If you know the basic rules but still feel lost when the chips start flying, this guide is for you. A single hand of Texas Hold’em follows the same predictable sequence every time. Once you can name each step, the whole game slows down and starts to make sense.

Step 1: Posting the blinds

Before any cards are dealt, two players post forced bets called the blinds. The player to the left of the dealer posts the small blind; the next player posts the big blind. These bets seed the pot and give everyone a reason to play.

Step 2: The deal (hole cards)

Each player receives two private cards, called hole cards, dealt face down. These are yours alone. Your job across the rest of the hand is to combine them with the shared community cards to make the best five-card hand.

Step 3: Preflop betting

The first betting round starts with the player to the left of the big blind. Everyone can fold, call, or raise. Strong starting hands are worth raising; weak ones are usually best folded. Good starting-hand selection here saves you a lot of trouble later.

Step 4: The flop

The dealer burns one card and turns over three community cards face up. This is the flop. A second betting round begins, this time starting with the first active player to the left of the dealer button.

Step 5: The turn

A fourth community card — the turn — is dealt. Another betting round follows. Pots tend to grow here as players with strong hands or good draws apply pressure.

Step 6: The river

The fifth and final community card — the river — hits the board. This is the last betting round. There are no more cards to come, so every decision is based on the complete board.

Step 7: The showdown

If two or more players remain after the final bet, they reveal their hands. The best five-card combination wins the pot, using any mix of the two hole cards and five community cards. Not sure who wins? Brush up on hand rankings.

The rhythm to remember

Blinds → hole cards → preflop → flop → turn → river → showdown. Four betting rounds, five community cards, one winner. Every hand you ever play follows this exact rhythm, so learning it once pays off forever.

Play a hand right now

The fastest way to internalize the flow is to play. At Poker House you get free, real-time Texas Hold’em with a Wild-West twist — no real-money gambling. Deal in for free and watch a full hand unfold.