Texas Hold'em Poker 2025

In this guide, we take a look at the fundamentals of Texas Hold'em, including its history, rules, betting structure, and some pointers and basic strategies to help you find your feet at the poker table, be it online or live.

What is Texas Hold'em Poker?

Texas Hold’em is a poker variant in which players aim to make the best five-card poker hand using a combination of their two private cards (hole cards) and five community cards (board cards), which are shared by all players.

While the rules of Texas Hold’em poker are relatively simple and can be learned in a matter of minutes, it is a complex strategy game and takes a lot longer to master.

Basic Rules of Texas Hold'em Poker

Texas Hold'em is played with a standard 52-card deck. A single game (known as a hand) of Texas Hold’em poker is played with four rounds of betting. 

Players are required to match the bets of their opponents to stay in the hand, and if they choose not to, they fold, which means they release their cards and forfeit their chance to win the hand.

A player wins either by having the best hand at showdown (when all betting rounds have been completed) or by being the only player left with cards due to other players folding their hands during the betting rounds.

Here's a step-by-step breakdown of how a hand is played:

• The Dealer Button: The dealer button signifies which player is the dealer for each hand. The button moves clockwise, one player at a time after every hand.
• The Blinds: The two players to the left of the dealer post forced bets called the small blind and big blind. The big blind is usually double the size of the small blind. 
• Hole Cards: Each player is dealt two face-down cards, which only they can see.
• Preflop Betting Round: The first betting round occurs with the player to the left of the big blind being first to make a decision about whether to call, raise or fold.
• The Flop: Three community cards are dealt face-up on the table
• Second Betting Round: Players who are left in the pot have a round of betting.
• The Turn Card: A fourth community card is dealt, known as the turn card.
• Third Betting Round: Another round of betting takes place.
• The River: The river, a fifth and final community card, is dealt.
• Final Betting Round: This is the last opportunity for players left to bet in the hand

Showdown: If more than one player remains, they reveal their hands. The best five-card hand wins the pot.

How to Bet in Texas Hold'em

Betting is the key aspect of Texas Hold'em. Players have several options when it's their turn to act, although not all may be available in any given situation:

• Check: Pass the action to the next player without betting (only if no bet has yet been made)
• Bet: Make a bet
• Call: Match the current bet
• Raise: Increase the current bet
• Fold: Discard your hand and forfeit the pot

Betting Limits

Whether for cash games or tournaments, Texas Hold’em can be played with three different betting modes: fixed limit, pot limit and no limit. These refer to the rules about how much can be bet at any given point in the hand.

• Fixed Limit: The amount that can be bet is a predetermined size. 
• Pot Limit: The maximum that can be bet is equivalent to the current size of the pot.
• No-Limit: Players can bet any amount. If a player bets their entire stack, they are said to be ‘all-in.’

Betting limits are often referred to using abbreviations. No Limit Texas Hold’em is sometimes shortened to NLTH, but more commonly, the Texas part of the name is dropped and it is referred to simply as NLH.

Hand Rankings in Texas Hold'em

Standard rankings are used to determine the best poker hands in Texas Hold’em and which hand wins at showdown. From highest to lowest:

1. Royal Flush: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten, all of the same suit. 
2. Straight Flush: Five consecutively ranked cards, all of the same suit.
3. Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank.
4. Full House: Three of a kind and a pair.
5. Flush: Five cards, all of the same suit.
6. Straight: Five consecutively ranked cards, not of the same suit.
7. Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same rank.
8. Two Pair: Two different pairs.
9. One Pair: Two cards of the same rank.
10. High Card: With no pairs or better, the strength of the hand is determined by the highest-ranked single card.
     

Cash Games and Tournaments

Texas Hold’em, like most poker variants, can be played in many different ways, most commonly as a cash game or a tournament. The key differences between the two are:

Cash Games

• Players buy-in for a specific amount and can leave the game at any time.
• Blinds remain constant throughout unless all players agree to ‘up the stakes.’
• Chips represent real money

Tournaments

• Players pay an entry fee and receive a set number of chips.
• Chips do not have a nominal value and cannot be cashed out during play.
• Blinds increase periodically.
• Play continues until one player has all the chips.
• Prizes are awarded based on finishing position, with usually the top 10-15% of players receiving a prize.
   

