Mastering the Art of Poker
Poker Basics
What Beats What
The first thing to learn in poker is the ranking of hands. This hierarchy determines the winner in a showdown, which is when players reveal their cards at the end of a hand. A poker hand always consists of five cards. The rarer the hand, the higher it ranks.
| Hand | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Flush | A, K, Q, J, 10, all of the same suit. | A♥ K♥ Q♥ J♥ 10♥ |
| Straight Flush | Five cards in sequence, all of the same suit. | 9♠ 8♠ 7♠ 6♠ 5♠ |
| Four of a Kind | Four cards of the same rank. | 7♣ 7♦ 7♥ 7♠ 2♦ |
| Full House | Three of a kind with a pair. | K♣ K♠ K♥ 5♦ 5♥ |
| Flush | Any five cards of the same suit, not in sequence. | Q♦ 10♦ 8♦ 4♦ 2♦ |
| Straight | Five cards in sequence, but not of the same suit. | 6♥ 5♠ 4♣ 3♦ 2♥ |
| Three of a Kind | Three cards of the same rank. | J♠ J♣ J♥ 7♥ 3♣ |
| Two Pair | Two different pairs. | A♥ A♠ 8♣ 8♦ Q♠ |
| One Pair | Two cards of the same rank. | 10♦ 10♣ 9♥ 5♠ 2♣ |
| High Card | When you haven't made any of the hands above. | A♣ K♦ 9♠ 6♥ 3♦ |
If two players have the same type of hand, like a pair, the player with the higher-ranking pair wins. For example, a pair of Kings beats a pair of Jacks. If the pairs are the same, the highest unpaired card, known as the "kicker," determines the winner.
The Game of Texas Hold'em
Texas Hold'em is the most popular poker variation. The goal is simple: make the best five-card hand using a combination of your own private cards and shared community cards. Each player is dealt two private cards, called "hole cards." Five community cards are then dealt face-up in the middle of the table for everyone to use.
A hand plays out over several rounds of betting:
Pre-Flop: This is the first betting round. It happens after every player gets their two hole cards but before any community cards are dealt. Players can choose to either play their hand or fold.
The Flop: Three community cards are dealt face-up. Another round of betting occurs, starting with the first active player to the left of the dealer.
The Turn: A fourth community card is dealt. This is followed by a third betting round.
The River: The fifth and final community card is dealt. The last round of betting takes place.
If two or more players are still in the hand after the final betting round, they go to a Showdown. The player with the best five-card poker hand wins the pot.
Betting Basics
Before any cards are dealt, some forced bets are made to create an initial pot. These are called blinds.
The player to the immediate left of the dealer posts the Small Blind. The player to their left posts the Big Blind, which is typically double the small blind. These positions rotate around the table with the dealer button for each new hand.
In some games, especially tournaments, there might also be an ante. This is a small bet that every player at the table must post before the hand begins.
During a betting round, you have several options:
Bet
verb
To make the first wager in a betting round.
After a bet is made, other players have three choices.
Call
verb
To match the amount of the current bet.
Raise
verb
To increase the amount of the current bet.
Fold
verb
To discard your hand and forfeit any chance of winning the current pot.
Players can also check, which means to pass the action to the next player without betting. You can only check if no one has made a bet in the current round.
Betting continues in a round until every player has either folded or matched the total amount bet by others.
Time to test your knowledge of these fundamental concepts.
What is the correct order of community card rounds in a Texas Hold'em hand?
In Texas Hold'em, a complete hand is made by using the best five cards available from your two hole cards and the five community cards.
With these rules in hand, you have the foundation for understanding how a game of poker is played. The next step is learning how to play the hands you're dealt.