Hold'em: the final exam
This is your Block 2 Texas Hold'em final exam and quiz: no new lessons, just proof you can put it all together. Read each board carefully and pass with confidence, then sharpen any weak spots in the hand rankings trainer.
How this exam works
This is the Block 2 capstone. Twenty-eight questions span everything you covered: the rules, the board, position, starting hands, opening ranges, street-by-street play, c-betting, pot odds, and the classic mistakes. No new material below, just one quick recap before you start.
One-minute recap
You get two hole cards; five community cards are dealt across the flop (3), turn (1), and river (1). Your hand is the best five of those seven. Hand ranks, high to low: royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, high card. The later you act, the more you see before deciding, so open a tight, strong range early and widen on the button. When facing a bet, compare your pot odds to your chance of hitting: flush draw = 9 outs, open-ended straight draw = 8, gutshot = 4, and on the flop roughly multiply outs by 4 for your two-card equity.
- Know the hand ranks cold: royal flush down to high card, and which draws (9/8/4 outs) matter most.
- Position dictates range: tight early, wider on the button, because acting last is a lasting edge.
- Pot odds are a comparison: your price to call versus your chance to improve, nothing more.
- Discipline beats flair: folding weak hands and avoiding too-loose play is most of winning poker.
Test yourself
Answer them all — 23/28 to pass. Every answer gets an explanation.
How many private (hole) cards does each player receive in Texas Hold'em?
Each player is dealt exactly two hole cards face down.
How many community cards are on the board by the river?
Three on the flop, one on the turn, and one on the river make five community cards.
How many cards make up the flop?
The flop is the first three community cards dealt at once.
Your final poker hand is made of how many cards?
You always make the best five-card hand from your two hole cards plus five community cards.
How many of your two hole cards must you use to form your hand?
You use whichever combination of your seven cards makes the best five, even playing the board.
Which of these is the highest-ranking hand?
A royal flush (A-K-Q-J-10 suited) is the highest possible hand.
Which hand ranks higher, a flush or a straight?
A flush beats a straight because flushes are harder to make.
A full house versus a flush, who wins?
A full house outranks a flush.
Which is stronger, three of a kind or two pair?
Three of a kind ranks above two pair.
Which hand is stronger, a straight or three of a kind?
A straight (five in sequence) beats three of a kind.
What is the best possible starting hand in Hold'em?
Pocket aces is the strongest preflop holding.
Pocket aces against pocket kings preflop is roughly what favorite?
Aces beat kings about 80% of the time preflop.
Why is the button the best position at the table?
The button acts last after the flop, giving the most information each street.
Who acts first before the flop?
The player under the gun, directly left of the big blind, acts first preflop.
On the flop, turn, and river, who is first to act among the blinds?
Postflop, action starts with the small blind (the first remaining player left of the button).
What is a continuation bet (c-bet)?
A c-bet is when the preflop aggressor continues betting on the flop.
The pot is $100 and your opponent bets $50. What pot odds are you being offered to call?
You risk $50 to win the $150 already in the pot, which is 3:1.
You have a flush draw on the flop (about 35% to hit by the river) and are getting 3:1 pot odds (needing ~25% equity). Should you call?
At 3:1 you need ~25% equity and a flush draw has ~35%, so calling is profitable.
How many outs does a flush draw have (four to a suit)?
There are 13 cards of each suit; with four seen, 9 remain to complete the flush.
How many outs does an open-ended straight draw have?
Either end completes the straight, and each end has four cards, so 8 outs.
How many outs does a gutshot (inside) straight draw have?
Only one rank fills a gutshot, and there are four cards of that rank.
Using the rule of 4, how do you estimate your equity from outs on the flop with two cards to come?
On the flop, multiplying your outs by about 4 approximates your chance to hit by the river.
What is the most common mistake new Hold'em players make?
Playing too loose, entering pots with weak hands, is the classic beginner leak.
How should your starting range change as you move to late position?
Acting later lets you profitably open a wider range on the button and cutoff.
The turn is which community card?
The turn is the fourth community card, dealt after the flop.
The river is which community card?
The river is the fifth and last community card.
A standard preflop opening raise is typically about how large?
