Texas Hold'em Questions and Answers

In this section I will try to answer your questions about Texas Holdem. The same question might have been asked before, so please, try the new search function before you ask. However, if you can't find an answer do send in your questions to webmaster@learn-texas-holdem.com. Please write "Holdem Questions or Comment" in Subject. I'll try to put them up within a couple of days.

By the way, if you would like to, I could put up your email address so that other readers can get in touch with you to further discuss the matter. But you have to explicitly tell me in the mail that you want me to put out your email and I don't take any responsibility whatsoever for any possible misuse of your email.

General Advice

  • Learning poker strategy before making the leap to real money tables
    I have just started playing texas holdem. I started at the free money sections online at pokerstars, but they aren't quite realistic, there are people who go all in every time, and people aren't afraid since nothing to risk, so never fold. I was wondering what you'd recommend to someone just starting, that understands the basic rules, but wants to learn the strategy better, before playing real money games.
  • Playing poker online without real money
    Are there free websites I can play online without real money? and what does freeroll mean?
    Thanks, Fritz
  • Getting Away from a Straight Flush
    Hi, I have a question regarding a funny situation I encountered today that went as follows:
  • Learn to play a solid game

    Question:

    I read some interesting tips for playing texas holdem by Ian Horne. Does he, or do you know someone fairly reasonable that would teach me to play a solid game?
    Thanks in advance for any feedback you can provide.

    /Dave
  • Best way to try for WSOP?

    Question:

    Long time, no talk - I was wondering if you have given any advice regarding a good way for players to get to the WSOP?

  • Should I stay away from drunk maniacs?

    Question:

    Hello,
    before I begin I just want to commend you on a great site. It has so much good information I've hardly been able to scratch the surface. My question is more psychological than theoretical.

  • Books on Poker Theory
    Question:

    Hi,

    You have the best website ever. I came across it yesterday and I can't get away from it.

    I have a question please. Could you suggest a good book on theory of poker that is heavy on math and applies to today's poker if possible? I read only few books so far and there just seems to be too much fluff.

    I will greatly appreciate your answer. Best regards, Voj
  • Reaching the long run
    Question:

    Great site!

    I have played texas holdem for an year and have given the game alot of thought. In addition I have read 4 books and done alot of research on the net. I play cash games at the casino at a ´2/2 No Limit table where min buy-in is 50-200. Now I have played about 15 times in all and to my surprise I am ahead of the game.

  • How to Play Online Poker for Mac
    When I bought my new Mac, I was really excited, excited to get online and play poker. However, after realizing that most online poker rooms were only made for Microsoft Windows, I was on a hunt for information about where I could play poker for Mac. This is my story and a guide on where to play Mac poker.
  • Private Tables
    Question:

    I have several friends all spread out along the southeastern United States and we'd like to get together for a game. Do you know of any site that allows players to get a game together online in some sort of private room?

    Any help is appreciated.

    John Price

  • More Than One Person To A Hand
    Question: Your site is great... I'm VERY new to the game (3 weeks), and you're general advice has definately kept me from being torn apart by the people I play with... I haven't won a tourney yet however because it's a "kitchen table" game I've managed to get my buy in back 4 out of the five times I've played... I've got my family hooked on your site too... They all love it and they've been playing holdem for years!!! Keep it up... But I do have some questions, and I hope that you find them worthy enough to answer:
  • Run Of Bad Cards Common?
    Question: Hi, I really wanted to ask you a question since you have lots more experience than I. How common is it to get bad cards for an extended length of time?
  • Staying Focused Online
    Question: No matter which poker book you read or which top pro advises you, there is a resounding communal opinion that when you are playing poker, actually watching the play and concentrating on the action at hand is a key part of winning.
  • Just Plain Unlucky
    Question: Hey!

    Great site. I think i visit once a day, seeing if anyone can relate to the problems i have with cards. I honestly dont care about having this posted on the site, i just wanted some sort of answer, or possibly a little insight to my problem.

    Anyway, the question: I know poker or most card games in general are about mathematical odds. I have read just about every article on your site, looking for anything dealing with luck and bad beats. Problem is,

  • Common Problems As A Good Player
    Question: hey there. posted a question on AQ in no limit a while back, saw your timely response on the site. thanks for following up on that. anyways ive always respected what you have to say in your posts and was wondering if you could give me a few thoughts on this...

    well since, ive tried to take on poker almost full time (playing 4 days a week) but have had a horrible horrible streak of losses. ive lost my entire poker bankroll that ive built up over the months playing high stakes no limit. with this amount of losses, ive tried to analyze. and ive come up with a few questions that have been bugging me and i think need to be cleared up in my mind in order me to get back in the game. i also would like to share with you my thoughts about some issues as well and would love some feedback on what you thought about it.

  • Semi-Pro, Questions Related To Becoming
    Question: First I want to say that I love this site. I'm about to become separated and because of my job, I have the flexibility to live anywhere in the country that's close to a major airport. 37 years old with no kids, so I can live virtually anywhere. Currently, I live in Maryland, and the nearest poker room is Atlantic City (I don't want to move their). Three questions.
  • Poker Profits And Taxes
    Question: I realize this question does not have much to do with holdem strategy (nothing at all actually), but I'm in college and I've never made over 10K in one year at a summer job until recently, now I'm playing in 5/10 and 10/20 NL tables online and making quite a bit more than that. This is great and all, but I was wondering how you go about dealing with the IRS and such.

    How can you get a tax shelter? Is it a good idea? what about offshore accounts? Do poker players have to pay more/less taxes in America than the normal 9to5er? Ive heard that in England you dont have to pay taxes on gambling winnings, is there any type of program like that over here? Any info on these topics would be very useful.

  • Is Luck More Important Than Skill?
    Question: I sent you an email about a month ago about a situation where i flopped the nut straight, managed to get my opponent all-in, and got rivered by a miracle card. I was asking you and myself if i was playing to aggressively and i was wondering if i should bet less instead of losing almost my entire stack to a bad beat. You replied that it was ok to extract the maximum when you have the nuts. I beleived that too.

    Well, i applied that strategy...and....well i lost everything. I started playing online with 25$, played 0.02$-0.04$ limit an some no limit, managed to get up to 140$ in a few months (not much i know but i'm learning) and lost it all in 2 weeks.

  • Poker Tracker And Other Stats
    Question: I have been looking at poker tracker to analyise my online games but I have found there is little description of the best way to interpret the data.

    For example, one of the statistics I can view is the % of times I played a hand. Most poker players would know that a good player does not play every hand, and selects which hands to play based on postion and pre-flop card strength and other players actions.

    Whilst I have a stat that shows the % of times I played a hand, I have no real way of determining if I am on track. For example, I dont know whether playing 60% or 20% of all hands is better in the long run.

    Can you provide any comment as to which key statistics I should be monitoring and reviewing and what the key statistic is? For example, monitoring number of hands played, and this should average around 18%. (Note that the discussion above is only an example to demonstrate the problem I have with the myriad of information available to anaylse)

    Any clarity you can provide as to which statistics to monitor and what are the key variables I should be looking for would be greatly appreciated.

    Cheers

    Richard

  • Tipping In Cash Games And Tournaments
    Question: I've yet to see this subject covered and I recently have wondered about tipping the dealers in holdem cash games and tournaments. In 1/3 2/5 cash games I usually tip a dollar to 3 dollars on pots and sometimes if its real big I will tip 10 dollars if the pot is over 500. Someone told me they read a book where it said you should only tip 1-2 dollars because with a rake in each pot anymore you will be giving away too much. Is this true for any size pot? Also, what is customary for tipping in tournaments. What if you chop with 4 players? Of the people who do finish in the money who tips? The tournaments I play in the house takes a portion of the buy in already but its not going to the dealer. What about re-buy tournaments? Thanks.
  • Regular Session Swings
    Question: I've played poker on a "unserious" level for about 2-3 years with short and longbreaks during this time, and decided for about 1week ago to try to make it a valiable income. Read alot of info, and I already got the average hang of the game.

    I started with merly 50 euro in chips and after 15 mins I've build that to 75 with no problems in a 0.25/0.50 fixed game, most people playing relied on luck and my hands just seem to outpreform theirs all the time, which for some reason maked me feel like I had to make it a challenge for myself..by playing worse hands, total +20 euro before I decided to quit.(this is my first problem, not that big, but it always happends when I finally(very rarely) gets to start building chips.) How do you do to keep it on a constant + going spiral, any tips?

  • Progressing As A Player
    Question: I have been trying to learn the game for about a month now. I started out getting my butt kicked, of course.
  • Are some people just lucky in poker?
    Question: I finally got together a bit of bankroll to play poker with over the past few weeks, but I'm truely starting to believe that I'm just an unlucky player.
  • Seeing Trends In Cards
    Question: I am relatively new to poker, i have been playing for a few months now and i just have one question for you, i would apreciate your insight on this and maybe some advice.
  • Unorthodox Home Games
    Question: Hello!

    I started playing poker some months ago and I'v recently started to read some books and articles on the web to improve my game.

    However the only poker I play ,besides some online chip play, is home games with my friends and the way we're playing is somewhat unorthodox, we usually play limit preflop and no limit postflop.

  • Building A Bankroll
    Question: Here is my problem of the week - I kinda know how much money you should have for a certain level of games. What is a good way to build up a bankroll when you have limited funds on a week to week basis? (quite simply put, I'm married).
  • Getting Bored At The Table
    Question: I have been playing poker for about a year and a half with a group of friends. We always play a game of Texas Hold em atleast once a week with .50/$1.00 blinds (we are all in highschool), it usually lasts around 4 hours or so. The same players show up everytime, so naturally you get to know how everyone plays certain types of hands. It has usually been the same people winning (including me) up until recently, when the people who usually win started to play differently (calling dumb hands, etc.). My question is, I have been on some what of a losing streak recently, and whether it is smart or not to try and change up my playing styles to better suit how other players play. I usually play loose but not dumb, I will raise with good hands but also take my chances lots of time with alright or poor hands, etc. I usually win a pretty good amount everytime we play, but I have recently become bored during these poker games and seem to lose interest of playing, making me call dumb hands and loose. Other players at the table (usually ones that are worse than me) are able to take advantage of my boredom by calling my raises with bad hands, and end up winning. Do you have any tips on how I should play (with my playing style) and if I should change it up considering I have been losing, since I play with the same people every week.

    Thanks,

    Mike

  • What Is A Good Hourly Rate
    Question: Hello,

    Thanks again for all your help.

