Poker hands from highest to lowest. All four cards of the same rank. Three of a kind with a pair. Any five cards of the same suit, but not in a sequence. Five cards in a sequence, but not of the same suit. Three cards of the same rank. Two different pairs. Two cards of the same rank. When playing Texas hold ‘em a round flat chip or “disk” is used to represent the position of the dealer. This disk is placed in front of the dealer to indicate their status. The person sitting to dealer left is known as the small blind and the person sitting to the left of the small blind is known as the big blind.
In a Texas Holdem cash game, the chips you have in front of you are valued in real dollars, when you bet a $5 chip – that’s the equivalent of a real five bucks from your pocket. This means that decisions you make cumulatively win or lose you that money. Any player can hit some nice cards and walk away with a profit in the short-term. Over the long-run, successful players are those who understand and study poker strategy – finding weaknesses in their opponents play and betting in such a way as to take advantage of these weaknesses. This article covers the fundamentals of Texas Holdem cash game strategy, outlining the building blocks that you can use to consistently beat the games.
Section has a complete set of Texas holdem rules. Then each of the main parts of a hand of Texas holdem poker is described in detail. General Poker Rules. Before you learn how to play Texas holdem you need to understand the basic rules of poker. The basic poker rules include information about the deck of playing cards and the rank of hands.
First up you will find information on the swings inherent in poker games and how to overcome this using bankroll management and focusing on making ‘good’ decisions. Next the fundamental concepts of position and starting hand selection are discussed. After this an overview of the need-to-know poker math – followed by some ideas for areas to explore once you have learned the basics.
Good Decisions And Variance
Poker has a large element of luck over the short-term. You can run Kings into Aces, lose those coin-flip hands and your drawing hands can miss. You could have played ‘correctly’ and still end up with a large loss.
Even the best players in the world suffer from short-term swings.
To counter this you need to make sure you only play with a small proportion of your bankroll in any one game. 1/20th (5%) is the accepted level to overcome the short-term swings. If you are able to easily reload your account then you can loosen up on this. However, if you are serious about your poker then bankroll management is an important factor.
All you can do in poker is make the best decisions possible based on the information you have available. If you do this over and over again, and manage your bankroll sensibly, then you will end up a winner.
Adjusting For Position
If 2 players of equal skill and experience sat down to play, the person who played more hands when they acted last after the flop would win in the long-run. This is known as having ‘position’ and is far more important than most new players realize.
Positional strategy includes folding speculative starting hands when first to act at the table, and playing more of these hands from the button position. You should also tend to play tighter from the blinds – even though it is ‘cheaper’ to enter the pot – since you will be first to act after the flop from these playing positions.
Starting Hand Selection in Texas Holdem Cash Games
Texas Holdem Rules And Hands
A big leak for many beginning poker players is to play far too many hands. This can include any Ace-x hand, any 2 suited cards or even worse holdings! If your opponents are being more selective, then you would need to be a fantastic post-flop player to even come close to making up for this.
Instead you should find a tight range of starting hands and adjust this based on several factors. For early table positions and after someone already raised you should fold the weakest end or your range. When first to enter the pot and in late position you can loosen up a little bit.
Using Poker Math Strategy
It is extremely difficult to beat online poker games without knowing the basic math. Most of this is easy to learn – and even the advanced areas have special tools and calculators to help you out. There are several aspects of math to learn including pot-odds and outs, implied odds, prize pool equity models and how to assess what hands people are playing and the equity that individual hands have against those ranges.
Spending just a few hours learning the different aspects of poker math will have a huge effect on your profit – this will allow you to make more ‘good’ decisions and to spot those opponents who are making bad ones.
Texas Holdem Rules Winning Hands
Advanced Concepts for Texas Holdem Cash Game Strategy
Once you have understood the basics of cash game strategy, you can start to branch out into the more advanced topics. First on my list is bet-sizing, and how to adjust this for specific situations and opponent types. After that you can focus on the process of reading your opponents hands – and spotting ‘leaks’ in both your own game and that of your opponents.
Remember, poker is a game of relative skill. However good you are, there will be people who can beat you. This holds true at all levels of the game, and if you take the time to find soft games with inexperienced opponents, your profits will improve significantly.
Texas Hold’em poker is everywhere these days — on TV, online, and in clubs and casinos. Before you sit down to a game of Texas Hold ’em, make sure you’re in good shape to be successful — take care of non-poker issues and check your physical, mental, and financial status. During the game, you need to understand basic odds and playable hands, as well as how to bluff successfully and follow proper poker etiquette. Texas Hold ‘Em also has its own abbreviations for online play.
Playable Texas Hold’em Hands
Texas Hold’em is a game of strategy, like any poker game, but where you’re sitting in relation to the action becomes part of your strategy when playing Hold’em. If you bet early, you generally need better cards than you do if you’re one of the blinds. The following table offers sound advice on what hands are playable when you’re sitting in different positions.
