In Texas Hold’em, it’s easy to get excited when you’ve got great hole cards. The problem is, most rookie players tend to get a little too exciting and start betting like madmen without carefully considering all the factors involved in a solid pre-Flop strategy. Basically, then, there are two pieces of advice every Hold’em newb needs to digest before putting cash on a game:

1.) If you’ve lucked into a good deal (say, pocket kings) keep it cool, baby. You never want others to know what you’re holding—and least of all when you’re set to take their pieces of the pie.

2.) Make sure you’ve got a strong pre-Flop strategy in place. Sure, every Hold’em strategy is ultimately subject to change, but that being said, there’s no reason to greet chaos with chaos. Having a good strategy for the pre-Flop will give you some solid ground to jump off from, while not having one is a guaranteed recipe for disaster. Believe it or not, poker can be a lot like chess. It helps to know not only what your immediate move will be, but also what your move will be several steps down the line.

Our first tip should be pretty easy to wrap your head around. It’s simply a matter of practice. The second, though, now that can get a little confusing without the proper guidance. Luckily, the staff here at Poker Master has compiled a list of the most basic considerations you’ll have to take into account when developing a pre-flop strategy. If you study them and make them part of your Texas Hold’em strategy repertoire, you’ll develop a better, more well rounded approach to the game:

The Number of Players: With 10 people in the game, it is much more likely that someone else has a strong hand in the pocket. While this may not be the case in a short-handed game, it’s a fair bet that more competition equals stiffer competition. Similarly, you need to be more cautious in larger games because the chances of someone’s pre-Flop hand fitting the Flop will be much better.

The Aggressiveness of Other Players: Obviously, you can only develop a sense of your opponents after you’ve played them for several hands. Once you have, though, you can use that information to your advantage. For example, if you notice another player is raising every hand pre-Flop–a sure sign of an aggressive (and some would say, stupid) player–you’ll want to play his foil with a tighter bet schedule. Let him win the blinds, then nail him when you have a solid hand in the pre-Flop.

Your Bankroll: Let’s say the game hasn’t been going your way so far and you’ve only got $2.00 left. Clearly, you’ll want to play carefully and select one hand to bet on, hoping to get as many players involved and build as large a pot as possible. In this case, you’ll want to be all-in before the Flop is dealt. On the other hand, if the game has been going extremely well and you’re up, say, $500.00, you can take the high-risk, high-payout bets and play for the long game.

Your Position: Late-position players have more of an ability to influence the size of the pot than those in an early position. This is especially true pre-Flop. Be mindful of your position when you’re deciding what to do pre-Flop.

Your Tolerance: While other factors involved in developing a pre-Flop strategy are slightly out of your control, this one is totally up to you. Like an old Smokey the Bear ad: Only you can decide whether you want to play aggressively or not. Players who are looking for larger pots but aren’t generally afraid to lose a few hands will want to raise pre-Flop, especially if they’re in a late position. On the other hand, some players like to be cautious pre-Flop, grinding out a winning hand here and there. Only you can determine what kind of player you’re going to be for each hand. But you do need to decide before you start playing.

Finally, when laying out your pre-Flop strategy you should always consider your hole cards. Naturally, pocket aces is the best, but it also helps if your hand is suited or if the cards are sequential in rank, like an 8, 9 or two spades. What’s more, it’s important to understand how your two cards hold up against other hands. Remember: the ultimate goal is to set yourself up for success, and knowing how your cards will stand up in the long-run will only work to your benefit.

-Jim Abrahamsson

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