    My question is: I always see that 3BB per hour is a good average, but is this regarding limit holdem or NL? I play all NL, typically .25/.50 and jump in .50/1.00. My hour rate has been averaging around $13.00-$15.00 per hour. I'd like to here what you think.

    Thanks again,

    Matt

  • Pro Level For Cash Games
    Question : Hi,

    I had sent this question to you a while back and that is fine if you don't feel it is relevant to place on your site. I saw the hate email from that one guy and trust me it doesn't hurt my feelings at all if you are not sure or don't want to advertise this question. I was hoping that maybe you might be able to send me back a quick email if you have time. I am interested in this question because I am going to Vegas next week and usually play 1-2 or 2-5 no limit when I go. I was wanting to step up to a higher limit but do not want to be the fish in a very good pro's game. Do you happen to know what most pros would play in Vegas?

    I hope you have a minute to answer me.

    Sean

  • Cheating At Holdem Home Game
    Question: hi, i hope you have time to answer this one becuase ive been wondering about it for a while now,

    I have a question relating to cheating in a home game. One of the players that usuially plays in the game has been caught cheating multiple times, whether it may be looking at the cards to come, moving flop cards around, switching his hand, or just plain rigging the deck. The person is a friend of all the players who play at the standard home game, so i have 3 questions.

    1) what should someone do if they catch the person cheating but he denies it and there is no hard evidence?

    2) what action should be take as a whole if the person is caught cheating and there is evidence?

    3) based of previous being caught at cheating should we stop inviting the particular person or just make sure they dont deal?

    thanks,

    Brian J

  • Playing Online Holdem
    Question: I have been playing online a lot. I found it quite useful to improve my skills but the question that raises is that is it really useful? I mean is it any different from the actual in face games in terms of strategy and hand readings? I have seen a lot of strange bad beats that you will rarely see in the actual on-board games.

    Your help would be appreciated.

    Thanks in advance,

    Reza

  • Watching The Pros
    Question: I've been playing hold 'em for about 3 years - just before it got really big. I consider myself an above average player for the stakes I play. Which range from $20-$100 tournaments, $5-10 limit, and nl table games with buy ins up to $300. These are the stakes my bankroll can afford, the stakes I am comfortable at, and the stakes at which I win or place often at. I don't want, need, or have the time to make the game more. I love the game, and your Q&A's.

    These days there is so much poker on tv, and it is great. but I feel like many people get tricked. You see 1 or 2 hours. How long are most of these sessions? I imagine 4-12. Also, you only see the monster hands or wierd hands or river hits. What I am saying is that many people I know or see play crazy and are very impatient. The pro's play these long sessions and set their play and fellow players up. And we see the espn like highlights. When in reality these sessions are like classic pitching duels in baseball where its not all offense, but a skillful chess game. What is your advice to new players who'd like to watch more of these heavy hitters play more, and play well?

  • General Bankroll Rules
    Question: I have seen multiple times that you recommend "playing within your limits" and "having the proper bankroll for the game you are in" as well as "having enough bankroll to smooth out variance" however, I haven't seen actual rough figures given for each limit.
  • When To Quit A Session
    Question: I play 1-2 NL Holdem at a local card room a couple of times a week. I have been playing well and leaving a winner approximately 3 out of 4 times I play. I buy in for $300.00 and have been leaving when I am either up $300 or lose my original buy in. I typically play on average 3-5 hours a session. My question is kind of vague but I wonder if maybe my play could net me more (i.e. $600) if I stuck it out a few hours longer. However, I risk losing my sure winnings if I do that. I feel that I can beat the game I play in most nights. Do you have any suggestions on how to decide when to quit while being up or keep playing with the hopes of winning more.

    Sean

  • Most Bang For Your Buck
    Question: I have a request for your opinion. I have been playing hold 'em for about 6 months now and just recently began playing for real money. I feel I have been doing ok, having tripled my initial bankroll of $50 in a 3 weeks This has come from playing both cash and SnG's a few times a week.

    I guess my question is, in your opinion, where is the best place to play to give you the greatest chance to build a beginning bankroll. I have won some very nice pots by playing a solid game in the low limit cash games, but I may not see much action at all for many rounds. Whereas in SnG's, I have finished in the money 7 out of the 10 times I play. I know I can do well in both but it just seems SnG's give me more opportunity to play aggressive than in cash games, but of course you are always set on a limited amount to win in the 45-60 minutes a SnG takes.

    Any insight would be great. I enjoy your site... it has proven very helpful. Thanks.

  • What Are Normal Swings
    Question: I have learnt to play texas-holdem from your site about 2 month ago. I deposited 25$ on paradise poker and built from there to 600$ playing mainly NL (2$, 10$ and now 25$). What is worrying me is my daily swings. I started yesterday with 450 go to 650 and today dropped to 550... I play about 400 hands a day two tables NL 25$. Are these normal swings ? or I play too wild ?

    Ok another question.. do you have any plans writing about other forms of poker ? omaha maybe ?

    Best regards !

    Piotr

  • Realistic Poker Goals
    Question:I have set myself a goal - like you suggested in one of your articles- and the first step towards it is to play my 500 up to 2k in two months. To be honest I have a bunch of questions but I don't want to consume to much of your time so I'll just ask two.
  • Going To Vegas For First Time
    Question: Once again I started playing poker about a year ago, typically 15-20 hours a week online. I do appreciate the time you take, it has been very helpful. I'm going to Vegas soon for my first time and am eager to play NL Holdem (tournament play). I've done a lot of research on what casino's offer and will probably stay around the $40.00 - $100.00 buy-in. Any thoughts or concerns someone new in Vegas should expect playing Holdem?

    Thanks again,

    Matt

  • Playing For Real Money
    Question: hi, i am a limit hold'em play money player, i have read many of your articles, and they really got me to thinking and little by little, I improved from mostly your articles. When i started planning to playing hold'em, my first goal was to win money( didn't even know the rule of the game). later on, when i knew how to play, i began intrested in the game too, but i have been playing fake money for awihle now, and don't think that i am doing my best, and the game is rather boring. i DO like the game, but when there is nothing at stake, it is just not that chanllenging, even though i like the game, but the losing really doesn't make me think about what i did wrong that much or keeping an eye on the situation or opponents, especially the fact that when you losing your "money", the next time you come in to your account, it is refilled, also when play fake money, people don't really try that hard, they also don't care about losing which sometimes make a whole table boring causing people coming in and out. therefore, i am planning to start playing real money( was trying to use fake to improve alot but...), what is your opinion? another thing is that sometimes some people on a table keep doing all in EVERY hand, or keep raising in limit game which actually works on people, I am not really effected by them when it is 1 v1, but when there are more then 4 people on the table, these people's style really bugs me. I try to raise, he raise back, other people know he is always like that, they just calls, make the whole game messed up. what should i do with them? And are there similar people like that in real money facilities, if so what do i do then? any advise would be great, especially your opinion about playing real money. thank you Mike
  • Hand Reading Skills In Holdem
    Question: Hi, I have been playing Texas Hold¡¯em for a short time. A few weeks ago, I found your site; I benefited greatly from here. (Nice site, GREAT TEACHER!) Here is where I learned I am not suppose to bluff that much, and some basic strategies, also I learned that not only am I suppose to play my own cards, I have to keep an eye on the other¡¯s actions as well for assuming their hands. During the last few weeks, I kept trying to improve my hand reading skill when I found out ¡°IT IS NOT EASY!¡± Often from then to now I gets frustrated for unable to read other players¡¯ hands, (especially going into aggressive games, where often more than 2 people raise at once for seeing a flop or turn) I really felt as having no idea of what¡¯s going on.

    So my question is, what can beginners do to improve their hand reading skills?

  • 9 Hand Vs 10 Hand Tables
    Question: I have a question about dealing 9 handed vs. 10 handed and have been chomping at the bit to make our house a 9 handed room. We are currently a 10 handed room and am trying to explain to my boss the amount of hands per hour will increase, and that means more coin for the box, Besides the size of the tables "too small" for 10 handed, the players are convenced that the more the better, So now I am trying to explain it to our players as well.

    I' am arguing that the stgength of the hands hold better, So I ask , Is it safe to say that the hands strengths become stronger or does that matter, also the hands per hour, I m guessing will be about 2-3 more per down every half hour. if there is any thing you can add it would help me out a ton!

    Thank You, Brian...

  • Holdem Bankrolls
    Question: Thank you for the response on the last question I had, however I have another. I consider myself to be an above average poker player, however that is based on playing home tournaments and consistently in the money. Therefore take that with a grain of salt. However this spring I am considering making a real push to see just what I can do at the casino. I have had some problems however on line. Right now, I deposit $20 or $30 on line to play with and gain experience. I am prone to phantom swings in my bank roll. For example, I have taken $30 and with a couple of weeks turned it into well over $400. Then again I lost it awfully fast as well. This happens to a lesser degree constantly. I'll take $20 and turn it into $100 in a week and then lose it in a week. My feelings are that I am putting too high a percentage of my entire bankroll in play at a given time. If I have $400, I'll place half of it in play. It turns into an all or nothing type of venture for me. That being said, my question is two fold:
  • What Type Of Player Am I?
    Question: When I play poker, I occasionally look at the stats provided by the site I happen to be playing on. There are times when I bet/raise the same amount of time I call. However, most often I bet/raise more often then I call, many times I bet/raise nearly twice as much as when I call. I play about 20% of my starting hands, although sometimes it is higher, between 20% and 30%. When I feel I have the best hand on the board, I always go after it and try to win it right there, not willing to allow someone to draw out on me without paying for it. I believe I am an aggressive player, although it is probably more accurate for someone else to determine that. Granted, you have never seen me play, however what do you think based on the information I provided you? By the way, you have a great site. I check it every day. I love the FAQ's and use the 4/2 Rule for calculating odds all of the time. Thanks for all of your time on the site.

    Don Zanelotti

  • Leaving When You Are Ahead In Poker
    Question: This is related to limit holdem (casinos over here do not offer no limit game).I would like to hear your opinion about when is time to leave the table if you winning? In my case, if I'm 80-100% of my starting bankrol ahead, I am out of the game - take a few hours of rest and back to the tables. It works realy well for me, but ill manered comments I'm constantly complimented by other players make me wonder why is wrong to take 2-3 moderate wininings per day instead playing all day (most of them play until ruin principle takes care about their bankrols.) Just to mention that I do not lose my whole bankroll often - in 2004 it happened only 3 times. I do, howevwer losing part (usualy 1/3-1/2) of my playing bankroll like once in 6 or 7 games.
  • Tracking Opponents Play, Tips For
    Question/Comment: Hi.

