Poker is a family of games; Hold’em is one of them
Poker includes Hold’em, Omaha, Stud, draw games and several lowball games. The variant determines how cards are dealt and used; the betting structure sets betting limits; the format determines how participation and the session work. Check all three separately.
Meet the deck
Standard high-poker games normally use 52 cards without jokers. Spades, hearts, diamonds and clubs each contain thirteen ranks: 2 through 10, J, Q, K and A. Suits can form a flush, but do not break a tied Hold’em showdown.
Hole cards, community cards and the pot
Hole cards belong to an individual player; community cards are shared by players still in the hand. The pot contains chips committed to that hand. Your remaining chips are your stack. Folding does not return chips already committed.
How a hand ends
A hand commonly ends when everyone but one player folds, or when the final betting round reaches a showdown. In Hold’em, each player’s best five available cards are compared. One player may win, or equally ranked hands may share a pot.
Read the table before you begin
Identify the variant, betting structure, blinds, ante, seats, stacks and current player. For a tournament, also check the level, clock and published rules. Read the units attached to every number; a chip count does not automatically represent money.
- Learn the rules first, then use a practice or no-money setting to learn the controls.
- Read the explanation before using a control or accepting an amount you do not understand.
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.
PokerStars Hold’em rules(new window)