Best Way To Learn Texas Holdem
To be a truly great Texas Hold 'Em Poker player, you need to be able to read your opponents, ascertaining when they are bluffing and when they really have a solid hand. But learning some basic strategies and general rules will go a long way toward making sure you can at least hold your own in a friendly game. There is no better way to learn Texas Holdem's basics than to grab printable poker hands cheat sheet. As the name suggests, you can print it or have it on your phone and access it whenever you need it. If you are a bit more experienced player and want to learn the math part, you can get poker odds charts and probability tables to study the numbers.
1. | 888 poker | n/a | 888poker.com |
2. | PokerStars | n/a | PokerStars.com |
3. | Party Poker | PPAL500 | Partypoker.com |
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The game of Texas Hold’em is by far the premiere poker game in the world today, and millions of players worldwide play it online for fun, excitement, and the thrill of competition. If you’ve already read our guide on (link for learning poker rules fast), then we’re ready to talk about some basic strategy and ways to maximize your profits once you sit down at the table. We will also cover the difference between normal betting and tournament play, because each of these Texas Hold’em games have very distinct differences when it comes to placing wagers.
The Opposition
In the remake of the movie “Maverick” starring Mel Gibson, Brett Maverick walks into a saloon and asks to join a table of rowdy looking players. The locals decline his request at first, but then he makes them an offer by saying that he will lose each and every hand for the first hour of play, regardless of how good or bad his cards are. With that said they invite Brett to sit down, and during the first sixty minutes he continuously folds while watching the other players to learn their obvious tells, betting strategies and weaknesses in general. Once he finally starts to bet, the other players quickly realize what they thought was a handicap actually turned out to be a great benefit for Maverick.
When playing Texas Hold’em online, it is important that you be a heck of a lot like the fictional character Brett Maverick. From the very first hand, your main goal at any table is to study the betting habits of those around you and to keep notes on how they interpret each hand. For example, if a player is seen raising frequently, then that’s the person you’ll likely be making the most money off of because he does not wait for hands to develop before betting them. The players who often fold to any kind of raise are at the other end of the spectrum, because even if your hand isn’t the guaranteed winner there’s a good chance that you can force them out early if necessary. Likewise, if a player that normally folds suddenly places a huge bet, there it is important to re-evaluate the strength of your hand to be sure that you should still be betting. Recognizing how each competitor plays their hands will help determine how you should approach each betting round, and this is a ridiculously huge advantage if carried out consistently.
Reading the Cards
In every betting round, the primary goal is to determine the ultimate hand from the cards provided. If the flop shows A/K/7 of hearts, for example, the very best possible hand would be a flush with the queen of hearts as a hole card. If another king were to come on the turn, then the highest possible hand would be a full house, kings over aces. If the ten of hearts flopped on the river, then you have to worry about someone having a royal flush. The best possible hand changed after each new card was revealed, and this is an important fact to remember.
Reading the cards is important for two reasons. The first and most obvious point is to determine how each hand should be bet. If the flop showed K/7/3 of three different suits and your hole cards gave you top pair or three of a kind, there is an excellent chance of winning the hand and it should be bet aggressively. In this situation trip kings would be the ultimate hand, so if another player re-raises it would be a good time to consider your opposition and their betting habits to determine how likely it is that your hand is better than theirs. The most common mistake made at any poker table is not seeing the full possibilities of the flop, and betting big just because you have that pair of kings is not always a sound strategy.
Differences in Tournament and Open Play
When you’re sitting at an open table, the goal is always to win as much money as possible. This can be accomplished in several different fashions; betting aggressive to force others to fold, folding often and waiting for a big hand, waiting to trap aggressive players, or a steady combination of all three strategies. In tournament play, the goal is exactly the opposite. While it is important to capitalize on any top hands, the ultimate goal is to avoid losing so that you remain in the tournament. The table you’re at will ultimately determine your betting style in either situation, but it is important to remember why you’re playing in the first place and adjust your betting habits to give you the greatest chances of victory.
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Online poker has been popular for at least a decade. As a result, if you type in “Poker” into any app store, you will be bombarded with several hundred options. Trying to filter out the games and finding the top training apps could prove to be a fruitless task.
There’s a thriving sub-sector within the poker industry, offering all levels of training and assistance for your game.
We’ve done the hard work for you and put together our top 10:
BravoPokerLive
Compatible with: iOS and Android
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BravoPokerLive is a great tool to keep you on top of the latest news from the world of poker. It helps you to keep track of tournaments in your local area.
With over 100,000 downloads on Android alone, BravoPokerLive is useful for those just getting into the game and to learn about the different tournament formats.
Poker Fighter
Compatible with: Android
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If you are a complete newbie and you want to learn about the old fashioned Texas Hold’em Poker game, then Poker Fighter is designed to give you that fighting chance.
It allows you to play stimulated games with real hands, get immediate feedback from professional players, and the best part? It’s all risk free. None of your cash will be at stake in these games.