    I've been playing no-limit hold-em for about a month, in on-line tournaments. I've looked at a couple of books and a few websites, and they all talk about assessing the style of play of your opponents.

    I try to be observant, and do pick up certain bits of information which I've used to my advantage. For instance when I've caught somebody bluffing for a good pot, or bullied them out of the blinds a few times it sticks in my mind. I find in on-line games, most of the pots are won without any of the hole cards being turned, and I don't seem to learn much about them, from the way they bet the hand without knowing what cards they had.

    I tried keeping a written record during games of the number of flops the other players see, pre-flop raises and any bluffs or slow plays I picked up on. I'm not sure it helped a great deal.

    What kind of moves by an opponent would you consider the most significant, and what sort of information should I be recording (either mentally or written) to best help me classify a players style.

    Any advice would be appreciated.

    Thanks, Steve.

  • Selling A Piece Of Your Action
    Question/Comment: I've played in some tournaments, but in general have always paid my own way and never anything particularly large. I recently received an offer to help pay for a WSOP entry in exchange for a cut of the winnings. I have heard of players selling "shares" of themselves to raise money for tournaments (in fact, I believe I read that both Moneymaker and Raymer did it.) Do you have any guidance for how best to do this? Do you know how players generally work it?

    Thanks in advance, Matt

  • Should I Start Playing With Real Money?
    Question/Comment: I am 21 years old and have been playing poker now for about 1 year. I enjoy playing with my friends (about 9 playing at one time). We play tournaments where the buy-in is about 10 dollars and the winner takes everything but 10 dollars for the guy who's house we are at. Over the past 6 months, I am down 20 dollars. I also play online with play money at full tilt poker. I consider myself very good at online buy-in play, but of course, its only play money. full tilt poker gives you 1000 dollars to start off with. It usually takes me about 2 hours to make this 10 thousand, but when i advance in the table stakes from 25/50 to 100/200, I start to lose money and often find myself losing the 10 thousand rather quickly. I think that this is because i am a loose player who often trys to bet high amounts to force people out. I am certainly not the tight type. My question is: Should I start playing real money online and if so, how much money should I play with?

    Thank you very much

    Matt Matera

  • Why Use Blinds
    Question: Hi,

    I have been holding a weekly NL Tournament for about 8-9 people for a couple of months now. We play with antes that go up gradually as the tournament goes on but have never seen the advantages of having blinds.

    Is there some reason that playing with blinds improves the game.

    Cheers

  • Transitioning From Online To Real Life Poker
    Question: Dear Webmaster,

    First let me start by congratulating you on creating and maintaining such an informative site. I read articles on it regularly and I am always looking for ways to improve my game. I hope you can find time to answer my question (though this is not the first time I have sent you one).

  • Discipline Cont.
    Question: Thanks for the reply but I made an error in my question (and yes I am playing online).
  • Discipline
    Question: Hello,

    Thanks for the input on my "Betting Draws in NL Question". I have another, more challenging issue.

    I have moved up to $100NL ($2, $1 blinds) and still hold my own. Winning a little but not losing a lot. My large losses are usually heads up post flop with a slightly better hand winning, however.

  • Honest Online Poker
    Question: How can I be sure that when I play online for real money, that the game is honest?
  • Player's Appearances
    Question: When playing in a tournament and not knowing anyone, how much of an influence does another player's appearance have on your perception of how they will play? For example, a neatly dressed guy would play tight, as opposed to a "young punk" playing loose with his big ego (or showing off in front of a girlfriend)? Not to make it a psychological profile, but do people play accoridingly to how they look?
  • Moving Up In Buy-Ins
    Question: Ive been playing texas holdem with my friends for the past couple of weeks. Ive only played demo money on the internet before, but it seems to have helped me play with real money. Weve only played with 3 or 5 dollar buyins, but ive won every tournament weve played. So far after winning nine tournaments I'm up 80 dollars. Even though my friends are playing extremely poorly, should I try to play in other tournaments with buy ins of 10 dollars. The players will obviously be better in these games and i dont know if I can play my best game.
  • Bank Roll For Moving Up To 1/2
    Question: Hello,

    First off I like to say your site is excellent. I just started playing Texas Holdem online for real money. I have read a few books and this weekend I will be reading the super system to improve my play. I am playing the .50/1.00 limit hold em's. I was wondering if it's possible to make decent money doing this. I am up 90 dollars over the past week(10 hours play time).

    My bank roll is around 150.00. When should I make the plunge to 1.00/2.00 games?

    Thanks

  • Poker Taxes
    Question: I am relatively new to gambling and I was wondering if/how winnings are taxed in poker tournaments. I know Raymer won $5 mill in the WSOP, but does he have to pay taxes on his winnings? What about online winnings? Sorry if these are stupid questions or if you are not the correct person to ask. Thanks, I have learned a great deal from your site.
  • Dealing With Tilt And Swings
    Question:

    I have written an article before, that was kindly posted on your web site 'new hold'em players story' 08/10/04 by the 'laughing cowboy'. Thanks for that!

    Anyway, I have a few thoughts and a question I would like to share with you and your readers.

  • Breaking Out Of A Slump
    Question: I have been playing T.H. about 5days a week online for about 6mo, and following strict patience and sound strategy have managed to make a pretty substantial profit. Lately my winnings have been cut and my losses are getting much worse. After analyzing my play I found that perhaps I'm playing too many SNG tournies, and possibly get more loose from lack of good cards. Aside from playing my normal hand selection, what advice can you give me for breaking out of this slump? Also speaking of SNG's I have gone from finishing ITM usually 1 or 2 out of 3, to maybe one out of 5, but finishing 4th or 5th consistently. I dont think I've changed my play in these, but rather tend to get blinded to nothing without good cards. To clarify I dont sit for monster hands, I try to see about 20% flop ratio if possible.

    Thanks for any advice,

    J.S.
  • Poker Charity Event
    Question: Hello,

    First of all, you have an impressive website and I thank you for it!

    As for my question, with seemingly every cable channel on TV having Texas Hold 'Em tournaments - celebrity showdowns, World Series of this, championship of that; I think the Discovery Channel has a show teaching chimps how to play - poker has become a trendy game to play, not unlike Bridge in the '60s and Trivial Pursuit in the '80s.

  • Program For Calculating Side Pots
    Question: hi

    i'm a hungarian guy who's learning english in london and interested about poker. i've been playing about for two months. do you know any computer programme or web site where i can practise the main pot-side pot thing. i think i know it but when i'm playing one of the players definetely knows it better and doing it quickly. if you do you can send ma the details?

    thanks Laszlo Kohegyi
  • A Few Tells
    Question: Hey i was searching the web to find sites that would help me play poker better and i found your site and i learned so stuff that i didnt know before. Well anyway here is my question:

    what are some physical tells of a person that you would notice at a poker table that someone is bluffing or has a strong hand?

    And Also: who are you are you a pro at poker or just a person that goes to tablerooms and casinos alot like me.

  • Poker Site Recommendation For New Player
    Question: I have been playing poker for almost a year and i feel like i am ready to play in some real money internet websites. From reading your site, which is great might i add, i see that you play a good amount of internet poker. What sites do you recommend to play in. i ask this because i have heard things about nonsecure sites and people being able to steal credit card numbers and the like. Being far from any casinos i am very anxious to start and was looking for a good website to play in. Also, which sites have players that have done poker research or players you would label "experirnced" players. I have found in my home games and on play money tables i play extremly bad to people with little knowledge in poker. Thanks in advance and keep up the great site.

    Evan

  • Further Book Suggestions
    Question: I've bought some books through your website. Do want to thank you for your suggestion and great website. I've read: Winning Low Limit Hold'em (Lee Jones), Hold'em Excellence (Lou Krieger), The Theory of Poker (David Sklansky).
  • Check Raise And 3 Bet Definitions
    Question: Hello K,

    Thanks again for all your insight an knowledge.

    The following is straight from one of your articles (Texas Hold'em Raising

    - Information/Slow Someone Down).

    "Or you may want to check raise them and see if they three bet you."

    Can you please give me an example of this. Have only been playing for 2 months. Still have a mental block on what exactly a "check raise" is and what are the 3 bets.

    Thanks in advance for your help,

    Charles

  • Watching Other Players
    Question: Hi there

    Congratulations on such a great site - an excellent poker resource.

    -------------

  • Raking Home Games
    Question: If you are holding the games at your house with your equip. is it wrong to take $5. off the top to help pay for things. can you give me your take on the house taking a small fee.
  • Mike Caro's Book Of Tells
    Question 1: Seth sucks and his suck is a shining example of what not to do. Why, pray tell, did you remove this hideous fool from your Q&A, so that others may not repeat his unbelievably stupid mistake?

    Question 2: I've memorized Caro's Book of Poker Tells, and I know that you aren't affiliated with it. How reliable is that thing?

    Thank you,

    Mike

    New Orleans, LA

  • Over Thinking The Pot
    Question: Thanks for the site. Very informative.

    I'm a very inexperienced player. I've been playing all kinds of poker games since I was a kid, mostly nickel and dime fun games and whatnot. Recently I've been playing more on-line and a weekly game with 6-9 players. I'm trying to learn more about Texas Holdem but it seems the more I learn, the more I over-analyze the situation. I consistantly assume my opponent has a better hand and analyze their betting stragey accordingly. I think this is hindering me from calling out some bluffs and properly analyzing my opponents betting and playing strategies. Is this a good analyzing method to start from? Or should I start over? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Thanks,

    Paranoind Player #9

  • Patience
    Question: dear Sir,

    I enjoy reading your articles very much and the q&a section as well, I've found it to be a very good source of information and I wish you well with it. My question to you would be this: Are there any tips you can give me for being patient during a tournament or even in reg ring play, because If Ive learned one thing patience is something you need a lot of, and sometimes I just dont have it. Looking forward to hearing any and all response you have to this question.

    Sincerely,

    Roderick.

