Texas Hold’em Pre-flop Action
No Limit Texas Hold’em Tips – Pre-Flop Action
(http://www.nlholdemtips.com)
To better evaluate your early actions let’s first understand what position is.
Having Position – The Dealer Button
Position or having position is when you have the dealer button in front of you. This means you will be the last to act after the flop, which is when, almost always, the real action takes place.
Being last to act is an invaluable previlege because you get to see what every player does before you thus better understanding what your opponents intentions are. Will they bet, check, raise a previous bet, etc… This information is crucial to making your decision when it’s your turn to act. In time you will learn to use this advantage more effectively. Note that the button is not last to act before the flop, it will act right before the small bling which is also an advantage in some situations. The big blind is last to act at this stage. (also see understanding the basics)
Early, Middle and Late position
These are the possible postions you might be at a table considering where the dealer button is which is what defines everyone’s position.
Early position – Close or after the big blind
Middle position – Halfway from the big blind and the button
Late postion – Right before the button, the button, and the big and small blinds.
Hand Strength vs Position
The Earlier The Position, The Better Your Hand Should Be
If you are in early position, your hand should be within the top 10 hands in order to call or raise. You should raise or re-raise if you have any of the top 5 hands and you should call if you have any of the remaining top 10 hands. (see starting hands)
If you are in late position, your hand doesn’t have to be that strong because you will have your decision made easier based on what the other players did. If no one has raised until your turn, you can risk and call with a weak hand and see the flop. On the other hand, if a lot of action has taken place before your turn, a raise or re-raise, you will need to have a good hand to continue in the pot. Information is power. And the late positions benefit of that.
Also bear in mind that most of the times you will want to get envolved in the pot only with a few players (meaning 2 or 3 more at most). If too many players have called and you don’t have a premium hand, you should fold. Having many players see the flop will dramatically decrease your chances of winning the pot.
So make your decision on whether to call, raise or fold based primarily on your position rather than your hand strength, I say this because you won’t be dealt Aces or Kings nearly enough times.
Stealing The Blinds / Bluffing In Pre-Flop
The bests positions from which to steal the blinds is the dealer button and small blind. Many players will raise with any two cards in these positions in an attempt to steal the blinds. They basically bet that the big blind has a weak hand and will fold if raised. Twice as hard if you raise in the button because you need two players to fold after you and not just one. The small and big blind. This type of action is usually seen at tournaments because in tournaments the blinds keep raising and become more appealing when the numbers are big.
Bluff the bluffer. Imagine you’re in the big blind and the button or small blind raises. Try and re-raise the bet and you will see that most of the times the players will fold because they’re just trying to steal the blinds.
Some players will raise with a weak hand in early postion to represent a premium hand. You usually put your opponent in a strong hand if he raises, specially in early position. This is a powerfull but dangerous type of bluffing.
Limp in/Slow Play
To limp in is to see the flop with just a call of the big blind. This action can sometimes be useful to hide strong hands. Imagine you have AK, you don’t necessarily raise everytime. You might want to fool your opponents into thinking you have a medium hand worth only a call to see the flop. They will not credit you with any major hand. However limping in with AK is more recommended in late position rather than early. In early postion if you do not raise you will allow weak hands to connect in the flop. If you are for instance in the big blind and only the button and small blind are in the pot you can just call. If you hit, they will not necesseraly put you on a big hand and might call or bet the pot with a weaker hand, say medium pair, thinking they are in the lead.
Of course limping in has it’s drawbacks, remember that by just calling you are making the flop cheap to see. You will be subject to someone hitting a good hand with weaker cards. But that’s what gambling is all about.
Don’t Slow Play Monster Hands AA, KK, QQ
If you have AA, KK or QQ. Raise raise and raise again. Do not allow anyone to see any free or cheap cards. Remember once the flop comes it can all change and your aces or kings can become trash in a second if you allow it. Many players like to limp in with these hands and check they’re way to the river and then bet huge amounts if not go all in once the river hits. This is a rookie mistake. I’m telling you, most of times, THEY LOSE. Why? You probably know. They gave away free cards and allowed someone else to hit a bigger hand. In all fairness a pair is just a pair and there many hands above it. Don’t overplay your pocket pairs and don’t think Aces are invincible. They’re really not.
Learn more about Texas Hold’em. Texas Hold’em Poker Tips
http://www.nlholdemtips.com
By: Nuno R.
