Have you ever wanted to learn more about playing Poker Strategies?
The phenomenal growth of online multiplayer poker presents the opportunity of winning big – but only if you know how to play well, and, more importantly, when not to play a hand at all. We’ve seen people throw away great poker hands, and many more keep on playing a hand with no chance of winning. Poker is a game of quick thinking, and of having the knowledge and guts to throw away cards that’ll do you no good.
Texas Holdem is the game of choice for most players. It’s one of the most simple online poker variants to play, and the rules can be learned quickly. With the kind help of the poker experts at Casino Football, we proudly present the Casino Football Online Poker Strategy School.
We’ll explain how to make your initial decisions in the game with Pre-Flop Strategy. Then we help out with getting to grips with the flop in the flop Strategy.
For you tournament players we have some tournament tips and tricks, and for smaller games with fewer players an indispensable Short-Handed Strategy. Finally, for the internet beginner, a winning Low Limit Texas Holdem Poker Strategy should set you on the straight and narrow.
We wish you the best of luck at your online poker games – and with our free strategies, you might not need it!
Texas Holdem Poker Strategy Index:
We make no excuses, but this strategy school is pretty much into the deep end. We need to get you playing well quickly, so the strategy tips make some broad assumptions about your preexisting Texas Holdem poker knowledge.
To help you, check out the information below.
Hands
We show hands and flops in yellow boxes like this. We abbreviate as follows: Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten. The numbered cards except 10 are shown by their own number.
So, a flop consisting of Ace, Queen and 2 is shown:
AQ2
We show some more info in the hand boxes. The suit abbreviations are clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades. Other suit information is: on a suit (same suits, eg all hearts), x any suit.
So, a hand consisting of a Queen of clubs and 2 clubs is shown as:
Q2o
A hand consisting of the Queen of Hearts and 2 clubs is shown as:
Qh2c or Q2x
depending on the point we’re making.
For a quick refresher, check out the key to poker hand rankings, and we have a handy poker glossary as well.
Hand Rankings in Online Poker
These have the same rank for all Poker games, whether live multiplayer or casino games such as Pai Gow and Casino Stud Poker.
1. Royal Flush
This is a combination of the following cards of the same suit: Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten.
2. Straight Flush
This is a combination of five cards of the same suit in sequence.
3. Four of a Kind
This is a combination of four cards of the same denomination.
4. Full House
This is a combination of three cards of the same denomination (Three of a Kind) and two cards of another denomination (A Pair).
5. Flush
This is a combination of five cards of the same suit.
6. Straight
This is a combination of five cards of different suits in sequence.
7. Three of a Kind
This is a combination of three cards of the same denomination and any two other cards.
8. Two Pairs
This is a combination of two de-nominative pairs and any other card.
9. One Pair
This is a combination of one de-nominative pair and three unmatched cards.
10. High Card
No hand combination exists. The highest-ranking card wins. In the example, the high card is the Ace of Diamonds.
Poker Glossary
Add-On In Multi-Table Tournaments, this is a feature that enables players to purchase more chips during the tournament.
Alias – This is the name that other Players in the Online Multi-Player Poker environment know you by.
All-In – This is when a Player does not have enough chips to cover the full bet amount, and places their remaining chips into the pot. The Player then contends for the pot in an amount proportional to what they contributed. The gameplay that continues among other Players is put into a side pot.
The All-In Player has no share in this pot. Players may be considered All-In when they are disconnected from the Online Multi-Player Poker Casino during the play of a hand, depending on certain criteria. This is to ensure that they are not penalized when disconnected.
All-In Protection – This is the protection afforded to you when you are disconnected from the Online Multi-Player Poker Casino. When you return to the game, you contend for the pot in an amount proportional to what you contributed. All-in protection for disconnection is limited to prevent abuse. There is no All-In protection in Pot-Limit and No-Limit games.
Announced – This is the status of a Scheduled Tournament when the tournament is open for registration.
Ante – This is the first bet posted by each Player before cards are dealt. Antes are set by the House and vary with the game stakes. This is only applicable to Five-Card Stud and Seven-Card Stud
B
Bad Beat Hand – This occurs when a Player with a good hand is beaten by a higher-ranking hand. For example, Player A has Four of a Kind and is beaten by Player B who has a Straight Flush. Player A has the Bad Beat hand. A Bad Beat Jackpot promotion is available in some poker games.
Bad Beat Jackpot – This is a prize paid to the Player with a Bad Beat hand.
