How to Deal Poker — Step-by-Step Guide
Last updated: May 15, 2026
Dealing Texas Hold'em poker takes 10 steps: shuffle, cut, identify the button, deal 2 hole cards clockwise, run preflop betting, burn-and-deal the 3-card flop, flop betting, burn-and-turn, turn betting, burn-and-river, final betting, and showdown. Always deal clockwise starting from the small blind. Always burn one card before each community card street. This page covers the complete mechanics, dealer etiquette, and handling of common misdeals.
The 10 Steps of Dealing Poker
Every Texas Hold'em hand follows this exact sequence. Casino dealers and seasoned home-game players can complete a hand in 90-120 seconds.
Shuffle the deck thoroughly
A standard casino shuffle is: riffle shuffle 2-3 times, box shuffle once, cut the deck. Home games can simplify to 2-3 riffle shuffles. The goal is randomization — every card position must be unpredictable.
Cut the deck
Offer the deck to the player on the dealer's right. They cut by placing the cut card (a colored plastic card) anywhere in the deck. The cut card prevents the bottom card from being exposed. In home games without a cut card, the cut is symbolic.
Identify the dealer button position
The dealer button is a small disc marking who is the nominal dealer for this hand. Cards are dealt starting with the player left of the button. The small blind is left of the button; the big blind is left of the small blind. Action moves clockwise.
Deal hole cards (one at a time, clockwise)
Deal the first card face-down to the small blind (left of button). Then the next card to the big blind, and so on clockwise back to the button. Repeat for the second hole card. Each player should have exactly 2 face-down hole cards.
Manage the preflop betting round
Action begins with the player left of the big blind ('under the gun'). Each player in turn folds, calls (matches big blind), or raises. Track the current bet amount and ensure all calling players have matched. Round ends when all active players have called or all but one folded.
Burn one card, deal the flop (3 cards)
Place one card face-down on the table (the 'burn card'). Then deal 3 community cards face-up in the middle. Spread them in a line so all players can see. The burn card protects against any player who may have glimpsed the top card.
Run the flop betting round
Action starts with the first active player left of the button. Each player checks, bets, or folds. If someone bets, subsequent players can call, raise, or fold. Round ends when all active players have either called the current bet or checked through.
Burn and deal the turn (4th community card)
Place another burn card face-down, then deal the 4th community card face-up next to the flop. Run another betting round with the same rules as the flop. Bet sizing is typically larger as the pot grows.
Burn and deal the river (5th community card)
Place a third burn card, then deal the final community card. Run the final betting round. If only one player remains active, that player wins without showdown. If two or more remain, proceed to showdown.
Conduct the showdown and award the pot
Surviving players reveal their hole cards starting with the last aggressor (last to bet/raise) and proceeding clockwise. Identify the best 5-card hand from each player. Award the entire pot to the winner — if multiple players have identical hands, split the pot evenly. Then move the dealer button one seat clockwise for the next hand.
Dealer Etiquette and Procedures
Casino dealers follow strict procedures to maintain game integrity. Home dealers can be more relaxed, but the core rules — clockwise direction, burn cards, table-level dealing — should be respected.
Keep cards above table level
All cards must be visible during dealing — never dipped below the table edge. This prevents accidental peeking and reinforces fairness. Casinos enforce this strictly.
Announce the action
Casino dealers call out 'flop is X-Y-Z,' 'turn is the king,' 'river is the deuce.' This eliminates confusion about which cards are which and creates an audit trail.
Don't expose burn cards
Burn cards go face-down into the muck and stay there. Even after the hand ends, never flip them. This protects the game from any post-hand 'what would have come' speculation.
Manage the pot from the center
All bets push toward the center of the table. The dealer organizes chips so the pot is visible and the current bet amount is clear. In casinos, dealers count and verify the pot before pushing to the winner.
One player to a hand
Each player must make their own decisions. Dealers prevent players from advising each other on action. In home games, this is often relaxed but should be enforced if winning becomes lopsided.
Handling Misdeals and Edge Cases
Errors during dealing are common. Knowing how to handle them keeps the game flowing and fair.
Definitions
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you deal poker step by step?
10 steps: (1) shuffle deck, (2) cut the deck, (3) identify dealer button, (4) deal 2 hole cards clockwise one at a time, (5) manage preflop betting, (6) burn one card then deal 3-card flop, (7) flop betting round, (8) burn and deal turn card, (9) burn and deal river card, (10) showdown and award pot. Always deal clockwise, always burn before community card streets, always keep cards above table level.
Which direction do you deal poker cards?
Clockwise — starting with the player to the immediate left of the dealer button. Deal one card to each player going clockwise, then repeat for the second hole card. This is universal in standard poker variants (Hold'em, Omaha, Stud). The clockwise direction matches the rotation of the dealer button after each hand, so every player eventually deals first to themselves.
Why do you burn a card in poker?
Burning a card before each community card street (flop, turn, river) protects the integrity of the game. If a player saw the top card before it became a community card — through accidental flash, marked deck, or angle shooting — the burn card prevents that information from being used. The burned card never enters play. Casino dealers always burn; home games sometimes skip it but most players consider burning standard practice.
Do you shuffle the burn cards back?
No — burn cards remain face-down in the muck (discard pile) for the duration of the hand. They are not shuffled back into the deck during the hand. After the hand ends and all cards are collected, the entire deck (including the burn cards) is shuffled for the next deal. This prevents any chance of burned cards re-entering play.
Who gets dealt cards first in poker?
The player to the immediate left of the dealer button (the small blind position) is dealt the first card. Then the big blind, then the player left of the big blind ('under the gun'), and so on clockwise. The dealer button player is dealt cards last in each round. This sequence is repeated for the second hole card.
What happens if you misdeal in poker?
Common misdeals: dealing too many or too few cards, exposing a hole card, dealing out of turn. The standard response is to call a misdeal — the cards are gathered, reshuffled, and re-dealt. The dealer button does not move. If only one card is exposed during the deal, casinos typically use the exposed card as the burn card for the flop instead of redealing the entire hand. Home game rules vary; most accept the dealer's call.
How long does each deal take?
A typical dealer deals 30-40 hands per hour in casino cash games. Each hand averages 1.5-2 minutes including shuffling, dealing, betting rounds, and awarding the pot. Online poker is much faster — 60-100 hands per hour — because shuffling is instant and no physical chip movement is needed. Tournament dealing is slightly slower due to chip stacks and frequent blind changes.
Related Guides
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Open RiverOdds Calculator →