How to Play No Limit Texas Hold 'Em

Basic Goal of the Game

The goal of Texas Hold 'Em is to win chips by making the best hand or by convincing your opponents to fold their hands.

Stages of Play

  1. Pre-flop: Players are dealt two private cards (hole cards) and there is a round of betting.
  2. Flop: Three community cards are dealt face-up on the board, followed by another round of betting.
  3. Turn: A fourth community card is dealt, followed by a third round of betting.
  4. River: A fifth community card is dealt, followed by the final round of betting.
  5. Showdown: Players reveal their hands, and the best hand wins the pot.

Hand Strengths

  • Royal Flush: A, K, Q, J, 10, all the same suit
  • Straight Flush: Five cards in a sequence, all the same suit
  • Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank
  • Full House: Three of a kind with a pair
  • Flush: Any five cards of the same suit, not in sequence
  • Straight: Five cards in a sequence, but not of the same suit
  • Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same rank
  • Two Pair: Two different pairs
  • One Pair: Two cards of the same rank
  • High Card: When you haven't made any of the hands above, your highest card plays

Strong Starting Hands

  • Aces (A-A)
  • Kings (K-K)
  • Queens (Q-Q)
  • Ace-King (A-K, suited)
  • Jacks (J-J)
  • Ten-Ten (10-10)
  • Ace-Queen (A-Q, suited)
  • Ace-Jack (A-J, suited)
  • King-Queen (K-Q, suited)
  • Nines (9-9)

Outs Chances

Outs Example Hand Flop to Turn Turn to River Flop to River
1 Ace of hearts for a flush 2.1% 2.2% 4.3%
2 4.3% 4.3% 8.4%
3 Ace for a pair 6.4% 6.5% 12.5%
4 Gutshot straight draw 8.5% 8.7% 16.5%
5 10.6% 10.9% 20.3%
6 12.8% 13.0% 24.1%
7 Set to full house or quads 14.9% 15.2% 27.8%
8 Open-ended straight draw 17.0% 17.4% 31.5%
9 Flush draw 19.1% 19.6% 35.0%
10 21.3% 21.7% 38.4%
11 23.4% 23.9% 41.7%
12 25.5% 26.1% 45.0%
13 27.7% 28.3% 48.1%
14 29.8% 30.4% 51.2%
15 Straight flush draw 31.9% 32.6% 54.1%
16 34.0% 34.8% 57.0%
17 36.2% 37.0% 59.8%
18 38.3% 39.1% 62.4%
19 40.4% 41.3% 65.0%