Real Poker - Rules

Understanding the Table Setup and Blinds

Each Texas Hold’em table has a few important positions that keep the game flowing:

• Dealer Button (D): A marker that rotates clockwise after each hand. It sets the order of play for the next round.
• Small Blind (SB): The player sitting left of the dealer posts a small compulsory bet.
• Big Blind (BB): The player next to the small blind posts a larger compulsory bet.

These blinds ensure that every hand starts with something at stake, making the game exciting right from the beginning.

Key Actions in Texas Hold’em

• Check: Skip betting while staying in the hand.
• Bet: Put chips (virtual Gems in our case) into the pot.
• Call: Match the current bet.
• Raise: Increase the bet amount.
• Fold: Give up your cards and sit out for the current hand.

The Deal: Hole Cards and Community Cards

Each player receives two private hole cards dealt face down. Then, five community cards are revealed in stages:

• The Flop: The first three community cards.
• The Turn: The fourth community card.
• The River: The final community card.

You use your hole cards and the community cards to make the best possible five-card hand.

Betting Rounds in Hold’em

Every hand goes through betting rounds:

• Pre-Flop: Starts with the player left of the big blind after the hole cards are dealt.
• Flop: The second round, after the first three community cards are revealed.
• Turn: A new round after the fourth community card.
• River: The final betting round, once the fifth card is revealed.

If two or more players remain after the last bet, the game moves to a showdown.

Showdown and Winning the Pot

At showdown, players reveal their hole cards. The best five-card hand wins the pot. If two or more players tie, the pot is split equally.
And remember: sometimes, you can even win a pot without showing your cards—if your opponents fold before showdown!

Poker Hand Rankings (Highest to Lowest)

• Royal Flush: A, K, Q, J, 10 of the same suit
• Straight Flush: Five consecutive cards of the same suit
• Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank
• Full House: Three of a kind + a pair
• Flush: Five cards of the same suit (not consecutive)
• Straight: Five consecutive cards of mixed suits
• Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same rank
• Two Pair: Two different pairs
• One Pair: Two cards of the same rank
• High Card: When no combination forms, the highest card plays

Poker Terms You’ll Hear

• Straddle: A voluntary blind bet posted before cards are dealt, raising the stakes of the hand.
• Muck: Folding a hand without showing it. At showdown, a player may muck instead of revealing cards.
• Rabbit Hunting (Rabbit): Checking what the next card “would have been” after folding. (Not allowed on every platform.)

To become a confident poker player, you need to know the basics: blinds, betting rounds, hand rankings, and showdowns. While luck plays a part, your strategy, timing, and ability to read opponents will set you apart.

At Real Poker Free, you can practice Texas Hold’em at your own pace, join private contests with friends, and collect virtual Gems as rewards. Whether you’re brand new or just brushing up on your skills, this is the perfect place to enjoy poker without any real-money risk.