Texas Holdem Strategy

This page contains several tips and strategy for amateur / novice Texas Holdem player and specifically speaks towards to lower limit games, such as $.50/$1 up to $2/$4 games. Once you get into higher limit games, the skill of player increases a good bit, and much of this strategy should change - mostly in the direction of tighter, and assuming your opponents are tighter as well... But anyway - here's some tips on taking more pots from the lower limit Texas Holdem games online.

1. Identify Your Players
At low limit games, 70% of your players are NOT going to be very good poker players. Whether they are just getting started, or just choose to not really learn the game, more than half of the players there will probably be easy money. The other 30% are decent players just fishing. (I doubt you are going to find too many poker pro's fishing at the $.50/$1 games so don't be too scared.) You can tell the weak players because they are the ones playing every damn hand, raising all the time, calling everything, etc. The better players are the more silent ones who are probably folding more than they are playing. You want to play against the weaker players and not the stronger ones whenever possible!

2. Watch The Money!
Sure - play anything if you have the nuts regardless of pot - but when playing a medium pair or a draw of some sort, make sure there's enough money in the pot to justify the risk. (that's pot odds BTW) - Too many beginners fall in love with a flush or draw prospect and play it hard, despite the fact there's only one other player in and the pot's only worth $3.

3. Play More - Raise Less
OK - a looser player is going to call anything AND be playing weaker hands. Some say "when the game is loose, play tight" - but I suggest changing this slightly for these low limit games - "when the game is loose, play slightly tighter than the loose players, and raise less." Most good poker books assume you are always playing against top players who generally only play premium hands (as they should) - but for the low limit online games I suggest lowering this standard just slightly. In these low limit games I'll see the flop on most any connected cards for example, definitely on any pair, and definitely on anything suited. In higher dollar games I'd generally only play higher connectors and flush cards that one is Q or better. But - since you are playing slightly riskier hands, I suggest raising less often, and certainly don't bother raising to try and scare players out of the pot.

4. See Lot's of Flops - Not As Many 4th or 5th Streets
First remember this... Most winning hands are either made, or damn near made on the flop. While you may watch the loose callers getting lucky on 4th and 5th street time and again, the real truth is if you consistently look to 4th and 5th street to for your hand, you are going to lose. In addition, in case you did not know, it only costs a small bet to see the flop and 4th street, but a big bet to see 5th street. In these loose low-limit games I will see lots of flops, unless there's lots of raising going on and my hand just sucks, but unless it's either made, or just 1 card from being made, on the flop - I may not pay for the 4th or 5th card. Obviously who else is in and such can determine this as well.

5. Don't Check-Raise, Just Bet.
Check - raising is where a player checks solely with the intention of another player betting, so he can then raise them. While it can be a crafty move at times, really it's not the wisest thing to do. If you like your hand - just bet. You know they will call - and maybe even raise you - which you can then either call or re-raise.

6. Take Control
When you decide you are in - try to take control of the betting. Make your bets swiftly - and just single bets. If it's been checked around to you, bet. If one of these loose players raises back at you - don't stop to ponder it - don't re-raise - just call and get back to business, as if to say, "whatever, let's just get to this damn showdown!". Try to avoid the "raising wars" until the end - and when you have the nuts.

7. When Do You Raise?
In these low-limit loose games, I generally try to avoid instigating raise-wars with other players until the showdown, and then only if I have the nuts or am very confident I have a winner. Most of the time, I'll call or start the betting, but won't start raising until I have the nuts. Now here are some exceptions...

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Sometimes you just have to mix your play up, so sometimes I just raise for no stinking reason at all. Doing this every so often will get you good action on later hands. Now the flip-side to this - many of these loose players are not even skilled enough to take note of your advertising.

Blind Stealing
While it is harder to get away with in low-limit games especially with loose players, this is a move you should know for many reasons. Here's the scenario... Both blinds are in the seats just to your left, and so far, everyone has folded. It's just you and the blinds. If you just call - OF COURSE they are going to call as their money is already in there. But remember, unlike the other players, they are not in their by choice, so there is a very likely chance they have weak hands. RAISE. Make them tell you if they have a hand or not - do not let them see the flop for "free". More times than not both players will fold. This is a good general Hold'em betting strategy.

To go one step further.... If you are on the big blind, and so far, no one has called, don't just check and let the small blind make half a bet to see the flop - raise him and make him put up half a bet PLUS a whole bet to see the flop. Again this will force someone to fold more often than not, but worse case, it lets you know if the player is holding a hand or not.

OK, one step further.... If you are on the small blind, and everyone has folded, and the big blind just checked, then raise. Make him post an unforced bet to see the flop. Again, he may fold or worst case, has at least indicated he's holding a potential hand.

In low-limit games I see very few people who seem to know this move. Look for it. Look for those who have this scenario presented, but only check or place a single bet. Take note as it should be an indicator that this person is probably not a very skilled player.

How to defend from blind stealing? Re-Raise.
Knowing this move is not only great from an offensive perspective, it's always nice to know when someone is trying to put it on you. You are in the blind seat, everyone's folder and the person just to your right raised you... How to tell if this was a "position raise" and not a raise based on the cards he holds? Raise back. If he was trying to put a move on you, then re-raising will get him wondering what you've been dealt.

Sometimes this defense is not going to be enough in a single move, and the raiser will call. What do you do? See the flop and keep betting with confidence. If there is any decent card in the flop, like an Ace or King the raiser will start to wonder if you are holding a pair of Aces or Kings. Even if you are holding crap - bet! In this situation, if the initial raiser truly was bluffing you, it will probably take until 4th or 5th street before he decides to give up. If you get scared and start checking before then, he'll sense the weakness and either force you to fold or take you to showdown.

Be nice to the other players. Congratulate them when they sting you on a good hand, and show gratitude when they compliment your play. The nice guys at the low limit tables would prefer to sting the jerks, not the other nice people. :) I got stung on a good hand recently and the player actually said, "sorry man, wish that didn't have to be you. "

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