Search
inner page top left

Texas Holdem Poker – Rules Strategy & Tips

Texas Holdem Strategy, Rules & Tips
When I play Texas Hold’em poker I feel like James Bond in one of his movies. It’s no coincidence that this is my favorite game; any person of reasonable intelligence can become a good player through training.  Psychology plays a major factor in this game. You can have a great hand but when someone puts all his chips on the table in a ‘no-limit” game, you always have a hard choice to make. Lucky for us there are “limit” tournaments to practice. I also recommend using software to find the fish (bad players). I have a great strategy for you, if you use a little common sense you can become a very good player and make a lot of money.

How To Play Texas Holdem

Learning how to play Texas Holdem takes study, practice, and persistence to become a world-class player.

It is a poker game that uses community cards. These are cards that can be used by all players at the table to make the best possible 5 card hand.

There are other forms of poker that you can play online, such as Omaha, 3 card Poker, 5 card draw, 7 card stud and Omaha Hi-Lo, but by far and away though the most popular game is Texas Hold’em.

Some online poker tournaments can have prize pools of hundreds of thousands or even millions. This sees a large number of people enter for the same buy-in and start with the same number of chips.

The last player remaining wins the tournament and the largest prize, with around 10% of the total entrants normally getting paid some amount.

You can also play in smaller tournaments with the same aim to be the last remaining player. These sit and go tournaments normally have just 1 table as opposed to bigger tournaments that can have hundreds running at the same time.

You can also play on cash tables which allow you to take your own money to the table, the main difference between the three is that in tournaments you only win money at the end of the tournament whereas with cash games the money you play with is yours and you can walk away with your winnings any time you want.

Texas Hold’em Rules

  1. A single deck of 52 cards is used in Texas Hold’em poker. All cards count as its respective value, although Aces can be high or low.
  2.  

  3. One player is designated as the dealer, this will be shown online by a small disc and is moved around the table after each hand. Obviously online this person does not physically deal the game, it is simply to show where the first cards are dealt from.
  4.  

  5. The player to the dealer’s left makes a bet known as the “small blind”. In a cash game, this bet will be the same each hand depending on the type of table you are sitting at. In a tournament, the blind bets raise at equal intervals, normally 8 or 10 minutes. The player to the left of the small blind – so 2 seats to the left of the dealer – makes a bet known as the “big blind”. These bets are compulsory and are designed to ensure there is money to be won in every hand and to ensure players can’t just sit waiting for one of the best starting hands to be dealt whilst not risking any money.
  6.  

  7. Two cards are now dealt to each player face down, starting to the player on the dealers left, the small blind.
  8.  

  9. As the first 2 players to the left of the dealer have already placed a bet before the cards we’re dealt, the player to the left of the big blind – 3 to the left of the dealer – gets to play first. They can either call the big blind bet (place a bet equal to it), Raise (place a bet that is more than the big blind), or Fold (not put a bet in and end their participation in the hand). The play then continues around the table in the same direction until all players have either Folded or Called the highest bet. If the play goes back round to the big blind and no one has raised, the big blind player can Check (effectively Call the largest bet but not put any funds in as their bet is already equal to the highest bet).
  10.  

  11. Once the first betting round is finished, 3 cards are dealt in the middle of the table. These are Community cards (cards that can be used by any player) and is known most commonly as the Flop. These are dealt face up so all players can see them.
  12.  

  13. Another round of betting now takes place, starting with the player to the dealers left (the player in the small blind position). If this player folded in the first round of betting, it will be the next player who starts the betting and so on until all players who are still in the hand have either Folded or placed a bet the same as all other players. As there is no forced bet in this round, all players can Check if they wish which means no further bets are made, although if one player does decide to bet, all other players will need to either match this bet by Calling or Fold.
  14.  

  15. A community card is now dealt face up, this is known as the turn and means all players now have 6 cards they can use, their own 2 that only they can see and the 4 community cards that any player can see and use. This card is known as the Turn.
  16.  

  17. Another round of betting now takes place following the same procedure as after the Flop. There are rules on some tables as to the minimum amount that can be bet at this point, this is normally double the minimum of the last 2 rounds, so double the big blind.
  18.  

