Texas Hold ‘Em

Texas hold ‘em is a popular card game that was originally just “hold ‘em.”
 
 
(Oxford English Dictionary)
Hold ‘Em, n.
Poker.
[< HOLD v. + 'EM pron. Cf. slightly later Texas Hold 'Em n. at TEXAS n.]
A form of poker in which each player is each dealt two cards face down, and combines these with any three of five community cards to make the best available hand. Cf. OMAHA n. 3.

1972 Chron.-Telegram (Elyria, Ohio) 18 May 42/5 The game is called ‘Hold-em’ a variant of seven-card stud. Each player is dealt two cards, face down. Five more cards are dealt in the center of the table, face up. 1988 N.Y. Times 27 Sept. C7/1 In either the computer or the real-life game of hold ‘em, you can..make a quick estimate of what hands your opponents are likely to be holding and your chances of beating them. 2000 B. MCNALLY How to play Poker & Win 37, I shall be looking at how to play the first two cards in Hold ‘Em, play after the flop and finally play on fourth and fifth streets.
 
Texas Hold ‘Em n. Poker = HOLD ‘EM n.
1975 Reno (Nevada) Evening Gaz. 14 Aug. 39 (advt.) Presenting the 1st annual Palace Club *Texas Hold-Em Tournament. 2003 Time 18 Apr. 83/1 God may play dice with the universe..but serious gamblers..prefer no-limit Texas hold’em.
 
     
18 May 1972, Greeley (Colorado) Tribune, pg. 29:
The game called “Hold-em” is a variation of seven-card stud. Each player is dealt two cards, face down. Five more cards are dealt in the center of the table, face up. The winner is the gambler who produces the best five-card poker hand.
 
 
9 May 1975, Hayward (CA) Daily Review, pg. 3:
Hold-em is a variation of seven card stud in which each player can match his two hidden hold cards with five cards face up. Most of the players are from Texas or the southern states where hold-em is traditionally played.
 
 
14 August 1975, Nevada State-Journal, pg. 23:
Presenting The lst Annual
Palace Club
Texas Hold-Em
Tournament

Aug. 16th & 17th
Palace Club, Reno
255 North Center St.
Reno, Nevada 89501