Texas Holdem Poker

Texas Holdem players that start at low limits usually begin their play with Limit Holdem. Many begin at the $2-$4 and $3-$6 level. These are the lowest levels both in term of competition and profit potential. It is also a level that the most mistakes are made and certain mistakes are repeated in almost every hand. Today, I would like to take a look at a couple of mistakes that low limit Holdem players make.

First, low Limit players will come into a pot calling several bets cold. I don’t care how loose a game is, coming into a pot that has been 3 bet with a substandard hand is a long term losing proposition. There are exceptions to this obviously. If you have two players that raise and reraise every hand, then you can widen your calling standards. However, I was at a table recently where the tightest player raised and was reraised. The reraise was called by three players. Of course, the three players that called three bets cold lost their money.

Next, another mistake that I see made often is players playing too tight at a super passive table. I personally have been guilty of this mistake in the past. I would sit at a table that would have 6 to 8 players stay in for the blinds and I would sit there and wait for hands. As I gained more experience, I would start to speculate with reasonable hands etc. Eventually, I would find a good balance. However, I see players that will sit and play like a rock when just a little bit of belt loosening would garner them a profit.

Another common mistake I see made is not raising at all preflop. If you have a strong hand, then raise it. While it is true that in some games you will not thin out the field, raising puts players on notice that you have a hand. Sometimes you can take the pot with a continuation bet. Sometimes you will hit the flop or have a big pair and still be able to take the pot with resistance. By not raising, you allow more people the chance to see a flop. I was in a hand about a year ago with a man that never raised preflop, even with hands such as pocket kings. His lack of raising cost him bets and saved me money. Don’t cost yourself bets. Raise your hands.

The next mistake is one that is primarily a live cash game mistake. In most games, if only the blinds are left in a hand, many times these players will chop the pot and just take back their blinds. Sometimes you will get a player that is stubborn and will go ahead and want to play their hand. Unless you can get another raise in the pot preflop, this move is usually a bad one. The main reason I say this is due to the rake. If a hand goes to the flop, most casinos go ahead and take their drop. If the pot is chopped, they don’t get a drop. If you just call preflop and don’t chop, you will usually end up losing money. Unless you think that you can get some money out the other player, just chop the blinds. I know this sounds counterintuitive, but it saves on the rake.

Many players starting to play Texas Holdem since 2003 have begun their poker education with No Limit Holdem. For many players, this is the only type of Holdem that they have played. Whether it is due to bankroll considerations or due to wanting to improve their overall poker game, many players eventually take a look at playing Limit Holdem. For many, the transition from No Limit to Limit can be a difficult one. Let’s take a look at a few pointers to help make the transition smoother.

First, in Limit Holdem your objective is to win pots and bet, not stack. This concept is alone makes playing Limit a lot tougher than No Limit for some. In No Limit, one or two pots can erase a deficit and make you a winner for a session. The same is not true in Limit Holdem. Limit Holdem is more of a slow grind and building a profit is the end goal and not one that can be hit by sucking out on one big hand on the river.

Next, Limit Holdem is much more math driven than No Limit Holdem. You need to have a strong grasp on odds and statistics to become a successful Limit Holdem player. You don’t need to know the winning percentage of 10-9 vs. 7-8 for example but you do need to know what type of price the pot is laying to you and pot odds. There are many times that you will make a call in Limit Holdem based not on the fact that you are winning but due to the fact that a pot is laying huge odds. For example, if you hold bottom pair and the pot is laying 13 to 1 to you, you are likely going to call a bet on the river even if you know you are beat. About the only way you would fold here is if the player has flashed you his cards.

Bluffing is much more difficult to do in Limit Holdem. The main reason is that many players take the “oh it’s only one bet” mentality. Other times it is due to the fact that they are getting pot odds to call. One common complaint from No Limit players is that they “cannot push a person off a hand.” I am not saying that you cannot bluff in Limit Holdem, but I am saying that it will not work with nearly the same frequency as No Limit.