  19. Once this round of betting has finished, a 5th and final community card are dealt. This is known as the River and means players now have the 7 cards available to them in order to make the best possible 5 card hand.
  20.  

  21. A final round of betting now takes place, the same format as after the Turn.
  22.  

  23. Once this betting round has been completed, the first player remaining in the hand to the left of the dealer will show their cards. It will then continue around the table with each player showing their hand to determine who wins. Please note that whereas the first player to show needs to do so if the next player cannot match that hand, they can Muck their hand which means they agree they have lost but don’t show the other players what they had. If their hand is better, they need to show their hand to this effect. The hand needs to be made up of 5 of the 7 cards available, a player can use all 5 community cards, 1 of his/her own cards and 4 of the community cards, or both of his/her own cards and 3 of the community cards. The player with the highest-ranking hand wins the pot.

 

Texas Holdem Strategy

When playing Texas Holdem poker your best friends are patience and a detailed understanding of Texas Holdem Strategy. The best players flop 80% of the time in a 10 player game. The dealer is the best spot you can have whilst the small blind spot is the worst. This means when you are in the dealer position, you can play looser to see the flop and in the small blind position, you have to play tight. The closer you are to the dealer’s right side the better because you can see the actions taken by other players.

Best Texas Holdem Hands

The first two cards (your starting hand) that are dealt to you are the most important. If you are new to Texas Holdem I suggest you only play the following hands until you have more experience. Here are the best Texas Holdem Hands to start with.

2 Ace'sAce-Ace
when you have a double ace as a starting hand you need to raise, call a raise or re-raise. This is the best starting hand you can get.
King KingKing-King
The double king is the second best starting hand. Your strategy should be to raise, call a raise or re-raise depending on your table position, the risk you’re willing to take and the strength of your opponents. You need to study your opponents; are they loose? Is the one that just raised a good player or a bad? You need to get the edge, and the edges you get by knowing your opponents better than they know themselves.
Queen QueenQueen-Queen
The double queen is the third best starting hand. Your strategy should be to raise or call a raise depending on your table position, the risk you’re willing to take and the strength of your opponents. I wouldn’t re-raise with this hand, be a bit more careful with this hand.
Jack JackJack-Jack
The double jack is a good hand but you should play more careful here. Your strategy should be to call the big blind or to call one small raise. If a big raise is done by a fish you could take your chances.
Ace King SuitedAce-King Suited
The ace-king suited hand is a good starting hand but you still need to wait for the flop before you start betting big. Your strategy should be to call the big blind or to call one small raise.
Ace Queen SuitedAce-Queen Suited
Same strategy as the ace king suited.
King Queen SuitedKing-Queen Suited
Same strategy as the ace queen suited.
Ace Jack SuitedAce-Jack Suited
Your strategy should be to call or call one small raise against a loose player and wait for the flop.
King Jack SuitedKing-Jack Suited
Your strategy should be to call or call one small raise against a loose player and wait for the flop.
Queen Jack SuitedQueen-Jack Suited
Your strategy should be to call or call one small raise against a loose player and wait for the flop.
Ten TenTen-Ten
Your strategy should be to call or call one small raise against a loose player and wait for the flop.
Nine NineNine-Nine
Your strategy should be to call or call one small raise against a loose player and wait for the flop. Your following move depends on the flop. If you get a bad hand after the flop, folding is usually a wise decision. Sometimes you can still get a nice hand with the turn and the river; you will get a better feel at this as you get more experienced. I suggest you play tournaments at first.

 

Unsuited High Cards

Sometimes you will get unsuited high cards like this:

Unsuited highcards

King Ten

You can have other variations like a king with a ten or an ace with a queen. If you get cards like this don’t fold, you should wait for the flop, you should fold only if someone makes a raise. Again I have to say as you get more experienced you will get a better feeling for this. This is why I never recommend poker calculators, the only thing poker calculators do is turn you into a poker bot. You will never develop your own game like this.

 

Starting Hand Probability

The odds of obtaining good cards with your starting hand in Texas Holdem.

