Texas Hold'em is one of the most popular and widely played variants of poker. It has gained immense fame due to its blend of skill, psychology, and strategy, as well as its presence in major tournaments like the World Series of Poker (WSOP). Played in casinos, online poker rooms, and home games around the world, Texas Hold'em has become synonymous with poker itself, offering both beginners and seasoned players exciting and challenging gameplay.

The primary goal in Texas Hold'em is to win chips by forming the best possible five-card hand out of seven available cards. Each player is dealt two private "hole" cards, and five community cards are dealt face-up in the center of the table. The player with the best five-card hand—either from the hole cards or using a combination of the community cards—wins the pot. In the event of a tie, the pot is split between the winning players.

Texas Hold'em is typically played in a no-limit format, although there are other variants like limit and pot-limit. In no-limit, players can bet any amount of chips they have on the table at any point in the hand, making it a highly strategic and sometimes unpredictable game.

Texas Hold'em has a rich and fascinating history that spans over a century, evolving from a regional game in the small town of Robstown, Texas, to the global phenomenon it is today. Though its exact origins are somewhat debated, the game’s roots are generally traced back to the early 1900s in Texas, where it was initially played in private homes and small clubs. It is widely believed that the game was introduced to the gambling community by a local player named Jack *"Texas" Doyle, who is often credited with helping spread its popularity outside of the state.

In its early years, Texas Hold'em was played primarily in Texas and surrounding regions. It wasn’t until the 1960s that the game began to gain recognition on the national stage, thanks largely to its inclusion in major casino poker rooms in Las Vegas. The game’s relatively simple rules, combined with the emphasis on strategy, skill, and psychology, made it a hit with experienced poker players looking for a new challenge. The format's adaptability also made it attractive to casino operators, who saw it as a way to diversify their poker offerings.

The game’s first major breakthrough came in 1970 when the World Series of Poker (WSOP) was held at the Horseshoe Casino in Las Vegas. The event, organized by Benny Binion, featured Texas Hold'em as the main event, and it was this tournament that propelled the game into the spotlight. The WSOP’s choice to feature Texas Hold'em was largely due to its balance between skill and chance, making it ideal for tournament play. That first WSOP marked a turning point in the game’s history, with professional poker players from across the country competing for the title and a substantial cash prize.

In the following decades, Texas Hold'em continued to grow in popularity, fueled by its emergence as the primary game in most major poker tournaments. The game's rise was further accelerated by the introduction of televised poker events in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Shows like The World Poker Tour and ESPN’s coverage of the WSOP brought Texas Hold'em to a mainstream audience, inspiring a new generation of players and increasing the game’s visibility worldwide.

Perhaps the most significant boost to Texas Hold'em’s popularity came in 2003 when an amateur player named Chris Moneymaker won the WSOP Main Event after qualifying through an online satellite tournament. Moneymaker’s victory, combined with the rapid growth of online poker platforms, ignited the "poker boom" in the early 2000s. Online poker allowed players from all over the world to participate in Texas Hold'em games, creating an explosion of interest and increasing the number of players dramatically. The boom also introduced new technologies and strategies, leading to further developments in the game’s tactics and global reach.

Today, Texas Hold'em is the most widely played form of poker, dominating both live and online poker environments. It has become a staple in both recreational and competitive settings, drawing millions of players from all corners of the globe. From the small Texas card rooms where it began to the glitzy poker tables of Las Vegas and the countless online platforms, Texas Hold'em's journey from a regional pastime to a global sensation is a testament to the game’s enduring appeal and universal allure.