
How to play Texas Hold’em | Basic Hold’em Hands and Rules
Texas Holdem is the most loved poker game in the World Series of Poker as compared to Omaha, 3 Card Poker and 7 Card Stud. The literal meaning of Hold’em is to (Hold them), which means to hold your card in the game. Here, I will tell you step by step the complete guide of Hold’em, how to play it, its history, Poker Rules, hands and different strategies to ace this game.
But first you will need WSOP Free chips to play this game and you will have to understand how this game works. It’s very easy to play, but at the same time, it’s critical and requires mind power and your way of thinking. This game requires both your luck and your thorough understanding Poker Terms, so only luck can’t do much for you every time, but complete knowledge of this game will help you every time.
“Texas Hold’em— The game that takes a minute to learn but a lifetime to master” Source ( Mike Sexton ).
What is Texas Hold’em Poker?
It is one of the poker games that people love to play due to its nature. It looks simple, but when you play this game, you will find yourself in multiple situations and possibilities that will force you to think differently and use multiple tactics according to the rules of Holdem.

The sole purpose of every player is to win. But before that, you should know all the Poker Hands Rankings and tactics to win this game, either by raising your bet in the situation that will force your opponent to throw their cards.
Poker Table Setup
Button:
The position of the button is very crucial and strategic, and the player in the button position is called the dealer. The dealer is the last one to play their move in the round and has the advantage of knowing all the moves of his opponents, and then he plays his move accordingly.
Little blind:
The position left to the dealer is called little/small blind, and it’s one of the worst positions anyone can get. He is the one to play first and to bet first( a small forced bet ).
Big blind:
The player left to the small blind is called the big blind. He is the one who has to raise his bet after the small blind placed its bet. Big blind usually doubled the amount of bet placed by the small blind ( a mandatory bet ).
Basic Rules of Hold’em:
Before playing, you have to know the basic terms and rules to understand this game.
The Blinds:
The two players on the left side of the dealer called blinds. One is small blind, he has to start the betting process, and the other is big blind, he has to raise the bet. After this, all community cards spread on the table and the game proceeds in this way.
Texas Holdem Betting Rounds:
There are five betting rounds to play the hold’em table, as described below.
Texas Hold’em Hands and Hand Rankings
There are 4 suits and 13 ranks in each suit, which makes 52 cards used in Holdem poker. The combination of these 52 cards makes 1326 hands. After we removed duplicates we only left with 169 unique hands in holdem Poker.
Royal Flush:
5 cards of the same suit from ACE to 10. This is the top/highest hand that can be made.

Straight Flush:
It consists of 5 cards of the same suit but in numerical order, i.e., 5 of hearts,6 of hearts,7 of hearts,8 of hearts and 9 of hearts.

Poker/Four of a kind:
It consists of 5 cards, 4 of the same rank, while the last one is supportive. For example, if the player has (four 6s of the same rank) and another player has (four 9s of the same rank), then player two wins.
In another situation, if four cards of the same rank are on the table as community cards then it depends upon the support card. If player one has ACE and another player has queen, then player one wins the hand.

Full House:
Trio( 3 cards of the same rank) and Pair ( 2 cards of the same rank) make the full house. The player with the best Trio and Pair wins the hand.

Flush/Color:
There should be 5 cards of the same suit that should appear in the Community cards. If many players have flush then the player with the highest rank of the same suit wins the pot.
If the highest card is on the table, then the card next to it wins the pot. If all 5 cards of that flush are on the table, then the money/chips are split equally among the players.

Straight/Ladder:
Five cards ranked numerically make the Straight/Ladder. For example, if a player has cards numerically ranging from 2 to 6 and another player has 6 to 10, then the 2nd player wins the pot.

Trio/three of a kind:
Three cards of the same rank make the Trio. The highest 3 cards win the pot. But if multiple players have a trio, then it depends upon the supporting cards, and the highest supporting card wins.

Two Pair/Double Couple:
It’s a combination of two different pairs, two cards of identical rank and another two cards of identical rank, making a double couple.

Couple/One Pair:
Two cards of identical rank make a couple. If many players have a couple, then the player with the highest couple hand wins the pot. But if many players have the same couple, then it depends upon the supporting card, and the player with the highest supporting card wins the pot.

High Cards:
Five different cards with different suits and ranks having no match are called high cards. It’s the lowest hand in Texas hold ’em.