You will also draw more frequently in Limit Holdem than in No Limit due to the fact that you will have proper odds to draw. Again, the inability to push players off draws is another common complaint by No Limit players.

For those switching from No Limit to Limit, prepare for a bit of a challenge and prepare for a bit of frustration. Playing Limit takes a different skill set but it is a game that can be mastered with a bit of preparation and practice. Good luck to you at the tables.

One common problem that Holdem Poker players experience is not being able to get away from the table when they are in a losing session. Players will leave a table early to preserve a win but will stick around for hours to try and chase lost money. As a result they end up losing more money than was necessary for a session.

Recently a friend of mine was having this problem and one solution that I suggested to him to help to keep losses down is to institute a stop loss. A stop loss is a system that a poker player sets up to limit the amount of money the player loses in a day. The way it works is simple. If you reach the limit that you set, you leave the game or quit for the day.

Stop losses come in two types. The first is a session stop loss. This sets a limit for the player for each individual session. Let’s say you play No Limit and you set a stop loss at 3 buy-ins per session. If you lose, you leave the game. This is a simple plan but it does come with a potential pitfall. Let’s say that you play a session and go on a bad streak and leave the session. You could just as easily buy-in to another table or at a later time in the day.

The type of stop loss that I personally recommend is a daily stop loss. This type of stop loss sets a limit relative to the limits that you are playing. If you reach your stop loss for the day, you are done for the day. For example, many players will set their stop loss at 30 big bets. If you are playing $5-$10 Limit Holdem, 30 big bets is $300. If you lose $300 in a day, you leave the game and come back another day. The main reason that most stop losses are 30 big bets is that it is very hard to win more than 30 big bets in a day in a typical Limit game. Five buy-ins to a NL game is about the equivalent.

Stop losses are great tools, but a player must have the discipline to follow their stop loss regardless of the game. There are some players that will stay in a “good game” and lose more money just because the game is good. Seldom will you be able to recover 30 big bets or 5 buy-ins in a single session once it is lost. What you risk is putting yourself further in the red.

A big key to managing ones bankroll is to keep loses at a minimum. Tools such as the stop loss will allow you to get away from a game when you are running bad. This in turn will help to preserve your bankroll and allow you to come back and fight another day. Good luck to you at the tables.

I have been playing No Limit Texas Holdem for many, many years and parts of the game are still mysteries to me. The game is a simple one, yet mastering it can be a life long process. Every time you sit at a Texas Holdem table you will learn something new, you will gain knowledge and become a better player. My personal feeling is that no matter the books you have read, the games you have played in or the people you have played with, if you don’t learn from your mistakes you will not fulfil your goals. There in lies the real question, what are your goals when playing poker. Every player realizes that you cannot win every time you play, therefore your goal should be to find consistency. There are going to be good and bad days, its unavoidable. To find consistency you need to trust your instincts, play in games that suit you and continue to learn on a daily basis. Whether you play at a professional level or just for nickels and dimes with friends, the goal is to win more then you lose.

A lot of players who are experienced run into the same problems, and most of the time the problem is themselves. Me included, I am my own worst enemy. If your brain is full of knowledge on betting styles, bluffing tactics and stack control why do you still lose when you play? Basically having all this knowledge doesn’t ensure that you will use it correctly. There are a few ways you can help avoid long losing streaks and I am going to try and help you realize these principles. As stated earlier consistency is the key, your not going to win every time, but as long as you win more then you lose you can be a successful Texas Holdem player.

