What Is Your Best Texas Hold'em Strategy?

Question

Looking for a fresh strategy to use online / house games - or to add to my current strategy. Thanks!

Answer 1

Well if you're going to be throwing bets out there with second or third pair you're going to have to have a real idea of what you're up against.  It's not enough that there are loose callers out there who will call with less as one good player in the hand will take both their money and yours.  There are times you want to do this but usually not and it depends on how many people are in the hand, the types of players, the texture of the board, etc.  

What you want to always pay attention to as a general rule is the chances of your hand being the best, as the best hand wins.  Now not every hand goes to showdown but you still need to pay very close attention to where you are at in terms of this.  

Let's say you have second pair and there are 3 other people in the hand.  It's your turn to act.  One of the players is a calling station, one an aggressive player, and one a tight player.  I'm checking here most of the time actually and it's mostly because I know I'm probably not ahead.  Of course this doesn't mean I don't want to play on but I really don't have enough information right now and I don't want to always have to pay to get it.  

I'm mostly worried about the tight player and he only plays good cards and there's a face on the board which would give him top pair.  He plays pretty straightforward though and will bet if he has it and check if he doesn't.  So I check to him and if he bets I'm out of here.  He checks as well so I know that I probably have him beat and he's got to improve to stay around and will fold to a bet.  

Next up is the aggressive player and in this case I ask myself if he would bet with less than I have and the answer is yes.  The calling station calls and it's up to me and now I can call or raise but in this case I know if I raise the calling station is probably gone and maybe even the aggressive player who by way of my initial check probably thinks he's got me beat or can push me around.  So I call here, and the tight player folds.

We play the rest of the hand and I'm in good shape and I won't win all of these but I don't have to and if I win half I'm ahead since there's 2 other players in it for me and the pot odds are better than 2:1.  If I start throwing around bets though too carelessly I could turn this hand into a loser pretty quick.

The point of this simple example though is to show that what you do has to be done in context of the information you have on your opponents.  Players get to a certain point where they are pretty good but the way online poker is with people coming and going all the time it's not always easy to get a good read on people and you're often doing a lot of guessing, guesses which end up costing you a little here, a little there, and soon it adds up to a lot.  

So what`s the best way to deal with this problem?  Well if you're looking to get the most out of your online poker experience and especially the most money you're going to want and need to go with software which tracks all your opponent's tendencies, not only while you're playing him or her, but when you're not as well, in other words compiling a database of hands of the players at your favorite site and delivering this information real time to you in dozens of categories.  What I use personally is Poker Edge, and you can even arrange to get it free believe it or not by going here: http://www.poker-edge.com?aid=1837b6c3&b...  Take it out for a spin and see what you're missing.

King Cobra Poker

http://kingcobrapoker.com/lessons.html

Answer 2

play strong when you are weak.  play weak when you are strong

Answer 3

first have all the odds memorized..............when you feel you have a definite ,large advantage,,,,,,,,all in

Answer 4

learn the math, not only the probability of making certain hands, but also the chances of your opponents making hands, learn to consider pot odds, learn figuring out what opponents might hold based on their betting on a hand. Learn to observe your opponents.

Answer 5

If you're playing on-line, just play conservatively.  You'll end up cashing out in the end.  There's always some buffoon who will call every and anything, and if you try to bluff, you'll usually take it on the chops because of that person who won't back down.  After some of the wilder bettors have been eliminated, then you can start bluffing.

Answer 6

You must have a good poker face if you can not bluff it is hard to win. Also play smart learn the percentages or you chance to win with what cards and no when to fold!

Answer 7

Most good hold 'em players fold about 70% of their hands before the flop.  Unless I have suited connectors, a pair or am the big blind, I usually fold. Boring, but effective at winning.

Answer 8

to learn your players moves and learn what is possible out of the community and if you think you got the best hand go all in and scare the other opponents away

this is a website you can go to fulltilt.com

Answer 9

If you have middle pair or bottom pair on the flop, don't be afraid to fire a bullet on the flop. If you are called on the flop, don't be afraid to fire another bullet on the turn card. Most online/rookie players like to see the turn card and they will more thank likely fold on the turn if you fire another bullet at the pot. Slow play pocket pairs. Though sometimes if you let too many people see the flop, you might get busted. But, if you slow play and still have the best hand, your rewards will be awesome. Definitely big pots. If there is a possibility of a straight or flush draw on the flop or turn and you have a good hand (but not a straight draw or flush draw) then but big numbers so that the people chasing these draws will have to fold. Just a few pointers. I don't want to give away all of my poker tips, you might beat me if I do. =)