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Texas Hold 'Em is the version of Poker played in many casinos,
and seen on the Travel
Channel's World Poker Tour and ESPN's
World Series of Poker. These are the basic rules for Texas
Hold 'Em Poker.
The dealer shuffles a standard 52-card deck.
A round disc -- known as a "dealer button" -- moves
clockwise from player to player with each hand. The button
marks which player would be the dealer if the deal were advanced
from player to player as the game went along.)
Most Texas Hold 'Em Poker games start with the two players
to the left of the dealer (the button) putting a predetermined
amount of money into the pot before any cards are dealt, ensuring
that there's something to play for on every hand. This is
called "posting the blinds." Most often, the "first
blind" -- the player to the left of the dealer -- puts
up half the minimum bet, and the "second blind"
puts up the full minimum bet.
Each player is dealt two cards, face down.
A round of betting takes place, beginning with the player
to the left of the two who posted the blinds. Players can
call, raise, or fold when it's their turn to bet.
After the first betting round, the dealer discards the top
card of the deck. This is called burning the card and is done
to ensure that no one accidentally saw the top card, and to
help prevent cheating.
The dealer then flips the next three cards face up on the
table. These cards are called the "flop."
NOTE: Eventually, a total of five community cards will be
placed face up on the table. Players can use any combination
of the community cards and their own two cards to form the
best possible five-card Poker hand.
After the flop, another round of betting takes place, beginning
with the player to the left of the dealer (the button). During
this and all future rounds of betting, players can check,
call, raise, or fold when it's their turn to bet.
The dealer burns another card and plays one more face up
onto the table. This, the fourth community card, is called
the "turn card."
The player to the left of the dealer (the button) begins
the third round of betting.
The dealer burns another card before placing the final face-up
card on the table. This card is called the "river."
Players can now use any combination of seven cards -- the
five community cards and the two cards known only to them
-- to form the best possible five-card Poker hand.
The fourth and final round of betting starts with the player
to the left of the dealer (the button).
After the final betting round, all players who remain in
the game reveal their hands. The player who made the inital
bet or the player who made the last raise shows their hand
first.
The player with the best hand wins.
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