Play Your Games

One of the biggest mistakes by Holdem players of all levels is changing there styles. You might not even realize that you are doing it, but if you stray from your winning strategy it can cause you to be a losing player. Major reasons that people change there style in game is because they want to show off there abilities, because they are bored and because they want to win so much they won’t let the game just happen. Boredom is one of the biggest problems that Holdem players run into, especially when you are playing long sessions. Keep an eye out for this when at the tables, if there are players who are card dead, they might be looking for any excuse to get into the action. We have all had sessions when it seems like you just get any cards, like every time you look at your hole cards it’s a 7 - 2 or J - 5, you will get bored. My suggestion is when you are bored and can’t control your urges to get in the action, walk away, take a break and relax. There is a reason you see a lot of players wearing head phones on television games, that is to try and control there boredom. I can’t state this enough, never show off at the poker table. Texas Holdem is not a game that requires you to prove that you are a good player, winning is what matters at the end of the day. Remember the goal is not to win a pot individually, its to have a winning session in total. You might lose a battle from time to time, but as long as you win the war, you will leave the table with a smile on your face. Let the game come to you, if the times right make your advanced plays, but if the opportunity doesn’t arise don’t do it. Winning poker players have a drive to win and this is necessary to be a good player, but it can also be a curse. It seems like I say this to much, but you need to know that you can’t win every time you play.

Stakes

This is a problem that some players just can’t get through there heads, never play with money you can’t afford to lose. Every time you make the choice to play, there is a chance you can go broke. Playing at stakes that you feel comfortable with, and that you can afford will make it easier to make decisions. If you have ever sat at a No Limit Holdem table, when you are forced to make a decision, and it goes through your mind that you can’t lose that much money, its time to go down a level. Playing a smaller stakes can make decisions easier and help you with stand longer losing streaks.

Trust Your Instincts

Gut feelings are important if you are an advanced player. If you have played a lot of Holdem you have built in instincts that you might not be aware of. Trusting these feeling is easier said then done, case and point we have all seen Daniel Negreanu call a players hand and make the call anyways losing pots. To trust your instincts correctly knowing basic poker math and probabilities, will allow you to make the right decisions. Trust me you have these instincts, and if you learn to trust them, your game will improve.

The more you play Texas Holdem you will realize that there is no perfect winning formula. If you stay out of your own way, it will help you become consistent. There will be good days and bad, if you control your emotions you can be a good player. Getting out of your own way is not easy, and you probably can’t do it every day. Finding consistency in your game will allow you to be a better player. If you try and follow some of these basic skills you will become a better player and make more money.  Stay out of your own way, play your game, and trust your instincts and continue to learn and become a better No Limit Texas Holdem player.

As you start to play more and more Texas Holdem there are a few things that you shouldn’t do in live games. Playing online poker eliminates a lot of ethical things that you might run in to whether you play in home games or at casinos. The more you play, most of these things will become second nature to you and won’t be a problem. I am going to explain a few things to you that you shouldn’t do a poker table.

Slow Role - Slow rolling your opponents will serve only one purpose and that is make them upset. Slow rolling is when you delay flipping over your winning hand, forcing your competitor to role there hand over thinking they have a chance to win the pot. At the showdown, show your winning hands and do not embarrass your opponents. This will only make players angry and serve to make your experience at the table less fun. Slow rolling is a problem because it is eliminated in online games, when you make a transition to live games, just treat people the way you hope you are treated.

String Betting - A string bet is when you make more then one motion at the pot, and is another thing you cannot do when playing online. You will not be able to make one of these bets at a casino and I suggest you don’t allow them in your home games. String betting can force reads from your opponents and is against the rules in all poker games. To avoid string betting use verbal declarations of your bet sizes or simply count your chips out before you make a motion toward the pot. Enforcing string betting at home games will make it second nature to you and help you in more structured games.

Hit and Run - More of a home game rule, you should never show up at a game win money and leave immediately. This is not a good way to get yourself invited to play in games. Doing this in a casino or online is one thing, but when playing in home games this will upset your hosts. Poker is more then just winning and losing, it is a social game. I am not saying you have to sit and play as long as the rest of the table, but if you can only play for a short period of time you should tell the other players ahead of time. If you hit and run a game you can be assured, you won’t be on the top of the invite list the next time.

