How to Play Two-Man Poker

A two-man poker game is commonly referred to as a heads-up match.

Poker is a broad term for a number of related card games. Different variations include stud poker, draw poker and community-card poker. Texas Hold'em is a community-card poker game that is currently among the most popular brands of poker. The World Series of Poker (WSOP) in Las Vegas culminates each year with a $10,000 buy-in, no-limit Texas Hold'em "Main Event" tournament. Texas Hold'em can be played with as many as nine players or as few as two. Regardless of how many players enter a game, the rules for playing Texas Hold'em remain the same.

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Deck of cards
Poker chips
Dealer button

Instructions

Rules for Texas Hold'em
- 1
  
  Designate chip values and distribute them evenly to both players. Shuffle the deck of cards and determine who is to deal first. The player chosen to deal should take the dealer button (a marker used to indicate who is dealing) and place it in front of them. For clarification purposes, assume you were chosen to deal the first hand.
- 2
  
  Post blind bets or antes before the cards are dealt. These bets are forced bets to start the hand and increase the pot size. If the two-man game features a $1/$2 blind structure, the small blind player (player without the dealer button) posts $1 and the big blind player (player with the dealer button) posts $2. These bets are forced bets to start the hand and increase the pot size.
- 3
  
  Deal a card face-down to your opponent first. Alternate players when dealing individual cards. Each player should receive two cards, known as their hole cards or pocket cards. The small blind player (your opponent) is first to act after the cards have been dealt. This player has the option to fold, call or raise. If the player folds, the hand is finished. If the player calls, he will need to match the big blind player's money in the pot and the hand will begin. If the player raises, he will be adding more money to the pot. For example, a $4 or $6 bet would be considered a legal raise because it is at least double the amount of the original $2 blind bet. This money will need to be matched in order for the hand to continue. You can fold at any point in the hand. Doing so, however, will result in the pot being awarded to your opponent.
- 4
  
  Deal three face-up cards in the middle of the table. This is called "the flop." The flop cards are community cards that each player in the game can use to try to make the best hand possible. Betting begins again with the player who does not possess the dealer button (your opponent). At this stage in the hand, forced bets (in the form of blinds) are no longer required.
- 5
  
  Deal a fourth community card. This card is known as "the turn" or "fourth street." Another round of betting begins with your opponent after this card is revealed.
- 6
  
  The five community cards are collectively known as "the board."
  
  Deal a fifth and final community card. This card is known as "the river" or "fifth street." A final round of betting begins with your opponent after this card is revealed.
- 7
  
  The pot is awarded to the player with the best hand ranking.
  
  Flip your cards upright to determine who has the best hand and who wins the money in the pot. Each player can use his two hole cards and the five community cards to create the best possible hand. However, each hand must consist of five and only five cards. Players can use any combination of their cards and the community cards in order to make a hand. Using only one of the two hole cards is acceptable as long as the player uses four community cards to round out his hand at five. When the five community cards make up the best hand, both players split the pot. Otherwise, the showdown goes to whomever has the best ranked hand. After the pot has been awarded to the winner, shuffle the deck and allow your opponent to deal the second hand. Alternate dealing duties throughout the game.
- 8
  
  A royal flush is the best possible hand in poker.
  
  Poker hand rankings are as follows (from best to worst):
  
  Royal Flush - A straight from 10 to ace in which all cards share the same suit.
  
  Straight Flush - Any straight (other than 10 to ace) in which all cards share the same suit.
  
  Four of a Kind - Four cards of the same rank.
  
  Full House - Three cards of the same rank paired with two cards of the same rank.
  
  Flush - Five non-consecutive cards of the same suit.
  
  Straight - Five consecutive cards of different suits.
  
  Three of a Kind - Three cards of the same rank.
  
  Two Pair - Two cards of the same rank paired with two different cards of the same rank.
  
  One Pair - Two cards of the same rank.
  
  High Card - Any hand not mentioned above is a hand that simply features a high card.

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