Poker Hand Rankings

Texas Hold’em is a poker game in which each player receives two private cards and shares five community cards with the other players at the table. The goal is to win the pot either by making the best five-card poker hand at showdown or by betting in a way that causes every opponent to fold before showdown.

For a complete beginner, the game can initially seem complicated because cards, blinds, betting rounds, poker hands, and table positions are all involved. The basic structure is much simpler once you see how the pieces fit together.

Every hand follows the same general pattern: the blinds are posted, players receive two hole cards, betting begins, community cards are dealt across the flop, turn, and river, and any remaining players compare their best five-card hands at showdown.

This guide explains that entire process from beginning to end.

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What Is Texas Hold’em Poker?

Texas Hold’em is a community-card form of poker.

Each player receives two cards dealt face down. These are called hole cards because they belong only to that player.

Up to five additional cards are dealt face up in the center of the table. These are called community cards because every player still in the hand can use them.

By the end of a complete hand, a player may have seven cards available:

• Two hole cards

• Five community cards

The player's final poker hand, however, contains exactly five cards.

You may use both hole cards, one hole card, or neither hole card when creating your best five-card hand.

That rule is one of the most important concepts for a new Texas Hold’em player to understand.

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What Is the Goal of Texas Hold’em?

The goal of each hand is to win the pot.

The pot is the collection of chips or money wagered during the hand.

There are two basic ways to win it:

• Make the best five-card poker hand when the remaining players reach showdown.

• Make a bet or raise that causes every other player to fold.

A fold means giving up your cards and surrendering any claim to the pot.

Because everyone else can fold before all five community cards are dealt, many Texas Hold’em hands never reach showdown.

You therefore do not always need the strongest cards to win a pot. You only need the strongest hand if another player remains to compare cards with you at showdown.

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What Do You Need to Play Texas Hold’em?

A standard game uses:

• A standard 52-card deck

• Poker chips or another way to track wagers

• A dealer button

• Two or more players

• A table or playing surface

A standard deck contains four suits:

• Spades

• Hearts

• Diamonds

• Clubs

Each suit contains 13 ranks, from deuce through ace.

For determining standard Texas Hold’em hand strength, the four suits have equal value. Spades do not beat hearts, hearts do not beat diamonds, and so on.

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Understanding the Dealer Button

Texas Hold’em uses a marker called the dealer button, often simply called the button.

The button identifies the nominal dealer position for the hand and helps determine where the forced bets and betting action begin.

In a professionally dealt casino game, a dedicated dealer physically deals every hand. The button still rotates around the table because it determines player position rather than identifying who is actually handling the cards.

After each completed hand, the button generally moves one seat clockwise.

This rotation matters because the order in which players act changes from hand to hand.

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What Are the Small Blind and Big Blind?

Before the cards are dealt, two players normally make mandatory bets called blinds.

The player immediately to the left of the button posts the small blind.

The next player posts the big blind.

The exact amounts depend on the game.

For example, in a $1/$2 no-limit Texas Hold’em cash game:

• Small blind: $1

• Big blind: $2

The blinds create money in the pot before anyone receives cards and give players something to compete for.

They also help keep the game moving. Without forced bets, players could continually wait for exceptionally strong cards without putting anything at risk.

In tournament poker, blind amounts normally increase at scheduled intervals. In cash games, they generally remain fixed unless the game itself changes.

Antes are another type of forced contribution used in some poker games and tournaments. A beginner does not need to understand every ante format to learn Texas Hold’em; the important point is that blinds and, when applicable, antes create the initial pot before voluntary betting begins.

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The Basic Flow of a Texas Hold’em Hand

A complete Texas Hold’em hand can contain four betting rounds:

• Preflop

• Flop

• Turn

• River

If two or more players remain after the river betting is complete, the hand proceeds to showdown.

The basic sequence is:

• Small blind and big blind are posted.

• Each player receives two hole cards.

• The preflop betting round takes place.

• Three community cards are dealt as the flop.

• Another betting round takes place.

• One community card is dealt as the turn.

• Another betting round takes place.

• One final community card is dealt as the river.

• The final betting round takes place.

• Remaining players go to showdown if necessary.

A hand can end earlier if all but one player folds.

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Step 1: The Hole Cards Are Dealt

Each player receives two private cards face down.

