Texas Holdem Strategy

No-limit Texas Holdem is most frequent in tournament play, but has gained a lot of ground also in cash games the last 2 years thanks to the upswing in tournaments. (Another reason for the increasing popularity for no-limit Texas Holdem is that online poker rooms, as opposed to casinos, are better positioned to host these games. The reason is that players go broke more often and need to be replaced and the total rake gets lower. For a casino this proposes a problem, whereas for an online poker room the process of getting new players to the tables is a smoother process.)

No-limit Texas Holdem is not suitable for beginners, as the game require and place a much higher premium on tight and aggressive play. It also involves much more reading skills, where you are "playing the players" rather than the cards. If you want to try out no-limit Texas Holdem as a beginner you should more often start out with low buy-in no-limit tournaments. That way you will risk a modest amount per playing session plus you will be more or less forced to learn to play tight and aggressive (as this general style is even more pronounced in tournament play)

• Strict hand selection (patience/discipline)
• Discipline not to chase (call with weak holdings)
• Reading opponents
• Courage to bet/raise/call down (aggressive with draws or perceived best hands)
• Not vulnerable to go tilt

• Beginners (who typically focus on their own cards, lacks aggression and tend to call too much)
• Technical players with weaker reading skills
• Players that can easily go tilt

1. Play only premium starting hands. In a standard $2-$4 NL game you should have a 20-30% view flop percentage. This means folding AJ in first position, K10 in middle position and Q10 in late position
2. "Play the players". Make sure to quickly assess the opposition; who plays inferior hands, who folds at aggression, who bets on most draws, etc
3. "Pump it or dump it". Fold or bet/raise (if the odds are with you). You should avoid calling unless you have a good reason (like trapping an opponent).
4. Respect most big bets and raises. Especially so on turn and river as most players do not bluff.
5. Table selection. Beware of tight-aggressive tables (low profit, high volatility) and avoid strong players overall as they will "read you and take your money"

1. Calling with modest holdings when facing a bet (such as top pair with weak kicker or middle pair).
2. Playing to many starting hands (Aces without face card kicker, Kings and Queens with 2 holes to kicker such as KT, small pairs without proper odds, etc)
3. Not raising pre-flop with premium hands (to squeeze out limpers holding drawing hands)
4. Over betting the pot (200% instead of 70% pot bet mostly increases the downside)
5. Not enough check-raise (be aggressive but not predictable)
6. Not aggressive enough on flop (take initiative)
7. Not aggressive enough on turn (to follow through on initiative)
8. Not folding middle pair, when facing bet(s)

• If 1-2 limpers before you increase requirements with 1-3 positions (except for the pairs for which the requirement stay the same)
• If one face one raiser you increase requirements to at least as good as your own requirement to play in raisers position (with no regards of own position)

• Most of these hands should be brought in with a raise!!!
• Only avoid raising with "multi-way hands", such as pair lower than 9, connectors QJ and lower, suited Aces with lower kicker

• Make sure to bet top pairs (AA-TT) and top connectors (AK, AQ) to drive out low pairs and various connectors - they will often double up on you if they hit (many beginners do not realize this and play too weak)
• Stick to premium hands only (see the table). You will pay dearly to "chase" with second-best hands in no-limit
• Keep most raises down to about 70-100% (making it 3 times big blind to go typically equals an 80% pot bet) to save some money when you get raised or called by stronger holdings
• Have respect for strong tight players (you should for example drop AQ if a strong player raises under the gun)
• If you are getting raised holding JJ, TT, 99, AQ you should fold, as you most often are a huge underdog or even money (facing over pair or AK/AQ). Holding QQ you might choose to call down hoping to face AQ or JJ...

1. who, if any, raised before the flop? (often expect another bet)
2. what position do you have? (late position is stronger)
3. number of players? (hard to bluff facing 3 opponents or more)
4. face cards or connectors/suits in flop (much higher probability of good hands)

• Often slow play on un-coordinated board to lure opponents in or to induce a bluff from them
• However if the board is coordinated and several players are in you often need to overbet (well over 100% pot bet) to not give implicit odds for nut draws

• Often value bet in order to protect the pot (e.g. pushing out Kings and Queens)
• However, you might have to release this type of hand when facing an over bet or bet/raise! Frequently there is an overpair out or connectors hitting the flop for a two pair. You will need discipline in order not to get committed all way to the river.

