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Texas Hold'em Poker
There are two low limit poker games that are popular with beginners in the casino. Seven-card stud and Limit Texas Hold'em. I chose to learn how to play Hold'em. The rules of the game are fairly easy to learn. Limit Hold'em has structured betting and the lowest limit you will find in most casinos is a $3/$6 game. That means the minimum bet is three dollars during the first two rounds of betting and the minimum bet is six dollars during the last two betting rounds. You use the limits when you raise as well. Other limits you may find are 5/10 or 10/20 or higher. I will explain the 3/6 game. Texas Hold'em can be played by up to eleven players. Ten players are an ideal game and some nice pots can be won.
Since the casino supplies a dealer one player must be the designated dealer who will last act during the betting rounds. A disk or "Button" is used to identify the dealer and this is rotated to the left after each hand. To start a new hand two "Blind" bets are put up or "Posted". The person immediately to the left of the player with the dealer button puts up or "Posts" the "Small Blind" which is approximately half the minimum bet. Since there are no 50 cent chips, the small blind for the three six game is one dollar. The player to the left of the small blind posts the "Big Blind" which is equal to the minimum bet in this case three dollars.
The rest of the players do not put up any money to start the hand. Because the dealer button rotates around the table, each player will eventually act as the big blind, small blind and dealer. It will cost you four dollars every time the deal makes a complete rotation around the table.
After the blinds are posted each player is dealt two cards face down with the player on the small blind receiving the first card and the player with the dealer button getting the last card. The first betting round begins wit the player to the left of the big blind either putting in three dollars to "Call" the blind bet, or putting in six dollars to "raise" the big blind or folding his hand. This goes around the table in order until it reaches the player who posted the small blind. That player can call the bet by putting in two dollars since a dollar bet was already posted. The last person to act is the big blind. If no one has raised, the dealer will ask if they would like the option. This is the option to raise or just "check". By checking the player does not put in any more money. A rookie mistake sometimes occurs here. The player with the big blind has already put his bet in. I have seen some players throw their cards in not realizing that they are already in the hand. Another rookie mistake is betting or folding your cards when it is not your turn. You must wait before you act.
There can be up to three raises per betting round. After the first round is completed the dealer will "burn" or discard the top card on the deck. This is done to make sure no one could have accidentally seen the top card. Three cards are dealt and turned face up in the middle of the table. This is known as the "Flop". These are community cards used by all the players. Another betting round begins with the first active player to the left of the dealer button. The minimum bet for this round is also three dollars
After this round the dealer burns another card and turns a fourth card face up in the middle of the table. This is sometimes referred to as the "Turn". The minimum bet after the turn is now six dollars and begins again with the first active player to the left of the button. When this round is complete the dealer will burn another card and turn a fifth card face up. This is called the "river" or Fifth Street and the final betting round begins with six dollars being the minimum bet.
To determine the winner, the players may use any combination of their two down cards and the five cards on the "Board" (Table) to form the highest five card hand. In some rare cases the best hand will be the five cards on board. In that case the active players will split the pot. A sixth card is never used to break a tie.
Your position in relation to the dealer button is important in deciding which beginning hands you play.
Most low limit players do not take the time to learn about the value of their position to the button and how it relates to which hands to play. Understanding tables position is an important concept if you want to be a winning player.
Your position is determined by where your are sitting in relation to the dealers button. Unlike games like stud, where the betting order changes with each betting round the order is fixed in Texas Hold'em. Before the flop the person to the left of the big blind bets first. After the flop the first active player to the left of the dealer button acts first. If you are in early position you will remain there for all betting rounds. If you play a weak or marginal hand in early position before the flop you are at risk of getting raised by those acting after you. There is also a possibility of multiple raises. If you decide to fold you have cost yourself a bet without ever seeing any other cards. Some hands are drawing hands that play better with many opponents calling. If you have to act first you have no idea how many players will call or fold.
When you are in the late position you can get an idea of the strength of you opponent's hands by how they play. If there have been no raises you can play weaker starting hands and hope that the flop will fit your hand. After the flop you have more information to help you decide how to play. You can raise if your opponents bet, bet if they check or decide to check to gain a free card. If there have been bets or raises before you and your hand is weak you can fold.
