Rule on getting to know the Texas Holdem hand rankings is a good rule for you to follow although it is not something official. When you know all the hand rankings, you will know what are the hand rankings you can consider chasing in a game and eventually create your own personally strategies to win. And when you know the hand rankings, playing the game will be so easy for you. Thus, if you still don’t know what are the Texas Holdem hand rankings, we suggest that you start knowing them now.
Texas Holdem Rankings
Royal Flush – the best possible straight flush and is an unbeatable hand. It is consists of ace, king, queen, jack and ten of a suit.
Straight Flush – is a hand consists of five cards of the same suit, in sequence.
Four-of-a-Kind – also known as Quads. It is consists of four cards of the same rank.
Full House – also known as Full Boat or sometimes simply Boat. It is consists of three-of-a-kind and a pair.
Flush – it is consists of five cards of the same suit.
Straight – also known as Run. It is consists of five cards of rank in sequence. It is notable that in Holdem, Aces can be high or low.
Three-of-a-Kind – also known as Trips or Set. It is consists of three cards of the same rank.
Two Pair – a hand which is consists of two cards of the same rank and another two cards still of the same rank. Example could be “Jacks and Twos”.
One Pair – consists of two cards of the same rank.
High Card – It is the highest card you hold in your hand. You can resort to this, when you don’t hit any of the above. Example could be “High card King” or “King High”.
Hi,
Once I was burnt with 2 pair so I want to know if how one should actually play it. I was thinking maybe I played it incorrectly.
Well, say you get dealt 2 pair on the flop and slow playing is not a good idea as players can pick up sets, straights, much more that can beat you. What will you do then? How will you bet?
I’ll be glad to hear from you.
Thanks a ton.
Warmest regards,
Jin
Jin,
If I flop two pair without an apparent straight or flush draw on the board, I will tend to slow play it. If I am in a loose game or against calling stations, I will still bet as they will likely call me down or even raise. If there is a potential straight or flush draw, I will bet the hand to try and push players out.
Hello,
It’s really hard for me to win and I don’t exactly understand why. I’m a decent player who’s actually learning how to play well. Oftentimes I can make it to the pay out level or if not to the final two.
Just last night, I made it to the final two once again. Game actually started with 10 players. I remember I was getting decent card then and was playing aggressively. At some point I got my first bad hand, a straight on the river with 3 hearts and a spade. On the flop he didn’t placed any bet but only called. I then placed a big bet, $2400, about half of my chips. I thought he was only up for a flush draw. Then he called and hit his flush. On the flop, I hit a straight 10-9-8-7-6. I was then all in for $3000. After a while, with A8 he called. Turn and river came, 2-J, which meant we gonna have to chop the pot then. Next hand, I had J7s hearts while he had K2o. Flop was J-7h-2h. I went all in at some point while he called with nothing. Much later he hit one of two Kings on the river so it was finally the end.
Do you think I was just unlucky or I actually just folded winners? By the way, if I have two pair, what are the chances another player has a set against me? Any idea? How about tips?
Your help will be much appreciated.
Many thanks,
Zedrick
Zedrick,
It sounds like your opponent got lucky in most of those cases. Of course, in a tournament, you sometimes have to get lucky to win. A player is 11% to hit a set on the flop. If I am heads up and flop two pair, I am push the hand in most scenarios.
It sounds like you are playing well. Eventually the streak of luck your opponent is on will end and you should take down a few winners.
Hi,
I was in a very Low Limit Holdem last fight with some co-workers. At some point we were down to five hands. I remember for around four or five hands in a row, any kind of raise induced folds at the table.
Back then I had approximately $40 or $50 however I wanted to pull in more money. I was on the big blind. UTG was a maniac and was up to all chip swings. There was one player named Bill who showed pretty much potential. Another player was up and I won’t deny that he’s a good one however also a loose type who chased a lot of hands. On the better side, he gave justice to some good hands. Other side of the table was another player, a rookie and is tight type.
At certain point, I had A-4 off suit in the big blind. No pre-flop raiser came in into the scene and so I checked. Flop came and was A-7-4 rainbow. I then got a two pair. Turn card came but I forgot what it was, maybe something like a mid-value card. I then checked while Bill placed $1 bet. All of us then called. River came and was a King. I then placed a $2 bet while Bill raised it to $4. At such point I figured out I lost and so I just called. Pretty sure he had kings.
