GitHub

Rules of No-Limit Texas Hold'em

Welcome to our comprehensive guide to the rules of No-Limit Texas Hold'em! Understanding these rules is fundamental to playing and enjoying the game on our platform. Texas Hold'em is a community card poker game where players aim to make the best five-card poker hand using a combination of their two private "hole cards" and five shared "community cards."

1. The Objective

The primary objective in No-Limit Texas Hold'em is to win the chips in the "pot." This can be achieved in two main ways:

  1. By having the best five-card poker hand at the "showdown" (when all betting is complete and hands are revealed).
  2. By forcing all other opponents to "fold" their hands before the showdown.

2. Basic Setup

  • Deck: The game is played with a standard 52-card deck.
  • Players: Typically played with 2 to 10 players at a table.
  • Dealer Button: A marker (often a physical disc) designates the "dealer" for that hand. This position rotates clockwise after each hand, ensuring fair distribution of "blinds" and acting order.
  • Blinds: Before each hand begins, two players are required to post forced bets called "blinds" to create an initial pot and stimulate action.
    • The player immediately to the left of the Dealer Button posts the Small Blind (SB).
    • The player immediately to the left of the Small Blind posts the Big Blind (BB) (typically double the Small Blind).

3. The Flow of a Hand (Four Betting Rounds)

A hand of Texas Hold'em progresses through distinct stages:

A. Pre-Flop

  1. Blinds Posted: The Small Blind and Big Blind are placed.
  2. Hole Cards Dealt: Each player is dealt two private "hole cards" face-down, starting with the Small Blind and moving clockwise.
  3. First Betting Round: The action begins with the player to the left of the Big Blind (Under the Gun). This player has three options:
    • Fold: Give up on the hand and forfeit any chips already committed.
    • Call: Match the amount of the Big Blind.
    • Raise: Increase the bet beyond the Big Blind. (In No-Limit, a raise must be at least double the previous bet/raise, and can be any amount up to a player's entire stack).
    • Betting continues clockwise. Each player must at least "call" the current highest bet to remain in the hand. The round ends when all active players have contributed an equal amount to the pot, or everyone else has folded.

B. The Flop

  1. Three Community Cards: Once the pre-flop betting round is complete, three "community cards" (the "flop") are dealt face-up in the center of the table. These cards are shared by all players.
  2. Second Betting Round: Action begins with the first active player to the left of the Dealer Button (which will be the Small Blind, Big Blind, or the next active player if they folded). The options are:
    • Check: If no one has bet yet, pass the action to the next player without betting.
    • Bet: Place the first wager in this round.
    • Fold, Call, or Raise: If a bet has been made, subsequent players must choose one of these actions.
    • This round concludes when all active players have matched the highest bet or folded.

C. The Turn

  1. Fourth Community Card: A fourth "community card" (the "turn") is dealt face-up.
  2. Third Betting Round: Another betting round occurs, following the same rules and starting point as the flop betting round.

D. The River

  1. Fifth Community Card: A fifth and final "community card" (the "river") is dealt face-up.
  2. Final Betting Round: The last betting round takes place, again following the same rules and starting point.

E. Showdown

  1. If more than one player remains after the final betting round, the hand proceeds to the "showdown."
  2. Players reveal their hands, starting with the last player to bet or raise on the river. If there was no bet on the river, the first active player to the left of the Dealer Button shows first.
  3. Each player uses any combination of their two hole cards and the five community cards to make the best possible five-card poker hand.
  4. The player with the highest-ranking hand wins the entire pot.

4. No-Limit Betting Rules

  • Minimum Bet: In any betting round, the minimum bet is equal to the Big Blind (unless it's a call of a pre-existing bet).
  • Minimum Raise: A raise must be at least the size of the previous bet or raise in that betting round. For example, if a player bets $10, the next player must raise at least $10 (making the total bet $20).
  • Maximum Bet/Raise: This is the "No-Limit" aspect. A player can bet or raise any amount up to their entire "stack" at any time it's their turn to act.
  • All-in: If a player bets "all-in" (puts all their remaining chips into the pot) and it's less than a full raise, subsequent players can call that amount, but cannot re-raise unless the amount is at least equal to a full minimum raise. If a player goes all-in, they can only win chips from the main pot up to the amount of their all-in bet. Any further bets create a "side pot" which the all-in player is not eligible to win.

5. Hand Rankings

Knowing the poker hand rankings is critical for determining the winner at showdown. Hands are ranked from highest to lowest:

  1. Royal Flush: A, K, Q, J, 10, all of the same suit.
  2. Straight Flush: Five cards in sequential order, all of the same suit (e.g., 9-8-7-6-5 of Hearts).
  3. Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank, plus one unmatched card (e.g., 4-4-4-4-7).
  4. Full House: Three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank (e.g., K-K-K-2-2).
  5. Flush: Five cards of the same suit, not in sequential order.
  6. Straight: Five cards in sequential order, but not all of the same suit (e.g., 8-7-6-5-4 of mixed suits).
  7. Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same rank, plus two unmatched cards (e.g., 7-7-7-A-2).
  8. Two Pair: Two separate pairs of cards, plus one unmatched card (e.g., J-J-5-5-K).
  9. One Pair: Two cards of the same rank, plus three unmatched cards (e.g., Q-Q-8-4-3).
  10. High Card: When no player has any of the above hands, the hand with the highest-ranking single card wins.

In case of a tie in rank (e.g., two players have a pair of Aces), the "kicker" (the highest unmatched card) determines the winner. If all five cards make an identical hand, the pot is split.

6. Winning the Pot & Splitting

  • The player with the best five-card poker hand at showdown wins the entire pot.
  • If two or more players have identical winning hands, the pot is split equally among them. This can happen if players have the same hand using their hole cards and/or community cards, or if the best five-card hand is entirely on the board.

7. Table Stakes

All poker games played on our platform adhere to "Table Stakes" rules. This means that only the chips a player has in front of them at the start of a hand can be used for betting in that hand. You cannot reach into your wallet for more money in the middle of a hand.

By understanding these rules, you're well on your way to enjoying the strategic depth and excitement of No-Limit Texas Hold'em! Good luck at the tables!