This would give you an invaluable foundation to work from as you progress into cash games.
Poker Copilot
Compatible with: Mac and Windows
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We couldn’t not put our entry in here. Poker Copilot is an app that’s designed to not only improve your own game but also highlight the weaknesses of your opponents.
One of our many advanced features is the HUD (head-up display). It shows information about each player live, on the poker tables. The information is updated after each hand to help you make the best decisions. Another is the ability to monitor and identify patterns in your game, and point out any consistent errors.
Poker Copilot can prove to be a real asset to your game and lead you to lucrative winnings.
Tournament Poker Coach
Compatible with: iOS and Android
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Tournament Poker Coach works in a similar way to Poker Fighter. It offers a risk-free way to learning how to play the right way. It stimulates real-life games and players get evaluated by selected coaches, earning rewards for each hand they play right.
This app works with a variety of tournament structures and limits, and helps to sharpen your game. Whether you’re a newcomer or just looking to refresh your skills, Tournament Poker Coach will prove useful.
PokerGuide HD
Compatible with: Android
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Poker Guide is exactly what it says it is. The ultimate guide to poker and it has six main features:
- Poker Hands: Ranks the different poker hands from best to worst. End any dispute about which hand trumps the other.
- Poker Rules: Displays the rules of a format of your choice. Whether it’s Texas Hold’em or Omaha, this guide has got your back.
- Poker Terms: Stuck on the poker lingo? Refer to this list of terms to get you up to speed.
- Poker Tips: Divided into three levels of ability, this feature will show you how to improve your game.
- Standing Hand Chart: It shows you which hands you should play with (And ones you definitely shouldn’t).
- Blind Timer: This helps you organize your next poker game at home with your mates. It sets the timing between rounds, lets you pause or speed the game, and calculates the total time of a tournament.
As you can see, Poker Guide covers most aspects of poker and can be an valuable asset for newbies and more established players.
How to Poker
Compatible with: Android
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With a rating of 4.5 from over 100 Android users, the How to Poker app is one of the most highly regarded out there. As well as a “cheat sheet,” which gives you a good overview of poker, it provides the following:
- Quick rules on hands to play and when to fold.
- Instructions for All in rules.
- Learn how split pot works.
- How does a side pot work.
- Practice offline poker, no internet required, and get yourself ready for poker online.
Suitable for both beginners and advanced players, this can be a great addition to your repertoire.
Texas Holdem Poker Pro
Compatible with: Android
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The appeal of this app is that you can just jump right in and play poker. With over 5 million downloads on Android alone, Texas Holdem Pro is one of the most popular apps out there. There are free tables for all levels of ability, and once you’ve had the tutorials, you will eager to test yourself against real players.
This app allows you to do just that, without the risk of losing any cash. The live chat feature also enables you to communicate with other players, where you can learn about how they think.
Combined with other poker training apps, Texas Holdem Pro can help you to step up your game.
SnapShove
Compatible with: iOS and Android
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Founded by professional poker player, Max Silver, SnapShove is a built-in calculator and training app that can answer your questions in real-time. The free version uses data from over one million stimulated games to make its calculations. There’s also a training tool where you can further improve your game.
At $19.99, SnapShove Pro offers even more features including a “Call-In” tool which advises you when to go in or to fold.
The fact it’s used by some of the world’s top poker players shows its value. This is an app that can form an integral part of your poker game.
Poker Helper
Compatible with: Android
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Most of the apps we have covered cater for players of all abilities. This one is for advanced players. Poker Helper is a simple, yet highly effective app that assists you in making the right decisions at the table.
You can enter any card combination and it will calculate the odds, which will help you play the right hands. It considers the full range of factors, including where you’re sitting, the blind you’re playing, and the number of players.
It’s popular with users too, with a rating of 4.2 on Android.
Poker Omaha Hand Trainer
Compatible with: Android
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With so much focus on Texas Holdem, which is the most popular poker game, Omaha can often get overlooked. This is where Poker Omaha Hand Trainer comes in. If you want to add a bit of variety to your game, then switching to Omaha could be the move for you.
Even the best Texas Holdem players can get thrown by the differences with Omaha. This app is designed to help make that transition easier. You can check out the rank of hands and identify the winning combinations. There’s a practice mode where you play out a game to see it for yourself.
If you’re uncertain about the intricacies of Omaha, then use this app to build your confidence.
Final Thoughts
Best Way To Learn Texas Holdem Poker
Poker is a complex game and it should be treated as such. There’s no reason to jump in blind and lose your hard-earned cash in the process. These apps are all designed to help you learn the craft, give you tips on what to look out for, and when to play your hand. Since most of them are free, and offer practice games, it’s now easier than ever before to graduate from poker novice to a shark.
Best Way To Learn Texas Holdem
There’s a caveat here. None of these apps will win you games on its own. You need to use your own judgment to make the right calls. Of course, you won’t get it right every time but with these apps, you will start to see your profits climb.