Poker Cheat Sheet — Complete Quick-Reference for Texas Hold'em
Everything you need to play Texas Hold’em on one page — hand rankings, which cards to play, table positions, betting actions, and the odds that matter most. Bookmark this page or download the free PDF to keep at the table.
Hand Rankings — What Beats What
All 10 poker hands from strongest to weakest. A higher-ranked hand always beats a lower-ranked hand.
| # | Hand | Example | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal Flush | 0.0002% | |
| 2 | Straight Flush | 0.0014% | |
| 3 | Four of a Kind | 0.024% | |
| 4 | Full House | 0.14% | |
| 5 | Flush | 0.20% | |
| 6 | Straight | 0.39% | |
| 7 | Three of a Kind | 2.11% | |
| 8 | Two Pair | 4.75% | |
| 9 | One Pair | 42.26% | |
| 10 | High Card | 50.12% |
The most common confusion: does a flush beat a straight? Yes — always.
See the complete hand rankings guide for tiebreakers, kickers, and detailed examples of every hand.
Starting Hands — What to Play and What to Fold
Not all two-card combinations are worth playing. Here are the three tiers that matter:
| Tier | Example | Hands | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium | AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AKs | Always raise | |
| Strong | AK, AQs, TT, 99 | Raise from most positions | |
| Playable | Suited connectors, mid pairs, suited aces | Play in late position |
The position rule: In early position, stick to Premium. In late position, open up to Playable. Everything else — fold.
Pick a position and style below to see exactly which hands belong in each tier:
Full 4-tier breakdown with dozens of examples in our starting hands guide.
Table Positions
Where you sit determines how many hands you can play. Later position = more information = bigger advantage.
| Zone | Seats | When You Act | How to Play |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early | UTG, UTG+1 | First after flop | Tight — premium hands only |
| Middle | MP, Lojack | After early, before late | Standard range |
| Late | Hijack, Cutoff, Button | Last or near last | Wide — biggest advantage |
| Blinds | Small Blind, Big Blind | Last preflop, first postflop | Forced money, tough spot |
The closer you are to the Button, the more hands you can play. Learn why position matters more than your cards in our position guide.
Betting Actions
Every turn, you choose one of five actions:
| Action | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Check | Pass without betting — only when nobody has bet yet |
| Bet | Put chips in first |
| Call | Match someone else’s bet to stay in the hand |
| Raise | Increase the current bet — forces others to pay more or fold |
| Fold | Give up your hand and lose nothing more |
When to bet, raise, and fold — see our betting strategy guide. For the specific rules on how raises work — minimum amounts, the full bet rule, 3-betting, and string bets — see our raise rules guide.
Key Odds to Remember
You don’t need to be a math wizard. Just knowing these six numbers puts you ahead of most casual players.
| Situation | Odds |
|---|---|
| Being dealt a pocket pair | 5.9% (1 in 17) |
| Pocket pair flops a set → | 11.8% (1 in 8.5) |
| Suited cards make a flush by the river | 6.4% |
| Flopping two pair or better | 5.1% |
| Completing a flush draw on the river | 19.6% (~4 to 1 against) |
| Being dealt AK (suited or not) | 1.2% (1 in 83) |
Essential Poker Terms
The 12 terms you need to know before sitting down at a table.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Blinds | Forced bets posted by two players before each hand |
| Flop | The first three community cards dealt face-up |
| Turn | The fourth community card |
| River | The fifth and final community card |
| All-In | Betting all your remaining chips |
| Pot | The total chips bet in the current hand |
| Kicker | The side card that breaks ties between same-rank hands |
| Suited | Two cards of the same suit (e.g. Ace-King of hearts) |
| Offsuit | Two cards of different suits (e.g. Ace of hearts, King of spades) |
| Nuts | The best possible hand given the board |
| Tilt | Playing emotionally after a bad beat |
| Position | Your seat relative to the dealer button |
Full definitions for 40+ terms in our poker glossary.
Free Downloads
Three printable PDF cheat sheets — everything you need at the table. No email, no signup, just the PDFs.
Cheat Sheet
Hand rankings, starting hands, positions, betting, odds, and terms — all on one page.
Download PDFHand Rankings
All 10 hands with card visuals, probabilities, tiebreaker rules, and card rankings.
Download PDFStarting Hands
4-tier chart, position guide, suited vs offsuit, and the key rules for hand selection.
Download PDFFrequently Asked Questions
Are these cheat sheets free to download?
Yes. All three PDFs are completely free — no email, no signup, no catch. Download them, print them out, and share them with your friends.
What is the best starting hand in Texas Hold’em?
Pocket Aces (A-A) is the best starting hand. It wins against any other single hand more often than not. See the full starting hands guide for all four tiers.
Does a flush beat a straight?
Yes. A flush (five cards of the same suit) ranks #5, beating a straight (#6). See all hand rankings for the complete order.
What are the most common beginner mistakes?
Playing too many hands, ignoring position, and calling too much. Our guide covers 10 common mistakes and how to fix each one.
Where can I learn the full rules?
Start with our how to play Texas Hold’em guide, then check the Texas Hold’em FAQ for specific rule questions.
Take This Cheat Sheet With You
We prepared a free printable PDF version of this entire cheat sheet — hand rankings, starting hands, positions, betting actions, and key odds all on one page. Print it out and keep it next to you at the table. No email, no signup, just the PDF.