Texas Hold ‘Em Guide

Whether you call it Texas Hold ‘Em, Hold ‘Em or plain and simple Holdem, this variation on the standard poker game is one that played throughout the world. The game is quite simple and features two cards being dealt to a player face down and then five cards being placed face up by the dealer. Three cards are then dealt, referred to as the flop, then two single cards are added, the turn and the river or fourth and fifth street are laid down. Players have the option to check, bet, raise or even fold after every deal.

It would be fair to say in recent years that Texas Hold ‘Em has become the most popular form of poker and is probably the most widely recognised game around the world. Seven card stud was previously the most popular poker variant but the mass explosion of television and internet interest around the activity has seen the rise of Texas Hold ‘Em. For many people, the biggest poker events in the world are the main events of the WSOP (the World Series of Poker) and the WPT (the World Poker Tour) and both of these events utilise no-limit Texas Hold ‘Em.

Limit

As the name implies, the limit game of Texas Hold ‘Em, places a limit on the amount of money you can bet on all of the betting rounds. The actual limited amount will depend on the table you are set at or the game you are playing so make sure you take the time to know what your limits are. Some people will say that this is valuable advice in life but when playing poker, it is absolutely crucial! As an example, if you are placed at a $2-$4 limit table, $1 will be the value for the small blind and the big blind will have a limit of $2. You are only able to bet or raise $2 before the flop and $2 after the flop. When it comes to the turn and the river, you are only allowed to bet or raise $4. This leads to the situation where all of the betting increments on the initial two rounds are set at $2 and all of the increments that come with the latter two rounds are set at $4. There is also a limit of three raises.

No Limit

When it comes to no limit Texas Hold ‘Em, the clue to the game can also be found in the name as a player is able to bet all of their chips at any one time! If a player is sat at a $0.25 – $0.50 no limit table, the small blind is set at $0.25 and the big blind is set at $0.50. There is a minimum bet for all of the four rounds of betting, which is $0.50. There is no limit to the maximum bet that can be placed at the table, apart from the highest setting. This will vary from casino to casino and from site to site, at many online casino sites, you will find the maximum bankroll limit being placed at $50, so this will impact on the amount you can bet. However, during any point of the hand, you will have the chance to go all in and there are no limits to the amount of raises you can make.

Pot Limit

Pot limit Texas Hold ‘Em differs slightly in that players are able to bet the size of the pot at any time. There is no requirement to bet this much but this level is the maximum level of bet they are able to place. This is the only variation in the game and the rest of the game pans out in the same manner as standard Texas Hold ‘Em.

It is important for Texas Hold ‘Em poker players to be aware that these games should be approached differently with respect to tactics. The overriding dynamics of the Texas Hold ‘Em game remains the same across all of the games but the strategies deployed to be a winner will vary largely. Many players also find it is difficult to turn a good level of profit when playing low level limit Texas Hold ‘Em poker.

What most players find is that the No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em game provides a greater degree of control over how the game will pan out. If a player is holding a good hand, they are able to place a sizable bet to hopefully discourage other players from going after the draw hand. This is a tactic which can’t be played on the low limit Texas Hold ‘Em games where all of the players will call down to the river.

Even though every poker player will have their favourite way to play and will try to develop their own strategies, there is a common theme regarding the expert’s opinion regarding Texas Hold ‘Em strategy. The majority of poker authors appear to promote using a tight-aggressive strategy for playing the game which can manifest itself in playing a small number of hands but betting and raising frequently in the hands that they play. The fact that this tactic depends on the cards that are available means it can be played at different times by players but of course, there are other strategies available even if this one is by far the most popular.

Another thing to consider when playing Texas Hold ‘Em is the position you hold in the order of player. This is especially true in the no limit variation of Texas Hold ‘Em because players who come into the game later have more information than the ones who are playing earlier. This can lead to the players in the later positions playing more often as they have a better gauge of what is happening at the table.