Everything you need to know about Texas Hold’em!

Texas Hold’em is, without a doubt, one of the most popular card games online and in-house. Of course, before you head on out, it makes sense to pick up the basic rules. Hence, our quick guide to Texas Hold’em Poker. Read it. Learn it. Love it.

Hand Rankings in Texas Holdem

The first thing you should know is which hands are better than others. Fortunately, this isn’t difficult, it just takes a little time to understand. Take a look below and memorise this list — it shouldn’t take too long!

Royal Flush:
Ace to 10 in the same suite. The most powerful hand in the game. If you get this hand, you’re rocking it straight to Vegas!

Straight Flush:
Like a royal flush, but anything else.

Four of a kind:
A-A-A-A, K-K-K-K — four of the same cards!

Full house:
Three of one and two of the other. A-A-A-K-K, K-K-K-Q-Q etc. Doesn’t matter about suit. Winners are determined by the person with the higher value cards, or if two have the same cards, the person with the three most valuable cards.

Flush:
5 cards of the same suite, not in order (that’s a straight flush). The person with the highest card wins against competing flushes. Ace-high beats 7-high, for example.

Straight:
5 cards in value order, unsuited. 6-5-4-3-2, A-2-3-4-5 etc. The person with the highest card wins — like the flush.

Three of a kind:
Three of the same card. A-A-A, 6-6-6 etc.

Two Pair:
A-A & K-K, for example. Any two pairs that you hold!

One Pair:
A-A — just the one lonely pair.

High Card:
If you don’t have any of the above, you have a high card. (Pro tip, this isn’t very good).

Dealing the cards in Texas Hold’em

So, now you know about card values, you need to learn about dealing the cards. It’s okay, honestly, the dealer does all the dishing out at Coral Poker. It’s always good to learn though, so let’s walk you through that.

To begin with, everybody is dealt two cards face down. The dealer than asks for your bets. Whether you choose to go ahead at this point is important, so check out our starting hands guide for more information on that.

Once everyone has put their bets down — or folded — the dealer will dish out three cards in the centre of the table. This is called the flop (the betting that goes on before is called pre-flop betting). Another round of betting occurs, and then the turn is revealed (another extra card). One more round of betting follows and then the river card is revealed. This leaves five cards on the table. One last round of betting happens, then the showdown occurs (though, if everyone has folded, this doesn’t happen).

And that’s it — a round of Texas Hold’em Poker!

Honestly, that’s all you need to know to make a start. If you’d like to learn more, head on over to our poker guide section. It’ll have you going from zero to Daniel Negreanu in 2 days!