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- Texas hold 'em is a poker game that may be played with 2 to 22
- players, although more than 10 players in a game is rare.
-
- The game begins by the dealer dealing each player two cards face down.
- The player to the left of the dealer (or first player dealt) starts
- the first round of betting. In some games, this player is forced to
- bet. At the Friday Night Poker Club, the force rule is not in effect
- and this player may check if he so chooses. In actual practice, the
- player will usually open the betting on most any holding.
-
- The dealer then burns a card by dealing the top card to a discard
- heap. The next three cards are then dealt face up on the playing
- table. This is known as the flop or flop hand. The player to the
- dealer's immediate left then bets. Each player plays the three up
- cards and their 2 hold cards. Betting is based on the prognosis of
- the combined cards at that point.
-
- Upon completion of this round of betting, the dealer burns another
- card and then deals another card face up. Another round of betting
- follows.
-
- The dealer then burns another card and deals the fifth and last card
- face up to the flop hand.
-
- Each player then may use any or all of the five cards in the flop hand
- or any combination of cards in the flop hand and their hold cards to
- pick the highest possible hand to be played. Upon completion of the
- last round of betting, each player remaining in the game turns over
- their hold cards and declares the combination of cards they are
- playing.
-
- It is possible for two or more players to have identical hands. When
- this occurs the pot is split equally among the players with the same
- winning hand.
- This game requires a bit more conservatism than the other games played
- at the Friday Night Poker Club. If you are playing cautiously, 80-90%
- of the hands you start will be folded either before the first flop or
- immediately after the first flop. An overly aggressive player will
- usually go broke very quickly when playing Texas hold 'em.
-
- Some tips:
-
- Before the flop, you should have a pair, two consecutive cards, 2
- cards of the same suit, or an Ace in your hold hand. If you do not
- hold such a hand, fold and wait for the next deal. The only exception
- to this is if the initial round of betting is light (i.e., no raises
- and the opening bet is less than the maximum bet).
-
- After the first flop ( 2 hold cards and 3 cards face up ), if you do
- not at least have a pair, an open ended straight, or a four flush, you
- should fold any bet. If you are under the gun, check the hand or
- place a small bet. If another player raises, and you have a small
- pair, generally fold. You may occasionally stay with an Ace in the
- hole for another card, provided no player raises.
-
- After the second flop ( 2 hold cards and 4 cards face up ), the same
- general guidelines as above apply, except an unmatched Ace in the hole
- is worth considerably less now.
-
- After the last card is flopped ( 2 hold cards and 5 cards face up ),
- the field will usually be narrowed to two or three players. At this
- point in the game it is more difficult to give you any general guide
- lines except that you should analyze the up hand and try to determine
- the maximum hand that any player could possibly make. If your hand is
- equal to the maximum hand or almost as good, then you should bet
- aggressively. If your hand can be beat by many other possible
- combinations, then get out.
-
- Don't get carried away with pairs or trips in the flop hand unless you
- hold a matching card in your own hand. Every player around the table
- shares the up cards. The real key to hold 'em is having a good hand
- that uses your hold cards as important cards in the hand. For
- example, a flop hand with A 1O 8 7 and a hold cards of A 10 make up an
- excellent two pair hand. A flop hand with K 8 7 4 2 with a pair of
- Kings in the hole is unbeatable, assuming of course that a flush is
- not possible.
-
- Be cautious of 4 flushes or open ended straights in the flop hand. It
- only takes one card in the hole by another player to fill one of these
- out. Even if you hold the suit in your hand to fill out a 4 flush in
- the flop hand, be cautious unless your hold card is higher than any of
- the cards in the suit in the flop hand. If you hold the key to an
- open ended straight in the flop hand, be careful unless your hold card
- is the highest card in the resulting straight.
-
- This short lesson will not make you a world class hold 'em player. If
- you keep these pointers in mind and use the Friday Night Poker Club to
- practice a few hundred hands, you will quickly develop your own
- strategies and style of play.
-
- As with all of the other poker games, bluffing is an important part of
- any strategy. Bluffs are generally most successful after all cards
- have been dealt and it is obvious that no other player has developed a
- good hand.
-
- This is the last lesson in the Capt's class. What we have attempted
- to do here is to teach the mechanics of the games played and a little
- basic strategy for each of them.
-
- The real value of the Friday Night Poker Club as a learning tool is to
- play as many hands as you can. You will become a better player only
- with practice. The more hands you play, the better your feel for the
- kinds of hands that will develop and what it usually takes to win. In
- a few evenings at the Friday Night Poker Club you will be able to play
- more hands than most of your poker buddies will see in a lifetime.
-
- If you are having problems with a particular game, such as 5 card
- stud, or Texas hold 'em, play just that game for several sessions.
- Reviewing the class on that game and observing the play of several
- hands may help. Unless you are an experienced poker player, don't
- expect to become an expert in all four games overnight. Each game is
- different and requires different playing strategy. Learn them one at
- a time before playing dealer's choice.
-
- It has been a pleasure having you in class. I look forward to
- awarding you the Friday Night Poker Club Championship in the near
- future.
-
- Next, you will be given the opportunity to observe the play of Texas
- hold 'em at the Friday Night Poker Club.
-
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- Capt
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