POKER HANDS FROM BEST TO WORST

The best possible hand in Texas

ROYAL FLUSH hold’em is the combination of ten,
jack, queen, king, ace, all of the
same suit

STRAIGHT FLUSH Five cards of the same suit

in sequential order

FOUR OF A KIND Any four numerically

matching cards

FULL HOUSE Combination of three of a kind

and a pair in the same hand

FLUSH Five cards of the same suit,

in any order

STRAIGHT Five cards of any suit,

in sequential order

THREE OF A KIND Any three numerically

matching cards

TWO PAIR Two different pairs

in the same hand

ONE PAIR Any two numerically

matching cards

The highest ranked card in your

HIGH CARD hand with an ace being the highest
and two being the lowest
 TEXAS HOLD’EM
BETTING ROUNDS EXPLAINED
Every Texas Hold’em cash game and tournament features four betting rounds: preflop, the flop, the
turn, and the river.

PREFLOP
What is Preflop in Texas Hold’em and How Does it Work?

Preflop is where every Texas Hold’em hand begins. The player to the immediate left of the
dealer pays a small blind, and the player to their direct left pays a big blind, which is usually
twice the size of the small blind. If antes are in play, each player pays their ante during the
preflop round.

Once the blinds are paid, and any antes if they are in play, the dealer pitches a face-down card
to each player, starting with the small blind and moving in a clockwise direction. The dealer
then deals another face-down card to each player starting with the small blind.

Once everyone has their “hole cards,” the player to the immediate left of the big blind, a
position known as under the gun, acts first. They have the option to fold, call a bet the same
size of the big blind (known as limping), or raise. If the under the gun player folds or calls the
next player has the same three options. If the under the gun player raises, the next player to
act can either match their raise with a call or make a raise of their own.

This continues until everyone at the table has acted. The game proceeds to the flop if two or
more players still have hole cards in front of them.
 THE FLOP
What is the Flop in Texas Hold’em and How Does it Work?

The Flop in Texas Hold’em games usually defines how the hand progresses because it reveals
three of the five community cards. This betting round starts with the player closest to the
dealer’s left; that player can check or bet.The next player can either fold, call the bet, or put in a
raise.

The flop betting round ends and a new hand begins if only one player remains in the hand. The
game progresses to the turn if two or more players stay in the hand.

THE TURN
What is the Turn in Texas Hold’em and How Does it Work?

The Turn, sometimes called fourth street, is when the fourth of five community cards is
revealed.

The action follows the same rules as the flop. The turn betting round ends and a new hand is
dealt if only one player remains after everyone has acted, or moves onto the river if two or
more players still have hole cards in front of them.

THE RIVER
What is the River in Texas Hold’em and How Does it Work?

The River is when the fifth and final community card comes into play in a Texas Hold’em cash
game and tournament. Again, this betting round starts with the player closest to the dealer’s
left. The first player can check or bet, with subsequent players able to fold, call the bet or raise.

Once the betting round is completed, the game ends and a new one begins if only one player
has cards in front of them, or moves onto the showdown if two or more players remain in the
hand.
 SHOWDOWN
What is the Showdown in Texas Hold’em and How does it Work?

Player wins Pot with Full House

Player loses with Two Pair

Player loses with Three of a Kind

A showdown occurs if two or more players remain in the hand once the river betting round is
complete. The player that last showed aggression, that is bet or raised, reveals their hole cards. If
there was no betting action (i.e. the river was checked around), the player closest to the dealer’s left
reveals their holding first.

The winner of the hand is the player with the best five card poker hand ranking. The other players do
not need to show their hole cards if they cannot beat the hand shown to them by the other player.
"Mucking" is folding your hand without it being seen by your opponents.
 POSITION IN POKER EXPLAINED
Each position at the poker table has a name when you are playing Texas Hold’em. Those names are
as follows at a nine handed table:

CO BTN SB

HJ BB

MP2 MP1 UTG+1 UTG

An acronym for Under The Gun. It is the player seated to the direct left of the
UTG Big Blind. It is called such because the player is first to act preflop.

EARLY The next two players after the UTG are referred to as being in early position.
POSITION
MIDDLE The next two seats after Early Position are called Middle Position.
POSITION
The Hijack sits to the immediate right of the Cutoff and two seats to the right of
HIJACK the Dealer.

CUTOFF This is the player to the immediate right of the Dealer or Button.

DEALER This is the player acting as the Dealer; they act last every hand. The dealer
OR BUTTON button moves clockwise at the start of each new hand.

