It is important that you start your every poker game right. Thus, you must learn how you should play in early stage of a poker game.
Well, so you can think right in early stage, try to relax first and clear your mind from any worries. Be calm and be open to all possibilities. Be comfortable and try to enjoy. Never ponder on things that are out of your control like luck. Then play tight. Being tight can really help on multiple levels. But of course, still have some control over your decisions. Although playing tight can help, it can also get you into some troubles so be careful.
To play tight means playing only premium hole cards with a goal to steal blinds and eventually even buy the pot.
In early stage, playing tight may help. But then on the flip side, never try to play aggressively or too excited. Never try to swipe blinds as it won’t help. Instead try to win big blinds. In the event the blinds are very small, never raise just to win little blinds. Never try to put your chips at risk for no good purpose. Try to be patient and wait for the blinds to improve before you try to take them away.
And in case you are up for small pots, try not to make aggressive bluffs. This won’t help most especially in early stage.
When in early stage, be careful when making decisions. You can play tight but you can’t be too excited. Playing tight may work but being too excited won’t work at all. As much as possible try to be tight but be reasonable and try to consider some factors. Try to consider the condition of the table and the kind of players you are up against with.
Although you won’t be disqualified in a game or be penalized for not knowing the terms, it’s still best to personally know the terms. Although it’s actually not an official rule, it’s a good rule to impose on yourself. Be familiar of the terms oftentimes used in Texas Holdem and you will be good in playing the game.
Texas Holdem Terms
Terms that are often used in Texas Holdem games are:
Action – takes place when a player stays in a hand.
All In – to place all your money in the pot.
Bad Beat – have a hand that is way behind and with a little chance of winning.
Bankroll – refers to player’s money.
Bet – to place wager.
Big Blind – left of the dealer and the bigger of the two blinds.
Blind – refers to the forced bet for the first two positions.
Burn Card – to discard the top card to prevent cheating.
Buy In – amount you pay to play in a game.
Call – to put money equal to the best placed before you.
Check – you don’t bet though no one has bet in front of you.
Check Raise – you check and not everyone checked or called then you raise.
Dealer Button – determines who is the current dealer.
Early Position – first player to act in a betting round.
Fifth Street – the fifth community card, also known as the River.
Flop – the first three community cards.
Fourth Street – the fourth community card, also known as the Turn.
Heads Up – 2 players are left in the game.
Hole Cards – two cards in player’s hand.
Kicker – the top high card after matched hands.
Late Position – final players to receive cards.
Limp In – call pre-flop.
Middle Position – player that acts half way.
Muck – fold the hand.
Nuts – the best possible hand.
Position – position of the player at the table.
Pot – money in the current hand which players are playing for.
Pot Committed – a point when the player has to stay in the pot for he has so much money into the pot.
Raise – to bet.
Rake – amount of money collected by the house.
Rebuy – option in a tournament to buy back after losing money.
Reraise – raise a raise.
River – fifth and final community card.
Semi-bluff – bluffing without a strong hand but can still be drawn to.
Showdown – stage where remaining players will have to show their hands.
Small Blind – the smaller of two blinds, left of the dealer.
Turn – the fourth community card, also known as “fourth street.”
Hi,
The other night, I was in a weekly game with 8-10 players. Tables were very passive at the start, lots of players have called the big blind and have never raised before the flop, they were tight. Do you think such situation can justify playing rag hole cards?
Well, for me, you can expect players to have at least one face card as they’re tight. Though I have face cards then I wouldn’t be that confident in case I flop a pair. However if I play rags and then pair middle or top pair on the flop, someone with Ace King might call me to the river to win win. In addition, if I flop 2 pair or be in a great tension with a straight or full house at the turn or river, it’s impossible there’d be someone who won’t believe I’d stay to the river with those cards.
Once in a certain game, I was the chip leader and decided to play a 4 – 6 off suit. Flop back then was 5 Q 6 rainbow. Later I flopped middle pair and stayed as I had a big stack and bets were okay. Turn came and brought 7. River followed and was an 8. I had only 1 opponent, he had J Q, top pair. I then decided to raise and was actually called. He can’t believe I played my hand to the river.
Any thoughts?
Many thanks,
Tristram
Tristram,
If you have a table of tight players, you can consider playing your rag cards, especially if you can get in cheap. However if you miss and face resistance, get out of the hand.
If you are a chip leader, you can open up your hand ranges with the hopes of trying to bust shorter stacks or hit lucky and add chips to your stack.
Hi,
If I remember it right you once said that betting or calling to chop a pot is normally not advisable however in some cases is also possible like when the board has something silly like AAA QQ and in the pot is quite a bit of money. I fairly understand what you are trying to imply but it would be much better if you still explain it to me further.
I’ll be glad to hear from you soon.
Thanks and keep up the work on this site!
Regards,
Gelo
Gelo,
When it is apparent that the pot is going to be chopped, you should call a bet at the end. It is almost silly to bet unless the board has a straight or flush that could yield to a higher straight depending on a persons hole cards. For example, if the board is 6-7-8-9-10, then you may want to be to represent a J. Otherwise, just check or check and call on the river.
