How to play Texas Hold'em poker: rules and hands
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Texas Hold'em is the world's most popular form of poker. Every player is dealt 2 private hole cards, 5 community cards are placed face up in the middle, and players bet to either build the best 5-card hand or make everyone else fold. This guide explains the rules, betting rounds and hand rankings of Texas Hold'em Poker on Boombala.
The dealer button and blinds
Before each hand the dealer button (D) moves one seat clockwise. The player to the dealer's left posts the small blind (SB), and the next player clockwise posts the big blind (BB). In a two-player (Heads-Up) game, the dealer posts the small blind and acts first preflop.
The four betting rounds (Streets)
- Preflop: Every player receives 2 face-down hole cards. Action starts with the player to the left of the big blind.
- Flop: Three community cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table, followed by a betting round starting left of the dealer.
- Turn: A fourth community card is dealt face up, followed by another betting round.
- River: The fifth and final community card is dealt face up. After the final betting round, remaining players go to Showdown.
Actions you can take
- Check: Pass the action without betting when no bet has been made on the current street.
- Call: Match the current highest bet to stay in the hand.
- Bet / Raise: Put chips in or increase the current bet, forcing opponents to call the higher amount or fold.
- All-in: Put your entire remaining stack into the middle. If you have fewer chips than your opponents, a main pot and side pot are created automatically so you can never be bet out of the hand.
- Fold: Discard your cards and forfeit any chips you have already put into the pot.
Poker hand rankings (highest to lowest)
| Rank | Hand | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Flush | A, K, Q, J, 10 all of the same suit |
| 2 | Straight Flush | Five consecutive cards of the same suit (e.g. 9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥) |
| 3 | Four of a Kind | Four cards of the same rank (e.g. four Aces) |
| 4 | Full House | Three of a kind plus a pair (e.g. three Kings and two Tens) |
| 5 | Flush | Any five cards of the same suit |
| 6 | Straight | Five consecutive cards of mixed suits (Ace can play low in A-2-3-4-5 or high in 10-J-Q-K-A) |
| 7 | Three of a Kind | Three cards of the same rank |
| 8 | Two Pair | Two different pairs plus a fifth kicker card |
| 9 | One Pair | Two cards of the same rank plus three kickers |
| 10 | High Card | The highest single card when no pair or better is made |
Beginner tips
- Play your position: Acting later (near the dealer button) gives you valuable information because you see what everyone else does first.
- Be selective preflop: Entering pots with strong starting hands (pocket pairs, high broadway cards, suited connectors) protects your stack.
- Watch the pot size: Use the ½ Pot, ¾ Pot and Pot presets on the raise bar to size your bets cleanly.