Bad Beat Limit – This is the minimum ranking hand that can be beaten by a higher ranking hand in the Bad Beat Jackpot promotion. For example, the Bad Beat Limit is Four of a Kind and is considered a Bad Beat hand if beaten by a higher ranking Four of a Kind or better. The Bad Beat Limit is determined by the House, per promotion.
Bet Limits – Bet limits establish the minimum and maximum amounts of chips that Players can bet. For example, in a £10 / £20 game, the minimum bet limit is £10 and the maximum bet limit is £20.
Big Blind – This is the initial bet made by the Player who is on the left-hand side of the Player that posts the small blind. The big blind bet amount is the same as the minimum bet limit. One example is, in a £10 – £20 session, the blind bet value would stand at £10. This is only applicable to Texas Hold ’em and Omaha.
Big Pair -Two cards the same that hold a value over and including ten.
Blinded-off – This occurs when Players leave the table during a tournament game. In their absence, they are still charged the blind bet amount for each round of betting.
Bonus Hand – This is a specific poker hand number that has a bonus prize-linked to it. The Bonus Hand is not available in Tournaments.
Bring-in – This is a mandatory bet made by the Player with the lowest card by suit showing in the first betting round of Stud games.
Buy-in – This is the number of chips required to join a game or tournament.
B – is also for Blackjack, check out our mobile blackjack games here.
C
Call – This is when you place a number of chips in the pot equal to another Player’s bet.
Cap – This is the limit for bets and raises in Fixed-Limit games. For most games, the cap is one bet and three raises – a total of four bets. There is no betting cap in Pot-Limit and No-Limit games.
Cash Out – This is when you want to take your chips out of the Poker Room.
Check – This is when you want to stay in a game but do not want to place a bet. You can review if no other bets have been placed in the betting round.
Check-Raise – This is when a Player checks and then raises in a betting round.
Chip Dumping – This is when a Player deliberately loses hands until all their chips are passed to a partner Player.
Coffeehousing – This is when Players chat about a hand they are involved in, with the intent of misleading or manipulating other Players.
Collusion – This is when Players form partnerships with the intent of defrauding other Players. For example, Players may signal their hand to their partner Players, so that the best hand is played.
Community Cards – These types of cards are dealt to the table. All Players use these cards to complete a 5-card hand.
D
Dealer-Button – This is a flat disc that is used to signify the Dealer’s position on the table. The disc is marked with a D.
Denomination – The face value on the cards, Ace, King, Queen, Jack and from 2 to 10.
Door Card – The first exposed card in a Player’s hand in Stud games.
E
Eliminated – This is when a Player has lost all their chips and cannot continue to play in a tournament.
Entrance Fee – This is the number of chips Players pay to join a tournament.
Equalized – This is when all Players have contributed the same number of chips to the pot.
F
Fifth Street – This is the fifth card dealt to each active Player in Stud games.
Fixed-Limit Game – A game with a betting structure where the bet limits do not change, and the amount of each bet is a specific fixed amount. Betting is limited to the table stakes as determined by the game rules.
Flop – This is the initial 3 Com cards that are dealt to the table. This is only applicable to Texas Hold ’em and Omaha.
Fold – This is when Players chuck in their hands. They give up any claim on the Cash pot in return for not having to contribute more chips to the pot.
Fourth Street – This is the fourth card dealt to each active Player in Stud games.
Free-Roll Tournament – Multi-Table Tournaments that do not cost Players any chips to enter, but there is a prize offered.
G
Game Level A level can either be a number of hands or a number of minutes. The blinds increase at the end of a level.
Guest Table – Tables where you play as a guest for evaluation purposes only. All bet-and-win amounts are not in real money. Guest tables are displayed in a different colour from Real tables in the Lobby.
H
Heads-Up – This is when there are only two Players in a game.
High Hand – The highest ranking hand for a specific game type within a 24-hour period. Some poker rooms have a High Hand promotion available in Texas Hold ’em.
Hole Card – A card concealed in a Player’s hand, not visible to the other Players.
L
Live Blinds – These are blind bets that are in play. Players who post live blinds can raise their own blind bet.
Lowest Poker Card – The lowest face-up card is used to determine the Player that must make the bring-in bet in Stud games. Aces therefore are regarded as a high card. If 2 participants hold the same low card, the bring-in bet is worked out by suit in alphabetical order.
M
Muck – This is when you do not want to show your losing hand or your uncontested winning hand, with the others. The hand is removed, without being displayed to the table.
