The object of the game is to form the best five-card hand possible using the player's two cards and the five 'community cards' dealt in the middle of the table. (River) A fifth card is dealt face up in the middle of the table.(Turn) A fourth card is dealt face up in the middle of the table.(Flop) Three cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table.(Pre-flop) Everyone gets two cards (dealt face down).Each hand has four stages, and after each stage there is a round of betting. One player is the dealer (this role rotates clockwise after each hand), and bets are placed in a clockwise order starting with the player on the dealer's left. RulesĮach hand is played with a whole deck. It is also the variant played at the World Series of Poker and on the World Poker Tour. While poker is played in a multitude of variations, Texas Hold'em is the version played most often at casinos and is the most popular among the 'community cards' variants of poker. Poker is one of the most popular card games, especially among betting games.