  • Not Raising Because of Rake
    Question: I was in a no limit game online. I am heads up and by the river, there is an A high straight on the table. There aren't three card to a flush, so the nuts are on the table. My opponent checks. I go all in. He calls and we split the pot. He sends me a message asking why I did that telling me it just increases the rake so the casino ends up making more and we make less from the pot. The reason I did it was just in case my opponent didn't realize that it was a split pot since it was a low limit game. What would you do and is it true that the casino gets a larger rake?
  • Poker Tells
    Question:HELLO! I HAVE BEEN PERUSING MANY WEBSITES DEALING WITH "TEXAS HOLD'EM" POKER, BUT HAVE FOUND YOURS TO BE THE "TOP DOG." ALTHOUGH I HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE TRUE, I HAVE YET TO FIND MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT TELLS THAT OCCUR BEFORE THE FIRST THREE COMMUNITY CARDS HAVE BEEN DEALT. I HAVE READ THAT THE TIME SPENT PEEKING AT POCKET CARDS CAN BE A TELL, HOWEVER I HAVE HEARD BOTH WAYS; THAT IS, PEEKING FOR A LONGER THAN NORMAL TIME MOST LIKELY SIGNIFIES POOR CARDS TRYING TO ACT STRONG, AND THAT IT IS A SUBCONCIOUS REACTION TO VALUABLE CARDS. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY INFORMATION THAT YOU COULD POSSIBLY GIVE ME ON PRE-FLOP AND/OR ANY POKER TELLS. I THANK THEE AND HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!
  • Comfortable Bankroll
    Question: ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU

    YOUR SITE IS GREAT

    YOUR OPINION

    I CAME TO CONCLUSION THAT EWEN BEFORE PLAYING I NEED TO COME UP WITH FIRM DECISION HOW WHEN IS TIME TO LEAVE AND IT SHOWS THAT IS ONE OF HARD DECISIONS TO MAKE UNLESS IS LOGICLY PREPLANED IN YOUR OPINION

  • Forget Your Folded Hands
    Once you've folded, ignorance is probably bliss.Forgetting what you held is a very good idea, as it may very well prevent a tilt.

    Example: I was playing with a few friends the other night. I'm on the button. There's a lot of action going around the table before I'm up: a bet and two raises, and everyone who stayed in looked confident. When the action came around to me, I finally looked at my hole and there's two-seven offsuit staring me in the face. Since I have a working brain, I promptly folded.

  • Suggested Bankroll
    Question: Thanks for all of the great info and site. had a real quick question. i know i have seen this before but i can't seem to find it. I have been playing at the $1/2 level since Jan and have learned a ton. I have experienced the bad and good runs. I have figured out how to adjust my playing styles accordingly and have been building a bankroll. I would like to make the jump to the $3/6 level soon so i can start to see a decent profit for my efforts. I play this in the B&M when I get a chance on vac so I know what it is like. what size bankroll would you suggest that would be sufficient for the long run. I don't want to make the jump too soon hit that bad run and drain my roll. I think I have read before that it should be something like 200X the big bet. thanks for the help and maintenance of this site.
  • Funding Online Poker Room Accounts
    Question: Thanks for your recommendations. I have an account at an online site.What is the best/easiest way to get money to them to play with real money? My credit card will not authorize for internet gambling.

    Thanks Again!

  • Tournament Schedule In CA
    Question: we live in califronia and have recently started playing holdem. by the way, your website has been invaluable .

    i remember when i used to be into blackjack there were some sites that informed you of tournaments and locations to play. it would also mention locations to regularly play and what denominations, rules, etc

  • Recommendations For Poker Books
    Question: One more thing. I was wondering what you would recommend for study materials, such as books, DVDs and such. thanks
  • Best Online Texas Holdem Sites
    Question: Who are the best online Texas Holdem sites.

    1 safest

    2 honest

    3 fair

    4 percentage of rakes are fair.

    Who would you recommend for first time players?
  • Showing Cards After the Hand
    Question: What are your thoughts on showing other players your cards if they all fold or if you don't have to show them according to the rules.

    Some players I've talked to say that anytime you show your cards when you don't have to you give the players information that can hurt you.

    Other players say that if you play tight in the beginning and show those good cards even when you don't have to, you get it in the other player's heads that you only play premium hands. That gives you the ability to bluff more effectively later in the game.

  • Record Keeping
    Question: whats an easy and effective way to go about keeping records of my play, and what statistics should i keep?
  • Tourney Blinds and Flush Ties...
    Question:I have a couple of questions, but first let me tell you that you have a great site here.

    First, I am holding a tourney with 16 guys, a 250 buy in having 2 tables of 8 playing at the same time. Now I have heard a ton of ways to handle the blinds. Should it be started off at 2/4. Then raised every hour? Now the raising amounts would be in $2 amounts...right?

  • Uncle Sam Getting His Share...
    Question: First off I would like to thank you for a great site and the updates. It has become very resourceful. My question is an accounting question and I don't know if you would be able to answer such. I have been playing poker on the internet for a little while now and have been doing well so far. I hope at the end of the month to make my first withdrawal. I have a tax question since it is getting to be that time of the year. First off do you have to claim winnings to the IRS since it is offshore? If so how much do you have to win in a year before you have to claim? If I withdrawal under a certain amount each time do I have to report it to the IRS? For example in Vegas if you hit a slot machine for under a certain amount you do not have to fill out IRS paperwork. If over a certain amount you have to claim it on your federal taxes. So my thought was to have them cut me checks under that limit each time i make a withdrawal. How do you claim your winnings? For example is this considered "other source of income" or "a gaming win"? Don't know if you know anything about internet sites or are going to just refer me to H&R Block. Any advice would help. Thanks again.
  • Win or lose based on luck or skill/Knowing if you are playing well...
    Question: Thanks for a fantastic site. I've been watching Holdem on cable for a while now (I live in the UK) and your site has helped me take the plunge into playing for real (well as real as on-line poker for the smallest bets I can find $1/$2 is!).

Rules - general

  • Betting rules in a friendly game
    Hello
    My question is betting rules in a friendly game. We had four people left. Blinds where $6 and $12. First player called the blind and went all in for another $3 that is all he had. 2nd player folded. 3rd player small blind said all he had to call was $9 since that is the bet at the time, $6 to match blind and the $3 raise.
  • When does a Texas Hold'em Hand End?

    Hi

    A situation cam up last night which comes down to us not knowing the rules but we haven't been able to find any clarity on this subject.

  • Not enough to cover blind
    I just finished playing a game of Texas hold'em where my friend who had $10 in chips left was told he could no longer play because he didn't have enough chips to cover the big blind, which was $40.
  • A couple poker rules questions
    Hello,
    Discovered your site and found some really good info on it so I'm sure you can help me with a couple of questions.
  • Raising after you have called
    Love your site.
  • Can I check-raise in Holdem?
    I'm a beginner and I know one cannot check and raise in the same round of betting in regular poker. Can this be done in holdem?
  • How Large is the Minimum Raise?
    I've got a question regarding betting.
  • Big Blinds Not Having Enough to Cover Blinds

    Hello,

    I have a question. I was playing at a regular game this evening and the big blind did not have enough to cover the blinds. Let's say the blinds were at 75/150 and the big blind only has 50. Is he eligible to win the blinds even if he did not have enough to cover, or can he only win the amount that he had in the first place?
  • Required bet for next position, after an All-In Bet

    Question:

    Here is the specific scenario that almost caused a fist fight at a tournament the other night.

  • Impossible hands?

    Question:

    In your section on Texas Holdem Poker Hand Ratings, when comparing full houses, you say: "Jacks full of tens (JJJ, TT) beats Jacks full of nines (JJJ, 99)." How can this ever happen? There are only four jacks in a 52 card deck. What am I missing here?

    Thanks, Steve Seitel

    P.S. Your site is VERY informative and helpful for this beginner. Thanks for putting it up.

  • Is it allowed to ignore the sidepots?

    QUESTION

    My question is about all in after the flop. Player A went all in. I called the all in as player B. Player C raised and player D called. I then checked but was told I had to call player C or fold as I still had chips left. I said I only wanted to compete for the all in and not the side pot I was over ruled and had to fold or match player C. What is the correct ruling as I understood the rules as side bets are not compulsory?

    Many thanks/Glenn Burnside

  • The Minimum Raise in No Limit Texas Holdem
    Question:

    If there are 10/20 blinds in No Limit Hold 'em and Player A raises to 50, what is the minimum amount the next player can reraise? Is it up to 100 total, which is double the previous bet or 80 total because the previous raise was 30 more (20-->50)?

  • Matching an All-in
    Question:

    When two people are heads up and one is the blind...this is the scenario. I have $225 in chips and no one else calls the all-in. However, the big blind at $300 wants to continue play. What will the big blind have to put in in order to play? Does he keep $300 in or pull back $75???

    Jennifer

  • Splitting the Pot
    Question: O.K. here is my question, In a recent no limit game blinds were in at 40/80 my friend was first to act and went all in about 200, the next guy (not a blind) called all in for what he had (61) chips the 40 and 80 blinds folded. All this was pre flop if it matters? the guy with 61 chips in the pot won the hand against my friend. If you can break down what amount of chips should he win total and from who???? Great site ya got here, just found it today and made it a favorite.. CHRIS Q
  • Do You Have 2 Fill Up?
    In a no limit game, if the first person betting after the flop cannot meet the blind and goes all in, do the other players have to meet the big blind or just meet what that first person has bet? All players have met the blind before the flop. Fran
  • Jackpots And Quads
    Question: Whom it may concern:

    I have very simple question to ask

    Any Four-of-kind need a Kicker? please read below and provide any knowledge.

    888.com( pacific poker)

  • Stating Your Hand and Computer Opponents
    Question: I'm sorry to bother you but i have a silly question that i really need to have answered, and i've couldn't find it in any writings. i'm new to poker. well: is it allowed to tell the other people what you got? like 'hmmm, ace pair, nice?'

    is it allowed, when there are only 2 guys left?

  • Texas Holdem Cheating
    Question: If 2 players are expected of cheating at a table by 1 of the players intentionally folding the better hand after the river to the weaker hand, can the players be asked to show their hands to the table or at least to the dealer?
  • Must Move Games
    Question: Hi,
  • Big Blind All-In - BB Amount
    Question: I have noticed on online poker sites that when a player is the big blind and is all in, but doesn't have enough to call the blind that the players still in only have to call what the big blind is in for and not the whole blind.
  • Dealer Button Position Heads Up
    Question: I just have a follow up to the question about dealer button during heads up.

    Last night I was watching the Superstars of poker re-run, and was noticing where the button was and who acted first.

    What I noticed is that the person with the button, did not get the first card as you stated on 7/7/05. Do they use a different set of texas hold em rules? They did however 'act' first as they were in the small blind.

    Thanks

    Matt D

  • What Is Soft Play
    Question: Poker TDA Rule No. 7 (Penalties): A penalty MAY be invoked if a player exposes any card with action pending, if a card(s) goes off the table, if soft-play occurs, or similar incidents take place. Penalties WILL be invoked in cases of abuse, disruptive behavior, or similar incidents.
  • Is Ace High Or Low In Holdem
    Question: Recently we had a Texas Holdem Nite at my house. One member insisted that the Ace can never count as a One.
  • Official Rules Of Poker
    Question: I sent the e-mail below last week hoping to see a response in your Q&A section.