Cash Game Formats and Variations

Texas Hold’em has remained the most popular format of poker, however, there have been significant developments over the years in the ways it can be played, with multiple variants for both cash games and tournaments now existing.

There are a few things that can happen in cash games that you won’t usually see in tournaments:

Straddle Bets

A straddle bet is one that is placed by the player who is first to act (under the gun) prior to the initial deal of the hole cards. This forces the hand to play bigger than a normal hand by increasing the size of the pot before the flop.

Straddle bets are allowed in some cash games, but not all of them are, and they are more common in live cash games than online.

Running-it-twice

Running-it-twice (or even three times or more) happens when two (or more) players are all-in, and they mutually agree to deal out the board cards twice, with half the pot being awarded to the winner of each occurrence. 

It can happen preflop, which means all five board cards would be dealt twice, but it can also happen after the flop or the turn, in which case only the remaining undealt board cards are run twice.

Bomb Pots

Bomb pots are a relatively new cash game format, usually found in online cash games. Some hands are randomly chosen to be “bomb pots” and all players put in a larger than usual amount (equivalent to 2-4 big blinds), after which the flop is dealt. The first betting round takes place after the flop.

Jackpot Games

Some cash game tables have a high-hand jackpot or a bad-beat jackpot. On these poker tables, a small additional rake is taken each hand, which is added to the jackpot total. 
When a player makes a hand that qualifies to win the jackpot, they win a proportion of the total jackpot. 

There is often also a smaller proportion of the jackpot that is split between all players at the same table as the player who scoops. 

Fast-Fold Poker

In this format, when players fold their hands, they are automatically whisked away to another table to begin a new hand, rather than having to wait until the conclusion of the current hand. 

In each hand, they face a new set of opponents. Fast-fold poker is understandably only available in online games. It can be played as both a tournament and a cash game.
 

Tournament Format Basics

These are the most common factors to consider when choosing which format of poker tournament to play:

Single Table or Multi Table

Tournaments can be played with a single table or players (STTs) or with multiple tables (MTTs). In most multi-table tournaments, the number of tables is gradually reduced as players are eliminated, until the final table is reached, where most of the prize money resides.

Speed of the game

As tournaments have ever-increasing blinds, the duration of tournaments can be determined by the length of blind levels. Most online sites offer regular, slow, turbo and even hyper-turbo-paced tournaments. 

Some, but not all, online poker sites publish the estimated length of time that each tournament will take.

Size of the chip stack

The number of starting chips varies from tournament to tournament, from site to site (for online poker) and from venue to venue (for live poker). 

Some events may be described as deep stacks, super stacks or monster stacks, offering a greater-than-usual number of starting chips. It is worth noting that often these are purely cosmetic, as the size of the blinds and antes may also be adjusted upwards.

Number of entries allowed

Another important defining feature of every poker tournament is whether players are allowed to rebuy/re-enter once they have been eliminated. Tournaments that do not allow players to re-enter are known as freezeouts. 

They are not so common nowadays, and most poker tournaments allow players to re-enter. Some tournaments place a cap on the number of re-entries a player can make, in others, it is unlimited.
 

Tournament Format Variants

There has been so much innovation with tournament formats, especially online, that it is impossible to list every variation that is available. In addition to regular ‘vanilla’ poker tournaments, as the original competition format is now often referred to, there are several other ways to play Texas Hold’em tournaments. These include:

Bounties

Bounty tournaments split the prize pool, awarding a proportion of it (usually half) to the regular prize pool and the rest as bounties, which are won by players every time they eliminate an opponent.

Progressive Bounties

In progressive bounty tournaments, the size of the prize won increases as the tournament progresses. When achieving a knockout, a player will be awarded half of the bounty amount shown, while the other half is added to the bounty on their own head.

Mystery Bounties

Another recent development is mystery bounty tournaments, in which a player opens an envelope (or maybe a chest) to reveal the bounty prize they have won after knocking out an opponent. Typically, bounties are only awarded once players have reached the prize money, which enables a few massive prizes to be included, but most are usually quite small.

