Texas Hold'em Poker

The most popular poker variation

Texas Hold ‘Em is a fairly recent poker variant, only having gained a real following since the late 1960s. It has experienced an explosion in popularity in the last decade, however, thanks in part to Chris Moneymaker winning the 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event. Moneymaker was an amateur player, yet he was able to win the most prestigious live Texas Hold ‘Em poker event in the world, taking away millions of dollars in prize money. A story like that was bound to catch the imagination of the American people, and Texas Hold ‘Em quickly picked up in popularity.

If there are just two things that make Texas Hold ‘Em appealing, they would be its simplicity and tension. It is simple in terms of the basic play of the game. Every player is dealt two cards. Three are dealt to the middle of the table after the first round of betting, then a fourth card is dealt after another round of betting, then a fifth card after another round of betting. There is then one final round of betting if at least two players are still left in the pot, and then all remaining players show their hands. Players make up their 5-card poker hand from any combination of their two cards and any of the cards on the table, with the player who has the highest ranked hand winning the pot – as long as they stick around to the showdown.

It is simple to understand this progression of play, but each betting round usually sees some players folding their hands, and losing their stake in the pot. This is where the tension comes in, as each new card dealt to the table changes each players chance of victory and each bet made challenges every player left in the pot, forcing them to make tough decisions. Do you take a chance on the board, and hope you can make a hand? What if the other player holds a pair, and you miss your flush? The constant decision-making and addition of new information with each round gives Texas Hold ‘Em a sense of dramatic tension that just isn't found in most other poker games.

If you are interested in Texas Hold'Em, then you should play it online. The recommended sites in our online poker rooms page all accept poker players from the United States of America, and every one of them features Texas Hold'Em.

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