Introduction: How to Play Texas Hold'em

Texas Hold'em is a 5 card poker game where players make wagers on the confidence in their hand's chances of winning.  This type of poker uses 5 community cards that all players can use and 2 hole cards that are face down.  Like any poker game the styles and strategies of play can get very complex and take years of dedicated play to learn.    In this Instructable you will learn the game-play of Texas Hold'em.  This will not cover the strategies of winning because they are very in depth and can only truly be taught and mastered though experience.   

Step 1: Set Up

To play Texas Hold'em you will need a deck cards, poker chips, and a table.  The deck of cards that is used in Texas Hold'em is a standard deck of 52 playing cards, that can be found almost anywhere.  Poker chips come in many varieties and colors that can be set to represent different values.  The last thing you will need to play Texas Hold'em is a poker table.  It is possible to play on other surfaces but a poker table is ideal because the cards slide nicely on the felt and the raised edge makes sure nothing will fall off the table.  All players should take a seat and be give the same amount of chips.  All house rules should be discussed such as blinds, antes, and chip values.  

Step 2: Blinds

Typically Texas Hold'em is played with a big and a small blind.  The small blind is half of the big blind.  The small blind is the player to the left of the dealer.  The big blind is the player to the left of the small blind.  The big blind is the starting bet for every hand.

Step 3: Deal Hole Cards

The dealer will deal one card face down to the player to his/her left and continue clock-wise until all players have two cards face down in front of them. These cards are called the hole cards. Now that all the players have cards the first betting process begins.  

Step 4: The Betting Process

The bet starts with the player after the big blind.  Betting moves clock-wise.  The first player has three options, he/she can call the bet set by the big blind, raise, or fold.  The act  of calling means you put out the equal amount of chips in the pot as the previous bet.  Raising the bet means that you put in more chips in the pot than the previous bet.  The amount of the raise becomes the new stake for the rest of the player that they must match before continuing.  Folding means that you give up your chance of winning and turn in your cards to the dealer.   Once all player have either folded or called the acting bet the play continues.   

Step 5: Deal the Flop

The next stage of Texas Hold'em is call the Flop.  The Flop is the first three community cards that are placed face up in the center of the table.  After this another round of betting begins. Repeat Step 4.

Step 6: The Turn

After that round of betting is complete the next community card is turned over, it is called the Turn.  Another round of betting beings. Repeat step 4.

Step 7: The River

After that round of betting the last community card is place face up and it is called the River.  The last round of betting begins.  Repeat Step 4.

Step 8: Completing the Hand

At the completion of the final round of betting players that have not folded show their hand and the player with the best 5 card combinations wins the pot.  

Step 9: Further Play

After the and is complete the dealer moves to the left and play beings again.  Play continues until one player has all the chips in play.