Texas Hold'em Poker Strategy Tips
by Max Drayman, winneronline.co.uk
November 3, 2006
Introduction to Hold 'em
Texas Hold 'em has quickly become the most popular casino poker
game. It is currently the game you will see televised in such events as the
World Series of Poker and The World Poker Tour. Though Hold 'em looks and plays
very simply, many experts agree that it is the most complex of poker games. Due
to its complexity, the game can be kind or harsh to beginners and grizzled old
warriors alike. The action is fast an furious, with more players, bets, raises
and re-raises than many other typical poker games. Winners win big, losers lose
big. These factors are the essence of what makes Texas Hold 'em so enjoyable,
and therefore the King at the Casino.
The Button
The button represents the dealer. In home games, no button is
needed, as the cards are passed around the table and each player deals in turn.
In the casino and in online poker tables, the dealer is a professional or a
computer. Hence, the necessity of a “button”. The button moves clockwise
around the table after each hand, and the player “on the button” gets his cards
last and bets last in each round. Keeping up with the current location of the
button is a huge consideration when determining positional strategy.
The Blinds
Texas Hold 'em has no ante. To force the
action without an ante, Hold 'em uses blind bets. The first 2
players to the left of the button are forced to put in the
blind bets. Typically, the first player puts in the small blind,
equal to half of the minimum bet, while the second player puts in the
big blind, equal to a full minimum bet. For example, in a game of
$10/$20 limits, the small blind would be $5 and the big blind would be $10.
The Deal and Betting Rounds
Starting with the first player to the left of the button, each
player is dealt 2 cards, face down, called pocket cards. The
first two players to the left of the button posts the blinds, and the first
round of betting ensues. The first action after the deal is taken by the player
to the left of the big blind. He and subsequent players can choose to call the
big blinds bet, fold or raise. In most Texas Hold 'em games, the blinds are
live, which means that in the first round of betting, they get
a chance to call, check or raise when the action moves around to them. In this
sense, the big blind would be the last player to act after the dealing of the
pocket cards.
The Flop
The flop is 3 cards laid face up in the center of the table.
These cards serve as common cards. Another round of betting ensues, with the
first remaining player to the left of the button starting the action.
The Turn
A single card is laid face up, next to the flop, for a total of
4 cards face up. Another betting round occurs, starting with the first player
remaining to the left of the button.
The River
A final card is turned face up, bringing the total number of
common cards face up on the board to 5. A final round of betting occurs,
starting with the first player remaining to the left of the button.
Showdown
After betting is complete and if more than two players remain, a
showdown occurs in which the winner is determined by the best five card hand
possible using the 5 common cards and each players' pocket cards. It is
entirely possible for the best hand to be completely “on the board,” in which
case the remaining players split the pot. It is also possible to have a “tie”
in which the players with the same hand strengths split the pot.
After the showdown, the button moves one person clockwise, and
the next hand is dealt.
Hold 'em - Pocket Card Selection
This list is set up for the
aggressive player.
Though its a good list for any player, some more conservatives might have a
tighter list. Please note the differences between "suited" and "off-suit". They
are off-suit as default unless otherwise noted.
Top Cards:
Ace-Ace (pair of aces)
King-King
Ace-King suited
Queen-Queen
Jack-Jack
When you're dealt Aces, Kings, or AK suited, you can and should raise and even
re-raise before the flop, no matter your position. A pair of queens or jacks you
have to be a bit more careful with, but the chances are still huge that you are
top hand before the flop. Raise and drive out the draw hands, if there are no
raises in front of you.
Strong Cards:
AQ, AJ, A10 (all suited)
AK (off suit or unsuited)
KQ suited
Pair of 10's
KJ, QJ, J10 all suited
AQ, AJ
Pair of 9's
KQ
K10 suited, Q10 suited
Why are these strong? If you notice, all have strong flush or straight draw
chances, as well as a high face card. The pairs of 10's or 9's have to be
included simply because of the rarity of being dealt a pocket pair, and these
being on the high end.