Multi-Table Tournament – Tournaments that consist of one or more tables to accommodate each Player that registers for the tournament. The maximum number of Players that can enter the tournament may be limited or not, depending on the tournament.
N
No-Limit Game – A game with no bet limits, and Players can bet any amount they have, in any round. Each bet or raise must at least equal the previous bet increase in the same round.
P
Pocket Cards – These are cards that are placed face-down to each participant.
Post – This is the bet Players place to join a game that is played, when they start playing the game for the first time, or if the Player sits out and misses one or more rounds of blinds.
Pot – This is the pile of chips that accumulate as each Player antes, bets, calls and raises. The pot goes to the winner of the hand.
Pot-Limit Game – A game with a betting structure where the maximum bet limit is determined by the size of the pot at the time, and the betting totals in front of each Player. When a Player wants to raise, they call the bet and then total the pot to determine the maximum amount they can raise. Each bet or raise must at least equal the previous bet increase in the same round.
Prize Pool – This is the cumulative buy-in amount from all Players in the tournament that is offered as prizes. The House may elect to add to the prize pool, at their discretion.
Q
Quartered – This is when Players tie with either a high or a low hand and earn a quarter of the pot. This is applicable to Omaha Hi-Lo Poker only.
R
Raise – This is when you increase the amount of a bet made to you.
Rake – The fee that the House charges for each hand of poker. It is a percentage that is taken from the pot after each betting round. Tournaments do not have rakes, as the entrance fee covers the House charges.
Raked Games – A game where the Player contributed to the pot and a rake for the House was taken. Tournaments do not have rakes, as the entrance fee covers the House charges.
Rat Holing – To exit a game and return to the same game with fewer chips than you initially left with.
Real Table – Tables where you play with real money. Real tables are displayed in black in the Lobby.
Re-Buy In Multi-Table Tournaments, this is a feature that enables players to buy back into a tournament within the Re-Buy Period.
Re-Buy Period In Multi-Table Tournaments, this is a specified time period that the Re-Buy feature is available.
Refer-a-Friend – A feature that enables Players to refer other Players to the Poker Room.
Referee A Player that is referred to the Poker Room by another Player using the Refer-a-Friend feature.
Referrer A Player that refers a Player to the Poker Room using the Refer-a-Friend feature.
River Card – This is the last comm card issued by the dealer.
Check out some of these crazy Poker hands below:
S
Satellite Tournament – A smaller tournament where the prize is an entry into a larger tournament.
Scheduled Tournament – Multi-Table Tournaments where Players must register in advance to play, and the tournament begins at a specified start time.
Seventh Street – This is the seventh and final card dealt face-down to each active Player in Seven-Card Stud.
Showdown – After the final bet round, the final Poker players review their hands to work out who the winner is. The winning participant is the one with the highest hand the winner who takes home the prize fund.
Single Table Tournament – Tournaments that only require one table, as the tournament limits the number of Players required to start the tournament.
Sit Out – This is a decision taken by a Player to leave a table for a few hands. Players that sit out for more than two rounds of blinds may be “picked up” – removed from the table.
Sixth Street – This is the sixth card dealt to each active Player in the Seven-Card Stud. It is the last card dealt face-up.
Slow Play – When a Player is connected to the system but is not responding within the time limit when it is their turn.
Small Blind – The small blind bet amount is the same amount as Half of the minimum bet limit. EG: in a £10 – £20 poker game, the small blind is £5. This is only applicable to Texas Hold ’em and Omaha.
Soft Play – This is when Players play without putting pressure on their opponents by betting aggressively. The Players are not necessarily colluding, but they are not out to get each other’s chips either. When they find themselves in a game together they play easily. For example, they may just check each hand to the end of the game.
Stake – The chips that a Player enters a game with.
Street -The term for the array of different stages of bets within games such as Stud.
Stud Games – Games where Players are dealt some cards face-up and some face-down.
S is also for the all-new slot game called Super Spinner which is available to play now.
T
Table Balancing – As Players are eliminated from the tournament, the remaining Players are moved and tables are consolidated until only one table remains in the tournament.
Third Street – This is the second face-up card dealt to each active Player in Five-Card Stud.
Tie Two or more hands of equal value. If Players tie at the showdown, they split the pot.
Tournament – A Poker game where Players compete for each other’s chips as the blinds or antes increase incrementally. The winner is the Player that has all the chips.
Turn This is the fourth community card dealt. This is only applicable to Texas Hold Em and Omaha.
V
Value – Value refers to the numerical value of a card.
Why not learn about how to play the progressive jackpot game Major Millions, see below for more details.