Jackpot Sit & Go Tournaments

Another online innovation is jackpot sit & go poker tournaments, which are almost always run as Texas Hold’em games. They are usually three-handed and feature a random prize for the winner, which can be as much as 10,000x the buy-in of the tournament. Every site has its own version of these, with names such as Spin & Go, Expresso, Spin & Gold, Twister and Hexapro.

Flip & Go Tournaments

These are tournaments which start with a series of single table tournaments in which players are forced to go all-in every hand. The winners of each of these starting tables are all automatically in the prize money, and play then continues as a regular tournament.

Time-Based Tournaments

These are less common but do exist on some online poker sites. Time-based tournaments end after a specific amount of time, usually one or two hours. The prize pool is divided up proportionally amongst all remaining players when the time runs out, based on the size of each player’s chip stack.

Satellite Tournaments

Satellite tournaments are qualifiers that award seats (entries) into bigger buy-in poker events as prizes. These prizes can be for online or live tournaments, such as the World Series of Poker, the World Poker Tour or the European Poker Tour.

Multi-Flight Tournaments

These take place over more than one day, with several starting days (also known as flights). It is usual for the main events of live poker tours to have multiple starting days. Players who survive the starting day will progress to Day 2 of the tournament, which takes place once all the starting days have been completed.
 

Basic Tips on Texas Hold’em Play

• Position is crucial: Your position at the poker table (relative to the dealer) determines when it is your turn to act in a hand. If you are the first to make a betting decision, you are in an early position, whereas the last player ‘to speak’ is said to be in a late position.
• Position really is crucial: The best way to play a hand depends on your position at the table, and some hands that can be comfortably played in a late position are too vulnerable to get involved with from an early position.
• Start with premium hands: In early positions, play tight and focus on playing the best Texas Hold’em poker hands. Premium pairs and suited aces are amongst the best hands with which to open a pot.
• Understand pot odds: Learn to calculate whether calling a bet is profitable in the long run.
• Pay attention to your opponents: Observe betting patterns and tendencies to make better decisions.
• Be patient: Don't feel compelled to play every hand, you can learn how best to play each of your opponents by watching and waiting for the right time to strike.
• Bluff sparingly: Especially as a beginner, focus on playing strong hands rather than bluffing frequently.
• Manage your bankroll: Only play with money you can afford to lose.
   

Bluffing in Texas Hold’em

Some, but not all, forms of poker involve bluffing, i.e. betting without a strong hand in the hope that you will fool your opponents into folding. Bluffing is a defining feature of the game of Texas Hold’em and is one of the things that makes it so appealing to players: detecting weakness in your opponents and being able to pull off a master bluff, outwitting your peers to achieve ultimate victory.

The best poker players don’t need to even be dealt good cards to win if they become masters of the art of bluffing. The reason bluffing is often described as an art is that while it may seem like a simple strategy, it's very complex to master, and novices will be easily caught out.

Until you have become more adept at the game, it's best to keep the hero bluffs to a minimum and stick to a more basic strategy.

Advanced Texas Hold’em Strategy

As you become more comfortable with the basics of Texas Hold'em, you can explore more advanced concepts and work them into your game. It’s also worth remembering that tournament strategy and cash game strategy are somewhat different.

Pot Odds and Implied Odds

Understanding pot odds helps you make mathematically correct decisions about whether to call or fold. Implied odds take into account potential future bets you might win if you hit your draw.

Range Analysis

Instead of trying to put an opponent on a specific hand, think in terms of ranges – the entire spectrum of hands an opponent might have in any given situation. This can be done by studying opening range charts and learning about pre-flop strategy.

Position and Aggression

Learning about the position and using controlled aggression can significantly improve your win rate. The late position allows you to play more hands profitably and steal blinds more often, while in the early position, some hands are better to fold straight away.

Flop Texture and Bet Sizing

Central to the GTO (Game Theory Optimal) approach to playing Texas Hold’em, learning the optimal bet sizing for different flop textures is a sure-fire way to increase your confidence in hands and send your win rate north.

Pay Attention to the Mental Game

Poker is as much a mental challenge as it is a game of skill. Developing a strong mental game involves:

• Emotional control: Managing tilt and avoiding playing while frustrated.
• Focus: Maintaining concentration during long sessions.
• Adaptability: Adjusting your strategy based on opponents and table dynamics.
• Continuous learning: Studying the game and analyzing your play to improve constantly. You can learn how to play Texas Hold’em in ten minutes, but it takes a lifetime to master!

