No-Limit Hold'em

Objective

Win chips by making the best 5-card hand at showdown, or by forcing all other players to fold.

The Basics

Each player receives two private hole cards and combines them with five shared community cards to make their best 5-card hand. Players may bet any amount up to their full stack at any time.

Setup

Two blinds are posted before each hand: the player left of the dealer posts the small blind, the next posts the big blind (2× the small blind). Each player is dealt 2 hole cards face down. The player left of the big blind acts first preflop.

Betting Rounds

1. Preflop — Hole cards dealt. Action starts left of the big blind.
2. Flop — Three community cards dealt face up. Action starts left of the dealer.
3. Turn — One community card added. Same action order.
4. River — Final community card. Last betting round before showdown.

Bet Sizing

• Minimum bet is the size of the big blind.
• Minimum raise is the size of the previous bet or raise.
• Maximum bet is the player's full stack.

Key Rules

• Players may use both, one, or neither hole card to make their best hand.
• The big blind has the option to raise preflop even if no other player raised.
• A player going all-in for less than a full raise does not reopen action to players who have already called.

Common Mistakes

• The big blind always has the option to raise preflop, even facing only calls.
• A raise all-in for less than the minimum raise amount does not reopen action.

At the Table

Two hole cards, five community cards. Any combination of the seven cards may be used to make the best 5-card hand.