TEXAS HOLDEM ONLINE POKER

Texas Holdem is a gambling phenomenon of recent years because of the television exposure it has received. Poker has always been popular among college students, but it is at an all time high now because of ESPN's "World Series of Poker" and Bravo's "Celebrity Poker Showdown."

Online card tournaments have also helped boost the popularity of the game.

Texas Holdem is similar to other forms of poker with the goal to get the best five-card hand possible. In Holdem, players are each dealt two down cards for their personal cards to start (hole cards), then there is a round of betting.

Next, three board cards (the flop) are flipped over, which is followed by another round of betting. The last two board cards are then flipped one at a time, with a round of betting following each.

The five flipped cards on the table are community property to play off of. A player can use their two cards in any combination with the cards on the table to get the best hand.

Holdem pots tend to be big because there may be as many as four rounds of betting.

From the dorms to the fraternities, lots of people have picked up the game. Holdem is extremely popular at Craig Hall, with a weekly tournament put on by a resident adviser.

"Holdem is the only form of poker that can attract a bunch of people all together," said Kyle Zibell, Chico State sophomore.

The Music Entertainment Industry Student Association put on Chico State's first Texas Holdem tournament last Wednesday.

The tournament was held at the Common Grounds coffee shop in the Bell Memorial Union.

Co-presidents Tim Grant and Jose Duarte were in charge of the tournament and both said the tournament was a lot of fun.

"Our goal is to have one tournament a month for next semester," Grant said.

Participants were charged $10 if people registered early and $15 at the door for $3,000 in chips. Prizes included an Xbox and a variety of gift cards.

"We tried to get enough prizes, so the participants could have a chance to win prizes that were worth a little more than they paid to get in the tournament," Duarte said.

Leveling the tournament's competition and winning nearly every hand was Chico State sophomore, Ace Niederberger.

He won the MEISA tournament and took home the Xbox as an early Christmas present.

"I just love playing poker and the tournament was very fun," Niederberger said. "This is great because it is my first tournament victory."

The game's popularity has even spread to a younger generation, with several high school participants in the tournament.

"Even though I wasn't very lucky in the tournament, I love playing Holdem," said Pleasant Valley High School junior Bryant Hull. "I love Texas Holdem for the fact that this game has the ability to have the biggest pots."