With strong cards, look to raise in middle or late position, only if noone has
raised before you. If you raise in middle position and someone in late position
re-raises, be careful. If they're a strong player they probably have you beat in
card strength unless theyre bluffing to try and take the ante's.
Decent Pocket Cards:
Pair of 8's
Jack-9, 10-9 both suited
Pair of 7's
9-8, 8-7 both suited
Ace and any other suited card
KJ, QJ, J10
Dont bother raising with these cards unless everyone in front of you has folded.
Also be careful playing these in middle position. Honestly, you probably want to
see the flop as cheaply as possible. These cards can turn into monster hands
though, because of their deceptive value. If you have a reputation as a strong
player, other players wont be expecting you to make a straight with a 9-8.
Another reason to at least play these cards sometimes is to keep yourself from
getting a reputation as a "Rock". If you only play nut cards and everytime you
raise, everyone else folds, you're missing out on some big bucks.
Barely Playable Pocket Cards
Any pair, 6's and under
Connected suited cards, not shown above (ie. 4-5 suited)
A10, K10, Q10
K9, Q9, both suited
These cards have to have serious help from the board to win. If you can get to
the flop cheap it can be worth it though, as these are draw hands to flushes and
straights, and you may hit trips with your low pair. These cards can make good
bluff hands when you're "on the button," and everyone in front of you has either
folded or called the blinds, because they at least hold some potential for a
good hand...so its not a complete bluff. But be warned. These are "play and
pray" cards. In low limit games they might be worth it. But if you play these
cards every time, you'll see your chip stack sink fast.
All other cards not mentioned above are complete
trash. Fold 'em.
Feel free to print this list and by all means make amendments or trash it and
make your own. Keep in mind, card strength is relative and depends on so many
other factors. What might be great pocket cards in a tight game, may lose some
value in a loose game where 3 people hold on to their trash, hoping for a
miracle board, no matter how many times you raise them. Other factors include
your position, your total chips vs. your opponents, and the limits of the game.
Hold 'em - The Flop
Besides the dealing of the pocket cards, and your decision to
fold or hold them, the Flop is probably the most important moment in Texas Hold
'em. Three cards hit the board, often making “nut” hands out of weak pocket
cards, and at times, making strong pocket cards useless. Your ability to
read the flop will be a huge factor in your success in Texas
Hold 'em.
Flopping 3 of a Kind
At the suggestion of a recent visitor, I am going to make a
difference between “flopping a set“ and “flopping trips.“ First, flopping a
set would be a situation where you hold a strong pair, such as KK, and the
river comes K-A-6. Your monster 3 Kings are hidden, and anyone with an Ace is
probably going to be putting in a raise, seeing top pair on the flop. The
potential for this hand is amazing, and slow play would be a good option.
A similar situation we will call flopping trips. This
would be a situation where you hold only one of the 3 cards as your pocket
card. Say you hold AK suited, and the flop comes K-K-Q. Here again, you have 3
of a kind, but even so, we have to understand that this is a bit of a
weaker hand. Anytime a pair is showing on board, there is danger of a full
house already formed. QQ would definitely be a hand that someone would hold
onto, and if given this flop, your 3 Kings are losers. Its also harder to
maximize a pot with the two Kings on the flop. Those are huge scare cards, and
if you bet out right away, you may get nothing more than whats already in the
pot. Again, slow play, and be especially careful of an already formed full
house.
There are however certain times you want to jam the pot with 3
of a kind. If the flop gives chances for a straight draw, like K-K-10, where
anyone holding Q-J has a good chance at a straight, or if 2 of the cards are the
same suit, giving someone a chance at a flush.of they held onto a pair of same
suited cards. In these instances, they are going to play to the river, so make
them pay to see extra cards!
