Texas Hold' em
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Texas hold 'em (also hold'em, holdem) is the most popular of the community card poker games. It is also the most popular poker variant played in most casinos in the United States.[1] Its no-limit betting form is used in the main event of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and the World Poker Tour.

Although it can theoretically be played by up to 22 players (or 23 if burn cards are not used), it is generally played with between 2 and 10 people. It is one of the most positional of all poker variants, since the order of betting is fixed throughout all betting rounds. Hold 'em is commonly played outside of the United States, but seven-card stud, Omaha hold 'em and other games may be more popular than Texas hold 'em in some places.


 Rules
The descriptions below assume a familiarity with the general game play of poker, and with poker hands. For a general introduction to these topics, see poker, poker hands, poker probability, and poker jargon.


 Objective
Like most variants of poker, the objective of Texas hold 'em is to win pots, where a pot is the sum of the money bet by oneself and other players in a hand. A pot is won either at the showdown by forming the best five card poker hand out of the seven cards available, or by betting to cause other players to fold and abandon their claim to the pot.

The objective of winning players is not winning individual pots, but rather making mathematically correct decisions. As a result of making such decisions, winning poker players are able to maximize their expected utility and win more money than they lose in the long run.


 Betting structures
See the article on betting for a detailed explanation of betting in these variations of hold 'em.
A standard hold 'em game with the blinds
Hold 'em is normally played using small and big blind bets. Antes may be used in addition to blinds, particularly in later stages of tournament play. A dealer button is used to represent the player in the dealer position; the dealer button rotates clockwise after each hand, changing the position of the dealer and blinds. The small blind is posted by the player to the left of the dealer and is usually equal to half of the big blind. The big blind, posted by the player to the left of the small blind, is equal to the minimum bet. In tournament poker, the blind/ante structure periodically increases as the tournament progresses. (In some cases, the small blind is some other fraction of a small bet, e.g. $10 is a common small blind when the big blind is $15. The double-blind structure described above is relatively recent; until the 1980s, a single-blind structure was most common.)

When only two players remain, special 'head-to-head' or 'heads up' rules are enforced and the blinds are posted differently than expected. In this case, the dealer posts the small blind, while his/her opponent places the big blind.

The three most common variations of hold 'em are limit hold 'em, no-limit hold 'em and pot-limit hold 'em. Limit hold 'em has historically been the most popular form of hold 'em found in casino live action games in the United States. In limit hold 'em, bets and raises during the first two rounds of betting (pre-flop and flop) must be equal to the big blind; this amount is called the small bet. In the next two rounds of betting (turn and river), bets and raises must be equal to twice the big blind; this amount is called the big bet. No-limit hold 'em is the form most commonly found in televised tournament poker and is the game played in the main event of the World Series of Poker. In no-limit hold 'em, players may bet or raise any amount over the minimum raise up to all of the chips the player has at the table (called an all-in bet). In pot-limit hold 'em, the maximum raise is the current size of the pot.


 Play of the hand
Play begins with each player being dealt two cards face down. These cards are the player's hole or pocket cards. These are the only cards each player will receive individually, and they will only (possibly) be revealed at the showdown, making Texas hold 'em a closed poker game. The hand begins with a "pre-flop" betting round, beginning with the player to the left of the big blind (or the player to the left of the dealer, if no blinds are used) and continuing clockwise.

After the pre-flop betting round, assuming there remain at least two players taking part in the hand, the dealer deals a flop, three face-up community cards. The flop is followed by a second betting round. This and all subsequent betting rounds begin with the player to the dealer's left and continue clockwise.

After the flop betting round ends a single community card (called the turn or fourth street) is dealt, followed by a third betting round. A final single community card (called the river or fifth street) is then dealt, followed by a fourth betting round and the showdown, if necessary.


 The showdown
If a player bets and all other players fold, then the remaining player is awarded the pot and is not required to show his hole cards. If two or more players remain after the final betting round, a showdown occurs. On the showdown, each player plays the best five-card hand he can make from the seven cards comprising his two hole cards and the board (the five community cards). A player may use both of his own two hole cards, only one, or none at all, to form his final five-card hand. If the five community cards form the player's best hand, then the player is said to be playing the board and can only hope to split the pot, since the other player can also use the same five cards to construct the same hand.

If the best hand is shared by more than one player, then the pot is split equally among them, with any extra chips going to the first players after the button in clockwise order. It is common for players to have closely-valued, but not identically ranked hands. Nevertheless, one must be careful in determining the best hand; if the hand involves fewer than five cards, (such as two pair or three of a kind), then kickers are used to settle ties (see the second example below). Note that the card's numerical rank is of sole importance; suit values are irrelevant in Hold'em.

The best possible hand given the five community cards is referred to as the nuts. For example, on a board such as 2-3-7-8-Q, with no more than two cards of any one suit, the nuts is three queens.


