Texas Hold’em hands are made from seven cards, two private hole cards and five shared cards, but only five of the seven ever count. The player chooses which five, and may take both hole cards, a single one or neither of them, so the hand ladder introduced at the start of the series sets the order for the strongest five available. Since the board is common property, two players can finish with identical hands and share the pot. This page explains the three ways of combining your hand with the board, shows that seven cards contain 21 possible five-card hands, gives a checklist for finding the best of them and tabulates the seven-card cases that cause most confusion. Five showdown exercises close the page and let you pick the winners.
Key Takeaways: Texas Hold'em Hands
- Best Five Cards: Players construct their final hand from seven available cards, testing up to 21 possible combinations where only the highest-ranking five count.
- Hole Card Options: A showdown hand can incorporate two hole cards, exactly one, or none at all by playing the board, which often leads to split pots.
- Evaluation Routine: Hand strength follows a strict sequence, checking for pairs and sets, flushes, and straights before assigning the highest leftover kickers.
- Fixed Seven-Card Rules: If seven cards hold three pairs, only the two highest pairs play, and six sequential cards make a straight using the top five ranks.
Seven Cards on View
At the showdown each player can see seven cards and takes any five of them. The number of different selections is 21, and whichever scores highest under the poker hand rankings is the hand that plays. Online software tests every selection, but its verdict follows the rule described here, so reading the cards yourself is a way to confirm what the screen reports.
Two, One or No Hole Cards
All 21 selections fall into one of three groups, according to how many hole cards they include.
| Hole cards that play | Board cards needed | Number of ways |
| 2 | 3 | 10 |
| 1 | 4 | 10 |
| 0 | 5 | 1 |
Using no hole cards means playing the board, which happens when the shared cards are already your best five. Nobody else playing the board can lose to you, and you cannot beat them, so a share of the pot is the best result.
A Checklist for Seven Cards
An orderly sequence avoids testing every selection by hand.
- Pick out any four of a kind, three of a kind and pairs among the seven cards.
- Count each suit, since five or more of one suit give a flush.
- Arrange the ranks from high to low and look for five in a row, remembering that an ace can also sit below the two. With six in a row, the highest five play.
- Compare the kinds you have found and keep the strongest.
- Complete the five with the highest cards left over.
Suppose your hole cards are As 7s and the board is Ks 7d 4s 7h 3s. Step 1 finds three sevens. Step 2 finds five spades, As Ks 7s 4s 3s, which form a flush, ace-high. Because a flush is stronger than three of a kind, the flush is your hand.
Cases With a Fixed Answer
Certain seven-card patterns recur constantly, and each one has a single reading.
| Cards you can see | Verdict |
| Board has three cards of a suit, you hold one | Four of the suit and no flush |
| Board has three cards of a suit, you hold two | A flush |
| Board has four cards of a suit, you hold one | A flush that uses one hole card |
| Board has four cards of a suit, you hold none | No flush for you |
| Six consecutive ranks among the seven cards | A single straight, using the top five |
| Three pairs among the seven cards | The two highest pairs, plus the best remaining card |
| A pair among the shared cards | Every player owns that pair |
The last row often accounts for split pots, because a strong board leaves several players with identical hands.
Exercises: Five Hold’em Showdowns
Every exercise supplies the shared cards and the hole cards of each player. Work out all the best fives, then say who takes the pot.
❓ Practice: Who Takes the Pot?
The shared cards are Qh Qd 8c 8s 2h. Maya holds 4c 3d, Jean holds Kd 6c and Priya holds Jc Jh. Who wins?
On a board of 9d 8d 7c 6h 5s, Maya holds Ac Kc, Jean holds Td Th and Priya holds 4c 3c. Who wins?
The board shows 2h 5h 9h Kh 3c. Maya’s hole cards are Ah 8d, Jean’s are Qh 4s and Priya’s are 3d 3s. Who wins?
Maya holds 4h 9c, Jean holds 9d Td, Priya holds Ac Ad and the board is 5c 6d 7h 8s Kd. Who wins?
Kc Kd 9s 9h 4c are the shared cards. Maya’s hole cards are Ah 2c, Jean’s are Ad 3s and Priya’s are 8c 8d. Who wins?
More Guides in the Series
Choosing five cards from seven is the base for the next pages of the online poker series, which cover the rules for close results. Read these next:
- Poker kicker rules: the side cards that separate two hands of one kind.
- Poker showdown rules: the order of showing, and tied pots.
- Omaha poker rules: why Omaha limits every hand to two hole cards.
- Poker betting rounds: how the betting before the showdown is organized.
- Poker cards and suits: the codes behind every example.
Keeping Play Within Limits
With five cards on view, a hand can feel settled before the river, but the last card is owed to nobody. Choose a spending limit and a time to stop before you sit down, and respect both. Saskatchewan residents can call the Problem Gambling Helpline free of charge at 1-800-306-6789, which is open around the clock, and our responsible gambling page covers more tools and support services.
❓ Texas Hold’em Hands Questions: Frequently Asked Questions
Must both hole cards be used?
What does it mean to play the board?
How many five-card hands does a Hold’em player have to choose from?
Can a single suited hole card make a flush?
Author:
Lucas Portela
Owner, BoldGambler • Avanhandava/SP
Oddsmaker, affiliate and content creator in the iGaming industry.