The deal and table positions
The game uses a standard 52-card deck. A marker called the dealer button shows the nominal dealer position and moves one seat clockwise after each hand. The player immediately to its left posts the small blind; the next player posts the big blind. These forced bets start the pot.
Each player receives two face-down hole cards. Five community cards are then dealt face up in the middle of the table: three on the flop, one on the turn and one on the river. The best hand is made from any five of the seven available cards, so a player may use both hole cards, one, or neither.
The four betting rounds
- Pre-flop: Betting starts after everyone receives two hole cards. The first player to act is to the left of the big blind. Players can fold, call the current bet or raise it. If action reaches the big blind without a raise, that player may check.
- Flop: Three community cards are revealed. The first active player clockwise from the button acts. If no one has bet, a player may check; after a bet, the choices include folding, calling or raising.
- Turn: A fourth community card is dealt, followed by another betting round.
- River: The fifth and final community card is dealt. The last betting round follows.
Bet sizes depend on the table's betting structure. No-limit, pot-limit and fixed-limit games use different limits, so check the rules shown for the table.
Showdown and deciding the winner
If more than one player remains after the final betting round, their hands are compared at showdown. The player with the highest-ranked five-card poker hand wins the pot. If the best five-card hands are equal, the tied players split it. Suits do not break a tie.
A hand can also end earlier if every other player folds. In that case, the last player in the hand wins the pot without needing to show their cards.