AKQJ1098765432
A85%68%67%66%66%64%63%63%62%62%61%60%59%
K66%83%64%64%63%61%60%59%58%58%57%56%55%
Q65%62%80%61%61%59%58%56%55%55%54%53%52%
J65%62%59%78%59%57%56%54%53%52%51%50%50%
1064%61%59%57%75%56%54%53%51%49%49%48%47%
962%59%57%55%53%72%53%51%50%48%46%46%45%
861%58%55%53%52%50%69%50%49%47%45%43%43%
760%57%54%52%50%48%47%67%48%46%45%43%41%
659%56%53%50%48%47%46%45%64%46%44%42%40%
560%55%52%49%47%45%44%43%43%61%44%43%41%
459%54%51%48%46%43%42%41%41%41%58%42%40%
358%54%50%48%45%43%40%39%39%39%38%55%39%
257%53%49%47%44%42%40%37%37%37%36%35%51%

 

Post Flop Strategy

Although it is the same game, and the same hand, the strategy you play pre-flop and post-flop can often be totally different.

Before the Flop, you only have your 2 Hole cards to consider, just 2 of the 7 cards that will be available to you come the end of the hand.

After the Flop, you will know 5 of the 7 cards and will have a much better idea of whether you are likely to win the hand on a Showdown or whether you need to try and bet other players off the pot.

The real money is made after the Flop too since there are still 3 of the 4 betting rounds left to play. Therefore, although the pre Flop strategy is important, it is the Post Flop strategy that could potentially either make you a lot of money or see you lose a lot.

Playing the odds, bluffing your hand, picking up on any tells from your opponents, and mixing up your game are just a few of the strategies to consider at this point.

Post Flop play is, therefore, more advanced and involved than a pre Flop strategy.

Reading Your Opponents

Whether you’ve called, raised, or checked your way pre Flop, the first thing you need to think about after the Flop is your opponents and how they react. This is harder to do in an online game as you cannot physically see your opponents, but it is still worth making notes on players if the facility is available as these can help you in future hands when you are up against the same player.

An example would be if a player is aggressive pre Flop and continues betting, only to lose a Showdown with a weak hand. Make a note of this as in a future hand he or she may well try the same trick again, having this information available to you can help.

You also need to remember who did what before the Flop. If someone Raised but then Checked the Flop, they could have missed, or hit a good hand and are changing their tactics to slow play, hoping others will put more chips in. Equally, if there was no action and the Big Blind simply Checked, beware if they bet on a low board after the Flop as you have no real idea what they may hold.

Proceeding After a Pre-Flop Raise

One of the most common and discussed techniques in post Flop Texas Holdem strategy is the follow-through bet. This comes into play if you Raise before the Flop and are either first to act or the action gets checked to you. Many people would argue that almost every time you are in that position you should follow through with an attempt to take the hand down, irrespective of whether you have hit a hand or not.

The downside to this is that it has become so common that you rarely see players Fold to it anymore, and instead use it as a way to Bluff by Checking and then Raising any bet. There will also be a place in poker for this kind of technique, but try and gauge your opponents and their characteristics as much as possible before you try it when missing the Flop.

If you Raised pre Flop and hit a good hand, you will need to consider the possibilities that are on the board.

If there are 2 or 3 of the same suit and therefore the possibility of a player hitting a Flush later in the hand, it may be worth trying to take down the pot on the Flop with a larger bet rather than allowing a player to see the Turn and River on the cheap.

If you hit a monster such as a Full House, you may consider letting other players do the betting in the hope that they do hit their Flush or Straight giving them the confidence to bet big.

You will also need to consider that even though you may have hit a good hand, another player may also have hit, such as you holding AK on a board showing A J 3 of different suits. In this case, you are well set but anyone that called a pre Flop Raise with AJ or 33 will be doing better and you could be in for a big loss if you are not careful.

It is worth varying your strategies, for this reason, as if players are making notes on you just as you are on them, they may think they have got you sussed. A variation of big pocket pairs or suited connectors, for example, can confuse your opponent and allow you to take advantage of their uncertainty.

