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Poker has grown in popularity over the past few
years. So much so that it is now a regularly televised event on
many cable, satelite and terrestrial stations.
The popularity of Poker, and especially Texas Hold'em, stems from
the fact that Poker is so easy to learn. Beginners can comfortably
start playing Poker within minutes. But dont forget, there is a
significant amount of skill to be learned over years of play.
The Shuffle, The Deal and The Blinds
The dealer shuffles a standard 52-card deck.
In casinos, the dealer never plays. A round disc, known as a
'dealer button', moves clockwise from player to
player with each hand. The button marks which player would be the
dealer if the deal were advanced from player to player as the game
went along.
Most Texas Hold 'Em Poker games start with the two players to
the left of the dealer (the button) putting a predetermined amount
of money into the pot before any cards are dealt, ensuring that
there is something to play for on every hand.
This is called 'posting the blinds'. Most
often, the first blind, the player to the left of the dealer, puts
up half the minimum bet, and the second blind puts up the full
minimum bet.
Each player is dealt 2 cards, face down.
Betting Begins
A round of betting takes place, beginning with the player to the
left of the two who posted the blinds. Players can call, raise, or
fold when it's their turn to bet.
The Flop
After the first betting round, the dealer discards the top card
of the deck. This is called burning the card and
is done to ensure that no one accidentally saw the top card, and to
help prevent cheating.
The dealer then flips the next three cards face up on the table.
These cards are called the 'flop.'
Eventually, a total of five community cards will be placed face
up on the table. Players can use any combination of the community
cards and their own two cards to form the best possible five-card
Poker hand.
After the flop, another round of betting takes place, beginning
with the player to the left of the dealer (the button). During this
and all future rounds of betting, players can check, call, raise,
or fold when it's their turn to bet.
Fourth Street
The dealer burns another card and plays one more face up onto
the table. This, the fourth community card, is called the 'turn' or
'Fourth Street.'
The player to the left of the dealer (the button) begins the
third round of betting.
Fifth Street
The dealer burns another card before placing the final face-up
card on the table. This card is called the 'river' or 'Fifth
Street.'
Final Betting and The Winner
Players can now use any combination of seven cards -- the five
community cards and the two cards known only to them -- to form the
best possible five-card Poker hand.
The fourth and final round of betting starts with the player to
the left of the dealer (the button).
After the final betting round, all players who remain in the
game reveal their hands. The player who made the inital bet or the
player who made the last raise shows their hand first.
The player with the best hand wins.
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A common mistake a new poker player may make is to over bluff. The difference between the bluff and the semi bluff is, when bluffing you usually do not have a winning hand. The semi bluff is used when you have a hand that could win depending on the next card drawn. 
