Learn Texas Holdem Basic Strategy

Many players begin playing texas holdem in the no limit variant. Most lower stake cash games are actually limit holdem cash games. In fact, before the current poker boom, even many of the tournaments held in casinos were limit holdem event. Limit holdem is different, more technical game than the No limit variant, and this article should go over some basic strategies to get you started.

A player’s position relative to the button is key in determining what hands to enter a pot with in limit holdem. In a nine handed game, early position is the first three players to the left of the button. The next three spots are considered middle position. The last three positions, which include the button, are considered late position. The range of hands that you may enter a pot with widens the latter in position you enter the pot.

In early position, you may enter the pot with pocket pairs from jacks to aces. Ace-King suited and unsuited, Ace Queen suited and unsuited, and Ace-Jack suited is also early position hands. From middle position you may add pocket nines and pocket tens to your range of hands. Ace-ten suited, king-queen suited, king-jack suited, and ace-jack offsuit may also be played from middle position. Late position allows you to open up your game a little. You may add all remaining pairs, king-ten suited, queen-jack suited, both king-queen and king-jack offsuit, and ace-ten offsuit.

When facing a raise in limit holdem, you need to take into fact not only your starting hand quality but also your position. If you are holding one of the early position hands listed above with the exception of ace-jack suited, you may want to reraise. With ace-jack, you can just call the raise. When in middle position, you will want to just call with the middle position hands listed above. In late position, you may call if you hold one of the middle position hands above. All other hands should be folded.

Many players will get into a trap of coming into pots with any ace. While learning how to play Limit holdem, these hands will very well cost you money. When playing any random ace, you will have kicker problems when you are against an ace with a stronger kicker.

Another hand type that can be tricky to play is suited cards below K-10. These types of hands pose problems when players actually hit their flushes, only to face a larger flush. A suited ace below ace-ten is one hand type that is frequently played by many players but can be long term losers for players that don’t have the discipline to get away from a missed draw. Even if the ace is paired, the kicker isn’t strong enough to win a large percentage of the time. Playing ace-random suited is a hand best suited to be played from the blind.

You will draw to straights and flushes in limit holdem as opposed to no limit holdem. In the event of drawing to a flush, if you flop a flush draw, in most cases you will be staying in the hand until the end. This is due to the fact that there are few spots where you will not have sufficient pot odds to draw to a flush. The same is true of open ended straight draws. Gutshot straight draws should be played cautiously as you are drawing to only four outs to catch your straight.
Bluffing is less common in limit holdem as opposed to no limit holdem. This is especially true at low stakes. Many players will try and “keep you honest” and call down your bets. Also, there are many times where the pot odds are sufficient to call on the river when a player is holding no more than bottom pair or ace high. While learning the game, it is best to play in a very straight forward manner.

The last thing you will want to start working on as a beginning player is to start working on reading your opponents. While there are many calling stations at low limits, there are still other players that you can gain a lot of information on their play. Observe the hands that they show and review how they bet the hand. Do they always check the flop when they miss their hand? Do they always raise with a drawing hand? Do they chase with substandard holdings?

Also look for physical tells. Physical tells are more evident at lower limits than other limits since many players are beginning players. Do they glance at their chips ready to bet when they hit their hand? Are they confident when they throw chips into the pot? Do they have a little shake when they put chips in on a big hand? Do they look at their cards to verify they have hit their draw? These tells can make you extra bets and save you bets along the way.