Another time you want to jam the pot is if you have flopped a
small set. For example you checked with the big blind with a pair of 3's, and
the flop comes out Q-8-3. You have your set, and will most likely win with it,
but you don't want to risk someone holding a higher pair getting their set on
the turn or river for free. Bet, raise, check raise if you know someone else
will bet, whatever you have to do to narrow down your competition and hopefully
force out the small and medium pairs. What you like to see is someone with AQ
in this situation with top pair, top kicker who will give you action but has
very little chance of winning it. Jam the pot with small sets.
Top Pair after the Flop
If you held a high pair before the flop and were jamming the
pot, then you should continue to jam the pot if you still hold the top pair. If
you held Q-Q, and the flop comes out 10-2-7, its obvious you're still the
leader, unless someone was slow playing Aces or Kings before the flop, or
someone with 10's just flopped a set. The fact is, if you play aggressively
with a high pair before the flop, you will know whether or not you still have
the lead.
If you held A-K, and the flop comes out 4-K-9, here again,
you're jamming the pot. You hold top pair with the best kicker, and the last
thing you want is for someone to draw out and complete a flush or straight to
beat you.
Top pair is strong after the flop, but definitely not strong
enough to sit on and slow play.
Flopping a small Pair
Suppose you were holding A-8 of clubs, and the flop comes out
Q-8-3. You have missed your flush draw, because only the 3 is clubs, but you
have flopped a pair of “babies.” You have to respect the fact that someone may
have a queen, and have you beat. Even so, if the action is checked to you, I
would seriously consider putting in a raise here. By putting in the raise, you
accomplish the purpose of finding out the true strength of your pair. If anyone
holds a queen, you can expect a raise. If you have high hand, expect calls. If
you are raised, then you must consider the personality of who raised you. If a
mouse or rock raises you (see “Poker Animals” under general strategy), then it
might be time to call or fold. If its the jackal, then by all means stay in,
and even re-raise.
This particular hand would be hard for me to fold, simply
because you still have alot of outs. An ace would give you a huge hand, another
8 would be even better, and theres always the possibility of 2 more clubs
hitting the board.
So, go ahead and bet with the small pairs, and then judge by
your opponents personalities and actions as to where you stand.
Flopping a Monster Hand
By monster hand, I mean flopping a royal flush, 4 of a kind,
full house, flush, straight, straight flush. Statistically the hand is yours or
practically yours. I would slow play in most circumstances. You want the other
players to stay in and build a decent hand that they will bet with or at least
call to the river with.
A word of caution though. In the case of flushes and straights,
make sure you don't get caught with the low end of a straight or a low card
flush, where someone makes the same straight with a higher card, or someone
makes the same flush with a higher card. If you are playing good quality pocket
cards though, this should rarely happen. But if your flush is only a 10 high,
bet aggressively and try to force out anyone holding a jack, queen, king or ace
of your suit. Granted, most people won't fold with four to a flush, but at
least you're making them pay for a chance to get their card.
As a general rule then, slow play the monsters and wait till the
more expensive turn and river to begin extracting chips from your opponents.
Flopping a Flush or Straight Draw
You have to first of all understand that odds are still against
you making your hand (2-1 with four to a flush or open ended straight). But the
rule of thumb to follow here is that Texas Hold 'em rewards aggressive play.
Bet this hand and hope for one of two results. Either everyone else folds and
you pick up a small pot, or you end up making your flush or straight and winning
a huge one.
Flopping 2 Pair
Say you hold J-10 suited, and the flop comes 10-4-J. You have
managed to flop the top two pair here. I always jam the pot in this case.
While two pair is strong, there are still alot of hands that can beat it. Jam
the pot and elbow everyone else off the table if possible. If you end up making
a full house on the later streets, you can adjust your strategy, but for moment,
you want to bet and force the limpers out.
Ugly Flops
If you are holding onto a marginal type hand, and it is not
helped at all by the flop, then toss these cards immediately. Taking bad hands
to the river will cost you money in the long run.
