The Basic Rules of How to Play Texas Hold'em Poker; Ranks of Hands; Stages of the Game

The goal of Texas Hold'em Poker is to win the pot. This can be done one of two ways. You can hold the best poker hand and win the pot because you have the best hand. Or, you can bluff and win the pot because you made the other poker players think you had the best hand. You can also implement any combination of these strategies into your betting throughout any given game of Texas Hold'em Poker.

For people new to the game of Texas Hold'em, it is best to first learn the basic rules of the game, before delving into bluffing. Bluffing is another lesson in itself. Like many other forms of poker, in Texas Hold'em you will ultimately play your best five card hand. Ranking of poker hands (from worst to best) are as follows:

High Card - None of the below hands are present and only high card can be claimed (Example: Ace High)

One Pair - Two matching cards (Example: Two Jacks)

Two Pair - Two sets of two matching cards (Example: Two Fives and Two Aces)

Three of a Kind - Three of the same card (Example: Three Queens)

Straight - Five consecutive cards, regardless of suit (Example: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)

Flush - Five cards of the same suit - diamonds, clubs, spades or hearts (Example: Five cards of the spades suit)

Full House - Three of a kind - a set of three matching cards - and one pair (Example: Three Kings and Two Queens)

Four of a Kind - All four of a specific card (Example: Four Kings)

Straight Flush - A combination of a straight and a flush; five consecutive cards of the same suit (Example: Ten, Jack, Queen, King, Ace of Hearts). An Ace high straight flush is the best poker hand and is also known as a Royal Flush.

Once you know the rankings of the poker hands, you can proceed to the stages of play in Texas Hold'em Poker. It is important to remember that there are both personal and community cards involved in Texas Hold'em Poker. Personal cards can only be used by the individual they are dealt to. Community cards can be used by all players. The stages of play are delineated as follows:

Stages of Texas Hold'em Poker

Two cards are dealt face down to each poker player - these cards can only be used by the individual they are dealt to.

A round of betting occurs starting with the person to the left of the dealer and proceeding in a clockwise direction.

Three cards (aka the flop) are dealt face up in the middle of the poker table - these are community cards that can be used by all poker players.

A round of betting occurs starting with the person to the left of the dealer and proceeding in a clockwise direction.

One card (aka the turn) is dealt face up - this is a community card that can be used by all poker players.

A round of betting occurs starting with the person to the left of the dealer and proceeding in a clockwise direction.

The last card (aka the river) is dealt face up in the middle of the poker table - this is a community card that can be used by all poker players.

A final round of betting occurs starting with the person to the left of the dealer and proceeding in a clockwise direction.

Once betting finishes, players still in the hand show their cards starting with the person to the left of the dealer and proceeding in a clockwise direction. The person, who is still in the hand, who holds the best ranked hand wins. If you are the only player left in the hand, you win the pot. Those are the basic rules of Texas Hold'em Poker, but there is still more to learn.