Poker Rules Cheat Sheet: Hands, Betting & Flow
A one-page poker rules cheat sheet: hand rankings, betting actions, the order of play, and quick tie-breakers. Print it and keep it at the table.
On this page · 8 sections
This is a one-page poker cheat sheet you can print or keep on your phone: the hand rankings, the betting actions, the order of play in a hand, and the quick tie-breakers. It’s built for the middle of a game, when you just need the answer fast. If you want the full explanation behind any line, follow the links to the detailed guides.
Hand rankings (best to worst)
The single most important table in poker. Every showdown is decided by this order.
| # | Hand | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal flush | A-K-Q-J-10, all one suit | A♠ K♠ Q♠ J♠ 10♠ |
| 2 | Straight flush | Five in a row, one suit | 9♥ 8♥ 7♥ 6♥ 5♥ |
| 3 | Four of a kind | Four of the same rank | Q♣ Q♦ Q♥ Q♠ 4♦ |
| 4 | Full house | Three of a kind + a pair | J♠ J♦ J♣ 8♥ 8♠ |
| 5 | Flush | Five of one suit, any order | K♦ J♦ 9♦ 6♦ 3♦ |
| 6 | Straight | Five in a row, mixed suits | 10♣ 9♦ 8♠ 7♥ 6♣ |
| 7 | Three of a kind | Three of the same rank | 7♠ 7♦ 7♣ K♥ 2♠ |
| 8 | Two pair | Two different pairs | A♣ A♦ 6♠ 6♥ 9♣ |
| 9 | One pair | Two of the same rank | 10♦ 10♠ K♣ 7♦ 2♥ |
| 10 | High card | No combination | A♠ J♦ 8♣ 5♥ 2♠ |
Full detail and every edge case is in the hand rankings guide.
The five betting actions
| Action | When it’s available | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Fold | Any turn | Give up your hand |
| Check | No bet to face | Pass without wagering |
| Call | Facing a bet | Match it to stay in |
| Bet | No bet yet this round | Put chips in first |
| Raise | Facing a bet | Increase the amount |
Rule of thumb: if there’s no bet, you check or bet; if there is one, you fold, call, or raise. There is no fourth option. The detail on min-raises, all-in, and betting structures is in poker betting rules explained.
Order of play in a Texas Hold’em hand
The flow of a single hand, top to bottom:
- Blinds posted — the two players left of the dealer button post the small and big blind.
- Hole cards dealt — two private cards to each player.
- Pre-flop betting — starting left of the big blind.
- The flop — three community cards, then a betting round.
- The turn — a fourth community card, then a betting round.
- The river — the fifth community card, then the final betting round.
- Showdown — remaining players reveal; best five-card hand wins.
If everyone folds to one player at any point, that player wins without a showdown. See a hand walked through end to end in the beginner’s guide.
Quick tie-breakers
When two hands share the same category, use these in order:
- Same category, different ranks win. A pair of kings beats a pair of nines.
- Then kickers. With the same pair, the highest side card decides — A-A-K beats A-A-Q.
- Straights and flushes are ranked by the highest card. An ace-high flush beats a king-high flush.
- Full houses compare the trips first — 8-8-8-2-2 beats 7-7-7-A-A.
- Exact tie = split pot. If all five cards match in value, the pot is divided.
Forced bets and how a round ends
Two more things trip up beginners, so keep them on the sheet:
- Blinds. In Hold’em, the two players left of the dealer button post forced bets — the small blind and the big blind — before any cards are dealt. They seed the pot and set the minimum to enter the hand pre-flop.
- A betting round ends when every player still in the hand has either matched the largest bet or folded. Only then does the next card come out (or it’s showdown). If you’re unsure whether a round is over, count: has everyone acted, and are all the live bets equal?
Quick sizing rules
- Minimum raise: at least the size of the previous bet or raise. If someone bets 10, the smallest raise is to 20.
- All-in: you can only wager the chips in front of you. If a bet is bigger than your stack, you go all-in for what you have and a side pot forms for the rest.
- No-limit vs. limit: in no-limit you can bet anything up to your whole stack; in limit, bets come in fixed increments.
Ten-second decision checklist
Before you act, run through this:
- What’s my best five-card hand right now?
- What could beat me on this board? (A possible flush or straight?)
- Is there a bet to me? If yes → fold, call, or raise. If no → check or bet.
- Is it actually my turn? Never act out of turn.
- How much should I bet? At least the minimum raise; never more than your stack.
The takeaway
Keep this page handy and you’ll rarely be stuck: the ranking table decides showdowns, the betting table decides your options, and the order-of-play list keeps you oriented. When you want the reasoning behind the rules, open the beginner’s guide, the betting rules, or the how-to-play hub.
Frequently asked
What should be on a poker rules cheat sheet?
The hand rankings from royal flush down to high card, the five betting actions (fold, check, call, bet, raise), the order of play in a hand, and quick tie-breaker notes. Those four things cover nearly every in-the-moment question.
What is the order of poker hands?
From best to worst: royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, high card. This ranking decides every showdown.
What are the five betting actions in poker?
Fold, check, call, bet, and raise. You check or bet when no one has wagered this round; you call, raise, or fold when facing a bet.
How do you break a tie in poker?
Compare the ranks within the hand, then use kickers — the highest unused cards. If both players have the exact same five-card value, the pot is split. Suits never break ties in standard poker.