These are your starting hand.

For example:

A♠ K♦

Only you may use those two cards as your personal hole cards.

Other players receive their own two cards.

At this point, there are no community cards on the table.

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Step 2: Preflop Betting

Preflop means the portion of the hand before the flop is dealt.

Once every player has received two hole cards, the first betting round begins.

In a normal multi-player hand, the first player to act before the flop is the player immediately to the left of the big blind.

That player generally has three basic choices:

• Fold

• Call

• Raise

What Does Fold Mean?

To fold is to surrender your hand.

You place your cards aside and take no further part in that pot.

Any chips you already contributed remain in the pot.

What Does Call Mean?

To call is to match the current bet.

If the big blind is $2 and nobody has raised, a player who wants to call generally puts in enough chips to match $2.

If another player has raised to $8, calling means matching the $8 wager, taking into account any chips you have already committed during that betting round.

What Does Raise Mean?

To raise is to increase the size of the current bet.

Suppose the big blind is $2 and a player raises to $6.

Players acting afterward must now respond to the $6 wager rather than the original $2 blind. They can generally fold, call, or make another legal raise.

What Does Check Mean?

A check means remaining in the hand without making a bet.

You can check only when no wager is currently waiting for you to call during that betting round.

Before the flop, the big blind may sometimes check if no player has raised and the action returns to the big blind.

Checking becomes much more common after the flop.

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When Does a Betting Round End?

A betting round ends after the necessary action has been completed among the players who remain in the hand.

In simple terms, active players must either:

• Match the current wager

• Fold

• Be all-in

Once the betting round is complete, the hand moves to the next stage.

If every player except one folds at any point, the hand ends immediately and the remaining player wins the pot.

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Step 3: The Flop

If at least two players remain after preflop betting, the dealer places the first three community cards face up on the table.

These three cards are called the flop.

For example:

K♠ 7♥ 2♣

Every remaining player may use these same three cards.

Suppose your hole cards are:

A♠ K♦

The flop gives you a pair of kings because your K♦ combines with the K♠ on the board.

At this point you have five cards available to consider:

A♠ K♦ K♠ 7♥ 2♣

More cards are still to come, so your final hand has not necessarily been determined.

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Step 4: Flop Betting

After the flop is dealt, another betting round begins.

The order of action changes from the preflop round.

In a standard multi-player hand, postflop action begins with the first active player clockwise from the button.

Players may check when no bet has been made.

Once someone bets, the other remaining players generally must fold, call, or raise if they want to continue.

This same basic postflop betting pattern is used after the turn and river.

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Step 5: The Turn

After flop betting is complete, a fourth community card is dealt face up.

This is called the turn.

Suppose the board was:

K♠ 7♥ 2♣

and the turn is:

10♠

The full board is now:

K♠ 7♥ 2♣ 10♠

Another betting round follows.

Players now have six available cards when their two hole cards are included, but their eventual hand will still contain only the best five.

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Step 6: The River

After turn betting is complete, the fifth and final community card is dealt.

This card is called the river.

Suppose the river is:

2♦

The completed board is:

K♠ 7♥ 2♣ 10♠ 2♦

No additional community cards will be dealt.

A final betting round follows.

If more than one player remains when that betting round ends, the hand reaches showdown.

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Step 7: The Showdown

A showdown is the point at which the remaining players compare their poker hands to determine the winner.

Each player uses the best possible five-card combination available from:

• Two hole cards

• Five community cards

The highest-ranking five-card hand wins the pot.

If two or more players have exactly equal best five-card hands, the pot is divided between them.

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How Do You Make a Five-Card Poker Hand?

Texas Hold’em gives you as many as seven available cards, but only five count toward your final hand.

You may use:

• Both hole cards and three community cards

• One hole card and four community cards

• No hole cards and all five community cards

You do not have to use both hole cards.

That differs from some other poker games and is a frequent source of confusion for beginners.

For example, suppose you hold:

A♠ K♠

The board is:

Q♠ J♠ 10♠ 4♦ 2♣

Your best five cards are:

A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠

That makes a royal flush.

The 4♦ and 2♣ are not part of your final hand.

Now consider a different example.

