Each hand in Texas Hold'em consists of five mandatory stages that follow a strict order. It begins with a betting round based on two hole cards, followed by the sequential revealing of five community cards, each accompanied by a new betting round. The hand concludes with the revealing of cards.

  • Preflop: Players are dealt two hole cards. The first betting round takes place.
  • The Flop: The first three community cards are revealed on the table. The second betting round takes place.
  • The Turn: The fourth community card is revealed. The third betting round takes place.
  • The River: The fifth and final community card is revealed. The final betting round takes place.
  • The Showdown: Players remaining in the hand reveal their cards. The winner is determined and takes the pot.

 

Preflop

This is the initial stage of a hand. Its main purpose is to deal the hole cards and conduct the first betting round based on them.

  • Forced Bets (Blinds): Before the cards are dealt, the two players to the left of the dealer post forced bets — the small blind and the big blind. These form the initial pot. The dealer button (marked "D") moves clockwise after each hand, determining the positions.
  • Each player receives two hole cards face down.
  • The betting round starts with the player to the left of the big blind and continues clockwise. Players assess their hand strength and make decisions: fold, call the highest bet, raise, or go all-in.
  • The round ends when all active players have called the last bet. If one player raises and all others fold, that player immediately wins the pot, and the hand ends.

 

Flop

The first three community cards are revealed on the table, available to all players. A new betting round begins.

  • The dealer places three community cards face up on the table.
  • The betting round starts with the first active player to the left of the dealer. The order of actions (check, bet, call, raise, fold) is similar to other post-flop rounds.
  • The betting round ends when all active players have matched the bets. If more than one player remains after the flop, the hand proceeds to the next stage.

 

Turn

The fourth community card is revealed, and the third betting round is conducted. Players' hand possibilities become more defined.

  • The dealer reveals the fourth community card face up.
  • The betting order is identical to the flop: it starts with the first active player to the left of the dealer.
  • The round ends when all bets are matched. The hand proceeds to the next stage if at least two players remain.

 

River

The fifth and final community card is revealed. The final betting round is conducted, after which the participants for the showdown are definitively determined.

  • The dealer burns a card and reveals the fifth community card (the river) face up.
  • The final betting round takes place under the same rules as on the turn and flop.
  • After betting is complete, it is determined whether there will be a showdown. If a player raises and all others fold, the remaining player wins the pot without revealing cards.

 

Showdown

The final stage of the hand where the winner is determined by comparing poker hands.

  • Players who remain in the hand by the end of the river betting must reveal their hole cards. The last player to make a bet or raise shows their cards first. If there was no betting, the player to the left of the dealer reveals first.
  • Using two hole cards and five community cards, each player makes the strongest possible five-card hand. The player with the highest-ranking hand wins the main pot.
  • If one player goes all-in and others have more chips, side pots are formed. These can be won by other players who have better hands.