• Avoid betting this hand most of the time when you are in early position, or facing several opponents, or even facing tricky players slow playing a lot. You want to get a free card to hit one of your pocket cards on turn!
• However, in late position and against players that don't trap a lot you can mix it up by betting this at times
• If you are facing a bet (or got raised) you should fold. You have no initiative and are probably chasing 2 or 3 outs.

• If you have 10 outs or more and are drawing to the nut flush or straight, which requires at least one overcard (higher than any board card) you can mix up you game by betting/check-raising/raising in order to win the pot right away or draw out on later rounds.
• If you are playing with "calling stations" this strategy has much lower equity as you will not get many free pots. Also remember that you like going all in on the flop, because an opponent with a made hand will be able to shut you out on the turn when you do not catch your cards (as you will not have pot odds to chase)

• There are a lot of ways to play them depending on the aggressiveness of the table and number of players joining the flop
• Remember to help build the pot if no-one is taking initiative (often with small raised to give pot odds). When betting 20-30% in multi-way pots, a lot of players will chase with their draws
• If you need to be active to build the pot, still leave ample room for opponents to make a move/bluff against you

• To write

• If the board is highly coordinated (3 or 2 in same suit and/or 3 or 2 connectors) you have to take a strong stand. Several players can be chasing so over betting the pot at 200-300% is not wrong.
• In the board is un-coordinated you can set up a slowplay, by limping, calling or betting modestly. Betting modestly works best if some cards are in the "playing zone" (e.g. 9 and up) as someone usually has a decent holding
• If you have a lower set, with several limpers in the pot (risk for higher trips) you might consider finding out on the flop. Overbetting on the flop, to shut down on later rounds (and fold to big bet) is an option
• Remember - with a monster you want to leave room for players to try to bluff you as long as you are not in great jeopardy of being outdrawn

• Slow play this hand often with a modest bet or just call (you can get paid off well later)
• If the board is highly coordinated (3 or 2 in same suit and/or 3 or 2 connectors) you often want to push out the draws. Over betting the pot is not wrong if there are several opponents
• If you have hit with a "weak" Ace, let AK and AQ pay a lot to chase - because they will
• If you have a lower two pair, watch out for Aces and Kings in later rounds as higher two pairs than yours will be quite likely

• You need to protect this pot by
• Mostly as the other two pairs, but you want to take home this pot at the flop as both turn and river can create even more two pairs busting yours. A pot sized bet if enough, as you want to be able to release the hand if strongly played back at

• To extract more money, often look to slowplay high overpairs (Aces, Kings and Queens) by just limping, calling or making modest bets. Top pair, AK/AQ, middle pairs with good kickers will often lead where you can wait to raise them on turn.
• You could even consider slowplaying a coordinated board as often another player will bet to take out draws (and make them selves committed to the pot if no scare card falls on turn or river)
• If you have a lower overpair the situation is quite different (Tens or lower). You want to take home the pot by an oversized bet.

• Mostly value bet on the flop (and continue on turn) as you often have weaker players staying in with weaker kickers or worse hands. Especially make sure to bet at least pot if the board is coordinated.
• You are vulnerable to two pairs if the flop has 2 connected cards above 7, so be ready to release your hand to a raise or shutting down on turn if called down in heads-up.

• In un-raised hand - make a strong value bet to take home pot, especially if your pair is Tens or below (you often face opponent with outs on most Face cards)
• Fold facing a bet from a tight player making a pot sized bet if there is decent chance you are out-kicked or sometimes even facing an overpair. Be extra wary to call if there are many players left to act, as you can take no heat whatsoever.

