Here's
how Texas Holdem
is played:

Typically,
players sit
around a poker
table; a dealer
is marked with
a small “D”.
Action is always
initiated by
the dealer and
continues in
clock like manner.

When
playing Texas
Holdem, before
cards are dealt,
the first two
players to the
left of the
dealer are required
to post blind
bets. Small
Blind (SB) and
Big Blind (BB)
are forced bets
and used to
stimulate some
action and get
the game going.
The small blind
(to the dealers
left) places
a bet equal
to half the
smallest structured
bet, and the
big blind (to
the small blinds
left) places
a bet equal
to the smallest
structured bet.

Each
Texas Holdem
player is then
dealt two cards
face down, with
the player on
the small blind
receiving the
first card and
the player with
the dealer button
receiving the
last card. These
cards are typically
called “pocket
cards”.

The
first betting
round begins
with the player
to the left
of the big blind.
Each player
has the following
options:
Once again,
betting continues
in a clockwise
manner .
After
the first round
of betting is
complete 3 cards
are dealt and
turned face up
in the middle
of the table.
This is known
as the “flop.”
These are community
cards used by
the players. Another
betting round
begins with the
first active player
(player still
left in the game)
to the left of
the dealer button.

When
the betting
round after
the flop is
completed, a
fourth card
is tuned face
up in the middle
of the table.
This is referred
to as the “turn”.
Once again,
betting begins
with the first
active player
to the left
of the dealer
button

Following
the betting
round for the
turn, the fifth
and final card
is turned face
up in the middle
of the table.
This is referred
to as the “River”
and the final
betting round
begins with
the first player
to the left
of the dealer
button.

Once
the final betting
round is complete
the remaining
players must
show their cards
to see who wins
the pot. To
determine the
winner, the
players may
use any combination
of their two
hole cards (either
one or both)
and the five
cards on the
table to form
the highest
cards on the
board. (Click
here for hand
rankings).