Texas Hold'em

You wouldn't think that any game in which you only get two cards of your own would be very difficult or challenging, but until you've played Texas hold'em you can't imagine its permutations and complexity. To the uninitiated, hold'em looks like seven-card stud, with a few differences. In the end, however, the only thing that's the same is that the hands are made up of the best five of seven cards.

The critical differences begin with the starting hand. While this is always an important decision, it is not nearly as critical in hold'em as it is in seven-card stud. The decisions you make on the later streets make much more of a difference in your overall success in hold'em.

The most important difference between seven-card stud and Texas hold'em is the use of community cards, which are dealt face up in front of the dealer. These cards all play a part in the development of each player's hand.

Starting Hold'em

Before any cards are dealt in Texas hold'em, the first player to the left of the button must post a "small blind," which is a percentage of the minimum bet. The second player to the left of the button then posts a "big blind," which is usually equal to the table minimum. After posting these bets, the dealer distributes two cards to each player, beginning with the player who posted the small blind. Then the player to the left of the big blind has the option to fold, match the big blind, or raise. The betting then moves clockwise until all players have exercised their options. The players who posted the blinds have only to match the difference between the largest bet and the blinds to stay in the game. On subsequent betting rounds, the first active player to the left of the button initiates the betting.

After the first round of betting is completed, the dealer lays out three cards face up simultaneously in the middle of the table. This is called the "flop." Another round of betting takes place at that time. Betting also takes place between each of the next two face up cards, called fourth street and fifth street. Once again, these cards are all community cards that belong to all the active players.

When it comes time for the showdown, the player with the best five cards using his two downcards and the five community cards is the winner. In Texas hold'em, there are frequently situations where players have the same hands. In this case, the pot is split.

Limits in Texas hold'em are similar to the situation mentioned in seven-card stud. The only difference would be the blinds. In a $3-$6 hold'em game, the first player would ante a small blind of $1, and the big blind would be $3.

Hold'em Strategy

Texas hold'em is an illusion. It appears to be a simple game, but you have to understand all the variables and how to make the correct play.

The most important, but probably most difficult aspect of hold'em, is to know what the best possible hand-known as "the nuts"-is, and whether any of your opponents could be holding it. For instance if the five community cards are:

Queen of Diamonds, Nine of Spades, Seven of Hearts, Four of Clubs and Two of Hearts

there is no chance any player can be holding a straight, flush or full house. The best possible hand would be three Queens.

By assessing the number of players in the game, and their betting patterns, you'll get a hint about the best hand. The more players and the more raises in a game, the better the chance that one of the players had "the nuts."

It's important that you are able to recognize when you have the best possible hand. If you have the nuts and don't know it, you can lose out on a very profitable opportunity. But believing you have the nuts, and you really don't, can be much more costly to you.

For example, if you hold a hand such as:

King of Hearts, Queen of Clubs, Jack of Hearts, Six of Diamonds and Four of Clubs

and you have an Ace-King, you're a winner. You should get as much money into the pot and milk it for all it's worth. But if the Four of clubs is a Four of diamonds, you could lose to a flush.

In Texas hold'em, the betting position is more crucial than with any other poker game. That's because the game is a fixed-position game, rather than one where the lead-off bet has the high hand. Since the players only see the community cards, it's not possible to discern who has the high hand in hold'em, so the betting proceeds from the player to the left of the button. Since it is always beneficial to act last in any poker game, you should be more selective of the hands you play when you bet from an early position, rather than when you are in position be near the end of the hand.

High cards are better than low cards. If you have two downcards like:

Six of Clubs, Three of Diamonds

throw them away. Even if you pair one or the other, there's very little chance no one else will come through with a higher pair.

Conversely, if your hand consists of:

Jack of Hearts, King of Spades

you might want to consider seeing the flop. If you pair up one of those cards, you're in a much stronger position, particularly if the paired card is the highest of the flop.

Beware of suited cards. While they are valuable, having two in your hand is just than; it's only two toward a flush. It might end up costing you significant wagers chasing that fourth or fifth suited card.

