Fundamental Texas Holdem Poker Strategies Revealed

March 8, 2011
by Alex Bannon

Texas Holdem Poker strategies vary from table to table and depend on many factors. These can be anything from the amount of players at the table, how much you have in your “Tank” (bankroll), or your opposition and the position you are sitting at.

All of these have to be taken into great consideration before getting involved in high stakes game.

First of all, we will deal with the initial factor of how many players there are at the table. If there are more hands at the table then there is more chance of someone holding a better hand than yours.

Yes, this is the most basic of Texas Holdem Poker strategies but facing a lowly dealt flop can be enticing if you are holding a pair of tens.

Consider the odds of someone having a pair of threes with another three possibly being dealt on the “Turn” (fourth card of the flop) or the “River” (fifth card of the flop). Your position is critical at this point but this is something we will get to later.

Next, we will deal with what you are holding in your “Tank”. If you have been hitting the skids, being dealt air or drawing dead hands, your stack will not be in a good enough condition to play aggressively.

At this point, you want to play it safe and wait for a “Slow hand” (a big hand by which your lack of enthusiasm deceives the opponent into complacency) to draw in a large pot.

On the other hand, if you are riding high and lady luck has been smiling on you, then you are in a position to bully your opponent, knowing that you are able to take a big hit in a high stakes pot.

Another factor to consider in your Texas Holdem Poker strategies that must never been taken for granted is your judgment of your opposition. No matter how good a player you are, or think you are, there is always someone ready to pull the carpet from underneath your feet.

Old or young, all good poker players have the instinct of knowing without knowing. This is why we get the same players in the finals continuously.

Your own instinct should tell you if the signs are too easy to read, then they are probably lining you up for a fall. A little background work before the game doesn’t take long and can only benefit you.

Last but not least to be included in all your Texas Holdem Poker strategies is your position at the table. The betting inevitably moves around the table in a clockwise motion.

Be sure not to position yourself in the “Small Blind” position, as this is undoubtedly the worst seat you can be in. As we move around the table, the positions are seen to increase in advantage, due to the fact that the player in last position will be able to read the expressions of each of his opponents and observe the betting.

Meticulous preparations of all these factors are crucial to your continuous success and improvement as a Texas Holdem Poker player.

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