How to Play Texas Hold 'Em

What's the latest craze that's sweeping the nation? Amazingly enough, it's the classic poker game, Texas hold 'em. A surprise television success, Texas Hold 'Em tournaments, including the famous World Series of Poker, have enjoyed a substantial surge in popularity over the past few years. Texas Hold 'Em offers excitement, strategy, and head to head competition, so it is little wonder the game is catching on. Of course, dreams of big time competition and the thrill of watching the world's best has contributed to the game's recent popularity. But the fact remains that Texas Hold 'Em is a great way to introduce people to poker. This game is easy to learn, and most players pick it up after a just few hands. Here's a quick look at the rules of this popular game: To start The game begins with the two players to the left of the dealer. These players place a predetermined amount of money on the poker table to create the initial pot. This is known as "posting the blinds" in Texas Hold 'Em lingo. The dealer then shuffles the deck and gives each player two cards, face down. The players view these cards privately and keep them face down.

Betting
The betting begins with the player that is third to the dealer's left. Players check, raise, or fold during this round. After this "pre-flop" stage, the dealer discards the deck's top card, also known as the "burn card." The dealer then puts the next three cards face up on the table. These cards make up what's called "the flop." All players still in the game can use the flop cards in combination with the two cards they have to form a hand.

Next, another round of betting begins, starting with the player to the dealer's left. The dealer throws away the top card again and flips one card face up on the poker table. Players are allowed to use this card to make a five-card hand.

Another round begins and the dealer burns the next card on top and the final card is then dealt, face up, on the table. Players use the five communal cards and the two they were dealt to make their best five-card hand.

Winning
Following the final round, all remaining players show their hands. The player with the best hand wins the pot.

Texas Hold 'Em is an exhilarating game that can change at any moment. It doesn't take long for players to become familiar with this variety of poker and enjoy it thoroughly. It's a great game for both beginners and old hats alike, which suggests this classic poker game is here to stay.