small blind and the big blind, which are 10 and 20 chips. Then everyone gets 2 hole cards. Only you see yours.
- PreflopThe first betting round happens before any shared card. The player after the big blind acts first, and the big blind acts last.
- FlopThree community cards are turned face up. A new betting round starts.
- TurnA fourth community card comes. Another betting round.
- RiverThe fifth and last community card comes. The last betting round.
- ShowdownThe players still in the hand show their cards. The best five-card hand takes the pot. If hands are exactly equal, the pot is split.
Your hole cards
The flop
You sit in a six-player game with Ah Qd. Two players before you fold. You raise to 60 chips. The button and the small blind fold, the big blind calls.
The pot is now 130 chips: your 60, the big blind's 60 and the small blind's 10.
The flop is Qs 7c 2d. You have a pair of queens with an ace as the kicker. The big blind checks, you bet 70 chips, and the big blind folds.
You take the pot of 130 chips without showing your cards.
Fold, check, call, raise, all-in
When it is your turn you choose one of five options. Some options are not always available.
| Option | What it means | When you can use it |
|---|---|---|
| Fold | You throw your cards away and leave this hand. | Any time it is your turn |
| Check | You stay in the hand and put in no chips. | Only when nobody has bet in this round |
| Call | You put in the same amount as the last bet. | When there is a bet to match |
| Raise | You bet more than the last bet. Others must match you or fold. | Any time you have enough chips. A raise must be at least the size of the last raise and at least the big blind, 20 chips |
| All-in | You bet all of your remaining chips. | Any time it is your turn |
If you go all-in for less than the others have bet, you only compete for the part of the pot you have matched. The rest goes into a side pot for the other players.
How to read your two cards
Look at three things. Is it a pair, such as 8-8? Are the cards high, such as A-K or K-Q? Are they close in rank, such as 9-8, or of the same suit? Pairs and high cards are the easiest to play.
Two low cards of different suits and far apart, such as 7-2, are weak. It is a normal and correct decision to fold them before the flop. After the flop, ask: did the table cards help my hand?
What to do when you are unsure
- Fold weak hands. Every call with a weak hand costs chips, and a fold costs nothing more.
- Play fewer hands. Waiting for a pair or two high cards is a simple and sound plan for a first session.
- Check when checking is free. If you can check, you see the next card at no cost.
- Raise when you have a clear reason, such as a strong pair or two high cards. Avoid raising only to scare others.
- Do not chase a card you need only because you are close. A flush or a straight does not always arrive.
This is a rule of thumb. No strategy removes luck, and a good decision can still lose a hand.
The 30-second move timer
Each move has a limit of 30 seconds. If time runs out, the game acts for you: it checks when there is no bet to call, and folds when there is one.
Think about the decision before your turn comes. Look at your cards while others act.
Common beginner mistakes
- Playing every hand. Most starting hands are weak.
- Forgetting that the board is shared. If the table shows a pair, everyone can use it.
- Calling to see one more card with a weak hand.
- Waiting for the timer to run out. A late move can turn into a fold.
- Misreading the hand. Check the poker hand rankings when in doubt.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Texas Hold'em step by step?
You get two private cards, bet, see three shared cards (the flop), bet, see a fourth (the turn), bet, see a fifth (the river), bet, and the best five-card hand wins at showdown.
Can I check at any time?
No, you can check only when nobody has bet in the current round. If there is a bet, you must call, raise or fold.
What happens if I do not act in time?
The game makes the move for you after 30 seconds: a check if there is no bet to call, and a fold if there is one.
How many players can sit at a table?
A Texas Hold'em table has 2-9 players. A table of two players is called heads-up.
Where do I learn which position is best?
Acting last is an advantage, and poker position explains why.