Preparation: positions and compulsory bets
At a standard Hold’em table with at least three players, establish the button, post blinds and any antes, then deal two hole cards to each player. You may use your own hole cards and the board, never an opponent’s hole cards.
Pre-flop: action starts after the big blind
The first player clockwise after the big blind faces the existing blind and may fold, call or raise legally. Action continues until every player still able to act has responded to the latest wager and matched what is required. An all-in player may match only part of the amount; subsequent additional wagers are handled through side pots.
The flop: three community cards
Three community cards are revealed. Post-flop action begins with the first eligible player clockwise after the button. Before a bet is made, checking is available. Once a bet is made, the next player must respond by folding, calling or raising.
Turn and river: one more card each
The fourth community card is the turn, followed by another betting round. The fifth is the river, followed by the final betting round. Contributions are tracked separately for each round; chips from an earlier round do not count toward a new call.
Not every hand reaches the river
If everyone but one player folds, the hand normally ends immediately. There is no need to finish the board. When multiple players are all-in and no further betting is possible, the required board is dealt and the pots are resolved under the table’s rules.
Showdown, pot distribution and the next hand
For each pot, compare the best five cards of the eligible players. Equal hands split according to the rules; there is no sixth-card tiebreaker. After distribution, the button advances for the next hand. Follow local rules for showing order, all-in exposure and odd chips.
Worked hand: track each contribution and the pot
Assume three players in no-limit Hold’em, each starting with 200 teaching chips, at blinds of 5/10. A is on the button, B is the small blind and C is the big blind. To isolate the betting arithmetic, this example has no ante and does not calculate rake, Jackpot deductions or other fees; actual tables follow their published rules. This is not a betting strategy or an earnings forecast.
A holds A♥ K♥ and C holds Q♣ Q♦. B will fold before the flop, so B’s hole cards are not needed for this example. Each additional contribution below counts only chips newly committed by that action; blinds and earlier rounds are not counted twice.
- Post blinds: B posts 5 and C posts 10; pot = 5 + 10 = 15. A, B and C have 200, 195 and 190 chips remaining, respectively.
- Pre-flop: in this three-player hand, the button A acts first. A raises to a total of 30, adding 30; B folds and the posted 5 stays in the pot; C has already posted 10 and adds only 20 to call. Pot = 15 + 30 + 20 = 65; A, B and C have 170, 195 and 170 remaining.
- Flop A♠ 9♦ 2♣: after the flop, action starts with C, the remaining player clockwise after the button. C checks, A bets 40 and C calls 40. Pot = 65 + 40 + 40 = 145; A, B and C have 130, 195 and 130 remaining.
- Turn 7♠: C checks, A bets 60 and C calls 60. Each adds 60 this round; the 40 paid on the flop does not offset a new call. Pot = 145 + 60 + 60 = 265; A, B and C have 70, 195 and 70 remaining.
- River 3♦: C checks and A checks behind. Both have acted with no river bet, so the hand reaches showdown with the pot still at 265. The full board is A♠ 9♦ 2♣ 7♠ 3♦.
- Showdown and reconciliation: A’s pair of aces beats C’s pair of queens, and A receives the entire 265 pot. Final stacks are A = 70 + 265 = 335, B = 195 and C = 70; 335 + 195 + 70 = 600, matching the starting total. B folded earlier, but the posted 5 remained in the pot.
Rules may vary between platforms, tables and events. This guide explains common rules; available games, eligibility and dispute procedures are determined by the platform's official announcements.
Keep exploring
This guide was independently compiled in Chinese. The following sources let you verify the rules.
WSOP 2026 official rules: Texas Hold’em (page 29)(new window)Official Poker TDA rules(new window)