Isolation is a key concept in hold 'em. This is one of the reasons players like to bet big in opening rounds if they hold high pair or something like AK. These hands are much more effective with fewer numbers of players staying in. If five players stay in, for instance, while you're holding pocket queens, the chances one of them will make a straight or a flush is much greater than if only one person stays in. That's why, when you get dealt a strong opening hand, or get a nice flop, you want to bet big enough to chase the drawing players from the hand. If you're ahead, make them pay to see the flop, turn, and river! (These also increases the frequency of pots given to you, when all other players fold--these quick wins bolster your stack, keeping you ready for the big hands in which other players give you action.) Make sure you've got the cards to justify this technique, however--if you're tagged as a ?loose? player, your ability to isolate other players will be greatly diminished.

Texas Holdem Strategy - Realizing Cards Run In Streaks

For whatever reason, this is true. You'll be sitting on a cold streak, getting nothing for an hour, and then, all of a sudden, you'll get pocket aces, and then a gutshot straight, and then a nice flush, in three consecutive hands. It's called being ?on a rush.? Momentum is a factor in hold 'em. Though this is a tricky thing to handle, basically it means you should be a little more conservative if your cards are running cold, and a little looser if you're in a hot streak. This doesn't mean, however, that you should bet recklessly at any time. Many players go on a rush only to lose everything they've won by going too far. What goes up must come down; make it an easy descent, not a crash.

Texas Holdem Strategy 2 - Bet Cautious Early

Until you know the players sitting at your table, err on the side of tightness. Only after a half-hour or hour (longer, sometimes), will you have seen enough hands to properly categorize everyone at the table. Once you have, you can open it up a little, but until all the data are in, it's best to sit back and be a bit of a rock.

Texas Holdem Strategy 3 - Don't Bluff Too Much

People who bluff all the time usually don't stay very long at the table. Bluffing is a maneuver set up by a few winning showdowns and a base of tight-aggressive play. Though bluffers may often win for a while on a tight table, in the end they'll lose their money to someone with a strong hand. (Semi-bluffing, in which you stay in with mediocre hands, should be done more often--this has three main benefits: to keep you from being deemed a rock, and set up other players for your big hands; to keep you in drawing hands; to occasionally win folded pots.)

Texas Holdem Strategy 4 - Know When To Cut Your Losses

This is often the hardest thing to do. Once you've bet heavily into a pot, it feels almost impossible to fold on the turn or river. Yet if you want to be a consistent winner, you have to learn to walk away from the pot. Many players too often throw good money after bad, and call in situations where every indication points to the fact they've been outdrawn. Even more frequently, players will make substantial bets, then call an even more substantial raise, which, from a tight-aggressive player, heralds a top hand. This is an instinctive (and testosterone) thing, and must be combated. No one wants to get bluffed out of their money. However, ?believing? tight players and accepting defeat is a very important part of the game. Going one step too deep into the betting is often the first step toward losing your stack, or tilting. Cutting your losses, on the other hand, reinforces your sense of control, and keeps you ready to fight for another hand.

Texas Holdem Strategy 5 - Have Patience

Give yourself enough time to play smart. You should have no money goals in mind (for instance, ?I want to win $100 every hour?), as this will lead you to play stupidly. Winning at poker takes time, as you often have to wait for an hour or two just to get that combination of a great hand and action from other players that makes it worth your while. Hasty or nihilistic bets or all-ins are often signs that a player (maybe you) is impatient or board. Don't try to create winning hands. Let them come to you.

Texas Holdem Strategy 6 - Fold On The Flop, Not The Turn Or River

This rule simply means that you should usually know how the hand will play out after the flop comes up. Why continue betting into the later two rounds on drawing hands, when there is any kind of significant action? If you're holding pocket suited cards, and only one card of a matching suit comes up on the flop, you're going to want to fold the great majority of the time. Likewise for gutshot straights and the like. Cutting your hand off at the flop keeps you from the misguided hopefulness that occurs when a good card hits on the turn (something to make your 4-flush, for instance). Odds are always sharply against two such draws. There's no better feeling than folding a hand early, then seeing cards on the turn and river that would have killed you, or led you astray. Players who consistently bet into the later rounds from drawing positions will lose their money; players who enter them only from positions of strength will end up winners.

Don't forget the Texas Holdem Strategy 7 - Don't Fall In Love With Your Start

Another very hard lesson to learn. Who doesn't find it nearly impossible to fold two queens, or AKs? Or even a pair of tens? Who doesn't hate the idea of folding on the turn after flopping two pair? Or a set? Everyone wants to see these great starts to the river. Problem is, there are other people in the game. Though it may make your eyes light up when you get top pocket cards, or have three of a kind after the flop, these hands are no guarantee of winning. Failing to re-evaluate the strength of your hand at every step of the way is a sure way to lose a lot of money.

Texas Holdem Strategy 8 - Stop To Think

Too often players act without thinking, getting carried away by emotion instead of considering a bet calmly and rationally. This happens especially in live poker, where you may feel vaguely defined urges not to ?be a coward,? ?take a shot,? or ?to go big.? These urges often are setting you up to lose. Always, when confronted with a big decision, pause to review your reaction, your instinct. Very often our natural instincts need to be rerouted into poker instincts. For the beginner, this process involves a full stop, and an open-minded consideration of the situation. Good players feed on the ?natural reactions? of the less skilled. So don't react. Think.

Texas Holdem Strategy 9 - Consider The Pot

Something I often see, but will never understand, is players using all-in bluffs to win tiny pots. This, to me, is the height of bad poker playing. Pot odds are a huge part of the game. When you're taking a risk, you want to be entirely sure you'll be justly rewarded for it. That's why some players can make a living at hold 'em. They know the odds, and know consistently staying in on gigantic pots, and quickly giving up small pots, will pay off in the end.

This concept is closely tied to expected value (EV). These good players may lose the big pot nine out of ten times, but the tenth time more than pays for the other losses. Factor the current and potential size of the pot into every decision you make.

Texas Holdem Strategy - 10:

Strong Players Bet Big On BIG Hands

This is why they're strong players. If you've made your hand, and are up against a tight player who's raising you big, take a good look at the board. Possible flush, straight, full house? Chances are she's hit something. The best players bet big when chances are very slim that they can be beat. This means you should very often take their implicit advice and get out--especially as a beginner.

Unless you've got the nuts, or near it, yourself, that is. In that case, raise the hell out of them.

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