Texas Holdem

In the world of poker none is more popular than the game of Texas holdem or Texas hold'em. This game has been gaining popularity as the years have gone by. With televised games and online casinos the exposure has increased. The influx of players these days is greater than ever before.

What is Texas holdem? Unlike stud and draw variants of poker where players have separate individual hands, in Texas holdem each player can use a combination of five community cards and their own two cards to complete a poker hand. In short this variant of poker is a community card game.

There are two yearly televised events which have brought even more exposure and players to texas holdém; they are "World Poker Tour (WPT)" and "World Series of Poker (WSOP)".

The reason for this variant of poker to become so popular is its simplicity. This game appeals to people from all walks of life but those with an analytical bend of mind will relish it even more. Texas holdem requires players to make mathematical analysis which is not the case for some of the other card games. This game stimulates the players thinking and makes a sharp mind sharper.

The prize money in a game of Texas holdem comes from all players. The money collected is called the pot. A series of hands or deals completes a game at the end of which the pot is given to one or more players. A game ends with a showdown when all the players compare their hands or when all the players but one has thrown in their cards or folds. The pot is claimed by the player with the best hand or the one who did not fold. If there is tie then two players will share the pot.