Basic Tips for Playing Your Hand of Poker

It was called a craze. Texas Hold'em Poker swept into homes and moose lodges across the world a few years ago when relatively unknown poker players won the World Series. For those that thought the "craze" would not last, now they see that it was never a craze to begin with. Texas Hold'em has gained in popularity as home games led to more online players, which led to more entrants into the biggest national poker tournaments in the country.

If you have caught the bug of Hold'em poker, do not give up your cash just yet. Many experienced poker players will shake your hand with a big smile and set you down at their table, and continue to compliment you as they take your chips. As with any sport, going back to the basics and building a strong foundational strategy is how to survive against the sharks.

There are five basic tips that every poker player should understand inside and out:

Not every hand needs to be played

Perhaps the greatest poker song of all time was sung by Kenny Rogers. Very succinctly, he states the basis of this tip.

Now every gambler knows that the secret to surviving
Is knowing what to throw away and knowing what to keep.
Cause every hands a winner and every hands a loser,
And the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep.

There is no reason, whatsoever to play every single hand in a poker game. By doing so, you show yourself to play with more of an emotional strategy than a mental one. You hope your cards will play out, rather than you are betting that they will. Take the time to learn what the bad pockets are. If you are feeling lucky, occasionally you can be aggressive and play an otherwise unwanted hand. In other words, Doyle Brunson may be able to win with a 10-2 two years in a row, but you are no Texas Dolly.

Betting the Flop

This is where many folks get themselves into trouble. If you get to the flop without folding your pockets and you feel you have a possible winner, it is not necessary to bet on every flop. Position will work in your favor here. Study the cards if someone has bet out before you; consider what they might be betting on. At this stage, assume that someone won the hand with just those three cards and their pockets. Assume that they do not even need the Turn, and the River to come out. The next thing to remember is not betting on every flop. If you believe that your hand will stand up to anything that might be on the table, continue. However, for example, if you caught bottom pair and someone bets big before you - Fold and play another hand.

Be Careful with Your Blinds

Remember that as you are enjoying the game and throwing chips into the pot that the blinds come your way twice every round. Consider this in your strategy. If you are running low on chips chances are you will be "blinded out". Committing yourself to bad hands will eventually result later in blinds eating up your chips.

Betting the Turn

At this point, if you believe that you have the best hand on the table, bet here. The turn is where the real action starts and if you are leaving too many players in the game at this point, a bad river card can end your hopes of winning the hand. Those players that stay until the end hoping the river saves them are called "chasers". Unfortunately many a "bad beat" story begins with the words, "This guy was chasing...."

This is also where a lot of bluffing will occur, so again, study the cards and decide on the level of confidence in your pockets. Good bluffers will make you doubt yourself and cause you to throw a hand away that is a sure win. This is also what should be considered the final folding opportunity. You commit yourself to the hand on the turn, especially if re-raises occur and you stay in the pot.

Betting the River

The river is the most trying part of the Texas Hold'em game. Fortunes, hopes, and desires have been won and lost on the River. Some of the biggest mistakes are made on the river and they go both ways, continuing or folding.

The River is the prime bluff spot, but it is wise to have a good idea of the odds of your opponent bluffing you on the river. For better or worse, here you must decide to call or fold. Hopefully, after you've got this far, you are extremely confident in your hand.

This little guide does not go into detail about the nuances of Texas Hold'em, however, getting back to basics and understanding the process of the game will give you a great start in winning. Often when watching poker you will see players take their time in their decision. This is because they are following these basic rules, figuring the odds, and checking out their opponent for signs of weakness or strength.