• Typical fold or bet hand.
• If you have late/last position with no more than two opponents, you can go ahead and bet an un-raised pot. Weak/loose players chase can be chasing on middle pairs or draws. Fore solid players might fold weak top pairs or other non-made hands.
• Fold if you are bet into by a tight/strong player, especially if players behind you are left to act
• When betting, release your hand if you get raised in most cases. The exception is when you strongly smell a draw from an aggressive player (then call down and try to take away pot at turn)

• Fold in raised pot. Limp in un-raised pot
• You can make a position bet if you are last to act with only two opponents, as a semi-bluff
• (You should not be in too many hands like this as a tight strategy will make you play Aces with weak kickers only when they are suited and you are at the button or blinds)

• Fold in raised pot. If you are facing only 1 or 2 opponents with a "scare board" preferably with position, you can make a position bet (semi-bluff) trying to take home pot

• Don't be chasing your 2 outs. If you decide to bet it should be solely on "bluff merits" (few players, position, no face cards, etc)

• Fold to action. You will often be chasing 2 outs (for trips) as the Ace will make an opponent higher two pair
• If you decide to bet it should be solely on "bluff merits" (few players, position, no face cards, etc)

• Fold to action. Don't position raise. Try to limp to catch another card.

• Always consider putting pressure on your opponent by betting, raising or check raising - instead of calling. An aggressive move is especially facing only 1 or 2 opponents who also can fold decent hands. With 12 outs (like flush draw with Ace kicker, giving you 9 nut outs and 3 top pair outs) you will have almost 50% to hit on turn and river combined. By putting an opponent all in on the flop you will often make money as you are almost 50% in the money - plus winning the pot up to 50% of the times at the flop.
• Late position gives extra advantage as you can limp for a free card (in particular if you are "deep in the money" or play in a multi-hand game, where a check-raise is possible) or bet out, which will often give you a free card on the turn instead
• However, if you are short-stacked having a late position is less important as you already on the flop will be all in or getting enough pot odds on the turn
• Note, when you have a decent amount of money you do not want to face a strong hand making a 75% pot bet heads-up on the turn. To call a 75% bet heads-up, pot odds over 30% (14-15 outs) are required. Even counting "implicit pot odds" with potential extra winnings on the river you still do not like a heads-up bet over 80%. When two players are already in you will draw at 25% pot odds, which is just about OK with your extra implicit odds on the river.
• Remember to draw for the nuts... don't "draw dead" against the nuts.

• Be prepared to fold your non-nut draw, in particular in raised multi-way pot, when you are chasing a flush. You do not want to chase to end up loosing the entire stack when hitting the draw!
• Mostly you should avoid betting or chasing on a second or third best draw, in particular on flush draw where you frequently can be up against a suited Ace. (With a second best draw you can make a decent bet in an unraised pot trying to snag it right away.)

• Don't be chasing, as you have low pot odds and might be "drawing dead". You want to limp in for a free card.
• Don't bet as a semi-bluff, as you should preserve you tight image and save this move for better hands.

• This hand should be played with caution against very good opposition and bad opposition. Strong players know that you as a tight player often will be sitting with over cards, which makes you vulnerable to steal raises. Bad players will call/chase down with mediocre holdings.
• If the board comes with no face card (King, Queen or Jack) you can bet 50-80% of pot as a steal move. Especially to follow-though as the pre-flop raiser and if there are no more than two opponents.
• Don't make it an expensive habit to bet this hand facing face cards and several opponents. You will loose money and "bluff equity" to use when better served.

• Avoid calling or betting with these "trap hands" as you will not withstand any heat and are often up against AK, AQ.

• As a general rule - you still want to lead and build the pot
• Don't bet your draws - especially against strong players
• Don't call down big bets with just medium holding - rare that someone bets on a draw
• Against strong players you can make a steal-raise if you smell a semi-bluff, but you have to wait for the right moment when you have a good read

• Avoid betting unless you are quite sure to win a showdown, especially facing tough opponents. You have little to win and a lot to loose (as you 90% of the time will get calls only from players who think they have your made hand beat)
• Often you should just bet 25-40% when having the best hand (and no danger cards on the river). This amount will entice some weaker players to make a call with a weaker hand
• When you have hit your (nut) draw, often bet 80-120% of the pot to make it clear that either you made the draw you are bluffing. This kind of bet induces almost as many calls as a small bet.