Now, how do you find my play? Am I right for slow playing with my hand? Later, Bill said that if I raised then right after the flop, he would have actually folded. Any thoughts?
Thanks a lot!
Best regards,
Clint
Clint,
Your play was fine. Also, if you opponent would have folded his Kings in a low Limit Holdem game, it would have been a bad move. He had odds to call you down, even if he tought he was beat since there were so many players and so much money in the pot.
I would have check-raised the turn probably, but I would have slow played the flop.
For about 3 months now I’ve been playing Holdem and been referring to lots of materials. Well, I love playing at multi table no limit and most of my time was actually spent at such.
I remember the first time I wasn’t good at playing all calling cards and also in distinguishing good starting hands. Just last month, I believe I played well and have actually learned when to act and eventually make use of my chips. But just last week, I decided to finally try playing at our local casino. I want to try ring games.
Before I have already tried playing in a ring game and the experience was good, well, maybe at the start. I was up and down for several hours, playing hands in right position and keenly watching out who the calling stations were. I started with 150 and quite confident I decided to take risk.
At some point, I was on the button and was dealt AhKh in a 2-4 game. Three callers came in and I raised to $4. After a while, both small and big blind folded. Total call was $19 in the pot. Flop came and brought AcKd9h. Player to act first then checked while the second placed $2 bet. I then raised to $4 after having been flopped top two pair and a back door flush draw. Player who checked then folded and the next one raised to $6. Consequently I called. Pot was $31 at such point. Turn came and brought 7h. He checked while I have the nuts. I then placed $4 bet with my two pair and a stronger draw. He then raised to $8. I stopped for a while and then decided to raise him to 12$. He then called. Pot was $55 at such point. River came and was 10c. Once again he checked and I placed $4 after recalling all his moves. I believe he would have already bet if he has anything. He then paused for a moment and raised to $8. I then called. Pot was already $71.
Later, he showed QsJs while I showed AK to show two pair. I was happy to see no kings or aces but then I figured out that on the river he has pulled a straight. In the end, I went home with a little under $100.
Do you think what happened to me is a perfect example of a bad beat? And do you know of anything I could have done to avoid that going to the river?
Thanks in advance!
Regards,
Calvin
Calvin,
This appeared to me to be limit holdem as opposed to No Limit. In Limit Holdem, you opponent had the odds to chase his draw. If this was No Limit Holdem, then you definitely did not bet enough.
Based on the fact that this looked like Limit Holdem, this isn’t that bad of a beat. He had odds to draw. Not much you could have done differently.
Hello,
I’m here again as I want to know your thoughts about paying to see the cards of someone in Low Limit. Say you flop a two pair and actually on the button. Then player in front of you checked, you placed a bet and they decided to call. Turn came and yet nothing has changed so once again player who checked called and river came. The player in front of you placed a bet for a possible flush, will you then fold or else just pay to call and keep them sincere?
By the way, my apologies if somebody has already asked the same question. I don’t have much time to read everything here on your site.
Many thanks,
Alson
Alson,
If this is Limit Holdem, I am calling the bet. You are getting the right price to make the call in this case. It doesn’t matter if you think you are beat. There is so much money in the pot, it would be wrong to fold to one bet in Limit Holdem.
Hello,
With what should slow play be applied? With two pairs? How about with full house?
Hope to hear from you soon.
Many thanks,
Abie
Abie,
If you flop two pair or three of a kind, slow play if there isn’t a potential straight or a flush draw present. If you make a full house, slow play if you think your opponent will bet into you or to let them try and catch a hand that they may bet into you with.
Hello,
For about a month now, I’ve been playing Holdem at Empire Poker. Usually I play for about 3 hours a day. As of the moment I’m curious about $0.5-$1.0 Limit. I believe the level itself is very tight with usually only 2 or 3 players seeing the flop, often with very little preflop raises.
Oftentimes, level transforms into something potentially unprofitable game of luck. I also notice that having just the second best hand doesn’t work at all at such level. And when I have the winning hand, my losses end up exceeding my wins as I can’t have sufficient action. On the better side, I do well with slow playing hands as JT with flop of 7TT. Same thing with pocket pairs. On the flip side with hands as T4o and A6o I just normally end up having small win that doesn’t cover my blinds.