About the Author:
(http://www.nlholdemtips.com)
To better evaluate your early actions let’s first understand what position is.
Having Position – The Dealer Button
Position or having position is when you have the dealer button in front of you. This means you will be the last to act after the flop, which is when, almost always, the real action takes place.
Being last to act is an invaluable previlege because you get to see what every player does before you thus better understanding what your opponents intentions are. Will they bet, check, raise a previous bet, etc… This information is crucial to making your decision when it’s your turn to act. In time you will learn to use this advantage more effectively. Note that the button is not last to act before the flop, it will act right before the small bling which is also an advantage in some situations. The big blind is last to act at this stage. (also see understanding the basics)
Early, Middle and Late position
These are the possible postions you might be at a table considering where the dealer button is which is what defines everyone’s position.
Early position – Close or after the big blind
Middle position – Halfway from the big blind and the button
Late postion – Right before the button, the button, and the big and small blinds.
Hand Strength vs Position
The Earlier The Position, The Better Your Hand Should Be
If you are in early position, your hand should be within the top 10 hands in order to call or raise. You should raise or re-raise if you have any of the top 5 hands and you should call if you have any of the remaining top 10 hands. (see starting hands)
If you are in late position, your hand doesn’t have to be that strong because you will have your decision made easier based on what the other players did. If no one has raised until your turn, you can risk and call with a weak hand and see the flop. On the other hand, if a lot of action has taken place before your turn, a raise or re-raise, you will need to have a good hand to continue in the pot. Information is power. And the late positions benefit of that.
Also bear in mind that most of the times you will want to get envolved in the pot only with a few players (meaning 2 or 3 more at most). If too many players have called and you don’t have a premium hand, you should fold. Having many players see the flop will dramatically decrease your chances of winning the pot.
So make your decision on whether to call, raise or fold based primarily on your position rather than your hand strength, I say this because you won’t be dealt Aces or Kings nearly enough times.
Stealing The Blinds / Bluffing In Pre-Flop
The bests positions from which to steal the blinds is the dealer button and small blind. Many players will raise with any two cards in these positions in an attempt to steal the blinds. They basically bet that the big blind has a weak hand and will fold if raised. Twice as hard if you raise in the button because you need two players to fold after you and not just one. The small and big blind. This type of action is usually seen at tournaments because in tournaments the blinds keep raising and become more appealing when the numbers are big.
Bluff the bluffer. Imagine you’re in the big blind and the button or small blind raises. Try and re-raise the bet and you will see that most of the times the players will fold because they’re just trying to steal the blinds.
Some players will raise with a weak hand in early postion to represent a premium hand. You usually put your opponent in a strong hand if he raises, specially in early position. This is a powerfull but dangerous type of bluffing.
Limp in/Slow Play
To limp in is to see the flop with just a call of the big blind. This action can sometimes be useful to hide strong hands. Imagine you have AK, you don’t necessarily raise everytime. You might want to fool your opponents into thinking you have a medium hand worth only a call to see the flop. They will not credit you with any major hand. However limping in with AK is more recommended in late position rather than early. In early postion if you do not raise you will allow weak hands to connect in the flop. If you are for instance in the big blind and only the button and small blind are in the pot you can just call. If you hit, they will not necesseraly put you on a big hand and might call or bet the pot with a weaker hand, say medium pair, thinking they are in the lead.
Of course limping in has it’s drawbacks, remember that by just calling you are making the flop cheap to see. You will be subject to someone hitting a good hand with weaker cards. But that’s what gambling is all about.
Don’t Slow Play Monster Hands AA, KK, QQ
If you have AA, KK or QQ. Raise raise and raise again. Do not allow anyone to see any free or cheap cards. Remember once the flop comes it can all change and your aces or kings can become trash in a second if you allow it. Many players like to limp in with these hands and check they’re way to the river and then bet huge amounts if not go all in once the river hits. This is a rookie mistake. I’m telling you, most of times, THEY LOSE. Why? You probably know. They gave away free cards and allowed someone else to hit a bigger hand. In all fairness a pair is just a pair and there many hands above it. Don’t overplay your pocket pairs and don’t think Aces are invincible. They’re really not.
Learn more about Texas Hold’em. Texas Hold’em Poker Tips
http://www.nlholdemtips.com
By: Nuno R.
About the Author:
Texas Hold’em Enthusiast