Soft Play - Soft play can ruin a Texas Holdem game faster then anything else. Soft play is when you take it easy on another player at the table usually because of a previous relationship. Whether you are at a table with a friend or spouse or whatever, poker is not a team game and each player should be looked at as equals at the table. We have all seen this before, but might not have noticed, friends who never seem to play pots against one another. Trust me there no better feeling then beating someone you are close to in a Teas Holdem hand, you will have bragging rights for the time being. If this is a problem for you maybe you should play at opposite tables, soft play makes the game less legit and more importantly less fun.

Teach - Made popular by World Series legend Phil Hellmuth, never berate your opponents for making mistakes. Telling people what they did wrong, when they did it wrong and how they should improve will not help you make money. Put there mistakes in your memory bank and use it against them at a later date, don’t let them use one of your tirades to figure out your style. If you want to help someone that’s fine, but do it when you are not at the table. Why would you ever want to give someone the tools and knowledge of how to beat you? You are going to run into bad players and they will beat you. Play your game and have a long memory and never help another player beat you.

Drinking - This ones up to you and it depends on the kind of game you are playing in. Drinking impairs your judgement and will not make your Holdem game better. It depends if you are playing in a big money game ( don’t drink ) or in a social nickle and dime game with friends. My suggestion is, if making money is your top priority you shouldn’t be drunk at the table.

Show Off - This applies to online poker as well, showing off your skills is a sure fire way to lose your money. The best way to prove you’re the best player at the table is to win, not to show off your skills with big plays. As a poker player you need to the right times to slow play, bluff ro move all in, but if you a looking to prove a point you will make mistakes. Confidence is fine, but don’t allow it to change your game.

Texas Holdem is an easy game, but if you follow some of these ethical do’s and don’ts is will be more fun and profitable to you. I suggest you enforce these things in home games, so that they become second nature to you. The last thing you want is to increase your stakes and play with new people or at a casino and to have these simple things be on your mind. Every players goals should be to win money and have fun at the tables.

If you are new to the game of Texas Holdem and want to take the game seriously you need to avoid common mistakes. Texas Holdem is an easy game, but there is no perfect way to play. Some amateurs and beginners make the same mistakes over and over again. You cannot avoid mistakes even the best players in the world make them on a daily basis. The key is to recognize when you have made a mistake and take the measures to correct it the next time you are in that situation. I am going to help you and show some of the common mistakes you might be making at the tables.

First and most common mistakes that beginners or inexperienced players make is “getting married” to there pre flop hands. Its important to realize that pocket aces do not automatically win, the hand needs to be played out. Pay attention at all times, know what hands beat you and find out where you are at in the hand. To avoid losing pots with your monster pre flop hands, raise before the flop to hopefully eliminate weak hands. I always insist that players who want to become good Holdem players need to be able to put there opponents on a range of hands that they might be playing. The way to this is by paying attention to any patterns or tells your opponents might be giving you, use this information to make an educated guess on what your opponent might have

Example : Your playing a tournament and you are down to 6 players, you pick up pocket aces in middle position and raise 5 times the big blind and get called by the guy beside you. This player has played a tight game and pretty passive pre flop, earlier you saw him smooth call pre flop with an A - Q. The flop comes out with no ace, but three diamonds, which you do not have, you make a bet anyways three quarters the pot and get called. The board pairs kings on the turn, you check and your opponent moves all in, What do you think they have? You raised pre flop and got a call from a tight player meaning there hand is probably pretty strong, there is a possible three of a kind ( kings ) or flush out there that would beat you. Since you just got called pre flop you don’t really no where you are at so, based on previous knowledge you can make a prediction and I would think the opponent has maybe A - K or K -  J, possibly suited, possibly with a flush. This is probably a good time to lay down those aces.