The chart below shows a quick reference to the positions in a ten-person game. If there were fewer players in the game you would adjust this. In a nine-person game you would consider only the last two positions as late.
| 1 | Small Blind | Early Position Under the Gun after the flop. |
| 2 | Big Blind. | Early Position. Has the option of checking on first round before the flop. |
| 3 | Under the Gun | Early Position. Acts first before the flop. |
| 4 | Early | Second person to act before the flop. |
| 5 | Middle | Third person to act before the flop. Middle after the flop. |
| 6 | Middle | Can play a few more starting hands if no raises. |
| 7 | Middle | Can play a few more starting hands if no raises. |
| 8 | Middle/Late | May be considered middle in aggressive game. |
| 9 | Late | Second to last after the flop. |
| 10 | Dealer Button | "On the Button" acts last after the flop. |
The person "On the Button" gets to act last except for the first betting round, which starts with the first player to the left of the big blind. A player acting first is referred to as being "under the gun." After the flop the player posting the small blind is under the gun if they are still in the hand. The dealer button rotates after each hand so your position changes after each hand is completed..
In Hold'em, there are 169 possible two-card starting hands. According to David Sklansky's book, Hold'em Poker, only about 80 of these are worth playing. Of these hands about 24 are playable from an early position. Players are making a big mistake if they play weak or marginal hands without giving consideration to their position.
The most important decision a player will make in Hold'em is deciding which hands to play. Most players lose because they play too many hands. The best two-card hand you can be dealt is a pair of Aces. The worst hand is 2-7 unsuited. Many players mistakenly adopt a "any two cards can win" philosophy. There are 169 possible two-card starting hands and only about 80 are playable. Which of these 80 you play will be determined by your position to the dealer button. Not all of these hands can be played from every position. Cards of the same suit are more powerful than unsuited cards because of their flush potential. Strong starting hands such as big pairs have a better chance of holding up to make the winning hand than smaller cards. Although it is possible to get a miracle flop more often than not you won't get it. To be a consistent winner a player needs to learn the correct starting hands.
The next decision you have to make is whether to continue or fold after you see the flop. It is said that the flop defines your hand. That is because after the flop your hand will be 71% complete. Where does this figure come from? Assuming you play your hand out to the end it will consist of seven cards. After the flop you have seen 5/7 of the final hand, which is equal to 71 percent. With this much of you hand complete you should have enough information to determine whether to continue or not.
Deciding to continue playing after the flop is not as easy as choosing a starting hand. There are only 169 two-card combinations for starting hands but there are thousands of possible hands that can be made with five cards. As a beginner you will want to use the Fit or Fold criteria for deciding to continue playing the hand. If the flop "Fits" by improving your hand or gives you a draw to a four card flush or open end straight you should play. If your hand does not improve you should fold.
This may sound very simplistic but there are other considerations you need to make even if you have a drawing hand. You have to read the board closely after the flop. Many players in low limit games will play any two suited cards. If the flop shows two cards of the same suit there is a good chance one of the other players could be on a flush draw. If the flop gave you open ended straight you could be a loser if the other player makes a flush.
Players in low limit games also like to play any ace regardless of the kicker with it. For this reason you have to be very careful when you see an Ace flop. If you are holding a small or medium pair and there is a bet and raise with an ace on board you should fold. If you entered the pot with a small pair in late position you should fold if you do not make a set on the flop.
Trips Vs Sets
If you have a pair in the pocket and a third card appears on the flop you have a set. If you have a card in the pocket that is matched by a pair that flops you have trips. As a beginner you may feel that both are three of a kind and should be treated the same. This is not true. A set is more powerful than trips. When there is a pair on board another player could have the fourth (case) card giving him trips as well. With a pair on board you also must be careful of the chance of another player having a full house.
Many times the flop will not fit any player. It is for this reason that you want to play solid starting hands. If you have a card in your hand that is higher than any card on the flop, it is called an overcard. If there are not many players left in the hand you may chose to play if you hold two overcards. Before you consider this you must be certain that the flop did not give someone a flush or a straight. You need to be aware that the more people in the hand the more of a chance that someone will have a pair. If someone bets before you, your safest move would be to fold with just overcards.
Learning to read the board is an important skill you will need to develop even when you follow the fit or fold method for playing your hand.
