The goal

Win the chips in the middle of the table, called the pot. You can win in two ways: be the last player left after everyone else folds, or show the best five-card hand at the end.

Each player gets two private cards. Five shared cards are dealt face up in the middle. You make your best five-card hand from any combination of those seven cards. If you are unsure which hands beat which, keep the hand rankings open in another tab.

Seats, button and blinds

A round disc called the button marks the dealer position. It moves one seat to the left after every hand.

Before any cards are dealt, the two players to the left of the button post forced bets called blinds. The first player posts the small blind and the next posts the big blind, usually twice as much. In a "$1/$2" game, those amounts are $1 and $2.

Then everyone receives two face-down hole cards, one at a time, clockwise from the small blind.

The four betting rounds

  1. Preflop. Action starts with the player left of the big blind (under the gun) and moves clockwise. The big blind acts last.
  2. The flop. The dealer burns one card and turns three community cards face up. Betting starts with the first active player left of the button.
  3. The turn. Another burn, one more community card, another betting round.
  4. The river. A final burn, the fifth community card, and the last betting round.

From the flop on, the player on the button always acts last. That advantage is called position, and it is one of the most important ideas in the game.

What you can do on your turn

  • Check: pass without betting, if nobody has bet yet this round.
  • Bet: put chips in when nobody else has.
  • Call: match the current bet.
  • Raise: increase the current bet. In no-limit, at least by the size of the last bet or raise.
  • Fold: give up the hand.
  • All-in: bet everything you have left.

A betting round ends when every remaining player has put in the same amount, or has checked.

Showdown

If more than one player is left after the river, the hands are turned over. The best five-card hand wins. Suits never matter, and if two hands are exactly equal the pot is split. When two players have the same pair, the kicker decides.

One hand, start to finish

Six players, $1/$2 blinds. You are on the button with:

Preflop. The first player folds, the next one calls $2, and the cutoff folds. You raise to $8. The small blind folds, the big blind folds, and the caller calls $6 more. The pot is $1 + $2 + $8 + $8 = $19.

Flop.

You have top pair with an Ace kicker. Your opponent checks, you bet $12, and they call. The pot is $43.

Turn. The 2 arrives. Now you also have a flush draw. Your opponent checks, you bet $28, and they call. The pot is $99.

River. The 7 completes your flush:

Your opponent bets $40 and you raise to $120. They call and show KQ for a pair of Queens. Your Ace-high flush wins the $339 pot.

Beginner mistakes

  • Playing too many hands. Folding most starting hands is normal. Try playing only your best 20% of hands for your first few sessions.
  • Ignoring position. The same hand is worth more on the button than in the blinds.
  • Calling too much. If a hand is worth playing, it is usually worth a raise. Calling with weak hands and hoping is how most beginners lose.
  • Overvaluing one pair. When a careful player suddenly raises big on the river, a single pair is often beaten.
  • Playing with money you need. Set a budget before you sit down. See our responsible gambling page.

Ready to see it in action? Deal a hand and follow it from hole cards to river.

Last updated October 22, 2026.