Texas Hold ’em poker has become one of the most popular poker variations since it significantly increased in popularity during the online poker boom of the 2000s. Today it’s played by an estimated 140 million people. Both online and live versions of the game are popular, but online popularity is growing thanks to the convenience and accessibility of online poker sites.

If you want to get into poker, it can be challenging for a complete beginner. Poker is a fairly straightforward game at first glance, but it hides a surprising amount of depth. On top of this, it’s highly competitive, so learning through playing can be frustrating. This guide should help you get started, providing an overview of Texas Hold ’em poker and how to play.

The Aim of Texas Hold ’em Poker

The aim of playing Texas Hold ’em is fairly simple. You’re playing against other players and trying to beat them by having a higher-ranked hand. As you play, you and your opponents place bets, with the eventual winning hand winning the entire pot. Play continues until only one player remains, either due to other players dropping out or losing all their cash.

Players use their two hole cards (the cards they’re dealt at the beginning of the game) and the five community cards (the cards that are dealt to the middle of the table). Combining these cards together, each player tried to create the best possible five-card hand according to the poker hand rankings.

Throughout the game, players will attempt to outsmart and outplay one another. Although having a strong hand is important, it’s also possible to win with a weak hand. Players can bluff opponents into folding by continuing to bet even though they know their hand isn’t always a strong one. Betting is based on players’ perceptions of how good their potential hand is compared to their opponent’s cards.

Texas Hold ’em Steps

When you play Texas Hold ’em, each new hand is like a new round, resetting the pot and also bringing out new cards. At the start of the game, mandatory bets are enforced with the big blind and small blind positions. These start out at the immediate left of the dealer, with the small blind typically being half of the big blind. Each round, they move clockwise around the table and will increase later in the game.

After the blinds have been played, the dealer hands out two cards face down to each of the players around the table. These are known as the hole cards, and they are used to build your five-card hand along with the community cards. Starting with the big blind, each player then gets to make one of the following actions:

• Fold – To fold is to surrender your cards and any bets made so far. You’ll sit out the rest of the hand while avoiding paying into the pot any further.
• Call – To call is to match the current bet.
• Raise – Raising is a move to increase the bet and can be done at any amount of your choosing.
• Check – You can check if no other bets have been placed so far in the round, passing to the next player.
• All in – Going all in is moving all your available chips into the pot. This risky move is made to scare off opponents.

The betting round ends when all players have finished raising, and at this point, the dealer will deal the community cards. The first three cards are dealt, and this part of the game is known as the flop. At this point, you should have a better idea of what kind of hand you can make. If you had a weak hand before and it hasn’t improved at this point, it’s best to fold.

At this point, you’ll also want to be watching and observing your opponents to work out the potential ranges of cards they could have. Spot their tells and try to read their body language to get a better idea of what they’re planning.

A second round of betting occurs after the flop and before the turn. The turn is where one more community card is revealed, and more betting will be available after this. Finally, the game ends with the river and a final showdown between any players who are left. The highest ranking hand wins the pot.