Texas Hold'em Guide

Rules

As with any game, before you start playing you should know the rules. The rules of Texas Hold’em are relatively simple and will not take long to learn, it will however take a little longer to master!

Texas Hold’em, as with all poker games, is started with a forced bet (a set amount depending on the ante or cash limit of the game). In Hold’em there are two forced bets called the small blind and the big blind. The two players left of the dealer will post these blinds; the player immediately to the left of the dealer will pay the small blind with the next player playing the big blind (twice the amount of the small blind).

After the blinds have been posted the cards are dealt, starting with the person left of the dealer. Each player is dealt two cards face down. These two cards are known as the ‘Hole Cards‘.

The first person to act now is directly to the left of the big blind. He has three options:

1. Fold. Puts in no money and throws the cards away.
2. Call. Matches the amount of the big blind.
3. Raise. Bets more money than the big blind. Note: Must be at least the value of the big blind again.

The play carries on around the table until the action reaches the person on the big blind who then has the final option to raise or to check (To not bet).

Next the dealer will then deal three cards face up in the middle of the table. This is known as the flop and the cards are used by all of the players. Now in the subsequent betting rounds the action starts with the person to the left of the dealer who is still holding his original two cards. This person has two options:

1. Check. Put in no money with the option to fold, call or raise later in the round.
2. Bet. Bets any amount of money. Note: Must be at least the amount of the big blind.

The play then carries on until all players have called, raised or folded.

Once the bets are even the next card is dealt, this is known as the turn. The action continues exactly as after the flop. After the betting round is complete the final card is dealt, this is known as the ‘River’. There is now one more betting round. If there are still players left in the pot after this the ‘Hole Cards’ are turned face up and the best five card hand will take the pot.

Hand Rankings

1. Royal Flush: An Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten of the same suit.
2. Straight Flush: Five cards in sequence, of the same suit.
3. Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same value.
4. Full House: Three cards of the same value plus a pair.
5. Flush: Any five cards of the same suit.
6. Straight: Five cards in sequence.
7. Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same value.
8. Two pair: Two cards of the same value plus a different two cards of the same value.
   One Pair: Two cards of the same value.
9. High card. Any hand that does not come under the above categories. Ace is the highest card in Texas Hold’em.

The importance of position and starting hands:

Put simply your position on the table (in relation to the dealer) and the hands which you choose to enter pot with are two of the most important factors in no limit Hold’em. In a nine handed game of poker we will say that the two blinds and the two people to their left are in early position, the next three people around the table are in middle position and the last two are in late position.

The advantage of being in late position is massive. If you enter a pot in last position you have the privilege of seeing your opponents act before you not just pre-flop, but on every betting round until the hand is finished. We will have had the advantage of knowing how many players have entered the pot and seeing how they have acted on the current round of betting. You can even alter which starting hands you may be willing to play depending on the amount of people who have entered the pot. In late position you should note who is showing strength by betting or raising. This is all information which is free to you when you are acting late in the hand. Once you have played poker for a while you will find out yourself just how important and useful a late position is in poker.

There a different schools of thought for new players and starting hands. One respected poker professional wrote a very informative poker book a few years ago and he recommends only 10 starting hands for the beginner. (AA, KK, QQ, JJ, 10 10, 99, 88, 77, AK and AQ suited). This I believe is absolutely sound advice. If you do not play any other hands than these then the vast majority of the time you are entering pots you will be ahead and therefore will win more hands than you lose. However if you sit down at a table for five hours and only play these hands you will be far too easy to read. Nobody will play with you because they will expect you to have a premium holding.

I believe that a relative beginner can play more hands than this as long as they have the will to fold their hands when they think they are beat. The mark of a good poker player is one who is able to throw away the best hand. There is no disgrace at all in being bluffed by an opponent, if you feel that your hand is beaten or that it is going to cost you too much money to find out if you are beaten THEN JUST FOLD. There will always be another chance to play later. A good decision on one hand can make the difference between a winning and losing session or a final table spot in a tournament and going out just before the money.

I have decided to split up my starting hands with the position which we discussed earlier. Can I just say again that these starting hands are on the outer limit of what I would consider to play. By this I mean that there are more starting hands listed here than other people may think are wise to start with, if you think that the hands here are too constrictive then you are playing too many hands. If you find it hard to fold, or you are not reading your opponents well then you may wish to consider starting with even fewer hands than I recommend. If you want to play any two cards from any position then go ahead and do it; but don’t expect to hold on to your money for long.

The starting hands I am going to give you are based on early, middle and late position. We will assume that you are playing on a ten seated table. The early positions cover the two blind positions and the two seats next to them. Middle position will be seated five, six and seven seats from the dealer button and late position are the eighth ninth and tenth position.

Early Position Starting hands

PAIRS: AA, KK, QQ, JJ, 10 10, 9 9, 8 8, 7 7.

SUITED CARDS: AK, AQ, AJ, A10, KQ, KJ, K 10, QJ, J 10.

UNSUITED CARDS: AK, AQ, AJ, KQ.