Differences Between Live and Online Poker

While the basic rules remain the same, there are some key differences between playing Texas Hold’em poker online and live. The live game is played at a slow pace, has much more social interaction, and gives players the ability to read physical tells from their opponents. You can usually only play one table at a time in a live poker environment.

Contrastingly, online poker is played much faster. Each hand takes much less time. There is no delay between hands as cards are automatically shuffled and dealt instantaneously. It is also possible to multi-table in online poker, with some players playing up to 20 tables simultaneously.

Online poker tends to have lower minimum stakes, as you won’t find micro-stakes in live poker rooms. Online poker also enables players to use tracking software and heads-up displays (HUDs) to help improve their in-game decision-making. Use of these is not permitted at all online poker sites.

It's also worth noting that Real Time Assistance (RTA) using poker charts and solvers is considered unethical, a form of cheating and is against the terms of service of most online poker sites.
 

Playing Legal Online Poker in the USA

Access to legal online poker is growing in the United States of America, with Texas Hold’em being the main variant found at online poker sites that are now available in five states:

• Nevada
• New Jersey
• Delaware
• Michigan
• Pennsylvania

There is a liquidity sharing agreement between all of these states, except Pennsylvania, which helps to increase the player pool at sites licensed in more than one of these states. Further states could potentially join this pool in future.

Three other states, Connecticut, West Virginia, and Rhode Island have legalised online poker but do not yet have any sites operating. Other states, such as New York, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Illinois and Ohio, may also be poised to legalise poker in the near future.
 

History of Texas Hold'em Poker

The truth is, nobody really knows exactly where or when Texas Hold’em was invented and whether it even originated in Texas at all is also far from certain. It is claimed that it was first played in the early 1900s in Robstown,Texas, and the Texas Legislature ‘confirmed’ this in 2007, however, there is no evidence to back it up.

As is the case with many other poker variants, the genesis of Texas Hold'em likely took place over an extended period of time, perhaps independently in more than one location or through long-forgotten introductions for which there is no historical record.

Poker legend Doyle Brunson, who first discovered the game in the 1950s, originally knew it as ‘Hold Me Darling’. Other names, such as ‘Tennessee Hold Me’, were also used prior to it becoming universally known as Texas Hold’em.

While it might never be known exactly where and who invented Texas Hold’em, what can be determined is that it arrived in Las Vegas in the 1960s. The player who brought the game to attention in Las Vegas was Corky McCorquordale, first playing it in 1963 at the California Club.

In 1971, Texas Hold’em was chosen as the format for the championship event of the World Series of Poker. This helped position it to become the dominant form of the game, the Cadillac of poker, as it is known to some.

Texas Hold’em is the perfect format for televised poker events, with hole-card cameras emerging in the late 1990s, which engaged audiences. These enabled viewers to see the cards that the players held, adding drama to the way that hands played out. The UK’s Late Night Poker series was the first to use such technology, with Dave 'DevilFish’ Ulliot becoming the inaugural champion.

The advent of online poker around the turn of the century helped Texas Hold’em reach new heights of popularity. In 2003 the aptly named Tennessee player Chris Moneymaker won a seat in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) $10,000 Main Event on PokerStars. He went on to defeat pro Sammy Farha heads-up to claim the $2.5m first prize.

In the years that followed, poker’s popularity grew significantly, buoyed by what became known as the ‘Moneymaker Effect.’ Unlike physical sports, poker presents amateur players with a chance to take on and beat the pros to win the biggest prizes the game has to offer.
 

Other Poker Variants

While Texas Hold'em is the most popular, there are many other poker variants worth exploring, such as:

• Omaha: Omaha poker players receive four-hole cards and must use exactly two of them.
• Seven-Card Stud: In stud poker games, there are no community cards; players receive cards gradually throughout the hand.
• Five-Card Draw: Players are dealt five cards and can exchange some for new ones.
• Razz: Razz poker is a lowball version of a seven-card stud, where the lowest hand wins.
• Badugi: Unlike most other variants, in Badugi, players have to make a four-card hand in Badugi, which is a drawing game in which the object is to make the lowest hand using one card from each suit.