History

While the exact origins of Texas Hold'em are not well-documented, the game is believed to have evolved from earlier poker variations played in the United States during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It likely originated in Texas, which is how it got the name "Texas Hold'em."

Robstown, Texas, is often credited as the birthplace of Texas Hold'em. The game is said to have been played there in the early 1900s. In the beginning, it was a game primarily played among friends and in small gatherings.

In the 1960s, Texas Hold'em gained popularity in Las Vegas casinos. The game was introduced by a group of Texan poker players, including Doyle Brunson and Amarillo Slim. They brought the game to the Golden Nugget Casino, where it quickly became a hit.

The WSOP, established in 1970, further contributed to the rise of Texas Hold'em. The introduction of the $10,000 No-Limit Texas Hold'em Main Event as the premier tournament attracted attention from poker players worldwide. The tournament's popularity soared, leading to increased media coverage and the growth of professional poker players.

Rules

Goal: To use your hole cards in combination with the community cards to make the best possible 5-card poker hand.

Hole cards: Each player is dealt 2 cards face down.
Community cards: Over several betting rounds, 5 more cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table.

The 5 community cards are dealt in 3 stages:

The Flop: The 1^st 3 community cards.
The Turn: The 4^th community card.
The River: The 5^th and final community card.

Each player is free to use the community cards in combination with their hole cards to build a 5-card poker hand.

The Blinds

Before every new hand begins, 2 players at the table are obligated to post small and big blinds. The blinds are forced bets that begin the wagering.

1^st Betting Round - Pre-Flop

Starting with the player to the left of the big blind, each player has the option to call (match the big blind), raise (increase the bet), or fold (discard their hand and forfeit the round). Betting continues clockwise until all players have acted.

After the 1^st betting round is complete, three community cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table. This is called the flop.

2^nd Betting Round - Post-Flop

A new betting round begins, starting with the player to the left of the dealer. Players have the option to check (pass the action to the next player), bet, raise, or fold.

After the 2^nd betting round is complete, a 4^th community card is dealt face up beside the flop, called the turn.

3^rd Betting Round - Post-Turn

Another betting round takes place, similar to the previous ones. After the 3^rd betting round, a 5^th community card is dealt face up beside the turn, called the river.

Final Betting Round - Post-River

The last betting round occurs, and players have the opportunity to make their final bets or fold.

Showdown

If there are two or more players remaining after the final betting round, a showdown occurs. Players reveal their hole cards, and the best five-card hand is determined using the player's hole cards and the five community cards. The player with the highest-ranking hand wins the pot.

Pot Distribution

The player with the best hand wins the pot. In the event of a tie, the pot is split equally among the tied players. After the pot is awarded, the dealer button moves to the next player, and a new hand begins.

Hands Ranking

Royal Flush: 5 cards of the same suit, ranked ace through ten
Straight Flush: 5 cards of the same suit and consecutively ranked
Four of a Kind: 4 cards of the same rank
Full House: 3 cards of the same rank and two more cards of the same rank
Flush: any 5 cards of the same suit
Straight: any 5 cards consecutively ranked
Three of a Kind: 3 cards of the same rank
Two Pair: 2 cards of the same rank and two more cards of the same rank
One Pair: 2 cards of the same rank
High Card: 5 unmatched cards

Tips

Although there are tons of media and books can teach us how to calculate probability of the hole cards and the community cards, the rules of thumb is to keep calm.

Mental stability is of the utmost importance facing the unknown coming cards and the opponents. The moment of posting the pots can reflect ones' confidence on their hole cards on hand and this can be the clues for the opponents to judge if they should be aggressive. A good player can pretend to be holding the winning hole cards and end up winning with hopeless combination.