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Texas Holdem Poker

Texas Holdem poker is the most popular and most widely played poker game. It's the game that is played in many poker tournaments such as the World Series of Poker. The dealer is not involved in this game; instead the players play against each other and the role of the dealer is rotated round the table by being assigned a button. Each player receives two cards with 5 common cards in the center of the table - the flop and the whole cards (explained further down in this section). The objective is to make the best 5-card hand possible out of the 7 cards.

Because of the fact that seven cards are dealt, it may be easily confused with seven-card stud at first, but there are major differences between the two beginning with the starting hand. While your decision on your first hand is quite important in Holdem Poker, it's not as critical as in seven-card stud. The decisions you make on the later streets have a bigger impact in your overall success in the game.

Flow of the Game

  1. Once the dealer has been decided for the first round and before any cards are dealt, the player to the left of the button must post a "small blind" (percentage of the minimum bet - usually half) and the second player to left of the button must post a "big blind" (usually equal to the table minimum).


  2. Each player then receives two cards face down and the first round of betting begins.


  3. The player to the left of the button has the option to fold, match the big blind, or raise. This continues around the table in a clockwise direction until all bets are made.


  4. Once the first round of betting is completed, the dealer lays out three cards face up in the middle of the table, called "the flop", and the second round of betting begins.


  5. There are two more betting rounds after each of the last two cards is laid out, called the "fourth street" and "fifth street".


  6. During each betting round, each player has the option to fold, match or raise. Note that many good poker games are played by folding many hands until a good one comes along.


  7. In the end, the player with the highest hand (made up of two of his cards and three of the 5 community cards) wins the pot.


You can enjoy playing Holdem Poker in land-based casinos as well as online. If you're interested in playing online, click on the image at the top, which will take you to Golden Palace Poker, one of the best poker rooms found online. Enjoy!