Generally speaking, I can actually mix up my play and have the potential of remembering the cards I have folded to check if what could have had happened. However, with 52o, I usually fold which isn’t supposed to be. I never realized that I could have won a decent size pot with a full house or if not maybe two pair.
As of now, I believe tight and aggressive game is my aim. I typically win 2 or 3 pots early to be $15- $20 up however later on will just end up losing when the above mentioned factors kick in. Once to change things up, I tried playing two tables at the same time and I could say it was a successful attempt. Also, I tried my hand and luck at the small No Limit game, $25.00 buy-in, blinds $0.5/$0.25 and for some reasons I lost my shirt in the end. Not yet tired of trying so I gave sit and go tournaments, $5+1 NL a shot. I first tried to allow first 3 or 4 wild gamblers weed themselves out as I wait for some strong hands. Well, such approach worked and so I went home with more money though I was just second.
Now, I have two questions:
- Do you think it’s really possible for internet poker games to go this far and this tight even at the smallest pot levels?
- Based on what I’ve shared to you, do you have any piece of advice for me? Should I just stick at tourneys? Do you think it would be best if I try higher limit NL games as players there might act more predictably? And is it wise to just ignore the “life is one big session” motto and just quit while I’m leading?
Thanks in advance!
Regards,
Mark
Mark,
- It is possible for games to be this tight. It all depends on the players. If a game is bad, you can always find a better game. You usually can check the stats on most rooms to determine which games are the most profitable.
- Your approach seems to be decent, but it sounds like you have been in a couple of bad games in the limit side of things. Limit and No-Limit are two totally different games and as a result, I would stick with one or the other as my main game and then slowly work my way into the other. As far as tournaments, one tournament is not enough for me to determine whether you should play tournaments or not. Try a few more and if you do well, you may want to look into that possibility.
Hello,
I often call small bet with a trash or a nice size bet with a mediocre hand on preflop when I feel comfortable with my chip stack and then foresee that I might hit something on the flop. At times I can’t exactly explain why I’m tempted to do so.
So what’s next? I would call and flop would come along. I would then hit top pair, two pair, a set, or even nuts at least half of the time. There are instances when I hit something and I would then take the pot, others get upset and down and then make fun of me. Obviously, they don’t want to hear me say later I have a feeling. Do you think this is a bad poker? Do you know of someone who plays the same way as I do?
Thanks,
Tim
Tim,
Lots of people play that way. If you have a lot of chips, playing a mediocre hand to try and connect with the flop is just a way of opening up your game to try and increase your chip stack. Also, there are times that your gut tells you that you should play a certain hand. That is instinct. It isn’t always right, but when it is, it usually pays off.
Is it bad poker? Sometimes it is. But if it works and you don’t make a regular habit, that’s just another weapon in your arsenal.
Hi there,
Just an information, I play both limit and no limit. When I have strong hands or top pair good kicker, I do play very well. I’m good as well in trapping people. But whenever I have top pair, I lose my mind, however see the board pair, particularly in no limit.
Say hand is QJ and flop is J-7-7 rainbow. Table is a loose-passive one with 8 players in on the flop. I will then raise one off the button. It’s limit. Someone will then bet into me and I have the top pair with a decent kicker, two pair actually. Later, I will play the hand very passively and will call down instead of going for raises. In the end, I will win the hand but will not gather a lot of money as what is supposed to be.
What strategies are perfect in such scenario?
Personally, things are harder for me in terms of two pair. Unless I have both cards like hand AQ and flop A-Q-6, it’s hard for me to consider it a two pair. Maybe because I have already trapped others and I’m afraid to be trapped as well.
Any thoughts?
Warm regards,
Jim
Jim,
In the first scenario, since it is Limit with a lot of people in on the flop, I would raise the first time. If I am three bet, then I will slow down and just call. The chances are increased that someone has a better jack or even the seven with that many people in there. The times that you just call it down and lose the hand, you will end up saving more bets than you could have won with the hands that you could have raised. In Limit Holdem, saving bets is just as important as winning bets.