A typical open is around 2 to 3 big blinds.
You hold A and K of spades. The board is Q-J-10 of spades, plus 4 of hearts and 2 of clubs. What is your best hand?
A-K-Q-J-10 all in spades is a royal flush, the best possible hand.
Review — all 28 questions & answers tap to expand
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How many private (hole) cards does each player receive in Texas Hold'em?
Answer 2
Each player is dealt exactly two hole cards face down.
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How many community cards are on the board by the river?
Answer 5
Three on the flop, one on the turn, and one on the river make five community cards.
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How many cards make up the flop?
Answer 3
The flop is the first three community cards dealt at once.
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Your final poker hand is made of how many cards?
Answer 5
You always make the best five-card hand from your two hole cards plus five community cards.
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How many of your two hole cards must you use to form your hand?
Answer Any number, including zero, whatever makes the best five
You use whichever combination of your seven cards makes the best five, even playing the board.
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Which of these is the highest-ranking hand?
Answer Royal flush
A royal flush (A-K-Q-J-10 suited) is the highest possible hand.
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Which hand ranks higher, a flush or a straight?
Answer Flush
A flush beats a straight because flushes are harder to make.
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A full house versus a flush, who wins?
Answer Full house
A full house outranks a flush.
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Which is stronger, three of a kind or two pair?
Answer Three of a kind
Three of a kind ranks above two pair.
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Which hand is stronger, a straight or three of a kind?
Answer Straight
A straight (five in sequence) beats three of a kind.
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What is the best possible starting hand in Hold'em?
Answer Pocket aces
Pocket aces is the strongest preflop holding.
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Pocket aces against pocket kings preflop is roughly what favorite?
Answer 80%
Aces beat kings about 80% of the time preflop.
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Why is the button the best position at the table?
Answer You act last on every postflop street
The button acts last after the flop, giving the most information each street.
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Who acts first before the flop?
Answer Under the gun (left of the big blind)
The player under the gun, directly left of the big blind, acts first preflop.
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On the flop, turn, and river, who is first to act among the blinds?
Answer The small blind
Postflop, action starts with the small blind (the first remaining player left of the button).
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What is a continuation bet (c-bet)?
Answer A bet by the preflop raiser on the flop
A c-bet is when the preflop aggressor continues betting on the flop.
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The pot is $100 and your opponent bets $50. What pot odds are you being offered to call?
Answer 3:1
You risk $50 to win the $150 already in the pot, which is 3:1.
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You have a flush draw on the flop (about 35% to hit by the river) and are getting 3:1 pot odds (needing ~25% equity). Should you call?
Answer Yes, your equity beats the price
At 3:1 you need ~25% equity and a flush draw has ~35%, so calling is profitable.
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How many outs does a flush draw have (four to a suit)?
Answer 9
There are 13 cards of each suit; with four seen, 9 remain to complete the flush.
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How many outs does an open-ended straight draw have?
Answer 8
Either end completes the straight, and each end has four cards, so 8 outs.
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How many outs does a gutshot (inside) straight draw have?
Answer 4
Only one rank fills a gutshot, and there are four cards of that rank.
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Using the rule of 4, how do you estimate your equity from outs on the flop with two cards to come?
Answer Multiply outs by 4
On the flop, multiplying your outs by about 4 approximates your chance to hit by the river.
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What is the most common mistake new Hold'em players make?
Answer Playing too many weak hands
Playing too loose, entering pots with weak hands, is the classic beginner leak.
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How should your starting range change as you move to late position?
Answer Open a wider range of hands
Acting later lets you profitably open a wider range on the button and cutoff.
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The turn is which community card?
Answer The fourth
The turn is the fourth community card, dealt after the flop.
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The river is which community card?
Answer The fifth and final
The river is the fifth and last community card.
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A standard preflop opening raise is typically about how large?
Answer 2 to 3 big blinds
A typical open is around 2 to 3 big blinds.
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You hold A and K of spades. The board is Q-J-10 of spades, plus 4 of hearts and 2 of clubs. What is your best hand?
Answer A royal flush
A-K-Q-J-10 all in spades is a royal flush, the best possible hand.