How to play poker
Learn Texas Hold'em by playing it. Eight short hands on a practice table, with a coach pointing at what matters and you making every decision. No account, no money.
Know the rules already? Find a table
The lessons
The basics
Three hands. Enough to sit down at a table.
Playing well
Five more hands on the decisions that win and lose chips.
- 4
What beats what
Why three nines beat a pair of kings.
- 5
The kicker
Your first bet, and how a tie between two pairs is broken.
- 6
When you miss
Letting a hand go when the flop gives you nothing.
- 7
Acting last
Why the dealer button is the best seat, and winning without a showdown.
- 8
Tournaments
Rising blinds, the ante, and why surviving matters.
How a hand of Texas Hold'em works
Every hand follows the same seven steps.
- 1
The blinds
Before any cards are dealt, the two players to the left of the dealer button put in forced bets, the small blind and the big blind, so there is something to play for.
- 2
Two cards each
Everyone is dealt two cards face down. Only you can see yours.
- 3
Preflop betting
Starting left of the big blind, each player folds, calls the big blind, or raises.
- 4
The flop
Three shared cards are dealt face up in the middle. Everyone can use them. Another round of betting follows.
- 5
The turn
A fourth shared card, and another round of betting.
- 6
The river
The fifth and last shared card, and the last round of betting.
- 7
The showdown
Players still in turn their cards over. Each makes the best five-card hand from their two cards and the five on the board, and the best hand wins the pot.
Your choices on your turn
- Fold
- Give up the hand. You lose nothing more than you have already put in.
- Check
- Pass without betting. Only possible when nobody has bet on this round.
- Call
- Match the biggest bet so far to stay in the hand.
- Bet or raise
- Put in more chips. The first chips in on a round are a bet; going over someone else’s bet is a raise.
Poker hand rankings
Best at the top. Your hand is the best five cards from your two and the five on the board. The kind of hand counts first; card values only break ties.
1. Royal flush
Ten to ace, one suit.
2. Straight flush
Five in a row, one suit.
3. Four of a kind
Four of one rank.
4. Full house
Three plus a pair.
5. Flush
Five of one suit.
6. Straight
Five in a row.
7. Three of a kind
Three of one rank.
8. Two pair
Two different pairs.
9. Pair
Two of one rank.
10. High card
Your highest card plays.
Poker words you will hear
- All-in
- Betting every chip you have left.
- Ante
- Extra chips put in before a hand starts, used in later tournament levels to grow the pot.
- Board
- The shared cards in the middle of the table.
- Button
- The dealer button. It moves one seat each hand, and the player on it acts last after the flop.
- Kicker
- The highest card that is not part of your pair or set. It breaks ties between equal hands.
- Pocket pair
- Two cards of the same rank in your hand, like two nines.
- Position
- Where you sit relative to the button. Acting later is an advantage, because you see what others do first.
- Pot
- All the chips bet in the hand so far. The winner takes it.
- Showdown
- When the betting is over and the remaining players show their cards.
- Stack
- The chips you have in front of you.
Questions
Is poker hard to learn?
The rules take a few minutes. A hand is two cards each, five shared cards, and up to four rounds of betting. Playing well takes longer, which is why the lessons here walk you through real hands and tell you what to do at each decision.
What beats what in poker?
From best to worst: royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, high card. The kind of hand counts first; card values only break ties between hands of the same kind.
Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes. A flush (five cards of one suit) beats a straight (five cards in a row). A full house beats both.
What happens when two players have the same hand?
The higher cards win. With a pair each, the higher pair wins; with the same pair, the next highest card, the kicker, decides it. If all five cards are equal, the pot is split.
How many cards do you get in Texas Hold’em?
Two of your own, face down. Five more are dealt face up in the middle for everyone to share, and your hand is the best five of those seven.
Do I need an account to take the lessons?
No. The lessons run in your browser on a practice table with no account, no download and no money involved.
Where can I practise poker for free?
On Stacked, Free Play tables and tournaments use play money, so you can sit down with other players and nothing to lose. You can also open a Free Play table and send the link to friends.
Ready to play?
Free Play tables use play money, so they are the place to try what you learned against other players. Or open your own and send the link to friends.
The easiest way to play poker with friends. Player-hosted tables, and a wallet only you control.
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