Questions to Ask Yourself before You Play Texas Hold’em
Whether you’re playing Texas Hold’em for fun or money — make that whether you’re playing for high stakes or low stakes — make sure you’re in a position mentally, physically, and financially to enjoy the game and make the most of your chances. Ask yourself these questions before you sit down to a game:
What is the purpose of my playing this session? Whether it’s to learn more, win money, or just hang with friends for a good time, make sure you know why you’re there and that you’re doing everything you can to accomplish that goal.
If I were to play an opponent who’s exactly the same as a well-rested, un-stressed version of me, would that person have an advantage? If the answer is “yes,” hold off on playing until you’re in a better psychological and physical state.
Can my bankroll handle this level of play? If not, play a lower level.
Are there any distractions in my life that I need to get rid of before I play? Pay your rent, walk your dog, call your significant other — whatever it is, get it out of your head so you can focus.
Do I know if the house I’m playing in has any bonuses for players such as bad beat jackpots, high hands, free food and/or drinks for players, or freeroll tournaments? If not, ask a floorperson before you start playing and find out about the details of how you can qualify.
Is there an aggressive person at the table I’ll be playing at? If so, try to get yourself seated to his left so you see the raises before your action and not after.
What do I know about the people sitting at the table? Whatever it is, use it to your advantage.
Rough Odds for Texas Hold’em
Playing poker is about playing the odds. The following list gives the odds for outcomes in Texas Hold’em hands. When you realize how heavily the odds are stacked against you, you may want to rethink going all-in before the flop with two suited cards. Use the odds to your advantage:
1 percent (1-in-100): Percentage of time that no player holds an Ace or a King at a table in a 10-handed game
1 percent (1-in-100): Percentage of time that if you hold two suited cards, you’ll flop a flush
6 percent (about 1-in-20): Percentage of time that five community cards will give pocket suited cards a flush
6 percent (about 1-in-20): Percentage of time that you’ll be dealt a pocket pair
8 percent (about 1-in-12): Percentage of time that you’ll hit at least trips after having a pair on the flop
12 percent (about 1-in-8): Percentage of time that you’ll flop trips if holding a pocket pair
12 percent (about 1-in-8): Percentage of time that two more cards will flop in the same suit as a suited pocket pair
19 percent (about 1-in-5): Percentage of time that the five community cards will at least trip your pocket pair
32 percent (about 1-in-3): Percentage of time that you’ll pair one of your cards on the flop (with no pocket pair)
33 percent (about 1-in-3): Percentage of time that you’ll make a full house or better after having trips on the flop
35 percent (about 1-in-3): Percentage of time that you’ll make a flush on the turn or river if you have four cards to a flush after the flop
Texas Hold’em Bluffing Tips
What makes any poker game exciting, and Texas Hold’em is certainly no exception, is that players can bluff at any point. Sometimes half the fun of a game is seeing whether you can successfully bluff an opponent out of some money. But, even as you’re misleading your opponents, make sure you bluff in the right circumstances. Heed these bluffing tips:
Only bluff where it makes a difference to your standing — either in a tournament or to your stack of chips.
Be careful bluffing someone considerably worse than you are. He may call just to see what you have, or on some probabilistically low draw when he already has you beaten anyway.
Bluff in situations where the board hints at the great hand you do not have: straights and flushes being hinted at by the board, the turn of an Ace, and so on.
Don’t try to bluff players who only play the most solid of hands if they’re still in the pot.
Don’t bluff people who are extremely likely to call.
Do bluff the timid or people who are likely to fold.
Remember that it’s easier to bluff in No-Limit than Limit because the bets (both implied and real) are bigger.
Poker Etiquette for Texas Hold’em
The etiquette tips in the following list apply to Texas Hold’em and to any other poker game. Sure, you can have fun while you play poker, but you can have all the fun you want without being impolite to the other players or the dealer. Basic poker etiquette includes these tips:
Always play in turn.
Be aware of when it’s your turn to post the blinds and do so promptly.
Any time there is a discrepancy at the table, talk to the dealer — not the other players — about it. If you’re not able to get satisfaction from the dealer, ask for a floorperson. Talking with other players about the problem you perceive may generate ill will among people who have no authority in the situation in the first place.
Place your bets in front of you. Do not splash them into the pot.
Do not show your hand to other players at the table while a hand is in progress.
Tell the dealer when you intend to raise. In No-Limit, gather the amount that you’re going to raise and either announce the total, or move it all forward with one motion. This prevents being called on a “string raise.”
Don’t forget to tip your dealer. Dealers work for minimum wage and rely on tips for their livelihood.
Online Poker Abbreviations for Texas Hold’em
Playing online poker in general, and Texas Hold’em in particular, is a very popular pastime. When you’re online, you may encounter abbreviations specific to the world of poker. To understand what other players are saying, get familiar with these online abbreviations:
Texas Holdem Poker Rules
| Abbreviation | What It Means | Abbreviation | What It Means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 86 | To remove or ban | ne1 | Anyone |
| brb | Be right back | nh | Nice hand |
| gc/nc | Slightly sarcastic phrase meaning good catch/nice catch | gg | Good game |
| lol | Laughing out loud | gl | Good luck |
| nl | No-Limit | ty | Thank you |
| n1 | Nice one | 🙂 | Smiley face (view sideways) |