Texas Holdem Variants:
There are four variants of Texas poker and it depends upon the bets.
Limit Mode Of Texas:
In this mode, the betting amount is fixed. On pre-flop and flop, you can bet or raise the same amount of big blind, and on Turn and the River, the bet size is doubled. Every player has 4 moves in the round. Bet, Raise, Re-raise and the final Cap.
No Limit Mode:
As the name shows, there is no limit in this game of Poker, and each player can bet the number of chips whatever he has. So that’s why it’s a No Limit Texas game.
“The key to No-Limit Hold’em is to put a man to a decision for all his chips” Source ( Doyle Brunson ).
Pot Limit Mode:
In this mode, the player can bet the size of Big Blind up to the maximum pot size. It has a very easy formula so you can calculate the size of the maximum bet a player can make.
Formula: (Chips in the pot + Bets up to that point + amount you would expect to pay).
Mixed Mode:
It is a combination of limit and no-limit Poker. It follows the rule of both modes.
How To Play Holdem Free Online?
There are many ways where you can practice for free Texas holdem online to master this game, so you can risk your money to make a huge profit in real games. There are many online platforms where you can have free entry to the game and also bonus chips or fake money so you can understand the game more accurately.
But here, I want to mention the WSOP. It’s one of my favorites and very easy to understand and play. First you have to download the WSOP app on your cell phone and install it. Then, you have to connect your account to your Facebook or with a Google account. After doing that, you will get 1 Million bonus chips to play in a Texas game.
You can practice for free on:
- WSOP App (Bonus chips available upon sign-up)
- PokerStars Play Money Tables
- 888poker Free Games
- Zynga Poker
Tips & Strategies to Master the Game
Once you understand all the rules of the game and their hands, then it will be easy for you to learn these poker strategies and tips and tricks so you never lose your money or chips.
Starting Hand Strategy:
As we all know, the first impression is the last impression. Before you start your hand and get involved in the pot, you should be very confident in your first hand because it all depends upon your first hand.
I keenly observe top players; they always fold back unless they have the best cards in their hands to start with. So, here the question arises: what are the best hands/cards to start with? The best hand to start with is the Pair of Aces (A-A). You should never fold back if you have this Pair, and if you have to go all-in, then you should go. Cards like (K-K, A-Q, A-K, 9-9, A-J) you can also start with these cards confidently.
Not all hands are worth playing. The best starting hands include:
- Premium Hands: A-A, K-K, Q-Q, A-K suited.
- Strong Hands: J-J, 10-10, A-Q, A-J suited.
- Speculative Hands: Suited connectors (e.g., 8-9 suited) in later positions.
Position And Time:
It’s all about time and position that gives you an edge or disadvantage in the game. The best position in this game is dealer because he has to act last in the round. So, he observes all the players and acts accordingly. And the 2nd best position is on the right side of the dealer. The worst position any player can get is of small blind or big blind that is left to the dealer.
Advanced Strategies/Tricks:
If you have learned these basic tips and tricks, then you should also learn these advanced strategies to ace this pinnacle.
Observing Other Players:
In a physical game or in a casino, you have the opportunity to observe the other players. Their facial expressions, their body language, their movements you should have to observe all ( like James Bond did in a movie named Casino Royale). Your opponents can also do the same thing, so you must be ready in your mind before you sit at the table.
On the other hand, in online play, you can’t see your opponent’s faces, so you have to figure it out by observing your opponent’s moves. How confidently he is playing. How much time does he take for his next move? He either bets, folds, calls, or checks. These are the tips and tricks you should have to learn.
Bluffing The Opponent:
Bluffing is very risky, so you should have to do it rarely. It would help if you only bluffed when it is the right time. When your opponent is weak, and you have a chance to improve your hand, like close to straight, you can go bluff when it is being called.
Bluffing can be effective, but timing is key. Good times to bluff include:
- When you have a tight table image.
- Against fewer opponents.
- When the community cards suggest a strong hand.
Managing Your Bankroll
Never risk more than you can afford to lose. A good rule of thumb is to keep at least 20-30 buy-ins for your stakes.
Betting Tips And Tricks:
Final Thoughts:
To play Holdem, first, you have to learn about hands and then go through all the rules of Texas and understand it. Now, learn these tips and tricks. Now, you are ready to go to the table and practice as much as you can to apply these tricks. Once you start winning the game online by applying these tricks, your confidence will boost and it will boost your game skills.
Now, you are ready to show your skills in real games and earn as much money as you can.