Tag Archives: poker tip of the month

Tip of the Month – July 2013

The Flop

I have heard it said, there are no goodPokerFlop hands, only good flops.  In Texas Hold-em if you’re holding a pair of high cards – be careful.  Make sure to pay close attention to the flop and what is possible for straights and flushes. Nothing changes the value of your hand like a flop with three of the same suit or a three-card sequence.  Too often these will lead to a lower chip stack if you try to hold on too long.

You should always pay attention to the best possible hand on the cards that are up on the table, but sometimes it’s hard to let a big pair go when a sizable bet comes your way.

You sometimes have to just let it go.

Paul Smith
Poker Night in America

Leave a Comment

Filed under Poker Night in America, Poker Tip of the Month

Tip of the Month – May 2013

Playing a Straight

In Texas Hold-em, a straight is a very good hand, but can be dangerous.  Make sure that if you have a straight, you check a few things before you think of betting all-in or bet yourself into a corner. poker-straight If you’ve made a sizable bet and are being raised, start thinking… what is the best hand possible?
First question; are there any pairs on the board?
If not, you can rule out a four-of-a-kind and full houses. Next, are there any 3 of one suit on the board? If not, we can rule out the possibility of a flush… leaving the next highest hand a straight.

Now, what is the highest straight possible? If the board is 3,7,8,9,King – the best hand is the “10,Jack” making the highest straight possible (7,8,9,10,J) given the cards on the board. Now if you have a 6,7,8,9,10 giving you a 10 high straight, you’re looking at the second best possible hand. You might be being raised by the “10,Jack” but not likely – having both cards to complete the straight is a very strong hand indeed. I have dropped out of hands due to over-thinking the possibilities. Only to have an opponent show proudly, triple-9’s… and I folded a low straight that would have won, and he say’s “Oh, I didn’t even see the straight possibility.” Knowing the caliber of your competition is very important too.

When the board has 4 sequential cards with openings on both ends that will complete the straight, be careful and aware that even if you have the high card to complete the straight, the person raising you could have the two top cards for the higher hand.

Your hand 5,6,7,8,9, their hand 5,6,7,8,9,10.

Keep asking yourself, what is the highest possible hand and your game will improve.

Paul Smith
Poker Night in America

Leave a Comment

Filed under Poker Night in America, Poker Tip of the Month

Tip of the Month – September 2012

Know the Possibilities

You are in a big Texas Hold-em hand and you have very good cards. You make a bet and you are raised. To know the possible hands that will beat yours is very important. This exercise is run in most poker books and should be routine in your game if you intend on being a strong poker player. If the cards on the table offer no straight or flush possibilities then you know that three-of-a-kind is the best hand possible. The highest card in the common hand (cards face up) is where you start, and then 3 of the next card down and so on. If there is a pair on the board then 4 of a kind is possible as well as a number of full house possibilities.

Practice running down the possible best hands and your game will be stronger and you might start making better decisions.

Paul Smith
Poker Night in America

Leave a Comment

Filed under Poker Tip of the Month