    Please accept my apologies if you've answered a question like this in the past or the info is somewhere on your site already. I only stumbled upon your website a month ago and am still soaking it all in.

  • Minimum And Maximum Raises In No Limit Holdem
    Question: I play in a weekly No-Limit Tournament Game and this issue keeps coming up. Pre-Flop if blinds are 10/20 the minimum call is 20 but what is the minimum raise? We have been playing the minimum is equal to the big blind and anything over (unless all in)
  • Unable To Make Blinds
    Question: We are a small group of friends learning to play Texas Hold 'Em. At the end of the night, I had all the chips and one other person had just a few chips, not enough to make even the small blind. I thought I won, but the other people said that in this case, we both put in the amound of chips the other person has, and then both turn over our cards and continue as if we are both all in. Whoever gets the best hands then wins. I said this sounded more like "War" and not poker, but was outvoted. We played this way for about 5 hands and the other person kept winning. Is this correct? You continue to play even if you can't make the blind? Thanks for any help!!
  • Side Pots And Live Hands
    Question:Hi there, just wondering if you can clarify something for us? Tonight we had 5 players playing no-limit texas holdem and player 2 went all in (with only 1 remaining chip) so everyone called. Player 3 and player 5 wanted to have a side bet. Player 1 and player 4 didn't want to side bet. My question is do player 1 and player 4 have to side bet to stay in the hand or are they still eligible for the original pot. I understand they are obviously not eligible for the side pot but can they still stay in for the original pot?

    Thanks,

    Very Confused!

  • Understanding Limits
    Question: I am taking a trip to Vegas in July and will be staying at the Horseshoe. I saw online the different types of games that they have going on a regular basis. One of the limits that they have is 1-4-8. What does that mean? I have always seen it as 2/4 or 3/6. Also, on a 1/2 NL game, the minimum buy-in is $100. How much do you recommend buying into this type of game? Is it going to be influenced by how many chips the other players at the table have?

    Thanks

  • Minimum Bet Size In No Limit Holdem
    Question: I am going to be hosting a holdem tournament and i have a question about how much the bet has to be after the flop. Example-- if the blinds are 25/50 and everyone calls the big blind then the flop happens and then the betting starts is there a minimum bet that a person has to start with? Thank YOu
  • Ranking Of Suite In Texas Holdem
    Question:We recently played and were in a dilemma on who was correct. We had 3 players who had a 10 in their pocket card and the community gave them all the same straight with the one card from their pocket hand. Some argued to use the 6th card (from the pocket) and take the highest, while others said the pot was to be split. A question was brought up about using the highest ranking suit on the 10. Are ranking of suits ever used in Texas Hold'em?
  • Five Aces
    Question: Ok there has been an on going arguement at the pokersite i belong to as to whether it is possible to have 5 aces because of cards being shared, now the guy that posted the message said it was in skalansky's book, i have not read the book and was wondering if you could shed some light on this as to whether its a theoretical thing or if he is just pulling our legs i'll include a link below.
  • Multiple Side Pots
    Question: This involves the infamous (and always confusing) 'side pot' dilemma. I held my first home game last weekend, and my worst fear was realized : four people in, two of them all-in, which meant 1 main pot, and two side pots. A good deal of arguing ensued, and I'm not sure we handled it correctly. Your answer to a previously posted question ("6/25/04 - Who Wins The Side Pot Money") helped some, but I'm still confused. Let's say, prior to fifth street:
  • Full House Definition
    Question:Hi. I have a question concerning the "full house" hand. I play poker with my friends sometimes and they say you can have a full house when you have a three of a kind and there is a pair on the board. Is this a full house? I need clarification.
  • Raising Rule For No Limit Holdem
    Question: There was an incident in a game where the blinds were 1600/3200. The 3200 blind was called by three people. The last person went all in with 4800. The next player wanted to call and put in 1600; he was already in for the original 3200 bet. The argument was that he had to put in 3200 because he had to cover the big blind and then pull out 1600 for a side pot and if the next player wanted to go with him he did the same and they had a side pot. The player who wanted to call the all in bet said that no, he only had to call the 1600 and then if he wanted to raise that, then he would have to raise 3200. Who was correct in this situation?

    JMW

  • Mucking Heads Up All-In
    Question: A player (Player A) was all in for $300 of a $5000 pot. The only other player (player B) left in the hand mucked his cards (thinking no one else was in after he made the original bet of $4000 or so) when it came to him. The player (Player A) with the $300 in the pot said he should win the whole pot, since Player B no longer has cards. I said Player A could only win his stake in the pot, and that Player B was basically "playing against himself" for the bigger side pot since he was originally was in and everyone folded against him. He was mucking against himself. What's the call?

    Frank

  • Ace Is Both High And Low?
    Question: Q-CAN THE ACE BE USED TO GET A STRAIGHT-A-2-3-4-5.LOOKING THROUGH CARD RANKINGS AND RULES, DID NOT SEE THIS LISTED ANYWHERE.

    THIS IS ALLOWABLE IN GIN, AND A FRIEND OF MINE INSIST IT CAN BE USED IN TEXAS-HOLDEM.

    I SAY YOU CAN NOT USE THIS STRAIGHT.

    WOULD LIKE EXPLANATION EITHER WAY.

    THANKS, MIKE

  • Short Stacks And All-in
    Question: I also have enjoyed your site. I have been playing many no limit home tournaments.

    One question about being short stacked. I was under the impression that were you short stacked and had to go all in, that you could only win the amount of chips you had left, times the number of opponents in the pot.

    Yet it seems to me I have seen different on televised tournaments.

    Let's assume the blinds are $500 / $1000. You are playing three handed. Maybe you just lost a hand for most of your chips and are down to $300 and you are now the small blind. The dealer calls $1000, you are all in for $300 and the big blind calls $1000. Are you now limited to winning only $900 (your $300 plus $300 each from the dealer and big blind) OR are you entitled to $2300 (your $300 plus the $1000 from each of the other preflop bettors) OR, lastly, are you maybe only entitled to $1600 (your $300, the $1000 from the big blind since that is a forced bet, and $300 from the dealer, since that wasn't a forced bet?

    Appreciate it.

    Andy

  • Cutting Cards In Poker
    Question: Do you have to offer someone to cut the cards in a home game or tournament?

    Thanks.

    Joel T. Staniec

  • Limit Holdem, How Many Times Can You Raise
    Question: I have a question about how many times you can raise in limit hold em. Let say it's a $4/$8 game and after the turn I bet $8 and the next guy raises and everyone else folds, can I re-raise? and if so how many times? I guess a second part to that question is can everyone raise so I raise $8 the next guy raises $8 then the next guy raises $8 etc... or is there a limit?
  • Folding Side Pot, Still In For Main Pot?
    Question: Please solve on ongoing dispute I have with a friend over a specific situation regarding side pots during our No Limit Texas Hold 'em tournaments. We have read your answers to similar questions but have not found the exact situation that we need clarifying. I will set up the situation for you. A case of Heineken depends on your answer. Thank you in advance.
  • When A Side Pot Is Created
    Question/Comment: I have 2 questions about sides pots

    1) when should we start to create sides pots ??? is it at the end of the bettin' round which means before goin' to the flop, the turn OR as soon as we have someone all-in ???

  • How Many Cards Are Burned In Holdem
    Question/Comment: i am wondering how many cards are burned before the flop in texas holdem.

    Thank you,

    John Michael Croft

  • Raising Rules
    Question/Comment: I have 2 technical questions.

    If there were four players, say they were playing any round (possibly the first), and the first bet $10, then the second raised to $20, and the third called $20, and the fourth player (dealer) called $20, could it then be reraised by the second player after the first has called the $20, possbily allowing play to continue round the table 3 times until round ended finally with a cap on the third raise, or does raising have to stop after play has reached the dealer?

  • Check Raising Allowed?
    Question/Comment: Hi,

    I got a rule question for you, and this one has really been bothering me. I'd be playing no-limit hold 'em with a few of my friends and during the bet, one of my friends would check, the person next to him would raise, and then it would get back to him and he would re-raise them. I never seen anyone do this before until I started playing with him and then I argued with him over the fact that once you check and someone puts in a bet, you can only call that bet and you cannot re-raise cause you already checked. I am right or wrong? I looked everywhere online, at official game rule guides, but I couldn't find an answer to my "check and then re-raise" question.

    Appreciate it if you could help me out.

    Regards,

    Adam

  • Suit Matter In Holdem?
    Question: ok, i know the following questions are utterly basic (i.e. stupid) but i couldnt really find a definate answer on the site or in the Q&A section.

    so:

    1. when comparing or ranking cards, does suit matter or just the number? that is to say, would AhKhQhJh10h beat AcKcQcJc10c? or say, a Kh high card over a Ks high card?

    2. i've only ever played ante games where everyone just "puts in" before cards are dealt. so i was wondering, with blind games, does this mean the following player after the blinds can look at their first 2 cards, see if there any good and fold before they've even spent a cent (is that the general point of the blind structure?). so, hypothetically (i know you wouldnt) you could have a game where everybody folded and only the blinds money were in the pot?

    thanks.

  • Dealing Cards, Who To Start With
    Question: At the beginning of a new hand, after the Blinds have been posted, does the dealer start dealing the "hole cards" with the person to the left of the dealer or the person to the left of the big blind?
  • No Limit Holdem Reraising
    Question:I understand the topic of "check raises". My question has to deal with reraises. I'm the first one to act and I make a bid of $100. The person to my left throws out $500. Can I only see him with a bet of $400, or can I reraise him whatever I want. Furthermore, can reraises keep going until one person goes all in? I appreciate your help.
  • No Limit Holdem Raise Question
    Question: Hello,

    I have a procedural question regarding no limit holdem as I am new to the game. After everyone has been dealt their 2 cards down, if the individual to the left of the big blind raises, are both the big and small blinds obligated to add to the pot ( the raise amount ) if they want to see the flop or do they get to see the flop just because they have been forced to bet?

    Thank You S.R.R

  • At Showdown Who Shows First
    Question: I am a beginner to texas hold em and play every now and again with a few friends. My question is who shows their hand first when the betting is over. We had been playing that whoever called shows the hand first, but my friend, after a trip to Tunica, now says that it should be whoever is left of the dealer should show first, who is right
  • Minimum Raise From Small Blind
    Question:In a no limit game, you are sitting in the small blind and the blinds are $2/$4. When it comes to you, you decide to raise. Since you already have $2 in the pot, I understand that you must bet at least an additional $2 to equal the initial big blind of $4. But, when you raise, must the raise also be a minimum of $4 for a total of $8 or is it ok to raise it $2 to a total of $6.

