Texas hold-em strategies
Discover basic Texas hold em strategies, get your game in shape, become a successful poker player!
Texas hold em secrets
You should be selective and wait for good opportunities. Do not put your money behind every hand, good or bad. If you have a good hand (AA, KK, QQ, JJ, etc) then just bet it and see what happens. Remember Texas hold em poker is situational. You shouldn't be tied to any one book, saying, or system. Let your experience mold you into a good player.
Two Things to Always Remember
It may seem silly to be reminded of the following fundamental facts, but it's surprising how often players get swept up in the excitement of the game and forget the basics. So, always remember these two things:
- The two cards you hold are the only cards that set you apart from the other Texas holdem players and give you the chance to win.
- All of the face-up cards are community cards, shared by you and every other player. It's vital that you focus on what those cards could mean to someone else at least as much as you focus on what they mean to you. In particular, keep your eyes open for your opponents' straight and flush possibilities.
How do you know if your Texas hold em cards are good?
It depends in part on how many players are in the game, but a general rule is that you should seriously consider folding before the flop if you have two non-pair cards, both less than 10. A more conservative player might fold if just one of the cards is less than 10; a more aggressive player might stay in with, for example, an 8 and 9 of the same suit (because those cards give you decent possibilities for a straight or a flush).
A lot of Texas hold em strategy is based on the cards in your hand. You must be willing to suffer through a series of poor hands (e.g. 5-8, 2-6, 4-9) without getting impatient. The good hands will come, eventually, and you'll be in better position to take advantage of them if you don't waste your chips trying to get something out of nothing.
The Flop in Texas hold em
After seeing the flop, don't be afraid to cut your losses. A common mistake made by Texas hold em novices is to decide, "I'm already in this hand, so I might as well play it out." Wrong.
Hole Card Strategy
One of the most important aspects of Texas hold'em is the value of each two-card hand before the flop. The decision of how to play your first two cards is something you face every hand, and the value of your first two cards is highly correlated to your probability of winning.
A good player will fold most Texas hold em hands, about 80% in a 10-player game.
The bottom line in Texas hold em strategies is this: don't allow yourself to get sucked in too far with a weak hand.