Texas Holdem is played by between 2 and 10 players at a table. Each player receives 2 cards face down, known as "hole cards". There are five cards displayed across the center of the table, known as "board" or "community cards". Players combine their hole cards and the community cards to make the best five card hand possible. The best hand wins.

Bet Sizes:
In texas holdem, there are four betting rounds. The sizes of the bets are fixed, and clearly marked by the casino or card room. The first round of betting takes place using "small bets", the second two rounds take place using "big bets".

In a $2/$4 limit game, the first two rounds of betting are done in increments of $2. A player may bet $2, or raise/reraise in $2 increments. On the second two betting rounds, players bet, raise, or reraise in $4 increments.

Game Play:
One player is (or is designated as) the dealer. Instead of antes, texas holdem uses "blind bets" to insure there are chips to be won in every pot. The player to the immediate left of the dealer places a 1/2 of a small bet, known as the small blind. The player to his left places a small bet, known as the "big blind".

These bets are called blind bets because players make them without ever having seen their cards. When the table has odd limits, like $3/$6, the small blind is the slightly less than half. In this case the blinds are $1 and $3. At a $5/$10 table, the blinds would be $2 and $5.

After the blinds are posted, cards are dealt beginning with the player in the small blind. Each player receives 2 cards, face down. The first round of betting begins.

On this first round of betting, the player to the left of the big blind acts first. He must match the bet before him, known as "calling" a bet. Or, he can choose to leave the hand by "folding" his cards. Or, increase the bet by "raising".

The play continues around the table with betting, calling, folding or raising until all player have contributed to the pot equally. Once everyone has invested the same amount into the pot, the next card(s) are dealt.

After the initial betting round, the "flop" is dealt. The dealer first "burns" a card (deals it face down into the "muck" or pile of discarded cards). Then deals three cards face up in the center of the table.

Round Two of betting takes place, beginning with the player to the left of the dealer. Since there are no bets already in place, the players have the option of "chcking" which means "I don't want to fold, but I don't want to bet either". The betting round continues as players check, bet, raise, or fold. Once everyone has contributed to the pot equally, the betting round ends.

The dealer then burns a card, and deals another, the fourth card face up in the center. This card is known as "fourth street" or more commonly as "the turn card". Another round of betting takes place. This round of betting uses the big bet size.

After the betting round concludes, the dealer burns a card, and deals the fifth, and final card face up in the center of the table. This card is known as "the river".

The final round of betting takes place, using the big bet size.

After this final round of betting, players show their hole cards. The player with the best five card hand wins at what is called the "showdown".

The dealer position moves one spot to the left, and the next hand begins.