Proceeding After a Pre – Flop Call or Check

If you entered the pot pre Flop in late position and have a less thank premium starting hand, the strategy post Flop is less complicated. Players won’t be expecting you to have much compared to those in an early position that is still in the hand, and therefore won’t be looking to you to lead.

It is, therefore, possible to make a decision simply on whether or not you hit the Flop. If you made a hand, you can decide whether to come out all guns blazing and put a bet in or slow play waiting to see what others do. However, slow playing with anything less than a Full House can often lead to disaster if a player hits a Flush or Straight on the Turn or River. Giving them a cheap option to view these cards can often lead to them hitting their hand which will put them ahead of yours.

If there is nothing but Checking going on you have the opportunity to steal the pot with a relatively small bet, nice if you haven’t hit and there are still a few players in the hand.

Maybe the best part of playing after the Flop when in late position is that it gives you the chance to sneak up on the remaining players if you do hit your hand. Calling pre Flop with suited connectors, for example, gives you the chance of a Flush, Straight, or even Three of a Kind if the Flop shows a pair of one of your numbers. It is hard for the other players to read what you have and puts you in a position to either bet or Check-Raise and could lead to you getting chips from someone who has a high pocket pair and who believes you could be Bluffing.

When Obtaining a Full House

Don’t hesitate, don’t fear, the chances of you losing are very slim. When I see a full house like this after the flop in a no-limit game, I don’t just put all my chips on the table right away. I bet a high amount first, after the turn I bet an even higher amount and when the river comes I put all my chips on the table. I do this to make more money from my opponents because if you put all your chips on the table after the flop chances are all of them will fold. When playing a limit game you should start making raises. Some players play with a betting strategy such as Oscars Grind or the Oscars Grind-The Positive Grind, but I usually stay clear of these.

Playing the Turn and River

By the time you reach the Turn and River, there are likely to be only 2 or 3 players left in the hand. Whilst this does mean you have less to think about with regards to what your opponents hold, the rising amount of chips in the pot mean that a mistake at this point could prove costly.

Considering the bet size and pot odds are important throughout the hand, it is most important at the later stage. If you have a draw after the Flop, for example, a call would be easier to make when there are 2 cards left, however, if you miss the Turn and therefore only have 1 card left to play, you have to consider the risk of another player puts a bet in. If they only bet a small amount into a relatively large pot, it is easy enough to call, but with a large bet, you need to decide whether it is worth the risk with only 1 more card to come in order to complete your hand.

On the flip side, if you feel you are ahead, consider a large enough bet so that other players Fold as opposed to letting them see the River card cheaply and giving them a chance to hit their hand. Position and pressure are 2 of the most important aspects at the tail end of a hand as with fewer players involved acting first and forcing the play can give you a big advantage, even more so than at the start.

At the end of the day, these decisions get easier with experience so play as much as you can whilst learning.

If possible, you should play low-value tournaments as opposed to free play or free-rolls as you will often find these games become more like a lottery with people betting a lot more than they otherwise would if they use their own money.

Texas Holdem Tips

To summarise, here are some Texas Holdem Tips:

  1. Do not play with fear, your opponents can smell it
  2.  

  3. Play with good money management and don’t bet all your money on a weak hand.
  4.  

  5. Learn to bluff, but don’t bluff with garbage
  6.  

  7. Learn how your opponents play, are they loose or tight? Do they bluff a lot?
  8.  

  9. Enter tournaments, it’s a cheaper and much better way of improving your game.

 

Texas Holdem Terms

When first learning the game you will come across these Texas Holdem Terms:

  • Muck Hand: When a player agrees they have lost, but doesn’t show the other players what they had.
  •  

  • Small Blind: When the player to the dealer’s left makes a bit. This is known as a small blind
  •  

  • Big Blind: The player to the left of the “small blind” – so when a player 2 seats to the left of the dealer makes a bet, this is known as the “big blind”.
  •  

  • The Flop: These are Community cards dealt face up by the dealer (cards that can be used by any player) and is known most commonly as the Flop.
  •  

  • The Turn: The 4th card of the community cards dealt is know as “The Turn”.
  •  

  • The River: The 5th and final community card dealt is known as “The River”.
  •  

  • All-In When a player commits all their chips to the active pot, they are “All-In” and cannot bet any further chips as they have none available to them.
  •  

  • Ante A ‘forced’ pre-flop bet which is made by all players for an equal amount, normally 10% of the value of the Big Blind. This often occurs in the latter stages of a tournament to ensure it completes in a timely fashion and it increases the same time the Blinds increase.