Middle Position Starting Hands

PAIRS: AA, KK, QQ, J J, 10 10, 9 9, 8 8, 77, 66, 55

SUITED CARDS: AK, AQ, AJ, A10, A9, A8, KQ, KJ, K 10, K 9, Q J, Q 10, J 10, J 9, 10 9.

UNSUITED CARDS: AK, AQ, AJ, A 10, KQ, K 10, KJ, QJ, Q 10, J 10

Late Position Starting Hands

PAIRS: AA, KK, QQ, J J, 10 10, 9 9, 8 8, 77, 66, 55, 44, 33, 22

SUITED CARDS: AK, AQ, AJ, A10, A9, A8, A7,A6, A5, A4, A3,A2 KQ, KJ, K 10, K 9, K 8, Q J, Q 10,Q 9, J 10, J 9, 10 9, 98, 87, 76, 65.

UNSUITED CARDS: AK, AQ, AJ,A 10, A 9, KQ, KJ,K 10, K 9, QJ,Q 10, J 10, 10 9, 9 8.

Here the starting hands that are in bold italics are ones which if the pot is raised you should re-raise with. The cards in bold are ones you should raise with. All the other hands I would just call with. Note: If the pot has been raised I would continue very cautiously. In most cases it is best to just fold. If you have position on your opponent and you can trust your reading skills later on in the hand it is only then that I would call. Calling with hands such as AJ and KQ can lead to massive problems if you hit your hand and your opponent has a slightly better holding. It is exactly that position which you want to get your opponent in. It is much easier to play a hand like 78 suited against a raise as it will be clearer when you are ahead or behind and therefore easier to play or fold your hand in the later stages of a hand.

Pre-flop:

Pre-flop play in Hold’em should be relatively simple. You have a limited amount of information available to you which should make your decisions easier to make. The aim here is to start the hand with a positive action. A raise or a re-raise with a good starting hand here should set you up for a good shot at the pot later on in the hand. Try to stick to certain rules pre-flop, you cannot expect to play winning poker when you are starting a pot with just any two cards in your hand. If you hone your skills by choosing the starting hands that you are willing to play from different positions you will become more adept at playing them later in the hand. That is why the above table includes the hands it does, to some people it may seem to be too tight, and to others it may seem too loose. I believe the selection is correct as long as you have the discipline to stick to the rules pre-flop.

Just remember, keep your pre-flop play in line with your tactics. If you are unsure about anything just FOLD! Another hand will come along soon.

The Flop:

Right, now you have made it to the flop so we can assume two things. Either you have a premium starting hand and have raised your opponent, or you have called with a more speculative hand. If you do not fall into either of these categories then you really should have folded pre-flop unless you are on the big blind and hold absolutely nothing! If this is true then don’t fear as these basic flop tactics should make your decision easy.

We know that the flop brings three cards, this equates to 42% of all the cards that you will see during the hand. If you include the two ‘Hole Cards’ you have then you have 71% of the cards which will eventually make up your five card hand. The reason why your pre-flop decisions are easier to make is that it is more cut and dry but now there are a lot of different things that could be happening to your hand and your opponent’s hand.

Still, there are some basic things for you to look out for here:

1. Does the flop improve your hand?
2. Does the flop offer you a chance to make a flush or straight?

If neither of these two points refers to the hand you are holding then you have ‘missed’ the flop and should check and then fold to any bet a player makes. It’s as simple as that.

In Hold’em you are always looking to gain information on you opponents and in online play the only real way of doing this is to study their betting patterns. When you make a bet you are asking a question of your opponent and the cards which they are holding. If you raise you are doing the same thing. You can also find information about your opponents by others betting, raising and folding around you both when you are in the hand and when you have folded.

Now you are on the flop you already have a certain amount of information at you disposal, think about how people have played their hands so far and also try to consider their position in the hand. Always try to guess your opponents cards throughout the hand you are playing. For example you hold AA and raise pre-flop where two other players who had originally just called the blind call your raise. The flop comes as Q hearts, 6 spades, and 2 clubs. This is a good flop for you here. Firstly you haven’t been re-raised pre-flop so it is unlikely that any players hold KK or QQ. They may have called with hands such as an Ace and another card of the same suit but the flop hasn’t brought down a possible flush draw or KQ, QJ etc. You should be confident of having the best hand, if somebody bets I would recommend you raise. This gives you two ways of winning the pot, they could fold or they could call your raise with something like KQ or AQ (where you would be an overwhelming favourite to win the pot). What I am trying to explain here is the thought processes that you should be going through to try to figure out what hands your opponents have. You will get it wrong from time to time but with practice you will get better and become a dangerous player.

Just remember the basics, you want the flop to improve your hand or give you a good chance of seriously improving your hand.