    I know that anyone else at the table that wanted to raise would have to raise the minimum of the big blind, but are there exceptions for the small blind?

    Thanks

  • Having To Call Hands
    Question1: Say you have a 5 8 and the flop comes down A 5 6 the turn comes K and the river is a six

    you call and you oppent calls Pair of Aces

    you call a pair of fives and Sixes

    Is he required to call it correctly in order to win the pot

  • Three Way Action With All-Ins
    Question: In a game with three way action the smallest stack goes all in followed by the a call from a player with a larger stack and the third player also calls and has the middle stack. The two largest stacks have the exact same hand and split the pot obviously but how are the chips divied up?

    Thank you

    Collin Belnap

  • Eligible For Main Pot
    Question: This is a great site. Thanks! Here is my question, I went all in in tournament style play. There were two players with me and all matched. Next round a player bet to get a side pot. Player number 3 didn't necessarily want to go in but was interested in staying in for my "all in". My question is if player #3 went out was he still eligible for the main pot?

    Thanks

    Brandi

  • A Batch Of Questions
    Question: Thanks for a great resource site! Ran into a few questions during our first ever Texas Hold'em Tournament last night. - We had 2 blinds. Once down to two players, both pay the blind and action continues?
  • Not Having Enough Chips For The Blinds
    Question: IN A NO LIMIT GAME IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH CHIPS FOR THE BIG OR SMALL BLIND CAN YOU PLAY THE NEXT HAND.

    DAN

  • Burning Cards
    Question: I played this game a few days ago for the first time and won everything...but not sure that they were dealing correct. I watched the Las Vegas games and could've sworn that the dealer BURNS 3 cards before the flop...Can you send me correct information on HOW MANY cards the dealer BURNS through the game and when??? Now I've got a bet going with one of the people I played against...Sure hope I'm right!

    Thank you!!

    Brenda Geier

  • What Is Low Limit Poker
    Question: Hello, I am very confused about what exactly low limit holdem is. Is it a part of Fixed limit holdem or No limit holdem, or both. i used to think it was low limit vs. no limit, implying that there was a limit in the amount u can bet but then i began to think it was a .25/.50 or $ 1/2 structure in a no limit game. is that correct? is it possilbe ot have a low limit game in fixed limits? Hope i didnt confuese you and thanks in advance. By the way this is by far one of the most helpfull websites you can find on the net.

    - Evan

  • How Do Blinds Work?
    Question: Question on Blinds:

    Say you are playing a 10/20 game. The person in the small pays how much? 5? Is it half of the smaller number?

    The big blind pays 10? Equal to whatever the small number/firsst number is?

    Cards are then dealt.

    First person "under the gun" has to call for at least 10? or is it 20?

    What does the 2nd number stand for?

    Thanks

    Matt

  • Order Of Betting After Flop
    Question: What is the order of betting after the Flop? Is it the first person to the left of the dealer or the first person to the left of the big blind?
  • Chopping Pots Between All-in Players
    Question: Hello.

    I know you've had this question asked many times, but I couldn't really seem to find the answer because all of the situations described have been the reverse.

  • Raising All-in With Less Then Min Bet
    Question: I have a question on betting:

    We have seen the flop. Player A has $20, Player B has $8, Player C has $20

    Player A first to act bets $5, player B raises all-in $8.

    Question is, as this is technically a raise (which would normally be a minimum of $10), is the bet to Player C $8 or $10???

    Mike.

  • Ace Counting As High And Low
    Question: Ok me and sum of my friends got into an argument over this one. One of my friends had a King and an Ace and on the flop ther was a 1 2 and 3. He says that counts as a straight because it loops and I say that it doesnt. Which is it?

    Thanks

  • Fairness and The Best Five Card Rule
    Question: Hi,

    I've just recently started getting into the nuiances of poker, particularly texas hold-um and during one of our games we ran into a debate.

    The hypothetical situation we have been arguing overs was the community cards making a winning hand like a straight 10JQKA in the community cards with player 1 with an Ace and whatever card vs player 2 who has 5 and 7

  • Not Having Enough Money For Blinds
    Question: In spread games, is it possible to be the big blind, but not having enough money to put it up? For example, You have $500, but the big blind is $1000. Are you forced to leave the table, since you cannot buy-in? If you are forced to leave, do you keep your $500? Maybe, you are all-in?
  • No Limit Betting Amounts
    Question: I've started to hold a home No limt game, which goes down quite well and we all enjoy it. However, every now and then a problem rears its ugly head, that no one seems to be able to solve (because of our joint inexperience with the game). We have a system of raising blinds every 15 minutes. This keeps the game time to around 1 - 1.5 Hours. Which is ideal. This means we can have 3 or 4 tournaments in a session, and nobody is out for too long.
  • Do you have to use both cards in holdem?
    Question: in texas holdem do you have to use the two cards that are given to you, or can you use just one of them.
  • Exposing Cards Before Betting
    Question: I was playing a no limit heads up game, and the other player was dealing. After the river was dealt I went all in. The other player did not call, did not say anything, did not touch his chips at all, but turned his cards over. He feels he wins all the money, but I think at best he only wins the same amount from me that he has in the pot, and the rest of my all in bet returns to me. Could you please resolve this argument.

    Thank you,

    John P.

  • Understanding All-In
    Question: I must be thick, because I cannot seem to get my head round the 'All ins'! I have read some of the answers on this site as well as reading other articles and it just seems to be gobbledygook, especially multiple all ins! Who is elligible for which pot and how do you determine who wins what?

    Could you please keep it simple as I have to understand how this works so that I can stop any arguments when I have my mates round. Perhaps you could give me an example where there are four players, who go all in on the same betting round and walk me through how you determine who wins what & why. TIA.

  • How Many Decks Used?
    Question: How many decks are used at a table?

    Is there a standard?

    Does it depend on the number of people at a table.

    WPT and WSOP on TV I see they use one deck.

    Thanks for your help.

  • Betting Round Questions
    Question: The only thing left now is the options each player has during the betting rounds.

    If everyone 'calls' the flop happens and the betting starts again. Do the bets start from the previous round's level? IS this tru for all betting rounds?

  • Big Blind Position Heads Up
    Question: Great Site, helps out a bunch. In heads up play, does the big blind shift to the person without the button?? I have noticed online that when it comes down to heads up, all of a sudden the 'dealer' doesn't post the big blind, he posts the little blind. When does this shift occur?
  • Forced To Fold By Raise
    Question: In a no limit, anti game

    player 1 - has $10.00 bets $5.00

    player 2- sees the $5.00

    player 3- sees the $5.00 and raises $30.00.

    does this force player -1 to fold? or does he go all in with the $5.00 remaining and a side pot created?

  • Betting Terms For Texas Holdem
    Question: The site is great and full of useful information. However, I am a bit of a novice and I need your help!. Could you please explain the betting side of the game as it seems slightly confusing to me. Basically I would like to know what each term means and when to use it. TIA
  • All-Ins, Side Pots and Forfeiting Both By Folding?
    Question: I know this is probably redundant but I haven't seen the explanation for the this exact scenario.
  • Heads Up Blind Structure
    Question:In a head to head game how do the blinds work? Is the non-dealer the small blind and the dealer the big blind?
  • What does mucking a hand mean?
    Question: is to muck a hand not to show your cards when you know you lost.thanks
  • Big Blind And Small Blind Options?
    Question: I am hoping you can clarify 2 texas holdem rules for me. In a $3/5 limit game, small blind puts in $1 and big blind puts in $3. The person to the left of the big blind: 1) Has to bet? or can he check?
  • Raising from big blind if everyone calls...
    Question: thanks for putting up such a great - and greatly needed - site. my question is about the big blind and raising. in a no limit holdem tourney, can the big blind raise if everyone else only calls the big blind? for example, can the big blind go "all in" when the bet comes back to him with no one else raising the big blind?
  • All-In Player: Do I have to call the side pot to keep my hand live?
    Question: You have the best site on the web for Texas Holdem. Easy to navigate, best information, and most resources. Thanks in advance for answering my question!

    Bill

  • Check And Call Definitions...
    Question: Hi your site has everything anyone needs to know about Texas Hold'em but there are still two questions I have. I watch the world series of poker on TV and hear the players "check" what does that mean. My second question is what do you do when someone calls.
  • Check-Raise Unethical?
    Question: The guys I play with NEVER allow you to raise if you've checked but I'm having trouble finding anywhere on the net that says that is actually the proper way to play. Most sites seem to allow check-raising as one strategy. What's the "official" word on that?
  • All-Ins And Side Pots...
    Question:I have a somewhat important question,"to me"that i know you can anwser.comparing main pots and side pots in "all ins".ok lets say player 1 goes all in with $50, player 2 matches the all in , player 3 maches the all in, player 4 folds so player 3 wants to raise a side pot with player 2, does player 2 have to match the side pot or fold.
  • Blind questions...
    Question: Love your Web Site - thanks. However, I am just learning and would like some more info on how the betting goes especially the purpose of the big and small blinds and how they bet. Thank you. Bob
  • Ranking two straights...
    Question: Great website! A quick question: how do you rank two straights and, in particular, two low-end straights when one has an Ace used as a "one" and the other does not, such as A2345 versus 23456? In other words, is the Ace always the high card, or does it depend on how it is used? This came up in a recent game...thanks! -Rick

Rules - who wins

  • Full House - Do the Best Five Cards Win?
    My situation is such:
    A full house, jacks full of fours, comes up on the table. One player has a four in his hand and insists that because he has one of the cards in his hand, his full house, still jacks full of fours, is more valid than everyone else's full house. I insist that the best five cards win.
  • Ace High Flushes
    Great site, very informative and a good read. I'd like to think this site is partly responsible for the money I've been winning at the small buy-in tournaments I've been playing.
  • Quads on the Board

    Hi my name is Paula and I'm learning Texas Holdem

    My question is if there is a four of a kind (for example 4 x 4's) on the board with a A kicker is it a share pot for the players?
  • Who Wins This Hand?

    Hi there,

    Could u tell me who win this hand please?

  • Four-of-a-kind on the table - who wins?

    Question:

    Who is the winner if players have 4 of a kind on the table(community cards)?

    Thank you.

    / Gala

  • Which Flush Wins the Pot

    Question:

    We were playing Texas Hold'em tonight and something came up and none of us knew who won. On the board was all hearts with A,T,6,4,8. I had a J of hearts and someone else had a 5 of hearts in his hand. The question is this: Is it a push because it's simply an Ace high flush, OR do I win with my J making it the higher Flush?