 
 Starting hand terminology and notation
Main article: Texas hold 'em hands
There are (52 × 51) ÷ 2 = 1,326 distinct possible combinations of two hole cards from a standard 52-card deck. Because no suit is more powerful than another, many of these can be equated for the analysis of starting-hand strategy. Viewed this way there are only 169 different hole-card combinations. Thirteen of those hands would be pairs, from 2 through Ace. There are 78 ways to have two cards of dissimilar rank (12 possible hands containing an Ace, 11 possible hands containing a King and no Ace, 10 possible hands containing a Queen and no Ace or King, etc.). Hole cards can both be used in a flush if they are suited, but pairs are never suited, so there would be 13 possible pairs, 78 possible suited non-pairs, and 78 possible unsuited non-pairs, for a total of 169 possible hands.[2]


In almost all poker writing, the rank of 10 is abbreviated with the letter "T", so that all the ranks can be written with a single character, unless cards are featured pictorially when "10" is often used. Also, the letter X is often used to denote a card whose rank is irrelevant to the discussion at hand; for example, "AXs" would mean an ace along with another card of the same suit whose rank is unspecified.

Consecutive cards of the same suit are called suited connectors. Many starting hands have colloquial names. See also List of slang names for poker hands.


 Strategy
Doyle Brunson is credited with bringing poker strategy to a wider audience

See Poker strategy for a more detailed discussion of general poker strategy
Most poker authors recommend a tight-aggressive approach to playing Texas hold 'em. This strategy involves playing relatively few hands (tight), but betting and raising often with those that one does play (aggressive).[3] Although this strategy is often recommended, some professional players successfully employ other strategies as well.[3] In his book Super/System, Doyle Brunson described his style of play as slightly looser than the usual pro. Ultimately, Brunson stressed aggression as being the basis of his success spanning over fifty years. While most poker authors focus on playing primarily premium starting hands, some authors claim that the importance of starting hands is overstated.[4]

Almost all authors agree that position is an important element of Texas hold 'em strategy, in particular in no-limit hold'em. Players who act later have more information than players who act earlier. As a result, players typically play fewer hands from early positions than later positions.


 Cash games
The no-limit and fixed limit versions of hold 'em are strategically very different. Doyle Brunson states, "In fact, the games are so different that there are not many players who rank with the best in both types of hold 'em. Many no-limit players have difficulty gearing down for limit, while limit players often lack the courage and 'feel' necessary to excel at no-limit."[5] Because the size of bets are restricted in limit games, the ability to bluff is somewhat curtailed. Since one is not (usually) risking all of one's chips in limit poker, players are sometimes advised to take more chances.[5]

Lower stakes limit games also exhibit different properties than higher stakes games. Small stakes games often involve more players in each hand and can vary from extremely passive (little raising and betting) to extremely aggressive (many raises). The difference of small stakes games have resulted in several books dedicated to only those games.[6]


 Tournaments
Main article: Poker tournament
Traditionally, a poker tournament is played with chips that represent a player's stake in the tournament. Standard play allows all entrants to "buy-in" a fixed amount and all players begin with an identical amount of chips. Play proceeds until one player has accumulated all the chips in play. The money pool from the players "buy-ins" are redistributed to the players in relation to the place they finished in the tournament. Usually only a small percentage of the players receive any money, with the majority receiving nothing. As a result the strategy in poker tournaments can be very different from a cash game

Texas hold 'em is often commonly associated with poker tournaments largely because it is played as the main event in many of the famous tournaments, including the World Series of Poker's Main Event. A vast majority of poker tournaments play No Limit Texas hold'em.[7] Proper strategy in tournaments can vary widely depending in the amount of chips one has, the stage of the tournament, the amount of chips others have, and the playing styles of one's opponents.[3] Although some authors still recommend a tight playing style, some poker authors recommend looser play (playing more hands) in tournaments than one would otherwise play in cash games.[8]


 History
Johnny Moss, Chill Wills, Amarillo Slim, Jack Binion, and Puggy Pearson outside of Binion's Horseshoe in 1974There is no precise information on where or when Texas hold 'em Poker was first played. According to legend, the earliest game played was in Robstown, Texas, in the early 1900s and it first came to Dallas, Texas in 1925.[9] Texas hold 'em was introduced to Las Vegas by a group of Texan gamblers and card players, including Crandall Addington, Doyle Brunson, and Amarillo Slim.[10] The game was later introduced to Europe by bookmakers Terry Rogers and Liam "The Gentleman" Flood.[11]

In 1967, Texas hold 'em was first played at the Golden Nugget Casino in Downtown Las Vegas. For several years this was the only casino in Las Vegas to offer the game. At that time, the Golden Nugget's poker room was "truly a 'sawdust joint,' with... oiled sawdust covering the floors."[12] Because of its location and decor, this poker room did not receive many rich drop in clients. As a result, professional players sought a more prominent location. In 1969, the Las Vegas professionals were invited play Texas hold 'em at the entrance of the Dunes Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. This prominent location, and the relative inexperience of poker players with Texas hold 'em, resulted in a very remunerative game for professional players.[12]

