How to Deal Hold'em

• The Hand

  1. The hand begins with the first riffle (shuffle) of the deck.
  2. The dealer shall ensure that all blinds and antes have been properly posted.
  3. The dealer shall offer a cut to the player to the left of the button.
  4. The dealer shall use a cut card if required to do so by the house.
  5. The dealer is responsible for running the game as quickly and efficiently as possible.
  6. The dealer shall prompt players to act when it is their turn.
  7. The dealer shall ensure that the proper number of chips goes into the pot.
  8. The dealer shall award the pot.
  9. The dealer shall ensure that proper procedures are followed.

  The Deal

  1. The player to the left of the button posts the small blind.
  2. The player to the left of the small blind posts the big blind.
  3. Each player, beginning with the player to the left of the button, is dealt two cards face-down (The Pocket Cards).
  4. The first betting round begins with the player to the left of the big blind. The small and big blinds may fold, check, call, or raise, as appropriate, when called upon to act.
  5. The dealer burns one card and turns three community cards face-up (The Flop).
  6. The second betting round begins with the player to the left of the button.
  7. The dealer burns one card and turns one community card face-up (The Turn).
  8. The third betting round begins with the player to the left of the button.
  9. The dealer burns one card and turns one community card face-up (The River).
  10. The fourth, and final, betting round begins with the player to the left of the button.
  11. Card showdown with the pot being awarded to the winner(s).
  12. The button is advanced clockwise one player.

  The Pot

  1. The dealer shall ensure that each bettor bets the proper number of chips.
  2. Bets shall remain in front of the bettor until the betting round is complete.
  3. Bets are not to be scooped (placed into the pot by the dealer) until the end of the betting round.
  4. The pot shall be placed in the center of the table, to the side of the community cards.
  5. Side pots shall be placed as close as possible to the players involved in that side pot.
  6. If a player goes all-in for a portion of the big blind, then subsequent action shall be made as if the player had posted the full big blind.

  The Community Cards

  1. The five community cards (flop, turn and river) shall be placed face-up in the center of the table with the pot to the side.
  2. The community cards must be placed in proper order with the turn card placed to the right of the flop cards, and the river card placed to the right of the turn card.

  Burning Cards

  1. After each betting round (except the final round) the dealer shall burn a card before turning over the community card(s).
  2. Before burning a card the dealer shall lightly tap the table.
  3. Burn cards are to be placed face-down in the center of the table under the edge of the pot.
  4. Each burn card shall be placed under the previous burn card.
  5. Burn cards are to remain on the table, separate from the muck, until the pot is awarded to the winning player.

  Dealer Verbal Announcements

  1. The dealer shall announce all raises.
  2. The dealer shall announce when an all-in bet has been made.
  3. The dealer shall announce when any live blind elects to exercise the option to raise.
  4. The dealer shall announce when a card has been exposed and which card it is.

  The Showdown

  1. A player must show all cards in the hand face-up on the table to win any part of the pot.
  2. If everyone checks (or is all-in) on the final betting round, the player who acted first is the first to show the hand. If there is wagering on the final betting round, the last player to take aggressive action by a bet or raise is the first to show the hand.
  3. Cards speak (cards read for themselves). The dealer assists in reading hands, but players are responsible for holding onto their cards until the winner is declared.
  4. Suits never break a tie for winning a pot.
  5. In determining the winning hand, if all five cards are not used to make a hand, the rank of the side cards (kicker cards) shall determine which hand is better.
  6. If two or more hands tie, any odd chip will be awarded to the first hand clockwise from the button.
  7. After the showdown the dealer shall push (award) the pot to the winner and then advance the dealer button clockwise one player.

  When Only Two Players Remain

  1. When going from three to two players, determine which player would have been the next big blind if no player had been eliminated ... that player is the big blind and the other player is the small blind and button.
  2. The player who does not have the button shall be dealt the first card.
  3. The small blind shall act first on the first betting round and last on all other betting rounds.

  If Using Two Decks of Cards

  1. The player to the left of the button shall cut the deck.
  2. The player to the right of the button shall shuffle the deck just dealt.