    Karen

  • Does Three Pair Beat Two Pair?

    Question:

    My question is on who would win in 2 particular Texas Hold'em games, and why. This is what is on the table for 2 different games.

  • I Win the Pot, Thank You Very Much!

    Question:

    There are four hearts on the table and one of them is the jack of hearts. I have the five of hearts and you have the ten of hearts (the other cards don't matter). Who wins, or is it a split pot?

  • When a Flush Beats a Flush

    Question:

    In a recent game with friends we ran into a divided table on who should have won a hand. The problem was that three different players ended up with a flush. The flop was: ace of spades, king of spades, eight of clubs. The turn was: ten of spades, and the river was: 6 of spades.

  • A few "Who wins?"
    We get a lot of questions regarding who should win the pot, and have answered a few of them below. The most important thing is to remember that you always use exactly five cards to make the best possible hand in Texas Hold'em, and that you can combine your hole cards and the cards on the board any way you like.
  • Who finishes second?

    Question:

    Three players remain. The big stack goes all-in with Q6. The 2nd player goes all-in with Q9. The 3rd player goes all-in with AQ. After all five community cards are turned, the big stack wins because he paired his 6. The player, with AQ, has the next highest hand. The third player has the worst hand - Q9.

  • Kicker Trouble

    Question:

    I am bluffing with only ace high in my hand. My daughter is holding K5. The flop produces a pair of 10s and a pair of 6s plus a 5. Does my daughter win with her resulting pair of 5's or is it negated by the higher pairs and therefore ace high beats her king? My grandson said I win with ace high. Please solve this family dispute. Thanks!

  • Poker Is a Five-Card Game

    Question:

    We had a game of Holdem recently. Four jacks and a two of clubs was showing after the flop. Three players were left in. One guy had a two and an Ace.I had a two and a nine. The third guy had a seven and a three. Who wins? Does the four of a kind go to the highest fifth card?

  • A poker hand consists of five cards
    Question:
    Community cards are K, K, Q, Q, 5
    Player 1 holds J, 8
    Player 2 holds 8, 5

    The question is: Which Player wins? My theory is the K, K, Q, Q are discounted because neither player has any advantage with them; therefore the 5 pair (player 2) wins. The other theory is the best 5 card hand: K, K, Q, Q, J (player 1) wins.

    This actually happened and could not be resolved. The pot was split between the two players.

    /John E. Rowe

  • There is no sixth kicker
    Question:

    My question is about Texas Hold'em:

    In the middle are the cards 9, 10, J, Q, 4

    Player 1 hand is K, 2
    Player 2 hand is K, J

    so who wins and why?
  • When Two Players Have a Full House
    Question:

    I was playing holdem and a problem came up. The flop comes out k 8 8. I'm holding A 8, I bet twice the pot. I get 1 guy to call so I put him on a k. Next card comes out k so I think sweet full house. The other guy goes all in and I call. I am right he has the k. The river comes and it is an A so I think I am a winner but the table tells me I am a loser because the other guy has 3 K's and 2 8's. I have 3 8's and 2 A's. Why do i lose...

    Please help me

    Rich

  • Who won the hand?
    I guess I must blame myself for not explaining this properly in an article since "who won this hand" question is the most common one. So as a punishment I'll continue to answer them on this page until I do write about it.
  • Evaluating Flushes In Holdem
    Question:Only two players(P1 & P2) left in hand.

    P1 hole cards: 7of spades & 2 of clubs.

    P2 hole cards: 4 of spades & 5 of spades.

    Community cards: A of spades, K of spades, 9 of spades, 2 of spades, & 10 of hearts.

    Who wins?

    We had a big argument. I said P1 wins he has higher flush. Others said they both had ace high flush split pot.

    Thanks for your input.

    Jeff

  • Split Pots And Kickers
    Question:

    Here are some related questions from different readers:

    1. I've noticed on online games that there are times when two players have 2 matching pairs (each player has 7s and 10s) and different kickers. I'd think the higher kicker wins; however, the online game automatic splits the pot sometimes. How come????

  • Community Straight And Comparing Holdem Hands
    Question:We were playing and had the following community cards:

    4 5 6 7 8

    Only 2 players were left.

    Player 1 hole cards:

    5 5

    Player 2 hole cards:

    A Q

    Who would win???

  • Final Three Players All-in Who Wins?
    Question : when there are only 3 players left in a tournament.

    1, 5000 in chips 2, 2000 in chips 3, 1000 in chips

    player 1 goes ALL-IN and both players CALL

    player 1 wins. WHO GETS 2ND PLACE PRIZE ?

  • Pocket Pairs Worth More In Holdem?
    Question: I play texas hold'em with my friends weekly. They are under the impression that if for example: you have pocket 9's and other person has A J unsuited and the flop was 5 7 10 the turn A and the river 3. They think the pocket pairs beat the split pair. Is this true it has been an ongoing argument with us. I believe the AA J high wins. Please let me know who is right.
  • Straight On Community Cards, Who Wins
    The three questions below are all related so I've grouped them on one page here:
  • Dispute Ruins Night
    Question:Who wins? Or is it a split pot?

    The five cards on the table were (7)(9)(J)(10)(K)

    Opponents hand (K)(5)

    My Hand (K)(3)

    He claims he wins, I think it's a split pot.

    We spent 2 hours looking online for a specific answer before ending the game on a terribly sour note. We are all angry at eachother now... so please settle this once and for all.

    Thanks, Evan

  • Who Has High Flush
    Question: I actually have two questions here. Say that there are 4 diamonds on the board and there are only 2 people in. One of the diamonds is the Ace. The other two players both have flushes (not straight flushes or anything), so is it a split pot or do you go by the higher diamond in the persons starting 2 cards?
  • Evaluating Flush Hands
    Question: I was recently playing the game with some friends. After the dealer laid down the river card, the five cards were a flush with the highest card being an Ace.

    There were two players left at the table betting their poker hands. One of the betters had a card in her hand with the same suit as on the table. The other player did not -- he was saying they both won since it was a flush with the highest card on the table and that it didn't matter what they had in their hands. The other players watching said the girl with the same suit card won the whole pot since she had a card in her poker hand of the same suit as the flush.

    Who was right?

  • Determining Best Hand (by best 5 cards)
    Question/Comment: Do you only look at 5 cards to determine the best hand, or do you sometimes leave those 5 cards, and look at what else could be made, to determine best hand/winner in a "tie" situation?
  • Who Gets Second Place
    Question: Who finishes in 2nd place?
  • Natural Hand In Holdem
    Question: Is this a there such a thing as a Natural hand where:

    Player 1: A, 5

    Player 2: A, 10 Commmunity Cards: 2, 3, 4, 5, 9

    Does player 1 win with a natural straight because he/she has two cards involded in the straight making it the natural hand? Ive seen this rule played in internet play and other places.

    Thanks!

  • Comparing Full Houses Error
    Question: Hi,

    On the page "Texas Hold'em Poker Hand Rankings", You have written that "To determine if one full house higher ranked then another, first look at the three cards of the same kind. The one that is larger wins. If they both are the same then you'll have to compare the two cards." The case where both are the same can not happen since that would require six cards of the same kind and that is two too many...

    Best regards

    Bo Strömberg

  • Comparing Two Flushes
    Question: Hi:

    First I want to tell you I enjoy your website a lot, lots of really good information and tips to play better, so thank you. I was wondering if you can help me answer a question: see some of my friends and I were playing texas holdem, the community cards show: 2d, 5d, 7d, 10d, and Kd so there is actually a flush of diamons in the community cards, now the other players don't have a better hand than the one showing in the community cards except for one player that has an 8 of diamonds, now my question is can that player use his 8 of diamonds to make a higher flush by removing the 2 of diamonds from the community cards and win the hand or does it have to be a tie?

    Again Thank you very much for your help and for taking the time to read this e-mail.

  • Ace High Flushes
    Question: BTW:

    A couple of times you've mentioned that you don't understand why the best pocket card wins an ace-high flush …

    It's just math … the total value of the cards wins. This doesn't come up in most other winning comparison, but since flushes can be any value, the highest valued hand wins. Same calculation as if player one had Ad, Kc, 9s, 4d, 3d and player 2 had Ah, Kh, 8s, 4s, 3c … player 1 wins with the higher value cards because the 9 beats the 8 (assuming these aren't community cards).

    At least that's my understanding, but you know way more about poker than I do.

    H.

  • One Kicker Or Two?
    Question:

    Great site it has answered so many of my questions. Here is one for you that I did not know how to play.

  • Kickers - Best Five Cards Win
    Question: Webmaster,

    This hand came up last night at my house and we argued about who wins for at least an hour and still feel we didn't get it right. Hopefully you could answer this.

    OK 2 players left player A has K 2 don't worry about the suits because that never came into question player B has K 9 the 5 community cards are A K J 10 5

    My question is who wins the pot and why?

    Thanks

    Carlos

  • Clarification On Two Pair Vs Two Pair
    Question: Hey, first of all, great poker site.

    Now, I am not fully sure on when kickers come into play. I know for things such as straights, flushes, and full houses, there are no kickers since those hands are already 5 cards, but other than that I'm not 100% sure.

    Pairs, 2 pairs, 3 of a kind, 4 of a kind, when are kickers used? I thought I understood completely, but then I read an old question on your site which confused me....

  • Everyone goes all-in, who gets second place
    Question: Here is the situation:

    Three players are left in the game.

    Two players go all in and the third player calls.

    The third player wins the hand. Which eliminates the other two players.

    What determines second place?

  • Ace high flushes
    Question: If two players hold pocket clubs and the ACE of CLUBS falls in the cimmunity cards, that means that flush is an ace high flush, but will it be shared by both players no matter if one player has the king.

    Exaplin to me the rules considering a flush when the ACE of that suit is on the table?

