The goal
Poker is played with a 52 card deck. The goal is to win the pot, all the bets placed in one hand. You win it in one of two ways: you show the best five card hand at the end, or every other player folds before that, so you never have to show your cards.
On this site poker is played with virtual chips only. The rules below describe classic table poker, so you know what is happening in the games.
Cards and their ranks
The deck has four suits: spades (♠), hearts (♥), diamonds (♦) and clubs (♣). In poker the suits are equal; none outranks another. Card ranks from the highest: ace, king, queen, jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 and 2.
The ace is the highest card, except in the lowest straight 5 4 3 2 A, where it counts as one. A hand always consists of exactly five cards, even when a player has seven to choose from.
Poker hand rankings
Combinations from the strongest to the weakest. The last column shows how many different five card hands of each kind a 52 card deck holds, out of 2,598,960 in total.
| # | Hand | Example | Explanation | Hands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal flush | A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠ | Ace, king, queen, jack and ten of the same suit. The strongest hand in the game. | 4 |
| 2 | Straight flush | 9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥ | Five cards in sequence of the same suit. Between two, the one with the higher top card wins. | 36 |
| 3 | Four of a kind | Q♠ Q♥ Q♦ Q♣ 7♠ | Four cards of the same rank. If two players have one, the higher four wins, then the fifth card. | 624 |
| 4 | Full house | 8♠ 8♥ 8♦ K♣ K♠ | Three of a kind plus a pair. The three cards are compared first, then the pair. | 3,744 |
| 5 | Flush | A♦ J♦ 9♦ 6♦ 3♦ | Five cards of one suit, not in sequence. Compared card by card from the highest. | 5,108 |
| 6 | Straight | 10♣ 9♦ 8♠ 7♥ 6♣ | Five cards in sequence of mixed suits. The ace can be high (A K Q J 10) or low (5 4 3 2 A). | 10,200 |
| 7 | Three of a kind | 7♠ 7♥ 7♦ K♣ 2♠ | Three cards of the same rank and two unrelated cards. | 54,912 |
| 8 | Two pair | J♠ J♦ 4♣ 4♥ A♠ | Two pairs and a fifth card. The higher pair is compared first, then the lower pair, then the fifth card. | 123,552 |
| 9 | One pair | 10♥ 10♠ K♦ 6♣ 3♠ | Two cards of the same rank. With equal pairs, the other three cards (kickers) decide. | 1,098,240 |
| 10 | High card | A♣ Q♦ 8♠ 5♥ 2♣ | No combination. The highest card wins, then the next one. | 1,302,540 |
How a Texas Hold’em hand runs
Texas Hold’em is the best known poker variant. One player holds the dealer button, which moves one seat clockwise after every hand.
- Blinds. The first player to the left of the button posts the small blind and the next one the big blind, usually twice as large. These forced bets before the deal make sure there is always something in the pot.
- Preflop. Every player gets two cards face down. The first to act is the player to the left of the big blind.
- Flop. Three community cards are turned face up and a second betting round follows. From this round on, the first active player to the left of the button acts first.
- Turn. A fourth community card is turned and the third round follows.
- River. A fifth community card is turned and the last round follows.
- Showdown. The remaining players show their cards. Each makes the best five card hand from their two cards and the five community cards, using both, one or none of their own cards.
Actions in a betting round
- Check: you bet nothing and the turn passes on. Only possible while nobody has bet in that round.
- Bet: the first bet of a round.
- Call: you match the largest bet of the round.
- Raise: you bet more than the current bet, so the others must call, raise again or fold.
- Fold: you give up your cards and your claim to the pot in that hand.
- All in: you bet every chip you have.
A betting round ends when every remaining player has put in the same amount or folded.
Betting limits
The same game can use different rules for bet sizes:
- No limit: you may bet all your chips at any moment. A raise must be at least as large as the previous bet or raise in that round.
- Pot limit: the largest allowed bet equals the current size of the pot.
- Fixed limit: bets and raises have a set size, smaller in the first two rounds and twice as large on the turn and river, and the number of raises per round is capped.
Ties and splitting the pot
When two players have the same combination, the remaining cards of their best five, the kickers, decide. If all five cards match in rank, the pot is split equally. The suit never decides the winner.
When a player goes all in and others keep betting, a side pot is formed. The all in player can win only the main pot, up to the amount they could match.
Other variants you can play here
- Video poker (Jacks or Better): you get five cards, hold the ones you want and replace the rest once. A pair of jacks or better pays in virtual credits.
- Three card poker: you play against the dealer with three cards. The ranking differs from five card poker: straight flush, three of a kind, straight, flush, pair, high card. A straight beats a flush here, because with three cards it is harder to make.
- Caribbean stud: five cards against the dealer, who qualifies only with ace and king or better.
Common questions about poker rules
Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes. In five card poker a flush beats a straight, and a full house beats a flush.
Can the ace be the lowest card?
Yes, but only in the straight 5 4 3 2 A. In every other hand the ace is the highest card.
What if two players have the same pair?
The other three cards decide, from the highest down. If they match too, the pot is split.
What is “poker” as a hand?
In Bosnian card talk “poker” also names four cards of the same rank, such as four queens. In English that hand is called four of a kind.
Must I use both of my cards in Hold’em?
No. You choose the best five from all seven, so you may use both, one or none of your own cards.