The Best Tips For Texas Hold’em Success

May 22, 2011 | Posted by DavidGibson

Texas Hold’em has exploded in popularity in recent years. Following are a few tips and strategies that can lead to long term success at the poker tables.

Play Quality Starting Cards

In Texas Hold’em, the two hole cards a player is dealt lead to his first, and possibly most important decision each hand. Deciding to fold, limp in or raise your starting hand will set the tone for the next 3 rounds of betting.
Quality hands are pairs, 2 high cards, suited connectors, suited Aces etc…

Everybody has seen people win on TV with hands like 5-9 off suit and 2-3 suited, but they do not always show the hundreds of times the same players throw away these “garbage” hands.

There are no absolutes in poker, and there is certainly a place for a well-timed bluff with a garbage hand, but generally speaking, playing quality starting cards will lead to easier calculations and decisions for a player after the flop.

Position is Everything

The closer the player is to the dealer button (the later he is to act), the more liberal his hand selection can be. The reasoning here is the advantage of his position (being able to see what action other players take before he must act) will allow him to pick up some pots even when his hand does not connect.

If he limps into a multi-way pot from the button with K4 suited, and nobody bets out on the flop, he now has a chance to bluff at the pot and win it right there, make a probe bet to feel out the other players, or even check and take a free card if he likes his chances to improve on the turn.

The problem with trying to play a suited King from early position is that if any of the 6-8 players behind him decides to raise, he has to fold and give up his original bet, or call from poor position with a weak or marginal hand. Playing marginal hands out of position will typically cost a player in the long run.

Careful with “Trouble Hands”

One of the easiest ways for a player to lose his chips in Texas Hold’em is to go too far with a trouble hand. Trouble hands include hands like K-10 offsuit, K-Q and K-J, Q-J, A-J off and A-10 off to name a few.

These are hands that a player will want to make more than just top pair if he is going to invest in getting to the showdown. Their straight and high flush potential are worth much more than flopping top pair.

The biggest problem is that often, if 2 players are betting their top pair, the winner may be decided by the kicker. Flopping top pair with AJ when the opponent has AQ is a recipe for disaster. A player may find himself betting 3 streets when he is out-kicked from the very beginning.This is not to say that these hands can not be played. With proper position and conditions, these hands can win pots.

It is simply a reminder that if a quality player is betting and calling to the river, there is a good chance that top pair/decent kicker is going to lose.

Mix it Up!

These are just a few ideas to help develop a solid Texas Hold’em strategy, but a player must always be careful not to do the same thing with the same hand every time. Opponents will catch on quickly so it is important to deviate from the standards and mix up their play at different times.

This article was written by David Gibson, an expert in the Poker category at www.yoexpert.com

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