How to Play Poker - Simple Illustrated Rules
Discover the essential rules of No Limit Texas Hold'em poker: objectives, hand progression, main actions and subtleties.
The rules of poker will soon hold no secrets for you.
This article presents the fundamental principles of No Limit Texas Hold'em poker, the most widely played variant in the world. Happy reading and good luck at the tables!
Prerequisites and Game Setup
🃏Equipment
For a home poker game, you will need:
- A standard 52-card deck
- Chips of different values
- A poker table or mat (optional)
- A dealer button (or distinctive chip)
📋Setting Up the Game
Distribute an equal number of chips to each player. To learn more, you can read our article on chip values and distribution.
Designate a first dealer who will be responsible for dealing the cards.
Objective of Poker
Poker is played hand by hand, with each player receiving new cards every hand.
The main objective is to win chips or money by forming the best card combination (also called a "hand") or by bluffing to make your opponents fold.
At the end of a hand, the player with the best hand or the one who manages to make all others fold wins the pot.
How a Hand Plays Out
A Texas Hold'em hand unfolds in several stages:
1️⃣ The Blinds
Before any cards are dealt, two players place mandatory bets called "blinds". The player to the left of the dealer places the small blind, and the next player places the big blind. These bets ensure there is money in the pot every hand.
The blind amounts can remain fixed throughout the game, or increase gradually.
The big blind is double the amount of the small blind.
2️⃣ The Deal
The dealer gives each player two private cards (hole cards). These cards are dealt face down, and only the receiving player can see them.
3️⃣ First Betting Round
The first betting round begins. The player to the left of the big blind acts first, and can either match the big blind (call), increase the bet (raise), or give up their hand (fold). Betting continues around the table, each player having the same options, until all remaining players have wagered the same amount. At that point, the betting round ends.
4️⃣ The Flop
The dealer reveals three community cards in the center of the table, visible to all players. A second betting round begins with the player immediately to the left of the dealer.
5️⃣ The Turn
When the previous betting round is complete, a fourth community card is revealed, followed by another round of betting.
6️⃣ The River
Finally, the fifth and final community card is revealed. The last betting round begins.
7️⃣ The Showdown
Once the last betting round is over, the remaining players reveal their cards, and the best hand wins the pot. If all players except one fold, the last remaining player wins the pot without having to show their cards.
Not all hands go to showdown: if everyone folds preflop, on the flop, or on the turn, the hand ends and the last remaining player takes the pot.
8️⃣ Dealer Rotation
With each new hand, the dealer changes. The new dealer is the player to the left of the previous dealer.
The Different Actions: Check, Bet, Call, Raise and Fold
In poker, there are five main actions that players can use during a betting round.
Check (Pass)
Checking means not betting any money while staying in the hand. This option is only available if no player before you has bet in this round.
By checking, you pass the action to the next player without adding chips to the pot. If everyone checks, the betting round ends and the next phase begins.
Bet
Betting means being the first player to put money into the pot during a betting round. This action forces other players to respond by deciding to call, raise, or fold.
Betting is often used to apply pressure or to maximize winnings when holding a strong hand.
Call
Calling means matching the bet made by a player before you. You place an amount equal to the highest bet into the pot to stay in the hand and continue playing.
Raise
Raising means increasing the previous bet. When a player raises, they wager an amount higher than what previous players have bet, forcing opponents to match this new bet if they want to continue.
Raising can be a strategy to strengthen a strong hand or to bluff and push other players to fold.
Fold
Folding means giving up your hand when you believe it is not strong enough to compete or the bet is too high.
By folding, you no longer participate in the current hand and give up any chance of winning the pot. However, you can rejoin the game on the next hand, with new cards of course.
Poker Hand Rankings: Combination Rankings
What is a Winning Combination?
A winning combination in poker is a 5-card hand that outranks those of other players according to the hand rankings.
Hand Rankings
Here is the complete ranking of poker hands, from the strongest, the royal flush, to the weakest, the high card.
How Long Does a Poker Game Last?
In poker, the duration of a game is mainly determined by the gradual increase of the blinds.
When the blinds become high relative to the players' stacks, they are often forced to play marginal hands or go all-in to survive. This considerably increases the chances of players being eliminated, which accelerates the end of the game.
With high blind levels that increase quickly, a poker game can last only a few minutes. In tournaments with blind levels that increase much more slowly, the game can stretch over several days.
If you want to learn more about how to determine blind level increases, you can read our article on chip values and blind levels.
Advanced Rules (Subtleties)
How to Split the Pot in Case of a Tie?
The pot is split (split pot) when two players have exactly the same card combination. If multiple players are tied, the pot is divided into equal shares.
What Happens When a Player Goes All-In With Fewer Chips?
A side pot is created when a player is all-in and can no longer match the bets. The other players still in the hand continue betting in a secondary pot.
In the end, the all-in player can only win the main pot, while the side pot is reserved for the other players who continued betting.
What to Do in Case of a Misdealt Hand? (Misdeal)
A misdeal occurs when an error in dealing the cards is noticed. This can happen if a card is improperly dealt (a hole card dealt face up) or if a player receives too many cards. If a misdeal is called, the hand is voided.
All bets made are returned to the players. A new deal is then performed to restart the hand under fair conditions.
How Do Antes Work in a Poker Game?
In certain poker formats, antes are paid by all players at the beginning of each hand, in addition to the blinds. Generally, the ante size is smaller than the blinds and represents between 5% and 10% of the big blind.
What is the Minimum Bet in Poker?
In No Limit Texas Hold'em, the minimum bet is always equal to the size of the big blind.
What is a String Bet and Why is it Forbidden?
A string bet occurs when a player makes a bet in multiple motions, without announcing the total amount in advance, potentially allowing them to gauge other players' reactions.
This practice is prohibited because it could unfairly benefit the player. To avoid a string bet, you must either clearly announce the bet before placing chips, or put all chips in with a single motion.
Add-on and Rebuy Rules
In some tournaments, it is possible to make a rebuy or an add-on.
A rebuy allows a player to buy more chips if they are eliminated, allowing them to stay in the game.
An add-on is similar, but it occurs at a specific point in the tournament, usually during a break. This allows players to boost their chip stack even if they haven't lost everything.
What if a Player Shows Their Cards or Takes Too Long?
If a player accidentally shows their cards, those cards are still in play, but the information is now public, which may disadvantage the player.
If a player takes too long to act, another player or the dealer can request a time limit. If the player does not make a decision within the allotted time, their hand is automatically declared dead.
What Are the Minimum Raise Rules in Poker?
If a player bets 100 chips, the minimum raise must be at least 100 chips more, bringing the total raise to 200 chips. If another raise is made, it must also be at least equal to the last increase.