You hold:

8♣ 7♣

The board is:

A♠ K♦ Q♣ J♥ 10♠

The five cards on the board already make an ace-high straight.

Your eight and seven do not improve it.

Your best hand is therefore the five community cards:

A-K-Q-J-10

This is known as playing the board.

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Poker Hand Rankings From Highest to Lowest

Every final Texas Hold’em hand belongs to a standard hand-ranking category.

From strongest to weakest:

• Royal Flush

• Straight Flush

• Four of a Kind

• Full House

• Flush

• Straight

• Three of a Kind

• Two Pair

• One Pair

• High Card

Royal Flush

A royal flush is:

A-K-Q-J-10

with all five cards in the same suit.

Example:

A♥ K♥ Q♥ J♥ 10♥

It is the highest possible standard poker hand.

Straight Flush

A straight flush contains five consecutive cards of the same suit.

Example:

9♣ 8♣ 7♣ 6♣ 5♣

Four of a Kind

Four of a kind contains four cards of the same rank.

Example:

Q♠ Q♥ Q♦ Q♣ 7♠

It is also commonly called quads.

Full House

A full house contains three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank.

Example:

10♠ 10♥ 10♦ 6♣ 6♦

This can be described as tens full of sixes.

Flush

A flush contains five cards of the same suit that do not form a straight flush.

Example:

A♣ J♣ 8♣ 5♣ 2♣

Straight

A straight contains five cards in consecutive rank.

Example:

10♠ 9♦ 8♣ 7♥ 6♠

The suits do not need to match.

An ace can also serve as the low card in A-2-3-4-5.

Three of a Kind

Three of a kind contains three cards of the same rank.

Example:

7♠ 7♥ 7♦ K♣ 4♠

Two Pair

Two pair contains two cards of one rank and two cards of another rank.

Example:

A♠ A♥ 8♦ 8♣ 4♠

One Pair

One pair contains two cards of the same rank.

Example:

J♠ J♥ A♦ 8♣ 4♠

High Card

A high-card hand does not make any of the combinations above.

Example:

A♠ J♥ 9♦ 6♣ 3♠

This is an ace-high hand.

The separate Angry Aces Poker guide Poker Hand Rankings Explained: Best Poker Hands From Highest to Lowest expands on these rankings, including how equal hands are compared, how kickers work, and when a pot is split.

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What Happens When Two Players Have the Same Type of Hand?

When players have different hand categories, the higher category wins.

For example:

• A flush beats a straight.

• A full house beats a flush.

• Four of a kind beats a full house.

When two players have the same category, the ranks within their five-card hands determine the winner.

Suppose two players both have a pair of aces.

Player 1's best hand:

A-A-K-9-7

Player 2's best hand:

A-A-Q-9-7

Player 1 wins because the king is higher than the queen.

A card used to break this type of tie is called a kicker.

The important beginner rule is that poker compares complete five-card hands. Cards outside those five do not matter.

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When Is the Pot Split?

The pot is split when two or more players have exactly equal best five-card hands.

For example, suppose the board is:

A♠ K♦ Q♣ J♥ 10♠

The board itself makes an ace-high straight.

One player holds:

7♣ 7♦

Another holds:

4♣ 4♦

Neither player's hole cards create a stronger five-card combination.

Both therefore have the same A-K-Q-J-10 straight and split the pot.

A player's unused hole cards cannot break a tie.

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What Is an All-In Bet?

A player is all-in when all of that player's available chips have been committed to the pot.

An all-in player cannot wager additional chips during the hand.

If other players still have chips remaining, betting may continue between them.

Situations involving different stack sizes can create one or more side pots. Side pots determine which players are eligible to win particular groups of chips.

A complete explanation of side pots is useful later, but a beginner only needs to remember this principle:

A player can win only the chips that player was eligible to compete for based on the amount committed to the pot.

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No-Limit, Limit, and Pot-Limit Texas Hold’em

Texas Hold’em can use different betting structures.

No-Limit Texas Hold’em

In no-limit Texas Hold’em, a player may generally wager any legal amount up to all of the chips in front of them when it is their turn to bet or raise.

This is the version many beginners encounter in tournaments and cash games.

Limit Texas Hold’em

Limit Hold’em uses predetermined betting and raising amounts.

Players cannot simply choose any wager size.