SMALL The Small Blind is seated directly to the left of the Dealer. They pay the small
BLIND blind before the preflop betting round.

BIG The Big Blind sits to the direct left of the Small Blind. They pay the big blind
BLIND before the preflop betting round of each hand.
 HOW TO PLAY
EACH POSITION IN POKER
Once you learn position in poker, you realise your strategy alters depending on where you are seated
at the table in relation to the dealer.
As a general rule, the more players that are left to act after you, the tighter you should play.

How to play UTG in Poker

You should play a very tight range of hands when playing from UTG at a full-ring or nine-handed
table. This is because there are several opponents left to act who could raise you.
Even if they only call, they will act after you, so they have more information about the hand on
which to base their decisions.

How to play in Early Position in Poker

You should still play tight in early position but you can start adding more starting hands to your
arsenal. If the players left to act are playing tight, you can add even more starting hands to your
repertoire. Tighten up if those left to act are raising and re-raising frequently.

If the UTG has raised, you usually need a very strong hand to continue in the hand.

How to play in Middle Position in Poker

Being in middle position allows you a little more freedom when you are first to act because
almost half of the table has already folded, and there are not as many players left to act.
Hands such as small pairs and suited connectors start being added to your range of starting
hands.
How to play the Cutoff in Poker
The cutoff is a powerful position because only the button and blinds are left to act, and the
blinds will be out of position against you if they choose to call a raise. The cutoff is prime
position for opening pots with a raise with a wide range of hands, unless the button and blinds
have shown a tendency for three-betting (re-raising) raises from late position.

You will often win the pot uncontested, but will have position on all but the button if your bet is
called.

How to play the Button in Poker

The button is another name for the dealer because you have a dealer button placed in front of
you. Most of your winnings will stem from being on the button; the position is that powerful.
Open pots with a raise with a wide range of hands because you only have the blinds to beat and
will have position on them for the rest of the hand if they do call your raise.

You can also call earlier position raises with a wider range of hands if you are on the button
because you have more information about the hand before you act, plus the all-important
positional advantage.

How to play the Small and Big Blind in Poker

You will lose money playing from the blinds no matter how good you are at poker. The positional
disadvantage is too great for even the very best to play profitably. The blinds are not a place to
be splashing around in pots. Instead, stick to premium hands and hands that could flop sets, or
draws.
 POKER TERMS EXPLAINED
There are thousands of poker terms, but you do not need to learn them all!
Here are a handful of the most common poker terms you will hear in Texas Hold’em.

ACTION
A check, call, fold, or raise is called an action. Action sometimes refers to a game where there is a lot
of betting and raising i.e. an action game.

ANTE
An ante is a forced bet made preflop in addition to the blinds. Sometimes, everyone pays an ante, or
the big blind or button will only pay an ante each hand.

ALL-IN
A player is all-in whenever they have committed all of their chips into the pot during a hand.

BIG BLIND
The player seated two seats to the left of the dealer and one to the left of the small blind. The big
blind is also the forced preflop bet.

BUBBLE
A term with several applications, all having to do with the period just before the money is reached in a
tournament. The period itself - when just one or a few players need to be eliminated before reaching
the cash - is referred to as the “bubble” period.

CHECK
Checking is when you do not want to bet or raise but do not want to fold.

COMMUNITY CARDS
These are the five cards placed on the table which you use, alongside your hole cards, to make the
best five card poker hand.

DRAW
A draw is when you have a unmade hand but could improve to a straight or flush on future streets.
FOLD
Folding is throwing away your hand with it’s your turn to act.

GUTSHOT
When you need one card within a range of 5 consecutive cards to complete a straight e.g. you have
9-8 on a board of 7-5-4.

HEADS-UP
Heads-up is used to describe any hand where only two players are contesting the pot.

HOLE CARDS
These are the cards the dealer pitched to you preflop. They are called such because they remain face
down until showdown, so it is like they are in a hole.

KICKER
The highest unpaired side card in a players hand. Kickers come into play when making the best five
card poker hand.

MUCK
The muck is the pile of discarded and unused cards in a Texas Hold’em game. To muck is to discard
or throw your hand away, usually without revealing its value.

NUTS
The nuts is the strongest possible hand that cannot be beaten by any other possible hand. While a
royal flush is the ultimate example of the nuts, you can have the nuts with an ace-high straight or
flush, or even with top set.

OVERCARD
An overcard is a card that is higher than any of the community cards.

