Texas Hold’em becomes easier to follow when you watch one complete hand. This walkthrough uses invented players and abstract practice units, with no currency, room prices or wagering recommendation.
The example is conventional no-limit Hold’em at a three-player table. Rules knowledge is the foundation; keep our poker hand rankings reference open while you follow the walkthrough.
The objective: select your best five cards
Each player receives two private hole cards. Five shared community cards, collectively called the board, appear in stages; at the end, use any five of the seven cards available to you.
The pot contains the contributions made during the hand. A player can receive it when everyone else folds, or by having the strongest eligible hand at showdown, when remaining hands are compared.
The external Bicycle Hold’em guide describes the game’s basic structure. Its guidance is general reference material, not local legal advice.
Set up the example: button, blinds and actions
The button marks the dealer position for determining action order; a room may have a separate staff dealer. Blinds are compulsory opening bets posted by designated players before the private cards are dealt.
Here are our invented seats, in clockwise order:
| Player | Position | Hole cards | Opening contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ana | Button | A♠ Q♦ | None |
| Ben | Small blind | K♣ 10♣ | 1 practice unit |
| Carlo | Big blind | Q♣ J♥ | 2 practice units |
Everyone has enough practice units to complete the example. We omit antes, fees and side pots so the arithmetic stays simple; an ante is an additional compulsory contribution specified by a game’s structure.
The external PokerStars Hold’em rules explain button positions and betting rounds. They are a reference for conventional rules, not a recommendation to play on that service.
Before following the hand, learn the five actions:
| Action | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Fold | Give up your hand and any claim to the pot. |
| Check | Pass without betting when no amount is outstanding to you. |
| Bet | Make the first wager of a betting round. |
| Call | Match the current wager, subject to all-in rules. |
| Raise | Increase the wager other players must match to continue. |
All-in means committing your remaining available stack, the playing units you have in front of you. It is not used in this example.
Preflop: the first betting round
Preflop means before the first shared cards appear. At this three-player table, Ana acts first, followed by Ben and Carlo.
Ana raises to 6 total, not six extra. Ben folds, and Carlo calls by adding 4 to the two units he already posted.
Ben’s one-unit blind remains in the pot. Carlo has matched Ana’s six-unit contribution, so the round ends with a pot of 13: Ana 6 + Ben 1 + Carlo 6.
The distinction between “to six” and “add six” matters. In a live room, ask the dealer to clarify an amount before declaring your action.
Flop: three shared cards
The flop is the first set of three community cards:
Q♥ 7♣ 2♦
Carlo acts first after the flop because he is the first remaining player clockwise from the button. He checks; Ana bets 8, and Carlo calls 8.
The pot becomes 29: the previous 13 plus eight from each remaining player. Ben has folded and takes no further part.
Ana and Carlo each currently have a pair of queens, but that observation does not settle the final outcome. Two more shared cards and their betting rounds remain.
Turn: the fourth shared card
The turn adds one card:
Q♥ 7♣ 2♦ 9♠
Carlo checks, and Ana checks behind him. Neither adds anything, so the pot stays at 29.
Checking does not mean folding. Both players remain in the hand because no turn wager requires an additional contribution.
The external WSOP Hold’em learning guide provides another reference for the sequence of community cards and betting rounds. Our specific cards and actions are constructed for this lesson, not copied from a played hand.
River: the final shared card
The river completes the board:
Q♥ 7♣ 2♦ 9♠ 3♥
Carlo bets 10, and Ana calls 10. The final pot is 49: 29 + 10 + 10, before any charges that an actual room might apply.
The example reaches showdown because both players remain after the final betting round. Had Ana folded, there would have been no comparison between their hands.
Showdown: compare five cards, not seven
Here are the best five-card hands:
| Player | Selected hand | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Ana | Q♦ Q♥ A♠ 9♠ 7♣ | Pair of queens, with ace-nine-seven side cards |
| Carlo | Q♣ Q♥ J♥ 9♠ 7♣ | Pair of queens, with jack-nine-seven side cards |
Ana wins because the pairs match and her ace outranks Carlo’s jack. A kicker is a side card that can decide between otherwise equal combinations; here, it is the first differing side card.
Read our poker hand rankings and tie-breaker examples to practise that comparison. Ana’s three and two, and her unused alternatives, cannot act as sixth-card tie-breakers.
As an arithmetic check, Ana contributed 24 units, Carlo contributed 24, and Ben contributed one. That totals the final 49-unit pot; the example teaches accounting and action order, not a recommended betting pattern.
What this simplified hand leaves out
Real games can involve more players, raises after an initial bet, all-in calls and separate side pots, which hold contributions contested only by eligible players. Learn those situations separately rather than applying this example’s simple equal-contribution arithmetic to every hand.
With only two players dealt in, the button also posts the small blind and action order differs from our three-player setup. The external WSOP Online rules reference covers button and blind procedures.
Staff rulings, seating, fees and operational details vary by venue, confirm with the poker room directly. For format differences, review the betting-rounds section above.
A beginner checklist before live play
Practise the example without money until you can explain whose turn it is, what amount is outstanding and which five cards decide the result. Then change the river and recalculate the two hands.
Before joining a live session:
- Confirm the game is standard full-deck Hold’em.
- Ask staff which house rules govern declarations and raises.
- Check eligibility, identification and all charges.
- Set personal time and spending limits in advance.
- Ask for clarification before making an uncertain action.
Our guides index is the research starting point, while the responsible gaming page covers personal limits and support resources.
FAQ
Can I check when someone has already bet? Not if an amount is outstanding to you: your options normally include folding, calling or raising, subject to the applicable rules. Review the actions table before replaying the example.
Do I have to use both private cards? No; your best five may use two, one or none. See the shared-board exercise in poker hand rankings.
Does every hand reach the river? No: if everyone but one player folds, the hand ends earlier. For practical questions about following live action, re-read the betting rounds section above.
Does no-limit mean I can bet money I have not put into play? No: it does not remove the table-stakes restriction on the amount available for a hand. Learn the betting and spending distinctions in the rounds walkthrough above, and ask staff about the room’s rules.
This guide is for information only. 18+. Play responsibly.