A winning Texas hold’em strategy
Texas hold’em poker has grown massively in popularity since the turn of the century and is now one of the most popular online casino games in the world.
Its success has undoubtedly been fuelled by television coverage, giving the game much broader appeal than was previously the case.
Although Texas hold’em looks tremendously easy on TV, it is fair to say that it requires a high degree of skill to become truly proficient.
There are numerous strategies that can be employed in Texas hold’em, most of which can be condensed into four key elements.
Opening hands
Deciding which opening hands you play is governed by your position on the table, but it makes sense to generally focus on premium hands.
High ranking pairs are popular starting hands for professionals, while suited connectors can be productive if the flop is kind to you.
It is always worth remembering not to get too attached to a premium hand when the flop comes down. If the board and betting point towards your hand being beat, don’t be afraid to fold.
Video poker game variants
There are several different variants of video poker, and new versions have continued to be added into the mix over the past few years.
The most common version is Jacks or Better, which requires players to have least one pair of Jacks in their hand start winning.
Joker Poker, Deuces Wild, Aces & Eights and Double Bonus Poker are amongst the other most popular variants of video poker.
All of the games feature the traditional poker winning hands, with the elusive Royal Flush delivering the biggest jackpots online.
Position
Table position is one of the key elements of success in poker, as it allows you to see what other players do before making your own decision.
The range of opening hands increases when you are in position, giving you the chance to attack the small and big blinds.
Position effectively equates to information. The more information you have at your disposal, the more likely you are to make a profit at Texas hold’em.
Bet confidently
Correctly sizing your bets is another important element of the game. Betting too much or too little can work against you.
Generally speaking, if you raise before the flop a continuation bet of around half of the pot will indicate to other players that your hand is strong.
Ultimately the aim is to make other players believe their hand is beat – if you don’t display confidence in your hand, your opponents may take advantage.
Know when to fold
As we alluded to earlier, one of the main skills you need in your Texas hold’em armoury is knowing the right moments to fold your hand.
Consistently folding weak opening hands keeps your bankroll intact and gives you ammunition to cash in when you are dealt a premium hand.
Loose calling from a bad position with weak hands is the road to the poor house. Your stack will quickly dwindle and you won’t have the tools to go to battle when you get a top hand.
