How to Play Poker

Play begins by dealing two cards face down to each player; these are known as "hole cards" or "pocket cards".
This is followed by a round of betting.
Most hold'em games get the betting started with one or two "blind bets" to the left of the dealer.

These are forced bets which must be made before seeing one's cards.

Play proceeds clockwise from the blinds, with each player free to fold, call the blind bet, or raise.
Usually the blinds are "live", meaning that they may raise themselves when the action gets back around to them.
Now three cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table; this is called the "flop".

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A round of betting ensues, with action starting on the first blind, immediately to the dealers left.
Another card is dealt face up (the "turn"), followed by another round of betting, again beginning to the dealer's left.

Then the final card (the "river") is dealt followed by the final round of betting.
In a structured-limit game, the bets on the turn and river are usually double the size of those before and on the flop.
The player then tries to make the best five-card hand using the his two down cards and the community cards (the cards at the center of the table).