Fundamentals of Poker - Limit Texas Hold'em

The book is a powerhouse of information on limit hold 'em. It takes you step by step through just about every conceivable situation in limit hold 'em. I had played no limit tournaments and cash games for the past 7 years but very little limit hold 'em. The Texas Hold’em odds of connecting with the flop might make you rethink some of the common hands you play Odds of connecting with the Flop in Hold’em. This is where true strategy and comparing pot odds to the actual odds of hitting a better hand come into play. Welcome to PokerStrategy.com's beginners course for Fixed Limit. Our goal is to give you a comprehensive crash course that introduces you to the current best and most advanced beginner strategy for Fixed Limit Texas Hold'em. This article teaches you how to play poker and specifically deals with the strategy for the first betting round. If No Limit Hold’em is the Cadillac of poker, Limit Hold’em is the Toyota Camry. Solid, dependable, and not nearly as flashy. Limit was THE way to play Hold’em until the poker boom took off in the early to mid 2000s.

Mason MalmuthTwo Plus Two Magazine, Vol. 8, No. 12

• General Guidelines
• Seven Card Stud
• Limit Texas Hold'em

Limit Texas hold ’em is deceptive. It appears easy to play, yet beneath that simple facade lies a game of extraordinary complexity. Many variables must be considered when making decisions, and figuring out the correct play is often difficult. So before we discuss specific hands and how they generally should be played, here are some tips that will help you determine the best course of action.

Know what the best possible hand is and how likely it is to be out.

With certain upcards, the potential for many different strong hands increases. With other upcards, however, the number of combinations is dramatically reduced. For example, if the board is the

no one can have a straight, a flush, or a full house. The best possible hand is three kings.

Limit Hold'em Strategy Starting Hands

Whether someone is holding the best possible hand, which in the poker vernacular is referred to as “the nuts,” frequently can be determined by the number of players in the pot and the previous action. The more players there are and the more betting and raising that have taken place, the more likely it is that one of your opponents has the nuts.

Recognize when you hold the best possible hand.

Advanced Limit Hold'em Strategy

Although this tip is actually a continuation of the one just given, its importance is such that it rates a separate listing. If you have the nuts and fail to recognize it, you will miss betting and raising opportunities which in turn will cost you money. And thinking you have the best possible hand when you don’t can be even more expensive. However, by paying close attention to the board, you will avoid making these costly errors.

As an example, if the board is the

and you hold ace-king, you can’t be beat. You therefore should get as much money as possible into the pot. But if the board shows the 3[diamond] instead of the 3[spade], you can lose to a flush and should proceed with caution.

Position is significant.

Texas hold ’em is known as a fixed-position game as opposed to a random-position game. In other words, the order in which the players act each round is predetermined, rather than determined by the strength of the exposed cards as it is in stud. We have already noted the advantage of acting last in poker. This means that you should be more selective of the hands you play in early position than of those you play in late position.

Don’t overrate suited hands.

Having two cards of the same suit definitely makes your hand better, but many beginning players tend to overrate the value of suited cards. In short, a hand like ten-six almost always should be thrown away, whether it’s suited or not.

High cards are much better than low cards.

It’s just as easy to make a pair when you have high cards as it is when you have low cards. If you hold the

your opponent has the

and both of you flop a pair, you have the better hand. Thus, you would prefer to have your hand made up of big cards.

No Limit Texas Holdem Strategy

Fixed Limit Holdem

Low Limit Texas Holdem Strategy