In Texas Hold'em, each hand begins with two "hole" cards dealt face-down to each player, followed by a series of betting rounds and the reveal of five shared "community" cards. The first three community cards, called the "flop," are dealt after an initial round of betting. Players assess their hands, combining their hole cards with the flop to decide their next move. The fourth card, known as the "turn," and the fifth, called the "river," are each followed by additional betting rounds. Players can fold, call, check, raise, or go "all-in" during each round, aiming to make the best five-card hand. If multiple players remain after the final betting round, a showdown occurs where hands are revealed, and the player with the highest-ranking hand wins the pot.
In Texas Hold'em, a showdown occurs if two or more players remain after the final round of betting, revealing their hands to determine the winner. During the showdown, each player uses any combination of their two private "hole" cards and the five shared "community" cards to make the best possible five-card hand. Players can choose to use both, one, or none of their hole cards, relying entirely on the community cards if that yields the strongest hand. The player with the highest-ranking hand—according to poker hand rankings like pairs, straights, and flushes—wins the pot. In cases of a tie, the pot is split among the winning players. The showdown is the climactic moment, often showcasing both skill and bluffing as players reveal whether their bets were based on genuine strength or strategic deception.