Texas Hold'em in 5 minutes

3 min read · Updated 2026-09-26

Texas Hold'em is the game most home games play. Each player gets two private cards, five shared cards are dealt face up in the middle, and the best five-card hand wins the pot. You can also win without the best hand, if everyone else folds.

What you need

2 to 10 players (6 to 9 is the sweet spot)
One standard 52-card deck, no jokers
Chips and a dealer button
Someone to deal — in most home games the deal rotates with the button

Before the cards: the button and the blinds

A dealer button marks who is ‘dealer’ for the hand. The two players to its left post forced bets called blinds: the small blind (usually half) and the big blind. Blinds make sure there is always something to play for. After every hand the button moves one seat to the left, so everyone pays the blinds equally.

One hand, step by step

The deal. Everyone gets two cards face down, one at a time, starting left of the button.
Preflop betting. The player left of the big blind acts first. Each player can fold, call the big blind or raise.
The flop. Three cards are dealt face up in the middle. Another round of betting starts with the first active player left of the button.
The turn. A fourth card, then a betting round.
The river. A fifth and final card, then the last betting round.
Showdown. If two or more players are left, they show their cards. Best five-card hand takes the pot.

Your hand + the board: A♥ K♥ · Board: Q♥ 7♥ 2♣ J♥ 9♠

Five hearts across your cards and the board: an ace-high flush.

Making your best hand

At showdown you make the best five-card hand from any combination of your two cards and the five on the board. You may use both, one or even none of your own cards. If the best hand is the board itself, everyone still in the hand ties and splits the pot.

Tip — Suits never break ties: A flush in spades is not better than a flush in hearts. When hands are the same type, compare the highest cards; if all five match, it’s a split pot.

Your options when it’s your turn

Action	When you can	What it means
Check	Nobody has bet this round	Pass without putting chips in
Bet	Nobody has bet this round	Put the first chips in
Call	Someone has bet	Match the current bet
Raise	Someone has bet	Increase the bet
Fold	Any time it’s your turn	Give up the hand

A betting round ends when every player still in the hand has put in the same amount (or is all-in) and everyone has had a chance to act.

Three beginner mistakes

Playing too many hands. Most two-card hands should be folded before the flop. See the starting hands guide.
Forgetting the board is shared. If the board shows four hearts, anyone with one heart has a flush.
Acting out of turn. Wait until the action reaches you — it changes what others do.