Texas Hold'em is the most played poker variation in the world, with huge popularity amongst players online and in the casinos.
Texas Hold'em poker can be played online, but it's vital that players find the most fulfilling and secure websites to play. Not all Hold'em poker sites are designed equal.
A "button" is placed on the table to mark the place of the dealer. This button moves clockwise through the players after every hand.
To begin a game of Texas Hold'em poker, the player to the left of the dealer lays down "the small blind", which is typically a bet of half the limit amount set for the game. The player to his left then lays down "the big blind", to match the limit amount.
The Texas Hold'em players are then dealt two cards, face down on the table. At this point, and starting with the player to the left of "the big blind", players have the option to fold, check, bet, call or raise.
To fold means to hand over your cards and give up your interest in the pot. To check is to pass the betting to the next player on your left. To bet is up the ante, and to call is match the previous players' bet and to raise is to increase their bet.
At any point in the game, if all other players fold and one player remains, that player takes the pot.
Providing all bets are matched, those still in the hand move onto the next deal.
Next comes the flop, where three cards are dealt face up on the table. These cards are for all players to draw on, with the aim to compose the strongest hand possible using a mixture of your personal cards and those open to the community. Once dealt, another round of betting ensues, until a point where all bets are matched.
In the "no-limits" version of the game, players can bet as much as they like, and even choose to go "all-in" if are they are so inclined.
Two more community cards follow, known to Texas Hold'em players as "the turn" and "the river". As long as there remains more than one player who hasn't folded, betting takes place after both of these deals. Should the hand go the river, and a "showdown", the remaining players reveal their best hand.
These hands must consist of five cards, drawn from a combination of the community cards and the two dealt blind. The best hand wins the pot.
Texas Hold'em poker was first played in Texas, in the early 1900s.
It was introduced to the Las Vegas casinos in 1967 and would take its place in the World Series of Poker when it was launched in 1970.
From there, the game's popularity skyrocketed. Televised tournaments, the growth of online Hold'em poker and the depiction of Texas Hold'Em in countless TV shows and iconic movies have helped make it the most popular form of the game in the world.
Playing Hold'em poker online is an affordable and accessible option for keen players all over the world.
The best Hold'em poker sites allow players to gamble anonymously in a secure environment, without any of the additional concerns that accompany visiting a casino.
Online Hold'em poker gives players the chance to win Hold'em real money – with pots of all sizes to suit a wide variety of players online.
If you're a lover of Texas Hold'em, real money is out there to be won online. The most important aspect is carefully selecting the right Texas Hold'em site for you.
