Straight Flush
In Texas Holdem, opening this type of hand will give you the second best hand with the Straight Flush, losing only to the highest Royal Flush. This hand is much stronger, comprising five cards of the same suit in sequence. It’s the best of both worlds, with characteristics of a straight and a flush.
Example of Suits
Spades: 5♠ 6♠ 7♠ 8♠ 9♠
Hearts: 3♥ 4♥ 5♥ 6♥ 7♥
Clubs: 7♣ 8♣ 9♣ 10♣ J♣
Diamonds: 2♦ 3♦ 4♦ 5♦ 6♦
Rules
In Texas Holdem, each player is dealt two hole cards and five community cards are revealed in stages. The aim is to create the top five-card hand from any mixture of hole cards and community cards. A Straight Flush is when a player has five cards of the same suit in sequence.
Chances to Get a Straight Flush
- One on one deal: 72,192 to 1
- Knowing one card: 1,316 to 1
Example Hand Play
Hole Cards: Let’s say you get 6♠ 7♠
The Flop: 5♠ 8♠ Q♣
Turn: The turn card is 9♠. Now, you have a hand of Straight Flush.
River: Any card. Sounds good… your Straight Flush! =)
Betting Considerations
Pre-Flop: Suited connectors like 6♠ 7♠ should be called or raised to see a flop.
Flop: If holding a big draw to a Straight Flush, be the first to bet or raise to build the pot and push out opponents.
Then: As you complete the Straight Flush, keep being aggressive and build up as much as you can.
Four of a Kind
Quad, another term for four of a kind, is an extremely strong hand in a Holdem game. AKQQx – Four cards of the same rank and then the kicker. Only Straight Flush and Royal Flush beat this hand.
Example of Suits
Four of a Kind – Four Aces: A♠ A♦ A♣ A♥, K♠ (Kicker)
Four of a Kind: K♣ K♦ K♠ K♥ + 7♦ (Kicker)
The reason the pair of tens is called «four of a kind. » Four of a kind, or quads, are four cards of equal rank.
Hand #1 — Four of a Kind, Fives: 5♠ 5♥ 5♦ 5♣ + J♦ (Kicker)
Rules
In Texas Holdem, each player is dealt two private hole cards and uses five community cards revealed in stages. The aim is to make the best five-card hand, using any combination of hole cards and community cards. When a player has four cards of the same rank, the player has four of a kind, one of the strongest possible hands in poker.
Probability of Four of a Kind
- On the buying side, you are looking at a higher than 1:4K from a single deal.
- Chances of being dealt pocket-pairs: 5.88% – approximately 1 in 17 hands.
Example Hand Play
Hole Cards: You are dealt 7♠ 7♦.
Flop: 7♥ J♠ 2♣. This will give you a Three of a Kind that can improve to Quads.
Turn: The turn card is 7♣. Now you have Four of a Kind.
River: Any card. Most hands cannot beat your Four of a Kind.
Betting Considerations
Pre-Flop: You might call, and you may raise instead with a pocket pair such as 7♠ 7♦.
Flop: Bet with a Set – a three of a kind – to start building up the pot and possibly scare away weaker hands.
Turn: As every sports bettor should know, getting Four of a Kind is rare; now it’s time to max the pot with an aggressive strategy on the river.
Full House
A Full House is a powerful hand in Texas Holdem poker made up of three cards of the same rank and two cards of another rank. It could take down some relatively large pots, so this is an interesting hand that is important to know how to play.
Example of Suits
- 3 | 2 Aces and 2 Kings: A♠ A♦ A♣ K♠ K♣
- Three of a Kind: Q♣ Q♠ Q♦ K♣ K♦
- High Pair: J♠ J♦ Q♣ 2♠ Q♠
- Three of a kind with two pairs: T♠ T♣ T♦ 9♠ 9♣
- FA: 5♣ 5♦ 5♠ 3♠ 3♥
Rules
Texas Holdem is the most popular form of poker, and to play, you need to understand the rules. Each player is dealt two private cards (hole cards), and then five community cards are revealed. You want to build the best five-card hand from any combination of your hole cards or community cards. Three of a Kind plus one Pair equals a Full House.
