How do you play texas hold em?

Question

How do you play texas hold em?

Answer 1

First, everyone has to ante up - the person to the left of the dealer is the small blind, which means that they have to throw in half of what it costs to ante, even if they don't want to be dealt into that hand.  They have to pay the other half if they want cards. The person two seats to the left of the dealer is the big blind, so they have to ante.  Anyone else can opt not to ante, but they will not be dealt into that round.

Each player who has anted is dealt two cards.  Betting can begin after this; betting starts to the left of the dealer.  The first person can check, which means they want to stay in the game but don't want to bet yet.  If everyone checks, nobody has to bet, but once someone bets, everyone else has to see their bet (i.e. bet as much money as them) to stay in the game, or raise the bet.  When everyone has bet the same amount, and nobody wants to raise, each player must call, meaning they agree not to bet anymore for now.  If a player does not want to see a bet, they have to fold.

Three community cards are laid down; this is known as the flop.  Players can bet again.

One more community card is laid down; players can bet again.

The fifth and final community card (the river) is laid down, and final betting occurs.  The object is to have the best 5-card hand out of your two cards and the five community cards (or to convince everyone else that you have a better hand than them).  The person with the best hand (or the last person remaining, if everyone else folds) wins.

Also, if  you are very confident, or are really good at bluffing, you can go "all in" meaning you bet all the money/chips that you have.  If other players want to keep playing but can't see this bet, they can start side pots.  Simple example: I have $200 in chips and want to go all in; you want to stay in the game but only have $150.  We make a side pot with your chips and $150 of mine, if you win you get the $300 but I get my $50 back, and if I win I get all the money.