Texas Hold ‘Em has taken the world by storm by becoming the most popular card game in North America and Europe. Why? Although it can be very strategic, it is relatively simple, and very easy to learn. Hold ‘Em differs from other forms of poker such as 5 card draw and 7 card stud because each player only receives two cards and must make the best 5 card hand by combining his own cards with the “community cards” – 5 cards laid down on the table.

Little is known about the history of this addicting game, however the Texas State Legislature has officially recognized Robstown, Tx as the birthplace of Hold ‘Em and estimate it’s birth to be during the early 1900′s. Leave it to Texas to come up with one of the world’s most popular games!

Hold ‘Em was introduced to Las Vegas in 1967 by several Texans. One of the men, Crandell Addington, describes Hold ‘Em as “a thinking man’s game” because as opposed to draw poker in which players bet twice, in Hold ‘Em you bet four times, allowing more strategic play.

The Golden Nugget in Vegas was, for a while at least, the only casino in Vegas to offer Texas Hold ‘Em. Due to the less-than-glamorous decor of the casino, which boasted saw dust floors in the poker room, discriminating gamblers were not exposed to this new form of poker until 1969 when some Las Vegas professionals were invited to play Texas Hold ‘Em at the Dunes Casino on the strip. The novelty of the game was intriguing to professional players, and caught on quickly.

Texas Hold ‘Em came into the spotlight with the creation of the World Series of Poker, which started in 1970. After it’s first year, it was suggested that Texas Hold ‘Em should be the main event of the tournament. It was agreed, and Hold ‘Em has been the main game ever since.

Hold ‘Em was made known to a wider audience due to the publication of Brunson’s Super/System – a revolutionary poker strategy guide. It included a discussion of Texas Hold ‘Em, and is still considered one of the most important books on the game. Several years later, a book about the World Series of Poker was published, which brought awareness of Texas Hold ‘Em and poker in general to audiences outside of Vegas.It was introduced in Europe by Terry Rogers and Liam Flood in the 1980s.

Texas Hold ‘Em’s popularity explosion is generally attributed to the invention of online poker, as well as its frequent appearance in film and tv. The plot of Rounders starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton revolves around Texas Hold ‘Em. Also, Hold ‘Em replaced Baccarat as the card game depicted in the recent James Bond movie: Casino Royale.

As The World Series of Poker became a more widely known event, and was televised, Texas Hold ‘Em has become more and more popular. In 2003, amateur Hold ‘Em players around the world gained a champion: Chris Moneymaker, an amateur player who gained entrance into The World Series of Poker by winning an online Texas Hold ‘Em tournament, won the series. His victory initiated a surge of interest into the game as players realized that even an unknown amateur – a novice – can become a world champ.

As a result, the number of entries into the WSOP has grown exponentially. In 2003 there were 839 entrants, triple that in 2004. That year, a patent attorney from Conneticut won the tournament, further fueling its popularity among amateur and internet players. In 2004 5,619 players competed for a $7,500,000 pot, and in 2006 there were 8,773 entrants and a first place prize of $12,000,000.