Texas Holdem

Tips & Strategy

• In texas holdem you definitely need to know when to “fold‘em.” If you are dealt pocket cards that have no chance, it’s in your best interest to either fold right away or, if the bet is low enough, stay in one round to see the flop. An example of a hand that offers little hope would be low unconnected (two cards not in sequence) and unsuited cards, say the 2 of clubs and an 8 of diamonds. Immediately you see that there is no possibility for a straight or a flush, and the cards are very low.
• If you are new Holdem and are playing with more experienced poker players, you should get out early if you have weak pocket cards, or if you are uncertain about your hand’s worth. Otherwise, your losses will add up quickly. Since Holdem games tend to be fast, it’s okay to fold often; you won’t have a lot of down time.
• The best kind of hole cards you can get are high cards (ten or higher ) that are paired (ex.;Q-Q), connected (ex.: J-Q), the same suit, or offer more than one “out” or way to win the hand (such as cards that could contribute to a straight or a flush). Ideal hole cards would be a high pair.
• Remember, you are sharing several cards with the table, and the hand can be decided by just one of your pocket cards. This means that you’ve got to have cards that can knock out other hands in more than one way. A pair of low pocket cards, such as 5s, will probably not take you very far, since if there is any card higher than a 5 in the widow, it is likely that someone will have a higher pair than yours.

• Your position at the poker table is crucial in Holdem. If you are dealt weak pocket cards, and you are in early position (one of the first players to bet), you should probably get out right away. However, if you are in late position ( one of the last to bet), you have the benefit of seeing how many people fold and how others bet. With a late position you can get away with playing a less than-perfect hand and perhaps employ your bluffing skills, particularly if the previous bettors don’t appear overly aggressive. For instance, if you are dealt a 5-8 and the betting is light, you can figure that other players probably also have weak pocket cards, and a low pair, two pair, or low straight might take the pot.
• Sometimes your pocket cards and the flop will immediately reveal a strong hand, or a potentially strong hand, such as three or more suited cards, a high pair, or better. The direction you should take will be clear you should stay in and bet accordingly taking into consideration the cards and your opponents betting.
• The problem with “over cards”: Over cards are pocket cards that are higher than any cards are pocket cards that are higher than any cards in the widow. Let’s say the flop is generally lousy for you, and the whole table, because it doesn’t offer many potential hands. Should you stay in with your high cards and hope that you get a match to pair one of your pocket cards? Or should you see if you can win simply by having the high card? It can be a hard call. If you’re early position, you should check and wait to see if anyone makes an aggressive bet. It you’re in late position, you can see how others have played and then decided whether to call the bet. If it looks like the other players don’t have much, you can take a chance and stay in, but it the bets are aggressive, you should probably fold.
• Most hands are defined on the flop, so it you have stayed in, you should start to be more aggressive. By deciding to stay in for the turn and then the river, you should have a hand that is a true contender. If you don’t, there is not much point in continuing, since it’s going to cost you to stay in. Most players who stay in for the later rounds have got something you need to be able to beat them or at least be confident that you can bluff them into folding.
• After the turn, and especially after the river, the game may be down to two or three players and you should be using all of your poker skills at this point. Ask yourself some questions. What is the likelihood that your opponent has the particular card to win? Is your opponent exhibiting tells? How well do you know this opponent? How has this player been betting-aggressively by raising and re-raising, or just calling? Examine the widow carefully and make sure you are seeing all of the possible winning hands. If there is the possibility that you are both going for a flush, what is the probability that you will have the higher flush?