 

For a complete list of Poker Terms you can visit our Poker Terms & Glossarypage.

 

Related Articles :
Top Poker Sites
Best Online Poker Hands
Poker Video Tutorials

inner page bot left

About the author
Richard Grant
Say hello to Richard Grant! Armed with a Law and Business degree and 17 years of industry experience, he launched this platform in 2007 to be your ultimate guide to the casino world. Specializing in game guides, reviews, and strategic insights, Richard is devoted to helping you hit the jackpot. Come join us on this exciting journey toward big wins!

FAQ

faq

What is Texas Hold ‘Em Poker?

For those who may not be aware, Poker is a game with many different variants. However, the most popular variation of the game that we play today is Hold ‘Em.

faq

Is Texas Hold ‘Em a game of luck or skill?

While luck is not all that is involved in Texas Hold ‘Em, the game, as any other casino game, does involve a bit of luck. However, poker, more than any game is boosted by the skill of the player. And Texas Hold ‘Em is one of the most demanding games in terms of skill. However, ultimately, the game is still massively luck based. While the math isn’t precise, most veterans have claimed that a game of poker is 10% skill and 90% luck.

faq

What separates Texas Hold ‘Em from classic poker?

The main difference is in how the cards are dealt. In Texas Hold ‘Em, all players are dealt two cards. After the initial bets are placed, the dealer then starts taking out card after card from the deck, until there are five on the table. The goal of the game is to get a five-card poker hand.

faq

How long does a game of Texas Hold ‘Em usually last?

It is impossible to say how long a game will last. There are too many variables to say for certain, however, if we take the averages we can come up with a number. Usually, a game of poker is played by six people. So, if we take six players, the standard Texas Hold ‘Em game will take an hour to finish. However, this all changes depending on the situation. If you are playing in a tournament, a game might last 2+ hours, depending on the skill level of the tournament.

faq

What are some things to bear in mind when I play Texas Hold ‘em?

When playing Texas Hold ‘Em, remember Kenny Roger’s words. “You gotta know when to hold ‘em, and know when to fold ‘em.” Sometimes, your hand is bad, and bluffing isn’t worth the risk. When this happens, rather than digging the hole deeper for yourself, throw your hand down and wait for the next round. Alternatively, when you have a great hand, even if the other players are being aggressive, make sure you are playing even more aggressively. A great hand is usually not going to be beaten.

faq

What is the best hand in Texas Hold ‘em?

The best hand to get in Texas Hold ‘em is the royal flush. For those who may not know a royal flush is getting a sequence of cards that start with a 10 and end with the Ace (in other words 10, Jack, Queen, King, Ace).

faq

What is the worst hand in Texas Hold ‘em?

The worst hand in the game, according to experts and game veterans is getting an off-suit 2 and 7. The reason these two are considered bad is that they are the lowest cards that can be dealt that can’t form a straight. And since they are off-suit, they also can’t grant you a flush. So, in other words, a 2 and a 7 off-suit pair is the worst possible hand you can get.

faq

What are the best two cards I can get in Texas Hold ‘em?

In Texas Hold ‘em, as is the case in any poker variant, the best possible starting hand is getting multiple aces. In this case, the best option is getting two aces, commonly known as pocket rockets.

faq

How often should I fold in Texas Hold ‘em?

Veterans and experts have concluded that the average player folds about 30% of the time. This is largely encouraged, as folding when you have a bad hand keeps you in the game longer, meaning you have a better chance of reclaiming the bets you’ve lost.

faq

What should I avoid doing when playing Texas Hold ‘em?

The biggest mistake that new players make is to get frustrated when they are dealt a losing hand. The best thing you can do is retain a calm and now let the other players see your “tells”. Some “tells” include staring at your hands, staring at the floor, slowing down your movements, and staring at the board.

More Guides Articles

Full Screen +