New to poker ? - Limit holdem - a brief introduction.
by david parkinson
If
you want to start playing poker,you had better
decide to play texas hold'em !.This
game,though arguably not the best game of
poker,has somehow superceded other forms of
poker,particularly online.
Within
texas holdem there are still decisions to be
made.Do you want to play limit poker,no limit
poker or poker tournaments?
This
introduction only concerns LIMIT TEXAS HOLDEM.
Why
?.Well the tactics you use in no limit
poker,and tournament poker will be completely
different to those used in limit poker. Also
limit poker,i feel,is the best test for a
poker player.
No
limit poker can leave a player potless after
hours of good play,just by going "all
in" on what seems an unbeatable hand,only
for a bad player,or loaded player who can go
with you,to pull off a fluke.The player has
done nothing wrong,they have to go with their
hand,but,the bottom line is they are going
home with nothing to show for all the good
play that went before.
Tournament
play is also largely down to luck(and
patience).Also as with no limit poker,you can
play great for hours only to lose out just
before the share-out stage on one bad stroke
of luck.Again the player does nothing
wrong,but hours of play goes up in smoke with
nothing to show for it. Limit poker is the
game - you can play for as long as you feel
good,and you can manipulate the stake you want
to play for each and every hand.
THE
PROCEDURE. Take your online seat.
Wait
for large blind(2 players pay large and small
blind every hand to start pot) - you will be
prompted,just click to pay)
Two
cards will be shown to you,and no one else.
A
round of betting will now take place by other
players round the table. If there has not been
a "raise"(increase in your large
blind stake you have already paid) then just
"check"(it costs you nothing and you
get to see next card for free).
If
there has been a "raise"you can
either go with them("call")and
increase your stake or cut your losses and
"fold" - We will show wether you
should stay in or fold hands later.
Next
the "flop" occurs - this is when 3
cards are dealt onto table,which everyone can
see.
There
is now another round of betting,and apply same
procedure as in first round of betting.
Every
player will now see another card dealt - the
"turn" card.
There
is now another round of betting,and apply same
procedure as in first round of betting.
Every
player will now see another card - the 5th and
final card - the "river" card.
There
is now another round of betting,and apply same
procedure as in first round of betting.
The
game is now finished - the player with the
best hand wins the pot - less the poker house
cut,the "rake"
Another
game now begins,this time you will be prompted
to pay the "small blind"-click to
pay.After this game you will get a respite
from paying to play,and will only pay
again(unless you have good hand that you do
want to play) when big blind rotates the
table.
THESE
ARE THE BEST HANDS IN RANK ORDER
1.
Royal Flush
This
is the highest poker hand. It consists of ace,
king, queen, jack, ten, all in the same suit.
As all suits are equal, all royal flushes are
equal. 2.Straight Flush
Five
cards of the same suit in sequence - such
asJ-10-9-8-7. Between two straight flushes,
the one containing the higher top card is
higher. An ace can be counted as low, so
5-4-3-2-A is a straight flush, but its top
card is the five, not the ace, so it is the
lowest type of straight flush.
3.
Four of a kind
Four
cards of the same rank - such as four queens.
The fifth card can be anything. This
combination is sometimes known as
"quads", and in some parts of Europe
it is called a "poker", though this
term for it is unknown in English. Between two
fours of a kind, the one with the higher set
of four cards is higher - so 3-3-3-3-A is
beaten by 4-4-4-4-2. It can't happen in
standard poker, but if in some other game you
need to compare two fours of a kind where the
sets of four cards are of the same rank, then
the one with the higher fifth card is better.
4.
Full House
This
consists of three cards of one rank and two
cards of another rank - for example three
sevens and two tens (colloquially known as
"sevens full" or more specifically
"sevens on tens"). When comparing
full houses, the rank of the three cards
determines which is higher. For example
9-9-9-4-4 beats 8-8-8-A-A. If the threes of a
kind were equal, the rank of the pairs would
decide.
5.
Flush
Five
cards of the same suit. When comparing two
flushes, the highest card determines which is
higher. If the highest cards are equal then
the second highest card is compared; if those
are equal too, then the third highest card,
and so on. For example K-J-9-3-2 beats
K-J-7-6-5 because the nine beats the seven.
6.
Straight
Five
cards of mixed suits in sequence - for example
Q-J-10-9-8. When comparing two sequences, the
one with the higher ranking top card is
better. Ace can count high or low in a
straight, but not both at once, so A-K-Q-J-10
and 5-4-3-2-A are valid straights, but
2-A-K-Q-J is not. 5-4-3-2-A is the lowest kind
of straight, the top card being the five.
7.
Three of a Kind
When
comparing two threes of a kind the hand in
which the three equal cards are of higher rank
is better. So for example 5-5-5-3-2 beats
4-4-4-K-Q. If you have to compare two threes
of a kind where the sets of three are of equal
rank, then the higher of the two remaining
cards in each hand are compared, and if those
are equal, the lower odd card is compared.
8.
