Texas Hold’em Rules and Strategy
4 min readNo Limit Texas Hold’em Basic Rules and Strategy
In No-Limit Hold’em, a player can say that he is all in and bet everything that they have. In case the player, who calls for all in, has few chips, he has to make a side pot that he cannot win. This side pot is different from the main pot, which the player can win.
The game usually requires two players at the least for it to be played. The main aim of the game is to have the best combination of five cards based on two hole cards and five community cards. The rules of the game are quite simple and it is possible for a player to learn them very quickly. One of the best places to hone your skills would be at online poker rooms.
No doubt many people will tell you that No-Limit Hold’em poker is considered to be a game of strategy, skills and psychology. If you want to play this version of Hold’em, then you need to have a basic strategy in place. The first thing that you need to figure out is what types of players you are playing against at the table; and the second thing is to learn how many hands you have to go for a showdown.
Basically when it comes to No-Limit Hold’em, you will encounter four types of players, namely tight passive player, tight aggressive player, loose passive player and loose aggressive player. The tight or loose refers to the number of hands the player will play, while the passive or aggressive refers to the betting style of the player.
A player who is considered to be tight passive does not win a lot in a no-limit game. It is primarily because the player will never get the full value out of winning. Therefore, you are playing against such a player you strategy should be as follows:
- You should bluff a lot at the flop.
- In case the player does not bet too much, then you can believe that he or she has a draw or a weak hand. In such a case, if you have a strong hand, then continue playing. On the other hand, if the player bets a lot, then you can sure that he or she has a strong hand. This might be a good time to fold your hand.
- Make sure that you do not bluff wildly. If you nothing, then you should fold pre-flop. In case you bluff for a flop, then think again about making the bluff in the next turn.
Usually a player, who is loose passive, hopes that the other players are bluffing. This type of player tends to call often with a second best hand. In No-Limit Hold’em, this can be disastrous. Usually you will not see this type of player playing at a No-Limit Hold’em as they lose their money very quickly. In case you do have the good fortunate of having such a player on your table, make sure you make mid-sized bets each time you have a good hand. You will be able to win a lot of money from the player.
Loose aggressive players can be of two types, maniac loose aggressive and strong loose aggressive. A maniac loose aggressive will tend to large share in the pot, and will often end up losing his money in a couple of hands. They do not have the discipline. Unfortunately, this type of player is usually rare.
A strong loose aggressive player is quite a dangerous player and should not be underestimated just because they lose quite a bit of money in pots. They do have the ability to win huge pots. This type of player is good at reading his opponent and making a bet at the right time.
A player who is tight aggressive is a good player, but the major problem lies in the fact that he can be bluffed easily and may also be easy to read.
The showdown percentage is important part of No-Limit Hold’em. Although the game involves a lot of bluffing, and a player can win quite a bit of money by taking pots from tight opponents, this particular strategy will not work if you are constantly shown down at the river.
Therefore, make sure you give attention to the number of hands required for showdown. Remember, the more the showdowns, the better it is. In No-Limit Hold’em, the best way to win a lot of money is to allow players to call down.
Remember, the hands played in No-Limit Hold’em are quite different from other versions of Hold’em. If you have big cards, your intention should be to take the pot at the flop. However, if you think that the opposing player has a stronger hand than yours or you hit the flop bad, then you should be looking to take money from your opponent little by little. In No-Limit Hold’em, pocket pairs and suited connectors are considered to be strong draws.