Hold 'em - The Turn
The Turn, or 4th Street in Hold 'em is the first instance where
the bets are doubled. You can hear the “cha-ching” in your ears, as you bet
those good hands. However, for the beginner, this street can be exceptionally
dangerous, as this is where many players complete their straights and flushes,
along with all of the other hand possibilites of poker.
If you have played good poker up to this point, at both the
pocket card selection and flop, then you should have some idea of whether or not
you are ahead or behind in the hand. As a general rule, if you are ahead after
seeing this 4th card hit the board, then bet and start building the pot. On the
other hand, if you are pretty sure you are behind, this is the prime time to
fold your hand, before you start throwing your money away by calling the
expensive bets.
Say you were dealt J-J, and you bet aggressively before and
after the flop. The flop and turn board looks like this: Q-3-7-A, three of
which are diamonds, and unfortunately, you hold the black jacks (spades and
clubs). I would fold this hand to any raises. Why? Count how many ways you
are beat. An ace, queen, 2 diamonds, or 1 diamond if another shows on the
river, plus a remote straight oppurtunity if the river card is a 10, K or
another Jack. Those are alot of ways to beat you. Now count how many “outs”
you have and what the best possible hand is that you could form. Right now,
your best hope is another Jack, giving you three of a kind. Are you willing to
call bets and raises when there are only two cards left in the deck that can
help you, and even then, still have a shot at getting beat by someone blessed
with a diamond flush??
Good poker play before and after the flop gives you the
information you need to make the decision on the Turn. Stick with your gut
instinct. If you're ahead, bet, and if you're behind, fold. Don't pray for
miracle cards.
Hold 'em - The River
The River Card. Showdown. Its time to see who is taking down
the chips, and who is drowning in the river. River play is fairly simple. If
you have the best hand either by strength of good cards early, or luck of the
draw on the river, now is your final chance to get a few more chips from your
opponents. Some “classy” players will check here, even though they know they
have the top hand, and thus save their opponents a few dollars to put back in
their wallet.. Unless its a long time friend, I would advise taking his wallet,
emptying it of its contents and then stuffing the wallet down his throat. There
are winners and there are losers in poker. If you are looking for “courtesy
play”, then play with family. The world of poker is like Jack London's icy
wastelands where only the strong survive.
The only real advice I can give on river play is to
almost never fold. If you have been playing good cards up to this
point in the hand, then you at least have a shot at holding the winning cards.
By now the pot is large enough that it also makes good money sense to stay in.
Unless you did not complete a pure draw hand, call any bets. Don't get the
reputation as someone who can be bluffed off the river. If this happens, you'll
just face more and more bluff bets on the river. On the other hand, if you get
the reputation as someone who can't be bluffed, then noone in their right mind
will attempt it.
The only other times I consider folding is when an extremely
conservative player who never bluffs has been calling towards a draw hand the
entire hand, and now it looks like he has hit his card. Or when there are two
or more players who starting betting and raising on the river, you can be sure
that at least one of them holds the goods. You can make a case for folding
here.
Pot odds dictate that you bet or call on the river, unless you
are practically positive you are beat.
Conclusion
If you have read through this entire strategy section on Texas
Hold 'em, from Pocket Cards to River, and you apply it to your game, you will
see success in Hold 'em, and especially in low limt, online Hold 'em.
However, there is so much more strategy than can be written down
in a few cyber pages on this poker site! Check out “Helmuth's Top 10” in this
same section, and you will see a stark contrast between his starting hand
suggestions and the ones in my original “Pocket Cards” section. Texas Hold 'em
is such a complex game that there are literally hundreds of different methods
and strategies that can be successful. My advice to any reader would be to
invest a few dollars into at least one good Texas Hold 'em book, written by such
masters as Phil Helmuth (Play Poker Like the Pros) and Andy Nelson (Poker:
A Winners Guide). The professional men and women of poker have years of
experience and winnings under their belt. Continue to study the game and your
chip stack will climb ever higher.