Texas Holdem Flop

Flop Poker Strategy Introduction

It’s where Texas Hold’em starts to come alive isn’t it? Pre-flop hand selection is all well and good but what you make when the flop comes is when action develops. It’s where you can start to get a feel for your opponent’s likely ranges, deciding whether you want to continue and assessing the texture to determine whether a bluff might work. This article will look at the key factors of playing the flop that will help shape your decision making when playing flop poker in Texas Hold’em.

Beginner Texas Hold’em Question

Learn to play Online Texas Holdem like a Pro! Action Flop Theory Millions of people play online poker today and despite the great stories about the big tourney’s that unknown players won (WSOP) most of the time you hear about bad beats like you cannot believe. A texas hold'em hand is dominated if it has 3 or fewer outs against a hand it faces, like AQ against AK. In this example only a Q can help AQ, an A will not. A hand like AK is a 3 to 1 favorite over hands it dominates like AQ, AJ, A9, KQ, KT, etc. 32 is only a 2 to1 favorite). Texas Holdem Post Flop Play. Many Texas holdem poker books do a good job of explaining how to play profitably before the flop, but it’s hard to find a good resource that teaches you how to play well after the flop. We believe the reason for this is because playing strong poker post flop is hard. Texas Holdem Poker Rules. The game of Texas Holdem is by far the most popular form of poker being played today. Its popularity is due in large part to its exposure on T.V. With the World Series of Poker being televised on ESPN. And ever since Chris Moneymaker won the Main Event for over $1 million back in 2003 playing Texas Hold Em, its. The three cards that are placed face up on the board after the first betting round in Texas Hold’em Poker are collectively called “the flop.” All the players at the table must use these cards to create the best poker hand. The flop is followed by another betting round, initiated by the player who sits to the dealer’s left.

What is a flop in poker?

The flop is the first 3 community cards that are dealt face up. Players use them with their hole cards to make a 5 card poker hand. Check out our poker cheat sheet for more information.

Texture

There are so many possible flop textures to list but we can condense this to 3 types; dry, wet and mixed flops. Dry flops are very disconnected with no potentials for straights or flushes. A wet board is draw heavy or already presents potential for straight and/or flush. Finally, a mixed board is somewhere in the middle, with possible draws but not both. The texture of the flop should be a heavy consideration when choosing how much money to invest in your hand. It’s complex isn’t it? Texas Hold’em is not a simple game to play, if you want simplicity, try 3 card poker instead.

Example:
Pocket aces (Ac-Ad) look great but are very vulnerable on a board like 7h 8h 9h. Contrast this to a board of Kc 2s 2d and you can start to appreciate the importance of relative hand strength.

How good is your hand on the flop?

A basic question but one that must be asked. How good is your hand when you’ve got to the flop? Do you have a top pair? Only have 2 overcards? Are you on a flush draw? Your hand value can be converted to represent the following groups.

Flop Poker Tips

If you are new to poker and want some tips on flop poker. The list below is a basic overview of what to do when you get to the flop.

• Miss the flop – get out the pot
• Top pair is good but remember your kicker. The second card may be beat by your opponent
• If top pair is a low card, you can still be beat by overpairs
• Flush or straight draws are at best 36% chance to hit by the river. If your opponent is trying to force a big pot or get you all in, you should fold
• If you raised pre-flop and are heads up – bet most flops. Check out our article on continuation betting for more detailed tips

Small hand, small pot. Big hand, big pot. Remember this and you won’t go far wrong at low stakes

The three cards that are placed face up on the board after the first betting round in Texas Hold’em Poker are collectively called “the flop.” All the players at the table must use these cards to create the best poker hand. The flop is followed by another betting round, initiated by the player who sits to the dealer’s left.

Beginners who successfully reach the flop often get overwhelmed at this point of the game. They feel that they have played a good hand so far, but are not sure how things will turn out in the near future. Such beginners need to implement some tested and proven flop strategies. Here is a collection of interesting flop tips for confused Hold’em players.

Texas Holdem Flop River Turn

Evaluation

Players on the flop must carefully evaluate their situation. They must carefully re-analyse their hand and determine once and for all if their hand has the potential to win the pot for them. Here are a few factors that players should consider on the flop:

Texas Holdem Flop Rules

• Hand strength
• Winning potential of the hand
• Chip stacks
• Table position

Players might feel that they do not really have the time to consider so many factors at a time, but if they do so, they will be able to make a wise decision. Making the best decision on the flop is of paramount importance because the jackpot begins growing in size from this point, and any mistake made post flop is going to cost the player plenty of money.

For instance, a player might have an A – J pair in his/her hand and the flop might comprise cards like Four, Ten, and Ace. Initially, players might be jubilant and feel that they are well on the way of winning, but after carefully considering the above-mentioned factors, they might feel that folding is a better option. It all depends on the situation at the table.

Watch the follow video to play No Limit Texas Holdem Poker

This video has been provided by PokerSmarts

Texas Hold'em Flop Turn River

Prediction

Thinking about the present barely suffices; players should also give ample thought to the future. All the possible answers to the question, “What could happen to this hand in the near future?” are of equal importance. Players should especially think about what might happen on the turn as this will prevent them from getting into a fix on the turn.

The biggest mistake a player on the flop can make is to make a move based on flop situations without giving a thought to what might happen on the turn and the river.

Flop Strategies

Learning the best Texas Hold’em flop strategies and implementing them at the proper time is of great importance if players want to become Texas Hold’em winners.

• Excellent hands can turn sour – Hold’em players must never pin all their hopes on their excellent starting hands because the best starting hands can turn sour. For example, players might feel that an Ace and a King in the hole and an eight, a nine, and a Jack on the flop is the best thing that has ever happened to them without considering the simple fact that a pair can easily defeat them.
• Fold on the flop – If players feel that the flop cards have converted their excellent starting hands into the worst possible hand, they have to fold immediately. Players should never make the mistake of thinking that the river and the turn will save their hand because it never happens.For example, the flop might have a king or an ace, but players might not have these cards in their hand. This means that they do not have a pair or a better combination, and under these circumstances, they must fold instead of waiting for the river and the turn to save their hands.
• Take the risk – Sometimes, players on the flop might feel that their hand has a chance of becoming the winner hand on the turn or the river. In such a case, players can take the risk. After all, the fun of playing Texas Hold’em lies in taking as many calculated risks as possible. Players can also play a bad hand if they feel they can fool their opponents into folding their better hands and leaving them free to grab a pot they do not really deserve.

Texas Hold'em Flop River

There are plenty of flop strategies that players can implement to improve their chances of winning.