When you are short stacked it might be a reasonable move to go all in when an opponent raises in front of you. Of course you need to consider that you have a decent hand.

If you are really short stacked and all your chips will not be enough to for another full size bet in case your opponent raises, then most likely they will have the odds to call and see the cards so they can make the best hand. In this scenario what you can employ is the stop and go play cause most probably you do not have enough chips to convince them to fold their hand when you re-raise.

It will always be more difficult for your opponent to calling what you do on the flop rather than what you do before the flop. This reduces the odds for your opponent and so they will need to think hard if they want to more cards to give them a better hand. Most likely they will not.

Always initiate the stop and go play if you are first to act. Push your opponent to the wall and make him think harder by pushing in your chips to the middle. Betting out gives you a better position than just checking which decreases your fold equity, a concept very new to Jonathan Abdellatif and even Kenny Louagie.

Only use the stop and go play when going heads up. The picture is different if you have another player battling it out for the pot. They may end up with the better hand after seeing the flop.

When you are really short stacked and you get a hand that you are ready to go all in with, go for it. This will be less risky than waiting for an opportunity for a stop and go play.

One should always have pre-planned strategies in his head so that the results do not turn out to be shocking. After every deal one must be quick enough to formulate 5 to 6 plans for the game thus enhancing flexibility. As a player if you are able to read the expressions of your opponents then you can easily win over them. A good player always has the capability to exhibit minimum emotions during the game and at the same time he can always find what is going through the opponents mind to modify his game play accordingly.

One should always be pleasant and comfortable when playing. It is seen that almost every time it is the aggressive players who end up losing big. Always keep a track of other players and the deal. A good observation of the surroundings can also let you know if it is a good time to bluff or not. Whether or not you make serious poker money is based on making the correct discussion.

Lastly to sum up all poker is a skill based game and requires dedication if one wants to make a fortune out of it. The above given tips can prove to be very effective.

I’ll keep you posted, obviously!

All poker variants have the same underlying rule: the best five-card hand wins. Texas hold’em is no different, except that there are seven cards total from which to choose your final hand. At the beginning of the hand, each player is dealt two cards, known as the ‘hole cards.’ Usually, the two players to the left of the dealer must make a forced bet known as a blind; the player next to the dealer posts a ‘small blind’ of approximately half a bet while the player to his left posts a full bet known as the ‘big blind.’ Other players who wish to enter the hand after the deal must match (or call) the big blind, but they may also increase the amount of the bet by at least double (raise).

Once players have either thrown away their two-card hands (folded), or called or raised the big blind, the next betting round begins. The dealer will deal one card facedown (the burn) and then deal three ‘community cards’, known as the ‘flop’, face up. These are called community cards because they are shared by all active players at the table. Another round of betting takes place on the flop, with the minimum bet usually being equal to the big blind. When the betting on the flop is over, the dealer burns another card and then deals ‘the turn’, a fourth community card. Now there are four cards on the table and two in your hand, for a total of six; your poker hand consists of the best five of these. For example, if there is a 5-6-7-8 on the ‘board’ and you are holding an ace and a 9, you have a straight from the 5 to the 9 and your ace is disregarded. You may also use both of your cards if it makes for a better hand.

The turn brings a third round of betting, where the minimum bet is either equal to or double the big blind, followed by another burn and the final card, or ‘river’ card, being dealt. Yet another round of bets takes place, but this is the last one. Once all bets have been completed, players who are still in the hand show their cards, and whoever has the best five-card hand wins (I’ll assume that you know the ranking of poker hands).

While there are many subtleties to each individual hand, this is basic way that each one will play out. To be honest, many of the paying customers in the casino have barely passed this level of understanding (at least those at the lower limits). Try the game out with some family and friends, and if you find that you enjoy it, don’t be intimidated to put a couple of bucks into an online poker account or take a trip down to the casino. Even if you don’t win, you’ll have only paid for some entertainment!

Texas Hold’em is the game that made some of the biggest poker heroes become celebs. Get cracking, and become someone!

Make sure to read it if you regularly play limit texas hold’em poker and don’t manage to win…

… in 2003, amateur Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker Main Event on national TV in front of millions of people, beating out Sam Farha, a seasoned professional. Texas hold’em became the new game of choice, and poker exploded worldwide, both in casinos and on the Internet …
Source: Why Poker is So Popular

What I’m really remembering is: “Making your two-card hand relatively strong is more important than constructing a powerhouse hand behind.”.

Meh.

Texas Hold’em Poker: +$4,800
Punto Banco / Baccarat: +$5,900
Blackjack: -$1,100
Pot Limit Omaha Poker: +4,900
Roulette: -$2,100
Craps: +$300
Stud Poker (against the house): -$600
Slots: -$100
Casino Hold’em: +$2000 (got extremely lucky and quit ahead hehe)

I’m happy.

I was playing the $5/$10 game at the local casino and was sitting on the button with AJ of diamonds. The flop was a well-deserved T-Q-K of diamonds. I was in for a treat as the other guy had KQ and was stupid enough to take my bet as a defensive one. He shoved in hoping I was on the diamond draw — too bad I flopped THE STONE COLD ULTIMATE NUTS BABY!

I’m still smiling.

For the record, we’re talking No Limit Hold’em.

1. Whether or not the player you’re up against is winner or loser, and how he reacts in these situations.
2. The stack-sizes. Don’t risk your whole stack by valuebetting a mediocre hand against a dangerous board. If you’ve got $300 invested and you both have $2500 –you don’t want to have to face an all-in decision on a weak hand.
3. The board. What dangers are out there? If a 3-card flush or straight is out there, be cautious. If you read your opponent as strong, check it down.
4. Your table image. Don’t valuebet a mediocre hand if you know you’re only getting called when you’re surely beat. Being aware of your own table image is vital in poker, so keep your eyes on yourself as much as your opponents.
5. Bankroll management. Fold to a big re-raise if you’re not strong enough. Your money is worth a good laydown every once in a while.

More factors to come, but feel free to join in and give opinions here…