The aim of the game is to make the best possible 5 card poker hand using any combination of your two cards and the five community cards. Below is the sequence of play that every game follows.

• Blind Bets
  These bets are placed before any cards are dealt. The small blind is placed by the player to the left of the dealer button and the big blind is posted by the player to the left of the small blind.
   
• Player Cards
  Each player gets two cards face down. There is then a betting round.
   
• The Flop
  Three cards are dealt face up on the table and there is a round of betting
  
  
• The Turn
  Another card is dealt and another round of betting takes place
  
  
• The River
  The final community card is dealt and the final round of betting takes place
  
  
• The Showdown
  Active players reveal their cards to see who has the highest hand

There are several different limit types when it comes to Texas Hold'em. The games you generally see on TV are No Limit which means you can bet any amount at any time. As a new player you are better going with either Limit or Pot Limit games. Limit games have fixed bet sizes so for example a $1/$2 means that there is a $1 limit for the first two betting rounds and a $2 for the last two. In Pot Limit games you can bet anything from the minimum bet to the size of the pot.
 

• Poker Hand Rankings
  Learn what the various poker hand are and how they rank