If a hand of poker is played all the way to its conclusion, there will be four betting rounds – or four periods during which players can commit their chips to the pot. The aim of poker is to make the best five-card hand out of the seven available – two in an individual’s hand and the five community cards. The first three of the community cards are exposed together (known as the “flop”), then a fourth card (known as the “turn”) is dealt individually, and then a fifth (known as the “river”) is exposed. By the end of the hand, five more “community” cards may have been dealt, face up in the middle of the table, which are available for all players to use. These are known as “hole” cards, and can only be seen and used by one player. The two seats to their left are in “the blinds”.Īfter every hand is complete, the dealer button moves clockwise one position around the table, which means that players take turns to be the dealer, the small blind and the big blind.Īfter the blinds have been posted, all players are dealt two cards face down. In the illustration, the dealer is in seat five with the button in front of them. The player on the dealer’s immediate left posts the “small blind” and the player one further seat round the table posts the “big blind”, which is usually twice the size of the small.

The two players to the left of the dealer must post these compulsory “blinds” – so called because they are placed before anyone even sees their cards.

Rules of texas hold em poker