Rules and Playing Instructions

Get to know the game of online Poker and start enjoying one of the most popular experiences worldwide. All the rules and playing instructions are here

The aim in the popular Texas Hold’em Poker is to obtain the highest ranking hand according to standard Poker hand rankings. All the rules and game structure are explained below in easy-to-read steps.

1. Blinds: in order to build up the pot (the jackpot prize), the 2 players sitting left-most of the dealer must place small mandatory bets called “blinds.” The player closest to the dealer is the small blind, and places a bet worth half the lower table limit. The player further from the dealer is the big blind, and places a bet worth the lower table limit.

2. Initial deal: the dealer deals 2 cards to each player, called “hole cards,” which must be used in a player’s final hand.

3. Preflop: this is the first round of betting, and play begins from the player sitting left-most of the big blind in a clockwise direction, and ends when all players have acted. There are 3 different moves a player can make:

a. Call – match the highest bet last made at the table (in the preflop, this is the big blind).
b. Raise – increase the bet by 1 bet (the big blind amount), if players feel they are holding a strong hand. In the peflop, this means doubling the big blind.
c. Fold – forfeit the hand, if players feel that it is not strong enough to pursue.

4. Flop: the upper card of the deck is placed face-down on the table, then the 3 next cards are placed face-up on the table as community cards. This means they are available to all players in order to establish their hands. A second round of betting follows in the same way as in the preflop, however this time, players can also bet from scratch, and check (make no bet).

5. Turn: the upper card of the deck is placed face-down on the table, then 1 card is placed face-up. A round of betting follows as above, with the exception that bets are now doubled in amount.

6. River: an exact repeat of the Turn.

7. Showdown: the remaining player with the highest ranking hand is awarded the entire pot. The revealing of hands begins with the first player to have bet in the River, or the player left-most of the dealer (if no bets were made in the River). Players also have the option of “mucking,” which means not revealing a losing hand.