Michael McMahon offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print. Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum. ----------- PUBLICATION GUIDELINES - You have permission to publish this article for free providing the "About the Author" box is included in its entirety. - Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity. - Do not use this article in violation of the US CAN-SPAM Act. If sent by email, this article must be delivered to opt-in subscribers only. - If you publish this article in a format that supports linking, please ensure that all URLs and email addresses are active links. - Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to [email protected] - Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article. ----------- Article Title: Winning Texas Holdem Poker Isn't About Luck Author: Michael McMahon Category: Casino, Online, Gambling Word Count: 691 Keywords: texas holdem poker, winnig texas holdem poker, texas holdem poker online Author's Email Address: [email protected] Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com ------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------
The pros make it look easy on TV, but there is a real skill behind winning big bucks playing Texas Holdem poker. Instead of just letting the chips fall where they may, you can develop a card strategy that will improve how you play your hands, no matter what you are dealt. The key to doing this is knowing the ins and outs of Holdem rules. In this article, we'll uncover the secrets that the pros use to win big at the tables and when playing online. Knowing the Texas Holdem rules inside and out is the key to becoming a good player. If you are playing online Texas Holdem Poker, then print out the rules and keep them by your side as a reference. You also need to understand the language of Holdem poker. For example, AA means a pair of aces and is the very best of starting hands. T9s means a ten and a nine of the same suit. K8o means a king and an eight of different suits. AJs means an ace and a jack of the same suit. The most difficult thing for Holdem beginners is knowing when to raise and when to fold. If your pocket cards are AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AKs, AKo, or AQs, then you should raise, at least three times the big blind. If you are dealt TT, 99, 88, 77, AQo, AJs, ATs, KQs, KQo, KJs, QJs, then you should call or fold. The flop can completely change the course of a game. This is when three of the five community cards are dealt face up. The fourth community card is called the turn and the fifth is called the river and each subsequent deal is followed by a further round of betting. As every Holdem player knows, the river card can be a thorn in your side or it can be your saving grace! Anyway, following the flop, a good rule of thumb to follow is that if your hand hasn't improved, then chances are another player's did and it's time to fold. Many players will limp in (call the big blind) just to see the flop, with the hope that it will vastly improve their hand. On the flip side, if there is an improvement and you believe you are holding the best hand, then go for it and raise. However, when you have a stellar hand after the flop, say an ace high flush, if you bet too high you risk scaring off the other players. With a hand like this it is better to slow play it, and let your opponents build up the pot for you. Unless you're a psychic (or cheating!), of course you have to guess at what cards your opponents are holding. When you get some experience, you'll learn how to read body language, especially if you play Holdem with the same people a lot. The most common mistakes that beginners make in the their Texas Holdem strategy is calling when they should fold, folding when they should call, calling when they should raise, and raising when they should call or fold. Any of these errors can end up costing them money. To avoid these mistakes, it's critical to make a good decision during the flop. If the flop does not improve your hand, then muck that hand. Don't raise and pray that a higher power will magically turn up the right cards. Doing that will likely result in a very short stack of chips! If you're just learning how to play Texas Holdem, then read up on the rules of the game, learn the lingo, and spend some time watching other people play before you deal yourself in. Start with one or two dollar antes and be firm with yourself about setting a spending limit. Yes, sometimes the stars will align and you'll get dealt great cards, but it's just as feasible that you will have days when you are just card dead. It's best to know when to raise and when to call it quits. Yet remember, as long as you have "a chip and a chair" you are still in the game! Mike McMahon is an avid gamer and knows what it takes to win. Check it out for your self and get a free Texas Holdem Strategy Guide at: http://www.allabouttexasholdem.com ------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
