Previous generations learned poker by playing Five Card Draw and Seven Card Stud with their fathers and grandmothers. Today's new generation of poker players has taken a much different path and many pro players only play Texas Holdem.
Texas Holdem Poker has taken over as the premier form of the game, almost solely because it has an appealing watchability to it that other games lack. Let's face it... nobody likes watching two people brick out on 6th street in an epic Razz match. But have four players catch a flop and build a massive multi-way pot and suddenly you have ratings! These Texas Holdem tips will help you get the best of it the next time you find yourself peaking down at your holecards and imagining the flop to come.
1. The odds of being dealt a pocket pair are 1 in 16. The odds of making your set on the flop are 1 in 7.5.
2. The odds of making your flush by the river, if you have four on the flop, are 1 in 1.9.
3. Playble starting hands are found in the categories of pairs, suited connectors and one-breaks, unsuited connectors and one-breaks, and AXsuited. All other two-card combinations rarely have enough value to call.
4. After the flop, your pocket pair should be higher than the board or have hit its set to make a profit in the long run.
5. High suited connectors are still drawing cards - if you don't hit top pair or a four-flush on the flop, you probably do not have the best hand.
6. Pocket pairs below tens rarely win in a full game if they don't hit their set.
7. The later your position, and the more callers, the lower your suited connectors can be for a call.
8. The median starting hand is Jack high, particularly important to know in heads up play, when starting requirements must shift.
9. Raising or folding is the correct play more often than simply calling.
10. Low suited connectors can pay off well when they hit, particularly in no-limit.
11. No-limit places more emphasis on reads and player skill after the flop, and therefore slightly less on strict starting hands.
12. In no-limit, know how far off the nuts you are. Many players lose their entire chip count with the 3rd or 4th best hand. You'd rather get most your money in a pot with the nuts or a draw to the nuts.
13. Shortcut for calculation - Each out you have equates to approximately a 2% chance per street. For example, if you have a pocket pair versus a bigger pair on the turn, you have two outs and one street remaining... you are approximately 4% to win.
14. A flush draw with overcards after the flop is a 60% favorite over a lower pair.
15. If you have KK and an Ace comes on the flop, don't be tied to this pretty loser. Let a bettor take it.
16. In no-limit, sometimes a maniac will push everyone around by going all-in preflop every time. This is especially true in rebuy tournaments. Wait for premium hands, then don't hesitate to call him.
17. Don't make fun of or argue with players that call you with inferior hands, then draw out to win. Remember, you want weak players at your table, and part of this means losing to a longshot from time to time.
While Texas Holdem Poker is currently the most popular game, there is one other game that has emerged as a potential contender to Holdem. That game is Pot-Limit Omaha, and hopefully you are ready to read our next poker tips page :
