How To Play Texas Hold ‘Em

Basic Gameplay

Basic lingo:

  • Dealer Button - a disc or other object that identifies the player holding the dealer position.

  • Dealer (Best Position) - The final person to receive a card in the rotational deal, last to act in the betting rounds.

  • Blinds - pre-deal bets designed to ensure action on most hands.

  • Hole Cards - the cards dealt to each player that only they can see.

  • Communal Cards - the cards that make up The Board, shared by all players

  • The Flop - the first three communal cards exposed

  • The Turn (4th Street) - the fourth communal card exposed to the players

  • The River (5th Street) - the fifth and final communal card presented.

  • Showdown - the final revelation of remaining players’ hands and determination of hand-rank winner.

 LESSON ONE:

What you’ll need (card, chips, players, a dealer button)

How to play - from the movement of the dealer button to showdown. (see video)

ORDER OF HANDS

  1. Royal Flush

  2. Straight Flush

  3. Four of a Kind

  4. Full House

  5. Flush

  6. Straight

  7. Three of a Kind

  8. Two Pair

  9. Pair

  10. High Card

Click to download the ORDER OF HANDS cheat sheet
TAKE THE STUPIDLY EASY QUIZ TO ADVANCE TO THE NEXT LESSON!

My grandfather asked me, “Do you want to gamble, or do you want to play poker?” I was young enough not to understand the question. A few months ago, as I was getting photographed with the prize and the pile of chips at the end of a tournament, I heard the young Tourney Manager say to the second place winner, “I don’t understand why we have so many repeat winners at this tournament.” The guy who was counting his second place winnings said, “It’s not about the repeat winners. It’s about the guys who are always at the final table. There are two different games being played in this room.” I was busy smiling for the camera, but my mind raced through flashes. This was what my grandfather was talking about. I wasn’t here to gamble. I was here to play poker. - Dylan Brody