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In holdem, the first step is to get the card game started, and for this the players put out a specific amount of money. ‘Posting the blinds’ is the commonly used term for this play. In the next step, the croupier shuffles the cards and deals out two cards face down to all players. A normal deck of fifty two cards is used. Then there is the initial round of betting. This sequence is often referred to as a "pre-flop".

Following the first wagering round, the first card is discarded. This discarded card is called the "burn card", and this is done to make sure that there is no cheating. The next 3 cards are then flipped face up on the poker table. These cards are referred to as ‘the flop’. Now comes a second round of betting, after which the croupier burns a further card and flips one more card onto the poker table. After this, competitors can use the 6th card to form a 5card poker hand.

A further sequence of betting follows, and in a good many styles of poker, here is where the wager amount doubles. There is an additional round of throwing away a card, and a final placing of a card face-up on the poker table. This is referred to as the "river". Competitors can now utilize any of the five cards on the table, or the 2 cards in their pocket, to form a 5card poker hand.

To finish it up there is an additional round of betting. Then, all the remaining players begin to reveal their hands. This is known as the "showdown". Obviously, the competitor who shows the highest hand is the winner. When players have even hands a sharing of the pot is used.

Texas hold’em is a simple game to understand, but to acquire knowledge it requires a lot of studying.