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Online Casinos Introduction: Hold'em Poker Strategy
Our online casino introduction now gives you poker strategy. Here's what you need to know:
What's That Button?
That's the best position. The closer you are to its left, the worse for you. That is "early position" and is hated by all. Action moves clockwise starting with the fellow on the dealer's left. So if you're there or close, you don't get to watch others act first. If you're the dealer or on their right, you get to watch others act before your turn comes. You can see who calls, bets and folds—you know who is going to play on and who isn't. If the table is strong and your hand is weak, you can fold. If you feel you can take on the others, you can stay in the hand. That's the beauty of being to the dealer or on their right, also called "late position."
Loose and Tight
Players who often fold are cautious players. Avoid them respectfully when they do play as this means they have a strong hand. But players who always stay in a hand are loose. They often play weak hands and can be beaten. If they call or raise a lot, let them put money in the pot and then attack them.
You should play cautiously (tight) and play only the best hands:
A-A, K-K, Q-Q, J-J, 10-10, A-K suited, A-Qs, A-Js, A-10s, A-K off-suit are very good hands.
It's in Your Hands
If you don't fold preflop, your most crucial decision is whether to stay or not after the flop. If the flop misses your hand utterly, give up the hand. But if you're close to making a hand, say 4 cards to a flush, you can stay if the odds are good.
Here are odds you can use:
Hand % after flop % after turn 2 Pair to become a 3 of a Kind 8 4 3 of a Kind to a 4 of a Kind 17 9 To make a Full House 28 15 To make an Outer Straight 32 17 To make a Flush 35 19 Flush or Outer Straight 54 33 Flush or Inner Straight 45 26
From the chart, you can tell if a hand is worth chasing or not. To make a flush, your chances are 1 out of 3. That means for every 3 times you're 4 cards to a flush in a hand, you'll get it 1 time.
If you make your hand, be aggressive. Don't slow play a hand unless it's a high-ranking one. Other hands can be beaten if your opponents improve their hands later in the game.
If you don't make your hand, you can bluff. Pretend you have a monster hand by raising and re-raising. But don't do it when there are lots of players around. One or more will call your bets just to prove you're bluffing.
As a rule, don't bluff often. If the hand is off, just fold. No matter how nice your starting hand is, even an A-A, fold if the board doesn't improve it. Realize that any hand can win and any hand can lose. That understanding will save you a lot of money in your gambling career.
Don't Tell On Yourself!
Change your betting style and timing often. Don't allow a pattern to form. If you press the check button too quickly when you miss the flop, people will notice that and know your hand is weak. If you hesitate before every raise when your hand is great, they will know it too. So be unpredictable.