Texas holdem

Texas Hold'em (commonly shortened to just Hold'em)is a variant of the card game poker. It is currently the most popular form of poker, and is the form that is most widely used in tournaments, including the main event at the World Series of Poker.

The game is played as follows:

1. An initial round of bets takes place, after which each player receives 2 cards face down (the "hole cards").
2. Another round of betting takes place, then the "flop" is revealed - the first three of the five "community cards" (cards which can be played by any player; however, the player must play them with at least one hole card for a legal hand).
3. Another round of betting ensues, after which the "turn" (the fourth community card) is shown to the players.
4. Another round of betting ensues, after which the "river" (the final community card) is revealed.
5. One final round of betting takes place, after which each player reveals his/her hand, and the player who can construct the highest-ranking hand out of the community cards and their hole cards wins whatever has been bet into the pot. If all but one player folds, the remaining player does not have to show his/her hand.

At any time after the hole cards are dealt, a player may either "fold" (quit that game, but lose whatever is bet) or call "all in" (bet all the player has). If someone "calls" the "all in" bet, no further bets are placed, and the cards are dealt as usual.

Although any two "hole cards" can win, in general certain combinations of hole cards have more chance of success and it is advisable to be selective in which hands one chooses to play.