Texas Hold 'Em is the adaptation 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 essential rules
for Texas Hold 'Em Poker.
The dealer shuffles a standard 52-card deck.
Most Texas Hold 'Em Poker games start with the two players to the left
of the dealer putting a prearranged amount of money into the pot before
any cards are dealt, making certain 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.
