Limit Texas Hold'em Poker - Sample Hand
Because of the community cards, Texas hold ’em can produce some unusual hands, and many combinations can be out. So if you fail to pay attention to the board and the prior action, you might mistakenly think you have the winner, when in fact, several other players easily can be holding better hands.
Here’s an example. Suppose the board is the
and you hold the
Although you have top pair, which is often a winning hand, if you are against someone who holds the
he will beat you with two pair.
If another player has the
his trips will beat the two pair. In addition, three possible straights can be out. So if another opponent holds the
another has the
and still another has the
then all of these hands will beat the three tens, but the ace-high straight is, of course, better than the other two. And finally, if someone plays the
he will win the pot with a spade flush.
Incidentally, you normally shouldn’t play a hand like 8[spade]3[spade]. But some people do, and this is one of the variables that makes the games good. You also must remember that situations like the one just described do occur, and sometimes you have to throw away a good hand.
Spread Limit Strategy Changes
The two primary strategy changes provided for spread-limit seven-card stud games are also appropriate for Texas hold ’em games played with spread limits. That is, first of all, you often can see the flop cheaply. This means that you should play a few more hands for the minimum amount, which in a typical $1-$4-$8 hold ’em game is either $1 or $2. Again, you should consider your position before entering the pot, and if an opponent raises after you have called the blind, you usually should throw away a weak hand.
And second, if you have a good starting hand, you want some competition. So here again, you usually shouldn’t raise the maximum before the flop if no one has yet voluntarily entered the pot. Winning only the blind(s) when you hold pocket kings is not your objective.
Selected Odds
As already pointed out, it’s not essential to know the exact odds but only to have a general idea of what your chances are in a particular situation. So like the odds furnished for seven-card stud, those that follow for Texas hold ’em are provided primarily for their interest alone
| Starting Hand | Odds |
|---|---|
| A Pair of Aces | 220-to-1 |
| Any Pair | 16-to-1 |
| Two Suited Cards Ten or Higher | 32-to-1 |
| Two Unsuited Cards Ten or Higher | 10-to-1 |
Other Odds of Interest
● If you start with two suited cards, the odds against flopping a flush are 118-to-1, while the odds against flopping two flush cards are 8.1-to-1.
● If you flop a four flush, the odds against completing your flush are 1.9-to-1.
● If you start with a pair, the odds against flopping three of a kind are 7.5-to-1.
● If you start with cards of two different ranks, the odds against flopping one pair are 2.1-to-1, the odds against flopping two pair are 48-to-1, and the odds against flopping three of a kind are 73-to-1.
