How to Play

Texas Holdem is a 7 card game where five cards are community cards dealt face up and shared by all players. Each player is dealt two cards face down ("hole cards"). There are 4 betting rounds as follows:

• After the 2 hole cards are dealt
• After the first 3 community cards are dealt (called the "flop")
• After the 4th community card is dealt (called the "turn")
• After the 5th community card is dealt (called the "river")

Betting on each round begins with the player to the left of the blind bets and continues clockwise around the table. Players may bet, check, raise, or fold in turn. Each bet or raise must be as large as the big blind. In no-limit, the bet can be up to the amount of chips that player has in front of him or her (called "all in").

Players take turns dealing, or if there is a dedicated dealer, then a button is used to mark which player is sitting at the dealer's spot. Prior to the deal, the two players to the left of the button place live bets called the small and large blinds. It's called blind because it's made prior to seeing any cards. It's called live because it counts as part of any further bets in the first betting round.

The play begins with two cards dealt face-down to each player (the "hole" cards) and the first round of betting occurs. Then three community cards are dealt face up (the "flop") in the center of the table and another betting round takes place beginning with the player to the left of the dealer button. Then another card is dealt face up (the "turn") followed by a round of betting. The fifth and last card is dealt face up (the "river") and a final round of betting takes place. Players remaining in the hand will then show their cards and the winning poker hand will be awarded the pot. Any combination of hole cards and community cards may be used to make the best five-card poker hand - BUT only the best 5 cards can be used.