Texas Hold'em
Just like they play on the teevee.
Also known simply as Hold'em, archaically as Hold Me Darling, and epithetically as the Cadillac of Poker, Hold'em has been played in Las Vegas since 1963 (1).
Forced Money
The game is played with a button and blinds.
Dealing Procedure
Each player is dealt two cards face down, followed by a round of betting at the small bet limit.
Three community cards are placed face up. This is followed by a round of betting at the small bet limit.
One additional community card is placed face up. This is followed by a round of betting at the big bet limit.
One additional community card is placed face up. This is followed by a round of betting at the big bet limit. This is followed by a showdown.
Evaluating the Showdown
The best high five-card hand wins the pot. Hands are made using zero, one, or two cards cards from each player’s hand and up to three cards from the board.
Notes
No-limit Hold’em is currently the most popular game, both for tournaments and cash games. Limit Hold’em used to be the most popular cash game. This game is occasionally spread in a pot-limit format.
References
(1): Bars Test Laws on Gambling With Moneyless Poker Games, The New York Times, February 22, 2005.