The Deal

[karen taylor]

Each player is dealt two cards, face down He keeps their denominations a secret, usually emphasised by shielding the cards with one hand while turning a corner of them up.
In Texas Hold Em poker the Hole Cards must stay on the table but may be momentarily raised to ensure that a player has full sight of them. They must then be replaced on the table but may be consulted at any time during the hand, but only by the player to whom they were dealt.
The object of the game is to combine these two cards with the five cards which will eventually be laid out in front of the Dealer ("the Board") to make the best poker hand (see "Hand Order") among the players. This hand may consist of the two Hole Cards and three of the Board, one Hole Card and four of the Board or - very occasionally - neither of the Hole Cards and just the Board.
The holder of this hand wins the Pot (the accumulation of all bets).