  • Best Five Cards - Three Pair
    Question: I have a question regarding the rule of "the best five card" hand. Is there such a rule as the highest five cards. I'll try to illustrate it with an example…I hope I get it right.
  • Two Pair - Kickers Matter
    Question: I had two pair 9h9s and 7d7c my friend had 9h9c and 7d7h. The 5 cards on the board were 9h7dQs3d6c. So my friend and I had a tie which we then solved by going to our kicker. He had a Jd and I had a 10h. So we assumed he won the pot. But another friend said he did not win because the our kickers did not matter since neither of them were higher than the Qs. My friend said we split the pot. Is that right?
  • Comparing Full Houses
    Question: In a hand of Texas Hold Em the other night the following situation came up:
  • Three of a Kind - Breaking Tie
    Question: I was at a family reunion last weekend and was playing Texas Holdem with some of the guys and a hand was dealt where another player and myself both had three sevens. My second card which I was dealt was a king the other players second card was a jack. No other community card was higher than my king and I felt I WON the pot outright but some of the other players said that I had to split the pot because it was a tie, which I did. Who was right?
  • Who Wins The Side Pot Money
    Question: Great site by the way

    My question is about side pots:

  • Two Pair With Ace Kicker
    Question: Me and my uncle were playing Texas hold'em, and a tie occurred. there was two pairs on the board, three's and 8's. I bet a rather large sum, and my uncle called it. When we turned over our hands, we both had aces to make two pairs, aces high. However, he had a king as the next highest card, and I had a 10. He said that he wins the pot, because his 6th card was the highest. I said that the 6th card was irrelevant, and that we should split the pot. Who is correct in this situation?
  • Split Pots On Full Houses
    Question:hi, last night when i was playing texas holdem

    Friend A had 6 of (Clubs) J of (Spades) and

    Friend B had 6 of (Hearts) 9 of (Diamonds)

    The Community was 6(Spades)A(Heats)A(Clubs)A(Diamonds)2(Hearts)

  • Comparing Full Houses
    Question: Your site has great information. I have a question about Texas Hold'em. For example if the community cards comes out to be A-A-A-J-K and you have 4-4 and your friend has 5-5. Would we split the pot because we both made full house or would the person that has 5-5 win? Your answer is greatly appreciated. If you could forward the answer to fillipho@hotmail.com that will be appreciated as well.

    Poker Fan

  • Comparing Flushes
    Question:

    No limit Texas Hold'em

    Board cards are Ad-7d-5d-4d-2d

    Player one hole cards are Qd-6s

    Player teo hole cards are Jd-9h

    Is this pot split because both players have an Ace high flush, or does the player with the Qd win because it is higher than the Jd?

    It seems logical the Qd would win but we have different opinions.

    Thanks

    G Hobby

  • Comparing the same hand
    Question: Your four people playing and two fold so two remain when at the end of the hand they show their cards to each other they have the same hand with only one of their cards and their second one is not apart of it do you to determine who wins se who has the higher second card.

    THank you very much.

    You have a great site, much good luck in the future.

  • Straight On The Board
    Question: I know the best 5 cards is the winning hand, but does this also apply on straights? If the board flops a straight and no one has the high end in their hand, do all active players split the pot? This occurred recently and there was a debate as to whether the highest hole card takes it? I believe it's a split pot but then the argument came 'what if the flop was 2 pairs and an ace, would the ace be the fifth card if no one had anything, or would we go to the highest hole card?

    thanks.

  • Flush Tie
    Question: I was wondering about flushes. Say for example I am holding 9d 3h, and my opponent is holding 3d 9h, and showing is Ad Kd Qd Jd 3s, would we split the pot or would it go to me, holding the 9d?
  • Ranking Two Pair
    Question:If i have a ace two and my opponent has a queen king who wins and why?
  • Everyone All-in, Who Gets Second Place
    Question: We had an odd occurrence in our weekly (friends) holdem tourney.

    Player 1 was on the short stack, player 2 had a decent amount of chips, and player 3 had the bulk of the chips.

    All 3 players went all in. Player 3 had the best hand and won the game. The question was, who took second place? We went by the final hand ranking, but someone said it would be whoever had the second largest chip count before the last hand. Could you tell me how this would work out? Thanks

  • Counterfeited Hand
    Question: I am holding a 6 K. Someone else is holding AA. After the cards are flopped the table reads: 10 9 8 7 6 . Who wins?
  • Six Card Straights Better Then Five Cards?
    Question:First Id like to say great job on the site! It covers all the angles needed to get a good understanding of the game. My question is on straights. I was playing a game where I had 89TJQK, and my opponent had 9TJQK. Shold the pot be split? Does the fact that my straight was one card longer matter? Not knowing, we split the pot. Thanks for your time, and once again great job on the site! Jason P.
  • Breaking Ties For Flushes...
    Question: thanks for a great web site. here is my question. last night we were playing texas holdem and the five cards that were turned wereall hearts for a flush on the board. the first player had a queen of hearts and a 2 of diamonds. the top two cards in the flush that was on the board were a ace and king. the second player had no hearts in his hold cards. who wins the hand
  • Splitting Pot/Best Hand Questions...
    Question:1. I need to know when making up the best hand - do you have to use at least one card from the two that you are holding in your hand?

    2. If the best 5 cards are on the table-would you simply split the pot?

    Example: 2 pair on the table, 5 pair low and an Ace. In one hand is a 3 and 4 - the other a 2 and a 3. Would the hand with the 4 win?

    We have been looking for an answer to these 2 questions.......thanks!

  • High Card Question...
    Question:I came across a situation that hasn't occurred for me before... On the last hand of the night, the two of us that were left both ended up with nothing except for the same high card. So, if you both have Kings or something, do you then split the pot or do you start looking at the next highest card (and so one)? The other guy wins one way or the other, but there's a difference of whether he finished with all my chips or not ;).Thanks! Chris
  • Who Wins When no one has Anything...
    Question: Great website! My question is for at-home playing: the remaining two players held cards that had no significance with the community cards. For example, the community cards were 2c,4h,6c,Qd,9s. Player 1 held 7s,Ad. Player 2 held 3c,10d. How is the money then distributed? Is there even a winner? How does that work? Thanks!
  • Comparing straights and no limit all-ins...
    Question: I was playing some texas hold 'em with some friends and we ran into a few questions:

    1. If the community cards are dealt a straight, 5-6-7-8-9 and one player has a 5-A and the other has an 8-Q who wins and why?

  • Ranking two straights...
    Question: Great website! A quick question: how do you rank two straights and, in particular, two low-end straights when one has an Ace used as a "one" and the other does not, such as A2345 versus 23456? In other words, is the Ace always the high card, or does it depend on how it is used? This came up in a recent game...thanks! -Rick

Limit Texas Holdem

  • Betting related limit Texas holdem questions
    Hi, I have a few question about Texas Hold'em limit poker. I am trying to understand the precise order and betting structure especially when there are multiple all-in players and multiple side pots.
  • A Fish Drowning
    I would classify myself as a tight playing fish for two reasons. I've only been playing for four months and secondly I have been loosing. I play live in a $3/$6 game, typically with 8 to 9 players (mostly older guys and perhaps a couple of younger guys). My dilemma is reading the type of game being played and adjusting my game.
  • Postflop Play After Missing Flop
    Question: I was recently in a tight 3/6 limit ring game online. Only 2, possibly 3 players out of ten were seeing the flop. I was dealt AQs, AQos twice, KQs and KJos in the first 12 hands or so. Not once did I get any help from the flop.

    I bet the turn once with 2 overcards, but folded the rest instead of chasing my lone overcard. I lost the equivalent of 14 small bets but felt I could have lost 2-3 times as much if I bet/called to the river.

    My opponents, none pre-flop raisers had no problem betting into me, as I had raised pre-flop in 4 of the 5 hands. All were heads-up scenarios.

    My question is: Did I do the right thing by folding rather than "gambling to see the outcome of all 5 board cards? I didn't feel I was going to push any of them off their hands and not knowing anything else about these players, I was in the dark. I would imagine I lost to cards like J9 and Ace/rag; who knows.

    Any thoughts?

  • Loose Fixed Limit Games
    Question: What's your advice on how to beat limit games that routinely see 5-7 players limp into every flop, or 3-5 players 2-betting into every flop. I play good cards, and am tired of getting my big hands cracked by 75off.

    Rich Boles

  • 5 - 5 Limit Holdem Tips
    Question:

    Hi - I play texas holdem in Colorado where there is only $5.00 limited stakes gaming. The most popular game is 5 - 5 Texas holdem. The small blind is five dollars as is the big blind. There is a 30 dollar cap on betting per betting cycle pre- flop, turn and river.

  • Loose Aggressive Limit Holdem
    Question: I really, really love your site.... i think you should bound up alot of the advice into a book.. would be excellent.

    my question is this: have you ever done a column about playing in a limit game with alot of pre-flop raising (could be tight or moderately loose)? when i play in these games i find things very tough... i have checked the archive two or three times and never found anything (but the archive is very large now).

    thanks in advance,

    steve from toronto

  • Proving Yourself At Bigger Limits (short handed play)
    Question: Second time I have written to this site, and I have read absolutely everything here. Great job.

    I like to play a bit of every type of poker on-line (hold'em, full-table, shorthanded, limit, no limit, Omaha, Omaha H/L, Stud, tourneys, etc.), but my main game (biggest money winner) has always been shorthanded limit hold'em ring games. I got into a rut for quite a while and burned through my bankroll at .50/$1, tilting after being drawn out on many times.

  • Switching From No Limit To Limit Holdem
    Question: Hey, I love the work you do on the site, all the information is a huge help. I have been playing no limit poker for about 3 or 4 years now and have never played limit holdem. But in May I am going on a cruise and they have limit poker on the ship. So i was just wondering what I can expect to be different and if you have any suggestions on how to play differently it would be appreciated. I realize that more people see the flop in limit and bluffing is much less of a factor but I really feel like I have trained myself to play no limit. Betting strong, raising, hardly ever just calling whereas in limit holdem it seems that everyone calls and raises dont mean nearly as much.

    Thanks for your help.

  • The Button In Low Limit Holdem
    Question: I play some of the lowest limit hold em tables. (.05/.10 or .10/.20) It seems to me that opening up more on the button is only more important than middle or early because you play less hands over all. I understand that opening up on the button is important in higher limit games because you have more info. It seems to me when you play at this low of a limit, that all of the people are so inexperienced that they always check and call no matter how you raise. What I am saying is that if you are on the button, and you raise, everyone else will just call. If you are in middle position and limp, everyone else will just call etc. So-With that being said, is it extremely advantageous to open up only on the button and play tighter in other positions, or just play less cards all together? Seems to me that no matter what, there is no "respect value" in these games, and most of the time you are not going to be able to use any "technique". Regardless of what you do, everyone always checks and calls anyway. Please let me know your thoughts if you have time. Thanks.
  • Playing Against Raises In Low Limit Holdem
    Question:First off, great site and lots of great info. I read your section on the first page about initiating raises in low limit hold'em games.

    However, wondering if you have some tips for playing against raises.

    I've decided I'm pretty much a weak/tight player at my current level. I know what the good starting hands are and usually stick to them. I usually bet or will call bets when I have top or second pair or