Two Pairs
A
pair is two cards of equal rank. In a hand
with two pairs, the two pairs are of different
ranks (otherwise you would have four of a
kind), and there is an odd card to make the
hand up to five cards. When comparing hands
with two pairs, the hand with the highest pair
wins, irrespective of the rank of the other
cards - so J-J-2-2-4 beats 10-10-9-9-8 because
the jacks beat the tens. If the higher pairs
are equal, the lower pairs are compared, so
that for example 8-8-6-6-3 beats 8-8-5-5-K.
Finally, if both pairs are the same, the odd
cards are compared, so Q-Q-5-5-8 beats
Q-Q-5-5-4.
9.
Pair
A
hand with two cards of equal rank and three
other cards which do not match these or each
other. When comparing two such hands, the hand
with the higher pair is better - so for
example 6-6-4-3-2 beats 5-5-A-K-Q. If the
pairs are equal, compare the highest ranking
odd cards from each hand; if these are equal
compare the second highest odd card, and if
these are equal too compare the lowest odd
cards. So J-J-A-9-3 beats J-J-A-7-6 because
the 9 beats the 7.
10.
High Card
Five
cards which do not form any of the
combinations listed above. When comparing two
such hands, the one with the better highest
card wins. If the highest cards are equal the
second cards are compared; if they are equal
too the third cards are compared, and so on.
So A-J-9-5-3 beats A-10-9-5-4 because the jack
beats the ten.
HANDS
TO PLAY.
To
stress again this is an introduction to limit
poker,after time you will not stick to any
strict guidlines,you get a feel for the
game,there might be an idiot playing who you
want to get involved with,it is your lucky
day,and also you do not want to become too
predictable.
But
for now some guidlines may be useful.
Position
is often portrayed as very important - it may
be in no limit,but in limit not so
important,if a hand is worth playing there is
no need to be put off by an increase in
stakes.If it is not a great hand,and you are
early player(in other words you may get raised
by later player)then fold,whereas if you are
late player(fewer players have opportunity to
raise you)then you might run with it.
Also
you should always defend your big blind stake
to at least one raise.One of the biggest pots
i have ever won at limit poker was a situation
where i was dragged unwillingly into a raising
game holding a 6 - 2 unsuited,and you can't
get much worse than that.The flop threw down 3
sixes !. Let the small blind go unless you
have at least a half decent hand.
These
are hands you must play,or raise even if
raised previousley.
AA,
KK, QQ,
A
K, AQ, AJ, KQ, KJ,
A
- anything suited
Include
these hands to check,and call if raised.
QJ,
10 - 10, J - J
4
- 5 suited, 5 - 6 suited, etc......through
to.............10 - J suited.
Include
these hands to play and check(discard or
play,depending on your,and the games
circumstances)
Any
pair
4
- 5 unsuited etc..........through to
....................10 - J.
THINGS
TO BEAR IN MIND.
Players
bluff a lot.
Players
bluff much more than you would imagine - if
you hold at least a pair from flop,it may pay
to see it through to the end.Particularly if 2
suited cards,or a possible straight was
flopped,and now their straight can't be
made,and their flush busted.
Have
rough idea of odds involved.
You
can exhaust yourself,and make poker pretty
hard work if you take the maths to extreme
lengths,but a rough idea of the odds to draw
is a must. Just have in front of you the odds
involved to make your hand.For these examples
the river(last card)is to come,and below are
the approximate odds.If,say for example,you
have a pair of 3's and know you need another 3
to win the pot,there are only 2 cards in the
pack that can win it for you.The odds are
22/1,if the pot,plus what will be played this
round is only paying you 10/1 you have to
fold,if the pot has potential for paying 30/1
you have to play.
Odds
below are for river card - last card only to
come.
It
is roughly half the odds given below for turn
plus river card - last 2 cards still to come
2
cards wanted is app 22/1
3...............................14/1
4...............................11/1
5............................
.. 8/1
6...............................
7/1
7............................
..11/2
8...............................
5/1
9................................4/1
10
cards wanted just play!
Most
players are now too aggresive.
Almost
everyone has read the poker instruction
books,and the recurring theme within those
books is be agressive.Don't be
intimidated,when someone raises and
reraises,if you have the hand,go with them,let
them up the ante,wait and hit them
late,particularly if the raiser does it all
the time - the table will go with this
player,but maybe fold if you raise.This is the
reverse of popular tactics,but i have tried
both,and at least you have the option of
bailing out if it goes wrong,most players
having raised agressively early feel they have
to stay with it whatever they end up with,and
try to bluff their way out of trouble.
Play
in the highest stakes table you dare play in.
Poker
can be a drudge sometimes,particularly if you
have a sequence of poor hands that you can't
play.Even if you do have hands to play,the
norm is you will win the stake of the table
each hour - $5/10 table will return about $10
- $15,for a GOOD player,not that much
really.So what to do ? - play on a big stakes
table,and win or lose play for a shorter
time,enjoy the thrill,and if you do win,you
will make a decent return.
By
Pendil at British Betting and Gaming Sites ©
About the Author
Article by David Parkinson at British Betting and
Gaming Sites(http://www.sculpturebooks.co.uk/)More
information can be found on our Poker page at http://www.sculpturebooks.co.uk/bpokersites.htm)
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