Official Poker Rules

Below we've outlined official poker rules for a couple of the more popular types of poker games. Remember, you can play free video poker or real multiplayer poker games by selecting and clicking any of the two image options located immediately to the right of this text.

Texas Hold'em Official Poker Rules

Object
The best possible five card poker hand, using any combination of hole cards and community cards, wins the pot.

Betting Rounds
1. The dealer deals each player their own two cards face-down (pocket cards)
2. 1st betting round
3. The dealer burns a card then turns over three community cards face-up
(the flop)
4. 2nd betting round
5. The dealer burns another card then turns over 1 more community card (the turn,4th street)
6. 3rd betting round
7. The dealer burns another card then turns over 1 final community card (the river,5th street )
8. Last betting round
9. Showdown (Every remaining player shows hand with bettor showing first)

All remaining players must use one of the following choices at the showdown:
Two pocket cards & three boardcards
One pocket card & four boardcards
No pocket cards & five boardcards (called playing the board)
Rules for Betting

There are four betting rounds in Texas Hold’em.
Bets and raises on the first two betting rounds are set at the lower limit of the stakes structure. In a $2/$4 game, all bets and raises are $2 for the first two rounds.

Bets and raises on the last two betting rounds are set at the higher limit of the stakes structure. In a $2/$4 game, all bets and raises are $4 for the last two rounds.

Four bets per player during any particular round is the maximum. This would consist of (1) a bet, (2) a raise, (3) a re-raise, and (4) a cap. Once the pot is capped, players will have only the option of calling or folding. There is no limit on the amount of raises once the hand becomes heads-up.

Dealer Button
In Texas Hold’em a disk called the dealer-button is used to indicate the dealer of each hand.

The dealer button moves clockwise after a hand has been completed to the next active player and this player will be playing the button for that game. The player to the left of the button is first to receive a card and is required to post a small blind. The small blind is equal to half the lower limit bet rounded down to the nearest dollar. The player to the left of the small blind is required to post the big blind. The big blind is equal to the lower limit bet.

The blinds are live bets and have the option of checking, calling, raising or folding when the betting action comes back around to their position. After the flop and after each subsequent betting round, the first active player left of the button is first to act.

The ranking of the hands are the same as regular poker except to take the five best cards out of the ones you are dealt. Variations on the game is to allow wild cards and a five of a kind. This is personally my favorite kind of poker.

Omaha Hold'em Official Poker Rules

Object
The best possible five card poker hand, using exactly two hole cards and three community cards, wins the pot.

Betting Rounds
1. The dealer deals each player their own four cards face-down (pocket cards)
2. 1st betting round
3. The dealer burns a card then turns over three community cards face-up
(the flop)
4. 2nd betting round
5. The dealer burns another card then turns over 1 more community card (the turn,4th street)
6. 3rd betting round
7. The dealer burns another card then turns over 1 final community card (the river,5th street )
8. Last betting round
9. Showdown (Every remaining player shows hand with bettor showing first)

All remaining players must use their two pocket cards and the three boardcards.

Rules for Betting
There are four betting rounds in Omaha Hold’em.

Bets and raises on the first two betting rounds are set at the lower limit of the stakes structure. In a $2/$4 game, all bets and raises are $2 for the first two rounds.

Bets and raises on the last two betting rounds are set at the higher limit of the stakes structure. In a $2/$4 game, all bets and raises are $4 for the last two rounds.

Four bets per player during any particular round is the maximum. This would consist of (1) a bet, (2) a raise, (3) a re-raise, and (4) a cap. Once the pot is capped, players will have only the option of calling or folding. There is no limit on the amount of raises once the hand becomes heads-up.

Dealer Button
In Omaha Hold’em a disk called the dealer-button is used to indicate the dealer of each hand.

The dealer button moves clockwise after a hand has been completed to the next active player and this player will be playing the button for that game. The player to the left of the button is first to receive a card and is required to post a small blind. The small blind is equal to half the lower limit bet rounded down to the nearest dollar. The player to the left of the small blind is required to post the big blind. The big blind is equal to the lower limit bet.

The blinds are live bets and have the option of checking, calling, raising or folding when the betting action comes back around to their position. After the flop and after each subsequent betting round, the first active player left of the button is first to act.