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How many cards do you get in poker?
Updated November 2026
In Texas Hold'em you get two cards of your own and share five more with everyone at the table. Other games deal different numbers: four in Omaha, seven in stud and five in five-card draw. A standard deck has 52 cards and no jokers.
| Game | Yours | Shared | You use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Hold'em | 2 | 5 | Any 5 of 7 |
| Omaha | 4 | 5 | 2 of yours, 3 shared |
| Seven-card stud | 7 | None | Any 5 of 7 |
| Five-card draw | 5 | None | All 5 |
| Short deck | 2 | 5, from 36 cards | Any 5 of 7 |
How many cards are in a poker deck?
Fifty-two: thirteen ranks in each of four suits. Poker doesn't use jokers, apart from a few home games where a joker is wild.
Short deck is the main exception. It takes out the 2s through 5s and plays with 36 cards.
One deck
How does the deal work in Hold'em?
Each player gets two face-down cards, dealt one at a time starting left of the dealer button. The five shared cards come out in three stages: three on the flop, one on the turn and one on the river.
The dealer also takes the top card off the deck and sets it aside before each of those stages. That's a burn card, and it's there so nobody can profit from a marked card.
Off the deck, nine players
How many players can one deck handle?
In Hold'em, far more than fit at a table. With 5 on the board and 3 burned, 44 cards are left, which is enough for 22 players. Tables seat nine or ten because that's how many people fit and how many hands you can get through in an hour.
What about seven-card stud?
In stud each player gets seven of their own cards, three face down and four face up. With eight players that would be 56 cards, more than the deck has. If it gets that far, the dealer puts one last card in the middle and everybody shares it.
Eight players in stud
How many of your cards do you actually use?
- Hold'emAny five of your seven. You can use both of your cards, one of them or none.
- OmahaExactly two of your four, and exactly three from the board.
- Five-card drawAll five. You swap the ones you don't want.
Do you know how many?
Twelve spots in three rounds.
Questions players ask
How many cards does each player get in Texas Hold'em?
Two.
How many cards are on the table in Texas Hold'em?
Five, by the river.
Are jokers used in poker?
Not in standard games. Some home games use them as wild cards.
Hosting a game with friends who keep asking?
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