Texas Hold'em Poker Rules

Game Setup

Dealer Button

The dealer button and both blinds move clockwise from player to player after each hand (BGC rules 1a and 2c). The player with the button acts last in every betting round except pre-flop, where the big blind acts last.

Blinds

Two forced bets are posted before the cards are dealt: the small blind by the player to the left of the button and the big blind by the next player. In cash games the big blind moves exactly one player each hand, so when a seat empties nobody posts the big blind twice in a row and nobody skips it. If the player who posted the big blind leaves, the button and the small blind stay where they were for one hand. Tournaments use the WSOP dead-button rule (rule 49): the button or the small blind can sit on an empty seat for a hand. A player who cannot cover a blind posts what they have and is all-in for that amount. Blinds increase only if the game was created with an increase schedule. Increases are rounded to whole chips and keep the small-to-big blind ratio, so small or odd blinds grow by slightly more or less than the stated rate.

Heads-Up Play

In heads-up play (two players), the dealer posts the small blind and acts first pre-flop, while the other player posts the big blind and acts first after the flop.

Starting a Hand

Each player receives two private cards (hole cards) dealt face down. These cards belong only to that player.

Betting Rounds

Pre-Flop

First betting round after hole cards are dealt. Action starts with the player to the left of the big blind.

The Flop

After pre-flop betting, three community cards are dealt face up. The second betting round begins with the first active player left of the dealer button.

The Turn

After flop betting, a fourth community card is dealt face up. The third betting round follows the same order.

The River

After turn betting, a fifth and final community card is dealt face up. The final betting round follows.

Action Order

Betting proceeds clockwise. Each player must act when it is their turn. After the flop, action starts with the first active player left of the dealer button.

Player Actions

Fold

Discard your hand and give up any claim to the pot. You cannot win the current hand after folding.

Check

Pass the action to the next player without betting. Only available when you have already matched the current bet in this round.

Call

Match the current bet to stay in the hand. Before the flop, a call is at least the full big blind, even when the big blind player was all-in for less (BGC rule 6a), unless every other player is already all-in. If you don't have enough chips, you go all-in with what you have.

Raise

Increase the current bet. A raise must be at least the size of the last full bet or raise in this round, and never less than the big blind. For example, with a big blind of 10, a player raises to 30 (a raise of 20), so the next raise must be to at least 50.

Raise Cap

There is a maximum of three raises per betting round, unless only two players are still in the hand, in which case raises are unlimited (BGC rule 6d). "In the hand" means not folded; all-in players count. The first bet after the flop opens the betting and is not a raise. An all-in for less than a full raise does not count as a raise.

Short All-Ins

An all-in for less than a full raise does not reopen the betting: a player who has already acted may only call or fold (WSOP rules 55 and 56). If several short all-ins together add up to a full raise since that player last acted, the betting is reopened and the player may raise.

All-In

Bet all your remaining chips. You can win the main pot and any side pots you are eligible for. You stay in the hand even if other players bet more.

Side Pots

Main Pot

The pot that all remaining players, including all-in players, are eligible to win. It holds contributions up to the smallest all-in amount.

Side Pot

Additional pots created when players bet beyond what an all-in player contributed. Only players who contributed to a side pot can win it.

Multiple All-Ins

Multiple side pots form when different players go all-in for different amounts. Each pot is awarded separately, starting with the main pot. A bet that nobody called is returned to the player who made it.

Showdown

Revealing Hands

All players still in the hand after the last betting round enter the showdown together (BGC rule 23): their hands are revealed at the same time and compared. There is no show order and no option to muck a losing hand. If everyone else folded, the remaining player's cards stay hidden.

Hand Comparison

Players make the best five-card hand from any combination of their two hole cards and the five community cards, or play the board. The best hand wins the pot. Results name the hand with its ranks and kickers, for example "Pair of Aces, King, Nine and Four kickers".

