No Limit Texas Hold ’Em (NLHE) is arguably the most popular form of poker played today.
In comparison to other types of poker, the rules are quite simple. However, the strategy can be complex. For this reason, it’s said that NLHE takes minutes to learn but a lifetime to master.
Why No Limit? In each hand there's no restriction on the size of a player's bet. The only limit is the number of chips they have in front of them. The chance to win big on a single hand, or lose it all, is one reason behind the game’s popularity.
Texas Hold ‘Em is played across multiple hands. In each hand, a player aims to make the best possible five-card poker hand. They do this using a combination of their hole cards and the community cards.
Hole cards are the two cards dealt to each player, face down, at the start of each hand.
Community cards are the five cards dealt, face up, in the middle of the table. Each community card is available to every player and can be used in the hands of multiple players.
Players place bets during a hand, using poker chips. The player who wins the hand wins all the wagered chips (ie. the pot). If a player loses all of their chips, they are out of the game.
At the start of each game of NLHE, the size of the minimum bet is established. This minimum bet size is referred to as the big blind.
There are also three important table positions:
All three positions rotate around the table, moving one position to the left at the end of each hand.
The sequence of play in a hand of NLHE is quite simple. The following steps will take you through a single hand of poker.
The player designated as the dealer is given the Dealer button.
The two players sitting in the Small Blind and Big Blind positions put out their mandatory bets (ie. the blinds).
Each player now receives their two hole cards. These are dealt clockwise, one at a time, starting with the player in the Small Blind.
Players look at their cards and decide what action they want to take.
In turn, beginning with the player to the left of the Big Blind, each player performs one of the following:
If any player makes a raise, other players may increase the bet further with a re-raise.
The wagered chips are gathered together to form the pot.
The first three community cards, called the flop, are dealt face-up in the middle of the table.
Beginning with the player to the left of the Dealer, the remaining players perform one of the following actions: make an initial bet, fold, call, raise or re-raise
As long as no initial bet has been made, players may also check. That is, the player doesn't make a bet, but they remain in the hand.
The newly wagered chips are added to the pot.
The fourth community card, called the turn, is dealt face-up in the middle of the table.
Beginning with the player to the left of the Dealer, the remaining players perform one of the following actions: fold, check, bet, call, raise or re-raise.
The newly wagered chips are added to the pot.
The fifth community card, called the river, is dealt face-up in the middle of the table.
Beginning with the player to the left of the Dealer, the remaining players perform one of the following actions: fold, check, bet, call, raise or re-raise.
The newly wagered chips are added to the pot.
The players remaining in the hand turn their hole cards face up for comparison.
The player with the best five-card hand is determined, and they are awarded the pot.
The button moves one position to the left, and that player becomes the dealer.
Similarly, the player who was in the Big Blind becomes the Small Blind, and the player to their immediate left becomes the Big Blind.
They put out their bets, the cards are re-shuffled, and the next hand is ready to play.