Texas Holdem is a fun game to play at any level. You can play with you friends, business partners, online, or with complete strangers at the casino. Below, we have given you a description on how the structure of the game is laid out. This is important to know, but will not make you a great player. To learn how to be a great player, check out our poker strategy section.

How to Play Texas Holdem
The game is started with the 2 players sitting to the left of the dealer putting their blinds into the pot before any cards are dealt.  This is done to make sure
betting will take place.  The first player puts in half of the minimum bet (Small Blind), and the second player puts in the full minimum bet (Big Blind).

Each player is then dealt 2 cards face down, also known as your hole cards.  Then the betting begins, it starts with the first player to the left of the blinds, the player can fold, call, or raise.  It then goes clockwise around the table until every player has made their action.

Then the flop is laid out, this is 3 community cards face up on the table. Betting then takes place with the first person to the left of the dealer and
proceeds clockwise again.  Players now have the option to check, bet, call, raise, or fold.  Checking is similar to passing on ones turn, by checking it allows you to decide what to do after others act.

Then the dealer turns over another card face up on the table.  This is called Fourth Street, also known as the turn.  Another round of betting takes place, just as it did after the flop.

That is followed of Fifth Street, also know as the river.  The dealer turns over one final card face up.  Now is the time for a final round of betting and then
the decision of the winner.  Each player now has seven cards (2 in the hole, and 5 community face up), players use them to make their best 5 card poker hand to beat all the others.