Texas hold 'em (also known as Texas holdem, hold 'em, and holdem) is a variation of the card game of poker. Two cards, known as the hole cards, are dealt face down to each player, and then five community cards are dealt face up in three stages. The stages consist of a series of three cards ("the flop"), later an additional single card ("the turn" or "fourth street"), and a final card ("the river" or "fifth street"). Each player seeks the best five card poker hand from any combination of the seven cards of the five community cards and their own two hole cards. (If a player's best five-card poker hand consists only of the five community cards and none of the player's hole cards, it is called "playing the board".

Although little is known about the invention of Texas hold 'em, the Texas Legislature officially recognizes Robstown, Texas, as the game's birthplace, dating it to the early 1900's.

Texas hold 'em is now one of the most popular forms of poker. Texas hold 'em's popularity surged in the 2000's due to exposure on television, the Internet and popular literature. During this time hold 'em replaced seven-card stud as the most common game in U.S. casinos. The no-limit betting form is used in the widely televised main event of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and the World Poker Tour (WPT).

More Info: en.m.wikipedia.org