STRADDLE
This is an optional “third blind” bet placed before the cards are dealt in cash games. This bet is
usually made by the ‘under the gun’ player and is typically double the big blind.

TILT
A term used to describe when a player’s emotions have taken over them, and they begin to play
sub-optimally.
 TOP 5 POKER TIPS FOR
CASH GAMES
REALISE THE POWER OF POSITION
Play tight in early positions and loosen up as you move closer to the button.

TRY NOT TO LIMP INTO POTS

This is particularly true in short-handed games. They say if a hand is worth opening
the betting with, it is worth doing so with a raise.

BLIND PLAY
Play tight when you are seated in the blinds because you are all but guaranteed to lose
money in the long term in these positions.

ATTACK THE BLINDS

Even if your hole cards are weak, it is often worthwhile attacking the blinds from the
cutoff and button if everyone else has folded.

PAY ATTENTION
Take notes on the two players to your immediate left and the two to your right because
they will be in the blinds when you have the button, and you will be in the blind when
those on the right have stealing opportunities.
 TOP 5 POKER TIPS FOR
TOURNAMENTS
PLAY TIGHTLY EARLY ON
Hardly anyone wins a poker tournament in the first few levels of play.
Try to play tightly early in the tournament.

CONSERVE YOUR STACK

Preserving your stack is often more important that building a bigger stack, particularly
early into the tournament.

OPEN UP IN THE MIDDLE STAGES

Pay attention to your opponents so you know who will be easier to play pots with.
As the tournament progresses you can start to widen your raising ranges & steal
aggressively from late position as the blinds become more valuable.

BE AGGRESSIVE ON THE BUBBLE

You can accumulate many chips as the money bubble approaches because many
players are looking to fold their way into the money. Take advantage of these players.

KEEP AN EYE ON THE STACK SIZES

Stack sizes vary wildly in tournaments, but often remain similar in cash games.
Be aware of the stack sizes of the players yet to act because you could be priced in to
call their all-in bet.
 TOP 5 POKER TIPS FOR
HEADS-UP
KNOW YOUR FOE
Observation is everything in heads-up poker. Take notes on all of your opponent’s
tendancies.

POSITION IS KEY
The power of position is amplified during heads-up play. Be ultra-aggressive when you
have the button.

AGGRESSION IS CRUCIAL
Heads-up is often a battle of wits and a who dares wins affair. Bet and raise strong and
made hands, and even bet your draws.

DON’T GET BULLIED

Your heads-up opponent is likely playing aggressively, so you need to play back at
them to show you cannot be pushed over.

PREFLOP RAISES CAN BE SMALLER

It is OK to raise less preflop when you have the button because you only have one
opponent to beat. Furthermore, it helps limit your losses if you are facing an
aggressive opponent that frequently three-bets.
 TOP 5 POKER TIPS FOR
BOUNTY BUILDER TOURNAMENTS
APPLY PRESSURE
Use the fact you can bust an opponent to your advantage. Be the big stack bully.

DO NOT BLINDLY CHASE BOUNTIES

Although some bounties grow substantial and their value, to some degree, governs if
you can call an all-in bet profitably, do not blindly chase bounties.

AVOID RISKING YOUR STACK EARLY

The bounties are small at the start of a Bounty Builder tournament, and are not worth
risking busting from the event.

BE PREPARED TO SEE SOME CRAZINESS

Players will move all-in and call all-in bets with some weird and wonderful hands once
the bounty payments increase. Prepare to not believe your eyes!

SOLID POKER IS STILL BEST

Think of the bounties as added bonuses. The biggest prizes are reserved for the top
three main prize pool payouts, so aim to reach here.
 TOP 5 POKER TIPS TO
HELP BUILD A BANKROLL
TRACK YOUR PLAY
Keep a record of your profits and losses when trying to build a bankroll.
It is important to track where your bankroll stands at all times.

SLOW AND STEADY

Building a bankroll can take time unless you manage to win a tournament for a large
score. Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to building a poker bankroll.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF BONUSES

Welcome bonuses and promotions can give your bankroll a shot in the arm.
Check out PokerNews’ online poker reviews for the best online poker bonuses.

TREAT YOUR BANKROLL LIKE AN INVESTMENT

Treat your poker playing like a business so that you value every decision.
Pretend you cannot reload your account, and see if you can nurture your bankroll to
dizzy heights.

GAME SELECT CAREFULLY

There is no point being the sixth best poker player on the planet if you continually play
against the top five players. Choose your games and tables wisely.
If there isn’t a fish or two in your game, swap tables.