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Players receive four 'hole' cards that only they can see, and five 'community' cards are dealt that everyone can see and use. Each player must use two of their hole cards, as well as three of the community cards, to make their hand.
The game is divided into four rounds of betting, and the betting moves clockwise around the table. Betting starts from the position next to the dealer button, which moves one place to the left after each hand. In online games, the dealer button replaces the 'real' dealer.
If two or more players tie by holding equally-strong winning five-card hands, the pot will be split between the tying players. If there is an odd chip, the player sitting closest to the left of the dealer button will get the odd chip. At PartyPoker.com the value of the odd chip is 1 cent.
The Blinds
Before a game starts, the two players to the left of the dealer post 'blind' bets, so-called because they are made before the players have seen any cards. The blinds ensure that there is some money in the pot to play for at the very start of the game. The player to the left of the dealer posts the 'small blind', and the player to his left posts the 'big blind'.
Pre-Flop
Each player receives four cards that only they can see, called 'hole' cards. After this, the first round of betting is started by the first player to the left of the big blind. This player, who is known as 'under the gun', can:
- Call
- match the amount bet in the big blind,
- Raise
- increase the amount bet, or
- Fold
- surrender his cards and stake in the game.
When the betting returns to the player who made the big blind (the first full bet), that player can 'check' or opt to stay in the game without adding anything to the pot. However, if an opponent has raised, the big blind has three options: he must fold, call, or re-raise.
The Flop
Three 'community' cards, which all players can use to make their five-card hand, are dealt face up on the table. A second round of betting follows.
The Turn
A fourth community card is dealt face up on the table. The third round of betting follows.
The River
The fifth and final community card is dealt, followed by the final round of betting.
The Showdown
If there is more than one player left in the game, there is a showdown in which the players reveal their cards and the highest hand wins . If two players share an identical hand, the pot is split.
