Texas Holdem
In Texas Holdem you have several options when it comes to betting. You can fold, check, call, raise or re-raise. There are different scenarios in which each option is appropriate. Read on to find out more about how to bet in various scenarios.
The appropriate bet is determined by a few factors. The first is your stating hand. If you have a great starting hand such as Ace-Ace, King-King, Queen-Queen, Jack-Jack or an Ace paired with any face card of the same suit, then you should always raise in the pre-flop. The community cards that are dealt in the following rounds will determine your bets in those rounds. If the community cards don't add to your hand then you should probably call or fold if you get the feeling that other players have better hands than you. After all, a double high card hand is okay, but there are a lot of hands that can beat it. The only instance in which you should continue to raise is if you see that, from the community cards dealt, there is no way that any of the other players could achieve a higher-ranking poker hand than 1 pair.
If you have a very good hand and are confident that you can win with it then you should re-raise if another player raises the pot. After all, if you are confident that you will win then the best move is to get as much money in the pot as you can!
The other factor that helps determine the appropriate bet is your position at the table. If you are the first to bet and you have a weak hand then the best move is to check. Checking is sort of like passing. The bet moves on to the next player, without you having to call or fold. If the other players check as well then the next round of community cards will be dealt. It could be that these new community cards turn your weak hand into a strong one!
If you are not the first player to bet and don't have the option of checking with a weak hand then you may want to fold. If your current hand is no good at all and other players are raising and seem confident with their hands then there's no reason to stay in the game.
The more you practice Texas Holdem, in live games or online, the more familiar you will become with knowing how to bet in different scenarios. Keep the above tips in mind and you are well on your way to a successful Holdem career.
