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Texas Hold'em Rules — One-Page Reference

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Hand Rankings (High → Low)

  1. Royal Flush (A-K-Q-J-T same suit)
  2. Straight Flush (5 consecutive same suit)
  3. Four of a Kind
  4. Full House (3 + 2)
  5. Flush (5 same suit, not consecutive)
  6. Straight (5 consecutive, mixed suits)
  7. Three of a Kind
  8. Two Pair
  9. One Pair
  10. High Card

Betting Round Order

  1. Pre-flop (after 2 hole cards dealt)
  2. Flop (after 3 community cards)
  3. Turn (after 4th community card)
  4. River (after 5th community card)
  5. Showdown (best hand wins)

Betting Actions

  • Fold: Discard hand, exit pot
  • Check: Pass without betting (only if no bet)
  • Call: Match current bet
  • Bet: Place chips in pot
  • Raise: Increase the bet (min 2× previous)

Position (Best → Worst)

  • BTN (Button): Acts last postflop — best
  • CO (Cutoff): Second-best postflop
  • HJ (Hijack): Mid-position
  • UTG (Under the Gun): Acts first postflop — worst
  • SB/BB: Forced bets; act first postflop

Outs & Equity (Rule of 4 & 2)

  • 9 outs (flush draw): 35% by river
  • 8 outs (OESD): 31% by river
  • 4 outs (gutshot): 16% by river
  • 15 outs (combo draw): 54%
  • Rule: Outs × 4 (flop) or × 2 (turn)

Pot Odds Quick Lookup

  • 1/4 pot bet: Need 17% equity
  • 1/3 pot bet: Need 20%
  • 1/2 pot bet: Need 25%
  • 3/4 pot bet: Need 30%
  • Pot-sized bet: Need 33%

Top 10 Starting Hands

  1. AA — 85.3% vs random
  2. KK — 82.1%
  3. QQ — 79.6%
  4. JJ — 77.5%
  5. AKs — 67.0%
  6. TT — 75.1%
  7. AKo — 65.4%
  8. AQs — 66.5%
  9. 99 — 72.6%
  10. AJs — 65.4%

Position Opening Frequency

  • UTG: 13-15% (premium pairs + AK/AQ)
  • HJ: 17-19%
  • CO: 25-30%
  • BTN: 45-50% (very wide)
  • SB: 3-bet or fold (15-20% 3-bet)

Common Terms

VPIP = % of hands played preflop (target 20-25%) · PFR = preflop raise % (target 16-22%) · 3-bet = preflop re-raise of an open · C-bet = continuation bet on flop after raising preflop · Set = three of a kind from pocket pair · Nuts = the best possible hand on a given board · OOP = out of position (act first) · IP = in position (act last) · ICM = Independent Chip Model (tournament dollar equity) · GTO = Game Theory Optimal (unexploitable strategy)

Full strategy guides at riverodds.app · Free odds calculator with no signup · Complete glossary at riverodds.app/poker-glossary · Formulas at riverodds.app/poker-mathematical-formulas

How to Use This Page

  • Print to PDF: Press Ctrl+P (Cmd+P on Mac), choose "Save as PDF." Layout fits one 8.5×11 or A4 page.
  • Screenshot for phone: Capture the white card above and save to your phone's photos for off-table reference.
  • Print for home game: One copy per player makes it a great teaching aid for friends learning poker.
  • Combine with calculator: Use this page for rules, RiverOdds for live equity calculation during play.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I download a poker rules PDF?

This page is designed to print to PDF using your browser's print function (Ctrl+P or Cmd+P → Save as PDF). The layout is optimized for one printed page on standard 8.5×11 or A4 paper. No download link needed — your browser handles PDF generation directly. The content is also fully readable in-browser if you prefer not to print.

Can I bring printed poker rules to a casino?

Most casinos don't allow printed materials at the table during play. You can keep this page open on your phone (off-table) for between-hand reference. Tournament areas sometimes allow brief reference checks; cash games generally don't. The fastest approach: study this page before your session and rely on memory at the table.

What's the most important poker rule for beginners?

Hand rankings — memorize them before anything else. Royal Flush > Straight Flush > Four of a Kind > Full House > Flush > Straight > Three of a Kind > Two Pair > One Pair > High Card. Without this, you can't evaluate your hand at showdown. The second most important: pot odds and basic position awareness (act last when possible).

Are the rules the same for online and live poker?

Yes — the game mechanics are identical. Differences are operational: online uses time clocks, live has physical chip handling. Hand rankings, betting structure, position, and showdown rules are universal. This printable reference applies to both.

Related Resources

Texas Hold'em Cheat Sheet120+ Term GlossaryStrategy Charts HubMath FormulasHand RankingsHow to Play10 Best TipsPositions

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