Learn Texas Holdem

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.

We also don't go big blinds small blinds we play a set amount of cash every player has to put in every round. (ants?) The amount we usually play with is .25 wich every player has to put in, and max raise preflop is a little below 1usd after that it's no limit.

Seeing as this is not regular limit nor regular no limit poker it's quite a confusing task to find information on how to improve my game. So if you could perhaps give me some form of advice or some pointers on what to do and what not to do then that would be great.

Thanks in advance.

Answer: There is nothing wrong with playing differently than what is the norm. I think that structure you have would be a lot of fun. When you have lots of forced money in preflop, it leads to action. You get implied odds from the money already in the pot and this allows you to play more hands than normal holdem. In addition to implied odds, a lot of other basic holdem strategy applies to your games. If I were to sit in that game, I would try to see the flop as much as possible.

I wouldn't value raising much preflop, nor would I avoid other player's raises much. I'd be placing the value of my hands on how they hit the flop. Hands that will do well in your game are pocket pairs that can hit sets, suited cards that can make flushes and connected cards that can make straights. I would take a post flop approach similar to a game like Omaha where you don't value one or two pair very highly. You need big hands to win since so many opponents are in the pot.

Try to hit flops that give you flush or straight possibilities or other big hands. Be aware of what hands are possibly out there, like if there is three to the flush on the board, and avoid other player's good hands. Also, since there is so much money in the pot each round, I think you'll have the odds to see the turn card almost everytime. You might not have much on the flop, but the turn card gives you the nut flush draw for example.

These kinds of games will give you a lot of variance in your stack, you'll be up and down, and that is normal. Sounds like fun! One favorite game of mine is playing Omaha with no blinds, but antes. It's supper wild and you can play almost every hand.