One easy way of working out how likely you are to improve your hand is to take the number of cards left in the deck which can improve your hand and if you’re on the flop multiply by four, if you’re on the turn multiply by two. For example:

1. You hold 10 9.
2. Flop comes J, 8, 4.

You need a Queen or a seven to improve your hand to a straight which equals eight possible cards.
Multiply eight by four (because you are on the flop)
Answer equals thirty two (32% chance of you hitting your hand)

Now during the turn comes a 2.
You still have eight cards to help you (four sevens and four queens)
Multiply eight by two (because you are on the turn)
Answer equals sixteen (16% chance of you hitting your hand)

Note: These percentages are not exact but close enough to help you with any decision. Plus they are simple enough to be worked out very quickly.

Now you can relate these percentages to the money in the pot to see if you should call a bet. This is called pot odds. If we consider the above example we know that on the turn we have about a one in six chance of making our hand. If the pot is £15 and somebody has bet you five pounds then you have to spend five pounds to win twenty. Here you are getting 4:1 on your money and the odds of you winning the hand are about 6:1. Here you should fold because the odds of you making the straight are longer than the 4:1 odds you have on your bet. Grasping the basics of pot odds is essential to becoming a good cash game player and will significantly improve your post flop play.

The Turn:

Most of the time whilst you are playing you will not be in the hand when the turn comes as you will have folded previously. Still pay attention to the hand as you can build a profile of the other people at the table by watching them play, try to guess each person’s hand and predict what they are going to do. After a while you will hopefully be getting close to predicting their actions based on their play during the hand. If that is the case then you are in a powerful position, if you get good at this you will have an enormous advantage over them when you are playing against them on the turn and river.

If you have made it to the turn you should be holding a good hand, a good draw or believe that a bluff can win you the pot. For now though I wouldn’t bluff, you need to have excellent reading skills to be able to bluff effectively and consistently. Many players who can play a solid game will release their chips and their profit on ill timed bluffs.

Here are some rules for your play on the turn. I will assume here that you have a strong hand or a promising draw. If you do have a strong hand and you have raised pre-flop, bet on the flop and there are still three opponents in the hand then there is a good chance that either you do not have the best hand or more likely that people are drawing to straights and flushes.

1. If you believe you have the best hand then bet and raise. This will make it expensive for people trying to draw to a hand.
2. If you are drawing to a hand CONSIDER YOUR POT ODDS. Try to make it to the river as cheaply as possible.
3. If you are unsure about peoples betting and raising and you think you may be being beaten or even if you just don’t know then FOLD! You will save yourself money and hard decisions on the river if you are disciplined here.

That’s about as tough as it gets. Don’t get too clever on the turn, if you play a solid game you should come out the winner enough times to turn a good profit.

The River:

Now the river card has been dealt you have collected all of the information about the cards and hopefully some important information about what your opponent may have.

If you have called for a draw and not made it you will usually not have a choice but to check and fold to your opponent. Please don’t make any rash attempts for the pot in this case, if you have considered you pot odds previously then you have already made a winning play, even if you are going to have to release your hand. I say this because if you have played the pot odds correctly then over time you will make money, its simple mathematics.

If you have called for a draw and made your hand then congratulations! Now you have to decide how to get the most money from your opponent. The key here is to try to think about how he has been betting for the duration of a hand. Did he raise pre-flop? Was his play weak on the turn? How many players were involved on the flop and what happened? Do you believe this person to be an aggressive player? These are all questions which you would want to ask yourself to try to ascertain the strength of his hand. If you have a good idea of what he his holding then go with it, you have to trust your reading skills here to try to make the most money that you possibly can. The majority of the time if it is you to act first then you should bet if you think you have the best hand , if you are not sure then just check and see what they do, if the river card looked like a possible danger card then they may just check as well.

If you believed your opponent to have been calling for a draw himself and a possible straight or flush has come down try to use your judgment to decide if you should call his bet or not. Most of the time it will be better to check then fold or call than to come out betting as you do not want to be raised at this point.

The key to river play is to know your opponents and their tendencies. A lot of the time you will have either won the hand before the river or folded already.

Bankroll:

The vast majority of people who you will be playing against on the internet are doing so for fun, by this I mean that they are not professional players. You will only have fun playing poker if you play stakes which suit your bankroll. Can you imagine coming home from work and entering into a game which puts your entire week’s wages under threat or your rent or housekeeping money? How are you going to play a sound game when you can’t afford to lose the money you are playing with? The answer to that is you can’t and you probably don’t want to either. So how do you decide what are the right stakes for you? I have always worked on the assumption that you never want to bring more than 10% of you bankroll to the table at any one time. With all of the internet poker sites you can play on, you will have the luxury of different stakes games, if you put $100 dollars into your account then I would say that you should play in a cash game where the buy in is $10. This will ensure that you have to lose your money ten times over to go bust. Furthermore, if you are losing you could say that when you are down to $50 you step down to $5 buy in tables. Of course this can work a different way. If you are regularly beating the $10 tables then when you have won your stack up to $200 then go and try the $20 tables! All poker professionals have moved up their stakes in this way, many will go bust along the way but to ensure that you are enjoying the game and you whole bankroll isn’t resting on the turn of a card then I would go for the 10% rule. It’s simple and you will get much more poker for your money.