Pot-Limit Texas Hold’em

In pot-limit games, maximum bets and raises are tied to the size of the pot.

For a new player, it is enough to understand that these formats use the same basic Hold’em cards and hand rankings but different rules governing how much may be wagered.

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Cash Games and Poker Tournaments

Texas Hold’em is commonly played in both cash games and tournaments.

Cash Games

In a cash game, chips represent cash value.

Players generally buy into the game, play at fixed blind levels, and may leave according to the room or game's rules.

If the game is listed as $1/$2, those figures normally identify the small and big blinds.

Tournaments

In a poker tournament, players pay an entry amount and receive a tournament chip stack.

Tournament chips do not represent direct cash value.

Blind levels rise as the tournament progresses, gradually forcing more action.

Players who lose all of their chips are eliminated unless the tournament format allows them to re-enter.

The underlying Texas Hold’em hand mechanics remain the same in both formats.

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Understanding Position in Texas Hold’em

Position describes where you are seated relative to the dealer button and, more importantly, when you act during a betting round.

The button moves around the table, so your position changes after each hand.

Players acting later in a betting round have seen what earlier players chose to do before making their own decisions.

That additional information is valuable.

A complete beginner does not need to memorize every positional strategy yet. Start by recognizing that:

• Your seat affects when you act.

• The button helps determine action order.

• Acting later generally gives you more information than acting earlier.

• Position changes after every hand.

Position becomes increasingly important once you begin learning which starting hands to play and how to bet them.

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A Complete Example of One Texas Hold’em Hand

Putting the full sequence together makes the rules easier to understand.

Assume you are playing $1/$2 no-limit Texas Hold’em.

The small blind posts $1.

The big blind posts $2.

You are dealt:

A♠ K♦

Preflop

A player raises to $6.

You call $6.

The big blind calls.

Three players continue.

Flop

The dealer reveals:

K♠ 7♥ 2♣

You now have a pair of kings with an ace kicker.

The players complete another betting round.

Two players remain.

Turn

The dealer reveals:

10♠

The board is now:

K♠ 7♥ 2♣ 10♠

Another betting round occurs.

Both players continue.

River

The dealer reveals:

2♦

The final board is:

K♠ 7♥ 2♣ 10♠ 2♦

You now make two pair using kings and twos:

K-K-2-2-A

The ace is your kicker.

Showdown

Suppose your opponent holds:

K♥ Q♥

The opponent's best hand is:

K-K-2-2-Q

Both players have kings and twos.

Your ace kicker beats the opponent's queen kicker, so you win the pot.

Notice what happened throughout the example:

• You began with two hole cards.

• Five shared cards were gradually added.

• Betting occurred between stages.

• Your hand changed as community cards appeared.

• The winner was determined using exactly five cards.

That is the basic structure of Texas Hold’em.

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Common Beginner Mistakes

Understanding the rules becomes easier when you know which errors commonly cause confusion.

Thinking You Must Use Both Hole Cards

You may use two, one, or zero hole cards.

Always identify the strongest five-card combination available from your hole cards and the board.

Trying to Use Six or Seven Cards

A final poker hand contains exactly five cards.

Although seven cards may be available, the weaker extra cards are ignored.

Forgetting the Community Cards Belong to Everyone

The board is shared.

If there are four hearts on the board, every remaining player has access to those same four hearts.

Do not evaluate the community cards as though they belong only to you.

Looking Only at Your Hole Cards

Your starting cards are important, but the community cards determine how your final hand develops.

After every street, reconsider what five-card combinations are possible.

Forgetting That the Board Can Play

Sometimes all five community cards create your strongest hand.

When this happens, your hole cards may not matter at showdown.

Confusing Checking With Calling

Checking means staying in the hand without making a wager when there is no bet to call.

Calling means matching an existing wager.

They are different actions.

Folding When You Could Check

If nobody has bet and checking is available, you can remain in the hand without putting in additional chips.

A fold ends your participation in the hand entirely.

Acting Out of Turn

Poker action follows a specific order.

Wait until it is your turn before checking, betting, calling, raising, or folding.

Acting prematurely can reveal information and may violate house rules.

Assuming a Good Starting Hand Must Win

Strong starting cards can become weak as the board develops.

