Goal
Make the best five-card hand from your two hole cards and the five community cards — or bet so hard everyone folds. Last player with chips wins the game.
The Flow of a Hand
- Blinds: the two players left of the dealer button post the small and big blind.
- Hole cards: everyone gets two cards, face down. Betting round.
- The Flop: three community cards. Betting round.
- The Turn: a fourth community card. Betting round.
- The River: a fifth community card. Final betting round.
- Showdown: best five-card hand (any mix of hole + board) takes the pot.
Betting
- Check — pass, if nobody has bet this round.
- Bet / Raise — minimum bet is one big blind; a raise must be at least the size of the last bet or raise. No maximum — this is no-limit.
- Call — match the current bet.
- Fold — surrender the hand.
- All-In — bet everything. If others keep betting past you, side pots form; you can only win the part you paid into.
Pre-flop, the big blind counts as a bet — if nobody raises, the big blind may check or raise when the action gets back around (the option).
Hand Rankings (high to low)
| Royal Flush | A K Q J 10, one suit |
| Straight Flush | Five in sequence, one suit |
| Four of a Kind | Four cards, same rank |
| Full House | Three of a kind + a pair |
| Flush | Five of one suit |
| Straight | Five in sequence (A can be high or low) |
| Three of a Kind | Three cards, same rank |
| Two Pair | Two pairs |
| One Pair | One pair |
| High Card | None of the above |
Ties split the pot — suits never break a tie. You can even "play the board" and use all five community cards.
Quick Strategy
- Big pairs and big suited cards (A-K, Q-Q+) are worth raising before the flop.
- Position is power: the dealer button acts last after the flop and sees everyone's move first.
- Fold early and often — most hold'em hands are unplayable.
- Watch the board: any pair on board means a possible full house; three of a suit means a possible flush.