Home > Poker Games > Texas Holdem Basics

Texas Hold'em, also called Hold'em or Holdem, is the most popular poker game variant played in online poker rooms and at casino poker rooms. Holdem uses community cards, cards that can be used by all players, which opens up the game for strategic analysis, whereby everything from the position you are seated to mathematical analysis are used as tools to win the game.

The basic pattern of play (See diagram below):

Played with two to ten players.

Players to left of the Dealer, Dealer Button, post the big blind and small blind, forced bets by each player.

Each player is then dealt two cards face down, these are the Pocket or Hole cards.
A "pre-flop" round of betting occurs starting with the player to the left of the Big-Blind, this position is often called "Under the Gun".

After this round of betting, the first, the "Flop" is dealt, three community cards face up.
Another betting rounds occurs, the second.

The "Turn" is dealt, a single community card.
Another betting round occurs, the third.

The "River" is dealt, a single community card.
Another betting round occurs, the fourth.

The "Showdown" occurs.

All players use three of the five community cards together with two of their pocket cards to make the best five-card poker hand.

There are many books written on the strategy of Holdem, although it is thought of as an easy game to understand and start playing. Indeed Holdem is often quoted as "it takes minutes to learn and a lifetime to master".

Holdem has been played for centuries but really became the number one poker game due to online poker and Holdem's exposure on TV. No-Limit Holdem is used at the WSOP to decide the world champion, at the main event. It is also used at all of the other major poker tournaments such as the WPT and EPT.

Texas Holdem

Texas Holdem betting structures:
Limit Texas Holdem
No Limit Texas Holdem
Pot Limit Texas Holdem

Where can I play Texas Holdem?

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