Hole Cards

Hole cards are the private, face-down cards dealt to each player at the beginning of a hand in many poker variants. These cards are not visible to other players and form the basis of a player’s strategy, as they are combined with community cards (in games like Texas Hold’em and Omaha) or used solely on their own (in games like Stud) to create the best possible poker hand. The term “hole cards” is most commonly used in community card games like Texas Hold’em and Omaha.

Hole Cards in Different Poker Variants

• Texas Hold’em: In Texas Hold’em, each player is dealt two hole cards. These are combined with the five community cards on the table to make the best five-card hand. The hole cards remain hidden until the showdown, unless a player folds before that point.
• Omaha: In Omaha, each player is dealt four hole cards. Players must use exactly two of these hole cards and three of the five community cards to form their best hand. This rule makes Omaha slightly more complex, as it requires specific combinations of hole cards and community cards.
• Stud Poker: In Stud games like Seven-Card Stud, players are dealt a combination of face-up and face-down cards, with the face-down cards considered their hole cards. These are revealed only at showdown if necessary.

The Concept of “Protecting” Hole Cards

Since hole cards are private, a major part of live poker involves protecting your hole cards from being accidentally exposed to other players. Players often use their hands, chips, or card protectors to shield their hole cards from view. In online poker, this isn’t an issue, as the software automatically keeps them hidden from opponents.