After a disappointing attempt to establish a "Gambling Fraternity Convention", Tom Moore added the first ever poker tournament to the Second Annual Gambling Fraternity Convention held in 1969. This tournament featured several games including Texas hold 'em. In 1970 Benny and Jack Binion acquired the rights to this convention, renamed it the World Series of Poker, and moved it to their casino Binion's Horseshoe Casino, in Las Vegas. After its first year, a journalist, Tom Thackrey, suggested that the main event of this tournament should be no-limit Texas hold 'em. The Binions agreed and ever since no-limit Texas hold 'em has been played as the main event.[12]


 The hold 'em explosion
In the first decade of the 21st century, Texas hold 'em has experienced a surge in popularity in the United States.[1] Many observers attribute this growth to the synergy of two features, the presence of Texas hold 'em as a spectator sport and the invention and growth of online poker.[13][14] Mason Malmuth, a poker publisher, predicts that although the boom has reached its peak in the United States, interest in Europe is continuing to rise.[15]


 Spectator sport
Joe Hachem, winner of 2005 World Series of Poker main eventPrior to becoming widely televised, the movie Rounders starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton gave moviegoers a romantic view of poker as a way of life. Texas hold 'em was the main game played during the movie and the no-limit variety was described, following Doyle Brunson, as the "Cadillac of Poker". There was also a clip of the classic showdown between Johnny Chan and Erik Seidel from the 1988 World Series of Poker incorporated into the film.[16]

Hold 'em first caught the public eye as a spectator sport in the United Kingdom with the Late Night Poker TV show in 1999. The popularity of the show led to lipstick cameras also being used for American poker programs.[17]

Starting in 2003, hold 'em exploded in popularity as a spectator sport in the United States and Canada. This was due to several factors, including the introduction of lipstick cameras that allowed the television audience to see the players' hidden cards. ESPN's coverage of the 2003 World Series of Poker featured the unexpected victory of Internet player Chris Moneymaker, an amateur player who gained admission to the tournament by winning a series of online tournaments. Moneymaker's victory initiated a sudden surge of interest in the WSOP, based on the egalitarian idea that anyone—even a rank novice—can become a world champion.[18]

In 2003, there were 839 entrants in the WSOP Main Event.[19] In 2004, that number tripled.[20] The crowning of the 2004 WSOP champion, Greg "Fossilman" Raymer, a patent attorney from Connecticut whose trademark holographic sunglasses have become legendary, further fueled the popularity of the event among amateur (and particularly internet) players.[21] In the 2005 Main Event, an unprecedented 5,619 entrants vied for a first prize of $7,500,000. The winner, Joe Hachem of Australia, was a semi-professional player.[22] This growth continued in 2006, with 8,773 entrants and a first place prize of $12,000,000 (won by Jamie Gold).[23]

Two additional hold 'em series debuted in 2003, the World Poker Tour and Celebrity Poker Showdown. As of 2006, all three of these shows are still currently in production and garner a large and loyal viewership.

With the ability to edit a tournament that lasts days into just a few hours, ESPN's World Series of Poker focuses on showing how various star players fared in each event. Key hands from throughout the many days of each event are shown, and similar, highly edited coverage of final tables is also provided.

The World Poker Tour does not offer general coverage of the multi-day poker tournaments. Instead, WPT covers only the action at the final table of each event. With aggressive play and increasing blinds and antes, the important action from a single table can easily be edited into a two hour episode. Although the tournament fate of fewer stars are chronicled this way, it allows the drama to build more naturally toward the final heads up showdown.

Although most poker shows on television focus on tournaments, High Stakes Poker shows a high-stakes cash game. In this game professional and amateur players play no limit Texas hold 'em with their own money (the minimum to enter the game is $100,000). This game has allowed spectators to observe differences between cash games and tournaments, and to see how players change their plays.[24]


Main article: Online poker
The ability to play cheaply and anonymously online has been credited as a cause of the increase in popularity of Texas hold 'em.[18] Online poker sites both allow people to try out games, and also provide an avenue for entry into large tournaments (like the World Series of Poker) via smaller tournaments known as satellites. Both the 2003 and 2004 winners of the World Series qualified by playing in these tournaments.

The first online poker site, Planet Poker, was established in 1998. Although several more online poker sites entered the market over the next few years, online poker did not experience substantial growth in popularity until Party Poker began a television advertising campaign in 2003. Although this campaign helped grow interest in online poker, Chris Moneymaker's online qualification and victory at the World Series of Poker in 2003 helped to encourage players to try their luck online.[25] A new law passed in 2006 in the United States is expected to negatively impact online poker substantially,[26] although some dispute the dire prognoses.[27]