Slow Playing - We have all seen on television a slow play work perfectly, but be careful what you learn on television poker. The main goal in every hand is to get the maximum value for what you are holding, don’t slow play just for the sake of slow playing. If you feel you are not going to get any action from your hand if you bet out, go ahead and slow play to get some value, but don’t wait to long to take control of the pot. If you slow play often you will start to get less action on your checks and your game will start to become one dimensional. The biggest downfall to slow playing is you let your competitors catch up with you, and possibly beat you at a showdown. If you want extra value from your hand, but don’t want to get sucked out on you I suggest check - raising. For example if you are first to act after you spiked top set, check and when some one bets out behind you raise them, and either play a big pot or win it right there. Slow play when the time is right, against the right players and for the right reasons.

Re - Betting - This is when you make the same bet size on two streets. For example you bet $5 on the flop and catch two callers, and after the turn you bet $5 again. You won’t see this very often in an experienced game, but when you do light bulbs will go off. An experienced Holdem player will take this in one of two ways, one that you have a big hand and are trying to get value, and they might lay down there one pair. On the other hand if a good player has a draw you will laying them the odds to call and suck out on you. Re - Betting can be an effective strategy when playing inexperienced players, but probably won’t work against veterans of the game.

Another common problem amateurs have is knowing when to bluff. To be a winning Texas Holdem player you need to bluff, but if you don’t know how you will lose an awful a lot of money. For a beginner I would suggest the easiest time to bluff is when a board is “scary” and there aren’t a lot of players in the pot. By scary I mean if the community cards have a high pair or the cards are all suited. Making good sized bets (half to three quarter pot) in late position can be a good way to make a bluff look easy. If you want to bluff you are going to need to put your opponent on a hand and trust your instincts on every street. If you are not comfortable, take a stab on the flop and if catch a call, slow down and see what happens the rest of the way.

This is just scratching the surface of the mistakes you might be making playing Texas Holdem. Remember everybody makes mistakes, the key is learning from them and fixing the mistake the next time you are in that spot. Pay attention at the table, keep your emotions in check and have fun at the tables and you will become a winning player in no time.

Aces Full
Three aces and a pair make aces full. Note: In Holdem, it is possible for two players to have aces full. In the event both players have aces full, then the player with the higher pair in their full house is the winner

All-in
When a player has all of their chips or money in a pot

Bad Beat
A bad beat occurs in one of two scenarios. The first is when a strong hand is beaten by a hand that was mathematically unsound to play, such as pocket aces losing to 7-2. The other scenario is when you make a really strong hand and lose to an even stronger one, such as a full house losing to quads.

Bankroll
The amount of money that you have to play poker with. A bankroll is money that is specifically set aside to play poker and not used for anything else.

Big Blind
The first of two forced bets in a round of Texas Holdem. The big blind is the second player to the left of the button. In Limit cash games, the big blind is the small bet amount. (In a $2-$4 game the big blind is $2.) Otherwise, in tournaments and No-Limit games, the big blind is a set amount. In a $1-$2 NL game, the big blind is $2.

Big Slick
When you hold Ace-King as your starting hand.

Bottom Pair
When you make a pair using a card in your hand and the lowest card on the board.

Bullets
Pocket aces

Button
A white disc used to determine the dealer position at the table. This is the strongest position as this person is the last to act on all streets.

Buy-in
The amount of money required to enter a cash game or a tournament.

Check-raise
When a player checks to another and then raises that player once they bet into them.

Connectors
Two cards in successive rank that are also suited, such as 8-9 of hearts.

Cowboys
Pocket kings

Dominated Hand

A dominated hand is one that is similar to another players hand but usually has a worse kicker. An example is A-K vs. A-10. The A-10 is dominated by the A-K.

Double Up

In a tournament or cash game, when a player puts all of their chips at risk and wins, they double up the size of their stack. This is usually more relevant to tournaments.

Drawing Dead

When a player cannot improve their hand to beat another player’s hand, they are considered drawing dead.

