Texas Holdem Strategy
Made Easy

Learn proper Texas holdem strategy and you will be a better player than most of the tens of thousands who play Texas Hold 'em Poker online every day. Perhaps you will even become good enough to join the elite few hundred who actually earn a living playing poker.

Play Online Poker

Another, and perhaps more interesting, way to learn Texas holdem strategy is by first watching and then participating in the free games offered at online poker rooms. All you do is download the software and sign up. We recommend Full Tilt Online Poker

It won't cost you anything, unless you eventually decide to try your luck for real money. Pick one of the active tables and watch how poker hands are played. When you're ready to participate click an open seat on a free-play table and join in.

Texas Hold em is by far the most popular of all poker games in live casinos and online. If you're going to play Texas hold em, start with the basics and then I'll tell you a way to learn Texas holdem strategy that is fun and will make you a skillful player in a hurry.

At the start of the game, each player has two down cards that are theirs alone, and combines them with the five community cards to make the best possible five-card hand. Texas Hold em is a "community card" game, meaning that some cards are dealt face-up in the middle of the table and shared by all the players.

Play begins by dealing two cards face down to each player; these are known as "hole cards" or "pocket cards". A round of betting follows this.

Most Hold em games get the betting started with one or two "blind bets" to the left of the dealer. These are forced bets, which must be made before seeing one's cards. Play proceeds clockwise from the blinds, with each player free to fold, call the blind bet, or raise. Usually the blinds are "live", meaning that they may raise themselves when the action gets back around to them.

Now three cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table; this is called the "flop".

Players usually use both their hole cards to make their best hand, but this is not required. The game is usually played for high only, each player making the best five-card combination to compete for the pot. A player may even choose to "play the board" and use no hole cards at all. Identical five-card hands split the pot; the sixth and seventh cards are not used to break ties.

You can easily practice and develop a Texas holdem strategy on your kitchen table. Deal yourself a bunch of two-card hands and ask yourself which you think are the strongest hands and why. Then, find a Texas holdem game in an online card room and observe closely. Take note of the starting hands players favor. It won't be long before you can take a seat among them. Play the free games to start with, but after a while find the lowest (5-cent, 10-cent or 25-cent) limit game.

Low limit games are better for improving your Texas holdem strategy than free games, because when it's for money, even very little money, most of the players are seriously playing to win. It's a low-risk way to hone your Texas holdem strategy skills. Many of your opponents strive to increase their bankrolls or simply enjoy the challenge of winning at real money poker game, regardless of how much money is involved.

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