Who Goes First in Texas Hold’em Poker?

According to standard Texas Hold’em rules, the player on the left side of the Big Blind player is always the first one to bet during the pre-flop betting round. As the player in the Big Blind position always posts the mandatory pre-flop bet, they are the last to act in the pre-flop betting round.

The player on the Big Blind’s left side is in the Under the Gun position. They can fold their hand, call the Big Blind’s bet, or raise by betting more than what the Big Blind posted.

To be a winning poker player, you must master the fundamentals, including understanding who bets first in Texas Hold’em poker. But, besides knowing the above rule, it’s also useful to have a more comprehensive knowledge of why and how this betting order exists in Texas Hold’em, as well as how it works beyond the pre-flop round.

After the pre-flop betting round is completed, the player in the Small Blind position will be the first to act in every subsequent betting round. If the Small Blind player is out of the game, the next player on their left goes first.

Additionally, it’s important to remember that the positions rotate around the table. The positions move one spot clockwise after every hand. This means that after one orbit, every player will play in every position, including the one in which they have to go first. This ensures an even playing field for all at the table.

If there are only two players in the game, the same player will always get assigned both the Small Blind and Button and will always be the first one to bet pre-flop. However, post-flop, the other player, who will be assigned the Big Blind, will act first in every betting round.