Texas Hold'em

You wouldn't think that any game in which you only get two cards of your own would be very difficult or challenging, but until you've played Texas hold'em you can't imagine its permutations and complexity. To the uninitiated, hold'em looks like seven-card stud, with a few differences. In the end, however, the only thing that's the same is that the hands are made up of the best five of seven cards.

The critical differences begin with the starting hand. While this is always an important decision, it is not nearly as critical in hold'em as it is in seven-card stud. The decisions you make on the later streets make much more of a difference in your overall success in hold'em.

The most important difference between seven-card stud and Texas hold'em is the use of community cards, which are dealt face up in front of the dealer. These cards all play a part in the development of each player's hand.

Starting Hold'em

Before any cards are dealt in Texas hold'em, the first player to the left of the button must post a "small blind," which is a percentage of the minimum bet. The second player to the left of the button then posts a "big blind," which is usually equal to the table minimum. After posting these bets, the dealer distributes two cards to each player, beginning with the player who posted the small blind. Then the player to the left of the big blind has the option to fold, match the big blind, or raise. The betting then moves clockwise until all players have exercised their options. The players who posted the blinds have only to match the difference between the largest bet and the blinds to stay in the game. On subsequent betting rounds, the first active player to the left of the button initiates the betting.

After the first round of betting is completed, the dealer lays out three cards face up simultaneously in the middle of the table. This is called the "flop." Another round of betting takes place at that time. Betting also takes place between each of the next two face up cards, called fourth street and fifth street. Once again, these cards are all community cards that belong to all the active players.

When it comes time for the showdown, the player with the best five cards using his two downcards and the five community cards is the winner. In Texas hold'em, there are frequently situations where players have the same hands. In this case, the pot is split.

Limits in Texas hold'em are similar to the situation mentioned in seven-card stud. The only difference would be the blinds. In a $3-$6 hold'em game, the first player would ante a small blind of $1, and the big blind would be $3.

Hold'em Strategy

Texas hold'em is an illusion. It appears to be a simple game, but you have to understand all the variables and how to make the correct play.

The most important, but probably most difficult aspect of hold'em, is to know what the best possible hand-known as "the nuts"-is, and whether any of your opponents could be holding it. For instance if the five community cards are:

Queen of Diamonds, Nine of Spades, Seven of Hearts, Four of Clubs and Two of Hearts

there is no chance any player can be holding a straight, flush or full house. The best possible hand would be three Queens.

By assessing the number of players in the game, and their betting patterns, you'll get a hint about the best hand. The more players and the more raises in a game, the better the chance that one of the players had "the nuts."

It's important that you are able to recognize when you have the best possible hand. If you have the nuts and don't know it, you can lose out on a very profitable opportunity. But believing you have the nuts, and you really don't, can be much more costly to you.

For example, if you hold a hand such as:

King of Hearts, Queen of Clubs, Jack of Hearts, Six of Diamonds and Four of Clubs

and you have an Ace-King, you're a winner. You should get as much money into the pot and milk it for all it's worth. But if the Four of clubs is a Four of diamonds, you could lose to a flush.

In Texas hold'em, the betting position is more crucial than with any other poker game. That's because the game is a fixed-position game, rather than one where the lead-off bet has the high hand. Since the players only see the community cards, it's not possible to discern who has the high hand in hold'em, so the betting proceeds from the player to the left of the button. Since it is always beneficial to act last in any poker game, you should be more selective of the hands you play when you bet from an early position, rather than when you are in position be near the end of the hand.

High cards are better than low cards. If you have two downcards like:

Six of Clubs, Three of Diamonds

throw them away. Even if you pair one or the other, there's very little chance no one else will come through with a higher pair.

Conversely, if your hand consists of:

Jack of Hearts, King of Spades

you might want to consider seeing the flop. If you pair up one of those cards, you're in a much stronger position, particularly if the paired card is the highest of the flop.

Beware of suited cards. While they are valuable, having two in your hand is just than; it's only two toward a flush. It might end up costing you significant wagers chasing that fourth or fifth suited card.