Rules

In Texas Hold'em, you combine your own 2 hole cards with 5 shared board cards and make the best 5-card hand out of those 7.

The winner takes the chips in the middle of the table (the pot). Win by having the best hand at the end, or by getting everyone else to fold.

Every hand starts with the two players to the dealer's left posting forced bets called blinds (first the small blind, then the big blind).

1. 1
   PreflopEach player gets 2 cards, then the first betting round
2. 2
   Flop3 board cards are dealt, then the second betting round
3. 3
   TurnThe 4th card is dealt, then the third betting round
4. 4
   RiverThe 5th card is dealt, then the final betting round

If two or more players are left after the river, they show their cards (the showdown). The best hand takes the pot.

Fold

Give up the hand. Chips you've already put in are lost.

Check

Pass without betting. Only possible when nobody has bet yet.

Call

Match the current bet to stay in.

Bet

Put in the first chips when nobody has bet yet.

Raise

Put in more than the current bet.

All-in

Bet all your chips. You stay in until the end even if it's less than the bet.

When everyone has put in the same amount, the hand moves to the next stage.

The D (dealer) button moves one seat to the left each hand. Preflop, action starts to the left of the big blind. After that, it starts to the left of the dealer and goes clockwise.

Acting later is an advantage, because you get to see what everyone else did first.

Pot

The chips in the middle of the table. The winner takes them.

Kicker

A card that isn't part of the hand, used to break ties between equal hands.

Side pot

A separate pot contested only by players who bet more than an all-in player.

Split pot

When hands are exactly equal, the pot is divided evenly.