So you want to learn how to play Texas Hold'em? Are you totally confused trying to follow the action on TV? Texas Hold'em can be a complete mystery to the casual observer, but it's really not all that tough. Anybody can pick up the basics of the game in just a few minutes. There are really only a couple of things you need to remember to play the game or understand what's happening when you watch it on TV. Once you understand how the flow of the game works you'll ask yourself why you didn't get it before.
The first, and most confusing thing for most new players, is who the dealer is. The person you see dealing out the cards, while called the dealer, is not the dealer for purposes of game play. The dealer position rotates around the table one position at a time to the left. This is important because it changes every player's betting position with every hand. The person that has to bet first in one hand will have the luxury of betting last in the next. Seeing what everyone else does before you have to commit any money to the pot is a definite advantage.
Moving the dealer position also changes the way the blinds are posted. What's a blind? A blind is a predetermined bet that two players must place into the pot before any cards are dealt. Betting without seeing any cards is why they are called blinds. There are two blinds posted for each hand. The small blind is posted by the player to the immediate left of the designated dealer. The large blind, which is twice the size of the small blind, is posted by the player to the left of the small blind. The blinds guarantee that there will be some money in the pot before the hand starts. In some cases a small ante is also placed by each player at the table.
The cards are then dealt. First, two cards are dealt to each player, face down, and are only used by that player. After checking your "hole" cards the first round of betting takes place. The bets, in no-limit, can be as large as you want, but can't be smaller than the big blind. The betting continues, through raises and calls, until everyone that wants to play has the same amount in the pot.
All the rest of the cards are dealt face up in the center of the table. First three cards are dealt and another round of betting takes place. The cards that are dealt face up are shared by everyone at the table, combined with their hole cards, in order to make the best hand of five cards. One more shared card is dealt to the center of the table followed by a round of betting, another card and a final round of betting. When it's all done there are five shared cards in the middle of the table.
After the final bets are placed the cards are turned up and the best hand of five cards wins the pot. This is a very simple overview of Texas Hold'em and covers the mechanics of how the game is played, but to really learn how to play Texas Hold'em you need to understand the psychology and strategies of the game. Texas Hold'em can be as complex to play as chess. This is not a game of chance, it's a game of skill and attitude. As the saying goes "it takes a minute to learn and a lifetime to master".