Early Position

The first three players to the left of the button. This is both blinds and the under the gun position. These players are in the worst position at the table.

Flop

The first three community cards dealt in Texas Holdem. Also known as Third Street.

Flush
Five cards of the same suit.

Four of a Kind

Four cards of the same rank.

Free Roll

A poker tournament that is free to enter.

Full House

A hand containing both three of a kind and a separate pair.

High Card

When a player does not connect with any sort of ranked hand, such as a pair, then the highest rank card is their hand. A player with only king high, they are deemed to have high card king.

High Roller

A player that either plays high stakes or bets out a lot of money. The largest high rollers are referred to as “Whales”. Whales are typically those that bet millions or are high net worth players.

Hit

When you connect with the flop or any other part of the board, you are said to have “hit.” Players look to hit the flop in order to improve their hands.

Hole Card(s)

In Holdem, these are your two cards dealt to you preflop. In any other poker game, these are the cards that you receive face down.

Kicker

When you are able to make a pair, two pair, or a set with a card in your hand, you other card becomes your kicker, or high card to go with your hand. In the event that two players make the same hand, such as a pair of aces, then the player with the best kicker wins the hand. In the event the kicker’s are the same, then the pot would be chopped.

Late Position

The last three to four spots in relation to the button at the table. Usually the 7-9 or 7-10 seats. These players have an advantage over other players as they can see everyone’s actions.

Limp In

To only call the big blind amount in hoping to see a cheap flop.

Monster

A really strong poker hand that has a high percentage of winning, such as pocket aces.

Muck

The discard pile in a card game. When you fold, this is referred to as mucking or throwing your hand into the muck.

No Limit

A variant of Holdem or other poker games where players may be up to the amount in their stack at any time.

Nuts

When you have a hand that cannot be beaten.

One Pair

Two cards of the same rank.

Outs

Cards needed to make your hand. If you have an open ended straight draw, eight cards in the deck complete your hand. You would have eight outs.

Over the top

When you re-raise a person, it is called coming over the top of them.

Position

Term referring to the players spot at the table in relation to the button. The better position you hold, the bigger the advantage as you can see more players act before you.

Pot Odds

The comparison of how much money you must put into the pot to call a bet against the amount of money in the pot. Example: The pot is $20 on the river. Someone bets $4 and you must decide to call. There are currently six $4 bets in the pot so you’re getting 6 to 1 odds to call.

Quads

Four of a kind.

River

The last community card dealt in Texas Holdem. Also known as “Fifth Street.”

Royal Flush

The best possible hand in poker. It is an A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit.

Short Stack

The player with the least amount of chips at a poker table.

Small Blind

The first of two forced bets in a round of Texas Holdem. The small blind is the first player to the left of the button. In Limit cash games, the small blind is half the small bet amount. (In a $2-$4 game the small blind is $1.) Otherwise, in tournaments and No-Limit games, the small blind is a set amount. In a $1-$2 NL game, the small blind is $1.

Straight

Five cards of consecutive rank. Ex: 4-5-6-7-8

Straight Flush

Five cards of consecutive rank and of the same suit.

Structured Betting

In limit poker, structured betting limits the betting on each street. The limits preflop and on the flop are typically half of the limits on the turn and river. In a $2-$4 Limit game, the preflop and flop betting increments are $2 and the turn and river bet increments are $4.

Table Stakes

While in a hand, you can only bet up to the money currently in your stack. You cannot add or subtract money from your stack. Also, you cannot be bet out of a hand when you cannot meet the bet size. You would then be declared “all-in” and can win the amount in your stack.

Three of a Kind

Three cards of the same rank. Also known as trips or a set.

Top Pair

A pair made from a card in your hand and the highest card on the board.

Turn

The fourth community card in Holdem. Also known as Fourth Street.

Two Pair

Two cards of one rank plus two cards of another rank.

Under the Gun

The first player to act after the big blind.

Winning Hands

Listed from highest to lowest.