Poker Tips from BetHoldem.com

Bodog Poker shares poker tips and strategies for the popular game of Texas Hold'em for both Limit and No Limit games. Be sure to check here often, as this page is updated several times per week. When you're done learning, why not try your luck at the tables? Go to Bodog.com and use your new knowledge!

Raising on the Flop
On the flop you have a lot more information to work with, and the reasons for raising become numerous and more complex. This is where the strategy becomes more creative and less mechanical. There are many reasons to raise, ranging from protecting your hand, building a pot, bluffing and semi... read more

Pitfall Hands
Some hands play very easily in a hold'em game pre-flop. When you get pocket aces, you raise and when you're dealt 7-2 offsuit, you fold. Even pocket fours in a multi-way pot are easy to fold when they don't hit on the flop and there is action in front of you. With weak hands and strong hands, the decisions... read more

Decisions and Subsequent Actions
The most important decisions you make are the ones that occur frequently, this is why pre-flop strategy is so important. Make poor decisions pre-flop and no matter how well you play post-flop it will be hard to recover from your initial mistake. The attitude that "any two cards can win" is a losing one in... read more

Flop Texture
After you watch your opponent's reactions to the flop as it is dealt you need to identify flop texture. Immediately figure out the best possible hand and where you stand in relation to the nuts. Watch out for connected, suited or paired flops. If there are draws out there and many opponents are still... read more

Check-Raising and Slow-Playing
Check-raising and slow-playing are creative plays available to you on the flop. Both these moves are used to deceive your opponents and make them think you are weaker than you actually are. For either of these plays to work you will need to hold a strong hand. Of these two plays you will likely... read more

Game Texture
One thing to pay close attention to pre-flop is the game texture of your table. How many players are usually seeing a flop? Is your table tight or loose, passive or aggressive? These are all things you should know the answer to after a few minutes at the table. Game texture can also change as the... read more

Hand Types
So what kind of hand do you hold? There are three types of profitable hands you can hold pre-flop. These are top pair hands, speculative hands and monster hands. Of course there are other categories of hands, but you should not be playing those in the first place. Each type of hand should be played... read more

Raising Pre-Flop
Selectivity and aggression are highly regarded traits of poker strategy. We have covered the selective part so now let us turn to aggression. You will raise for many reasons, but you should rarely call a raise. Pre-flop, you want to raise with the strongest hands to get money into the pot and to narrow the... read more

Semi-Bluffing
Let's turn our attention to a very solid play you can make on the flop called semi-bluffing. Here you bet on a weak hand, hoping everyone else will fold and you will win the pot right there, but if you are called you still might win. Good examples of hands to semi-bluff with are second pair, along with a... read more

Keep Them Guessing
A lot more weapons are available in your strategy toolbox once the flop is dealt. Don't waste all these weapons by making your play mechanical and predictable. Never become so tight or loose that your opponents can predict what you hold with some degree of accuracy. Have an overall plan... read more

Improve on the Turn
You played solid starting cards, received good news on the flop and once again improved on the turn, or you had a strong hand on the flop and the turn was an inconsequential blank card. What now? Pour on the aggression! Betting or raising is a far superior play to calling or checking on the turn. You... read more

Large Pots
Pot size is one of the most important factors to consider when making decisions about a hand. On the turn, you'll start to have an idea about how large or small the pot size is going to be. Hands have value that depends directly upon the size of the pot. Always think of the pot size by the number of... read more

Small Pots
When the pot is small you need to tighten up because there isn't much to gain by playing loose. If anything, it will be you who contributes most of the money into a pot with one or two opponents, which will add up over time. You need to be much more confident that you have the best hand or a... read more

Head's Up vs. Multi-Way
The number of opponents you have on the turn is another factor you should consider in your strategy. If you are head's-up you can use more tricks, like bluffing, slow-playing, semi-bluffing and inducing bluffs. When the hand has many people involved you want to pull back on the fancy play and play... read more

Overcalls
An overcall occurs when there is already a bet and a call in front of you. You really need to put the brakes on in this situation before you throw more money into the pot. Realize a couple things here, you now must beat two hands and while the original bettor might be bluffing, a caller is not bluffing. While... read more