Hand Rankings

Hands are ranked from highest to lowest:

1. Royal Flush - A, K, Q, J, 10, all of the same suit. The highest possible hand.
   Example: A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠
2. Straight Flush - Five cards in sequence, all of the same suit. Ranked by the highest card.
   Example: 9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥
3. Four of a Kind - Four cards of the same rank. Ranked by the four-of-a-kind, then by the kicker.
   Example: K♠ K♥ K♦ K♣ 3♠
4. Full House - Three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank. Ranked by the three-of-a-kind, then by the pair.
   Example: Q♠ Q♥ Q♦ 7♠ 7♣
5. Flush - Five cards of the same suit, not in sequence. Ranked by the highest card, then by subsequent cards.
   Example: K♦ J♦ 9♦ 6♦ 3♦
6. Straight - Five cards in sequence, not all of the same suit. Ranked by the highest card. Ace can be high (A-K-Q-J-10) or low (5-4-3-2-A).
   Example: 10♠ 9♦ 8♣ 7♥ 6♠
7. Three of a Kind - Three cards of the same rank. Ranked by the three-of-a-kind, then by the highest kicker, then by the second kicker.
   Example: 8♠ 8♥ 8♦ A♠ 5♣
8. Two Pair - Two cards of one rank and two cards of another rank. Ranked by the highest pair, then by the second pair, then by the kicker.
   Example: J♠ J♦ 4♥ 4♣ 9♠
9. One Pair - Two cards of the same rank. Ranked by the pair, then by the highest kicker, then by subsequent kickers.
   Example: 10♠ 10♣ K♦ 7♥ 4♠
10. High Card - No matching cards. Ranked by the highest card, then by subsequent cards if needed.
    Example: A♠ Q♦ 9♣ 6♥ 3♠

Pot Distribution

Single Winner

The player with the best hand wins the entire pot. If only one player remains after the others fold, that player wins without showing their cards.

Split Pot

If two or more players have identical best hands, the pot is split equally among them. If the pot cannot be divided evenly, the odd chips go to the player closest to the left of the dealer button.

Multiple Pots

When side pots exist, each pot is awarded separately. The main pot is awarded first, then the side pots in the order they were created.

Hand Completion

Dealer Button Rotation

After the pot is awarded, the button and blinds move one player clockwise and a new hand begins.

Blind Increases

If the game creator chose an increase schedule, blinds go up after a set number of hands or minutes, in cash games and tournaments alike. Otherwise they stay fixed.

Elimination and Re-Buys

In tournament play, a player who loses all their chips is eliminated. In cash games, a player at zero chips may rebuy for the table's buy-in.

Cash Game Minimum Players

Cash games can continue heads-up when two players remain with chips. If only one player has chips, the table pauses until another player joins or rebuys.

Special Cases

Everyone Folds

If all other players fold, the last remaining player wins the pot without revealing their cards.

All-In Before Showdown

If no more betting is possible because players are all-in, the remaining community cards are dealt at once and the hands are revealed.

Player Disconnection

If a player stops responding, the turn clock acts for them (see Asynchronous Play). Admins can also fold an inactive player's hand at once. Chips already committed stay in the pot.

Minimum Players

Games need at least two players. Cash games continue heads-up with two players but pause when only one player has chips. If only one player remains with chips in a tournament, that player wins.

Asynchronous Play

Turn Flow

The hand waits on the player whose turn it is and resumes when they act. You can step away and return without losing your seat, and reconnecting restores your chips and position.

Turn Clock

Each turn has a 120 second clock. When it runs out, the player checks if checking is free; otherwise their hand is folded. This is a house rule: the BGC rules have no clock, and the WSOP clock rule (rule 48, where the hand is declared dead after a called clock) is stricter.

Between Hands

After each hand, players have 60 seconds to review the result and press Continue. When everyone has continued, or the time runs out, the next hand is dealt. The game's host or an admin can press "Skip waiting and deal" to deal at once.

Inactivity

In cash games, a player whose clock runs out on 3 turns in a row is cashed out: their seat is released and their chips return to their balance as soon as they have nothing in a pot (between hands or after folding). Acting on any turn resets the count. In tournaments, an absent player stays in, keeps posting blinds and is checked or folded by the clock.

Notifications

Players get a notification when action reaches them.

Buy-Ins & Rebuys

Table Minimum

Each table sets a fixed buy-in when the game is created (at least $1.00). Each buy-in gives a starting stack of one chip per cent: a $10.00 buy-in starts with 1,000 chips. You must have the buy-in available in your balance to sit down.

Rebuy Policy

Cash games allow a rebuy for the buy-in amount once your chips reach zero. Tournaments have a single buy-in and no rebuys after elimination.

Stack Size

Partial top-ups are not supported: rebuys only happen when you are at zero chips.

Rejoining a Table

If you cash out of a cash game and rejoin the same table within 2 hours, you buy back in for the larger of the buy-in and the amount you cashed out with.

Waiting Games

You can have at most 3 games waiting to start at a time. You can leave a game that has not started and get your buy-in back. A waiting game with no activity for 72 hours is cancelled and every buy-in is refunded.