The Top 3 Tips for Winning in Texas Hold’em Poker
Back in 2003, Chris Moneymaker became the first amateur poker player to win the World Series of Poker Main Event. It revolutionized the poker world because it showed that the poker sun could shine on anyone at any time. The game was Texas Hold’em, a version of poker that the “Moneymaker Effect” made famous all over the world.
If you are interested in learning about the most popular version of poker on the planet, you’ll enjoy reading the following information.
How to Play Texas Hold’em
Setting aside strategy for a later section, let’s take a look at how Texas Hold’em is played.
Each player is dealt two cards face down. The betting starts. After the betting is finished, the dealer deals three “community cards” face up. This is referred to as “the flop.” Community cards are cards that everyone at the table will use to make their best five-card hand, always including their two “hole cards.” Again, betting continues until players are done.
Next, the dealer turns up one more community card called “the turn” or “fourth street”. Bettors wager and the game continues.
Finally, the dealer turns over the last community card called “the river” or “fifth street”. Bettors go through their final wagers and all remaining players expose their hands. The best five-card hand wins the pot, using traditional ordering.
The Top 3 Tips for Winning in Texas Hold’em Poker
This isn’t Old Maid or Go Fish. Texas Hold’em is a favorite game among poker-playing enthusiasts because it involves a lot of strategy. It’s more about playing the other players than it is about playing the cards. Lucky people can get good cards, but good Texas Hold’em players can win with bad cards as well with the right bluffs.
Assuming you are new to the game, caution is warranted. There are a lot of good players out there looking to prey on rookies and novice players. Many of these players are lurking in online casinos in the US.
In an effort to help you protect yourself and learn to play the game right, here are three (3) Texas Hold’em tips you can put in your memory.
Tip #1 – Take Advantage of Knowing Your Position in the Hand
When playing Texas Hold’em, each player takes turns in rotation (left to right) being on the “button.” Being on the button refers to being the last player to act after the flop, the turn, and the river. That offers you a huge advantage for two reasons.
First, you know exactly how many players are wanting to participate in the hand and to what wagering value they want to participate. Second, you’ll have time to read other players and think about what you want to do. As a rule of thumb, you might want to proceed with caution if more than a couple of players are looking to play the hand.
Tip #1 – Make Them Pay to See the Flop
When the occasion arises that your first two cards look strong, you are in a good betting position. What you are wanting to do is get paid for the privilege of getting two good cards right off the bat. It’s a privilege because it doesn’t happen often.
As a point of reference, strong two-card hands would include any of the following hands:
- A pair of any kind, the higher the better
- Two consecutive face cards of any suit
- Two suited cards, the higher the better
- Always consider playing an Ace
When you have a strong two-card hand, you want to make sure the other players pony up before they see the flop. You can do that by raising any existing bets. While it indicates you might have a strong hand, you can figure that anyone who calls or raises your bet will likely have a decent hand as well. If you let them see the flop on the cheap, they might catch cards that will change the complexion of the hand.
Tip #1 – Play Cautious After the Turn and River
Everyone who sticks around after the flop probably has a decent hand. It’s also possible they are seeking one card to make a decent hand. When the betting starts with the Turn and River, you better have some power in your hand. As a novice, you probably don’t have the skills you will need to bluff another player off a decent hand.
If you are fishing for one card after the turn, it’s okay to bet if you can do so cheaply. When it comes to the River, you had better have some value in your hand. If you suspect you could be beaten, it’s okay to fold with no regard for what you have already put in the put.
Remember, it’s a game of attrition until you get the big hand, then fire.
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