Each player gets two private cards
Five community cards are dealt face up in the center
The goal is to make the best five-card hand using any combination of your two cards and the five community cards
A hand begins with two players posting blinds
The player to the left of the big blind acts first before the flop
Three community cards are dealt on the flop
A betting round follows the flop
One community card is dealt on the turn
Another betting round follows the turn
One final community card is dealt on the river
A final betting round follows the river
If more than one player remains, a showdown determines the winner
The best five-card poker hand wins the pot
Hand rankings from highest to lowest are royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, high card