Pocket aces are a powerful starting hand, but they do not automatically win the pot.

Always evaluate the completed or developing five-card hand.

Focusing on Advanced Strategy Too Soon

A beginner does not need to master bluff frequencies, pot odds, ranges, expected value, or tournament models before understanding the game itself.

First become comfortable with:

• The blinds

• The dealer button

• Hole cards

• Community cards

• Betting actions

• Preflop, flop, turn, and river

• Hand rankings

• The best five-card rule

• Showdown

Those fundamentals make later strategy much easier to learn.

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Beginner Checklist for Following a Hand

When you sit down to play, use this simple mental checklist:

• Where is the dealer button?

• Who posted the small blind?

• Who posted the big blind?

• What are my two hole cards?

• Is it my turn to act?

• What is the current bet?

• Has the flop, turn, or river been dealt?

• What is my best five-card hand right now?

• Could the community cards have improved an opponent?

• If the hand reaches showdown, what five cards actually make my final hand?

You do not need to make sophisticated strategic decisions immediately.

Your first goal should be to follow the action correctly and read your hand accurately.

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What Should a Beginner Learn Next?

Once you understand how a Texas Hold’em hand works, the next step is learning the fundamentals in a logical order.

Start with poker hand rankings so you can instantly identify which five-card hands beat others.

Then build outward into:

• Starting-hand selection

• Betting fundamentals

• Blinds, antes, and position

• Cash-game basics

• Tournament basics

• Drawing hands and outs

• Pot odds

Learning these topics separately is easier than trying to master all of poker strategy at once.

Texas Hold’em becomes much more manageable once the basic structure of every hand feels automatic.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many cards does each player get in Texas Hold’em?

Each player receives two private hole cards. Up to five community cards are then dealt face up for all remaining players to use.

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How many community cards are dealt?

A complete Texas Hold’em board contains five community cards: three on the flop, one on the turn, and one on the river.

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How many cards make your final poker hand?

Exactly five cards make your final poker hand.

You select the strongest five-card combination available from your two hole cards and the five community cards.

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Do you have to use both hole cards in Texas Hold’em?

No. You can use both hole cards, one hole card, or neither hole card.

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Can you use all five community cards?

Yes. If the board itself makes your strongest five-card hand, you can use all five community cards. This is commonly called playing the board.

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What is the difference between the flop, turn, and river?

The flop consists of the first three community cards. The turn is the fourth community card. The river is the fifth and final community card.

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What does preflop mean?

Preflop describes the part of the hand after players receive their hole cards but before the first three community cards are dealt.

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What is a poker showdown?

A showdown occurs when multiple players remain after the final betting round and their hands must be compared to determine who wins the pot.

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Can you win without showing your cards?

Yes. If every opponent folds, the remaining player wins the pot without needing to prove that they held the best hand.

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What is the pot in poker?

The pot is the collection of chips or money being contested during the hand.

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What is the dealer button?

The dealer button is a marker that identifies the nominal dealer position and helps determine the blinds and order of action. It normally moves clockwise after each hand.

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What are poker blinds?

Blinds are mandatory wagers made before the cards are dealt. Texas Hold’em normally uses a small blind and a big blind.

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What does checking mean in poker?

Checking means remaining in the hand without betting when no wager is currently waiting for you to call.

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What does calling mean in poker?

Calling means matching the current wager so you can remain in the hand.

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What does raising mean in poker?

Raising means increasing the current wager.

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What does folding mean in poker?

Folding means surrendering your hand and giving up your claim to the pot.

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What is the best hand in Texas Hold’em?

A royal flush is the highest possible standard Texas Hold’em hand. It consists of an ace, king, queen, jack, and ten of the same suit.

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Does a flush beat a straight?

Yes. A flush ranks higher than a straight in standard Texas Hold’em.

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Are suits ranked in Texas Hold’em?

No. Spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs have equal value when determining standard Texas Hold’em hand strength.

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What happens if two players have the same hand?

If their complete best five-card hands are exactly equal, they tie and split the pot.

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Is Texas Hold’em difficult to learn?

The basic rules are relatively straightforward once you understand the sequence of blinds, hole cards, betting rounds, community cards, and showdown. Strategy can become extremely complex, but a beginner does not need to master advanced strategy before learning how a hand works.