Probability of Hitting Full House
- 1 deal: ~693 to 1
- Flop full (with a pocket pair): About 1 in 1,100 (0.09%)
- Creating a full house by the river (with a set on the flop): 1 in 3
Example Hand Play
Hole Cards: Suppose you are dealt 8♠ 8♦.
Flop: 8♣ J♠ J♦. This is your Full House (eights full of jacks).
Turn: The turn card is 2♠. Full House still has you by the you-know-whats.
River: The river card is K♣. Well, you still have a great hand with the Full House, so make a strong play.
Betting Considerations
Pre-Flop: With a pocket pair (8♠ 8♦), either call or raise based on your general view of the flop.
Post-Flop: In case the flop brought you a full house, bet here to make the pot bigger and maybe fold weaker hands your possible opponents.
Flop, Turn, and River: You will win money, now is the time, if you kept betting also after the turn. If the board is clean, not containing rumors about another Full House or Four of a Kind.
Flush
A Flush is a very strong hand in poker and happens quite often in Holdem. A straight flush is five cards in a row of the same suit.
Example of Suits
Spades: A♠ 7♠ 4♠ 3♠ 2♠
Hearts: K♥ 10♥ 8♥ 6♥ 5♥
Clubs: Q♣ J♣ 9♣ 7♣ 4♣
Diamonds: 10♦ 9♦ 6♦ 3♦ 2♦
Rules
Players are dealt their two hole cards in Texas Holdem, whereby five community cards are revealed in stages. The goal is to develop the most effective five-card hand using any mix of the hole cards and community cards. A Flush is when you get five cards of the same suit.
Odds of Achieving a Flush
- Per deal: ~508 to 1
- Flopping a Flush (with your 2-suited hole cards): Approximately 0.8% or around 1 in 118.
- A flush (4 flush on the flop), which is completed by the river: About 35%
Example Hand Play
Hole Cards: For example, let’s assume you have 9♠ 7♠
Flop: A♠ 5♠ 2♥. This gives you a Flush draw.
Turn: The turn card is Q♠. Now you have a Flush.
River: The river card is 3♦. Your Flush remains strong.
Betting Considerations
Preflop: Call or raise with suited connectors 9♠ 7♠, but my preference is to raise.
Post-Flop: If you have a draw on the flop (example: Flush Draw), then put some money in the pot (bet/raise) to build the pot and fold out opponents with inferior hands.
Turn: Bet aggressively to build the pot after hitting the Flush.
River: Continue betting aggressively if no Flush or Full House-fillers are displayed on the board.
Straight
Having a Straight is a powerful and flexible hand in Texas Holdem Poker. This is 5 consecutive cards of different suits.
Example of Suits
A-high to 5 Straight: A♠ 2♦ 3♣ 4♥ 5♠
Straight 6 to 10: 6♣ 7♥ 8♦ 9♠ 10♣
9 to Tall Street: 9♦ 10♠ J♣ Q♥ K♦
Straight (10 to Ace): 10♠ J♥ Q♣ K♦ A♠
Rules
In Texas Holdem, each player is dealt 2 hole cards, and 5 community cards are opened in multiple stages. The game is to make the best 5 card hand using a combination of your 2 hole cards and up to 5 community cards. Five cards in numerical order, regardless of the number, and not necessarily from the same suits, form a Straight.
Odds of Achieving a Straight
- Per transaction: About 254 to 1
- Open-ended Straight draw on the flop: Around 10.5% (9.5 to 1 odds)
- Drawing to an Open-Ended Straight by the river: Around 31.5 percent
Example Hand Play
Hole Cards: Assume you are dealt 8♣ 9♠.
Flop: 10♦ J♥ 3♣. So you have a Hole Straight draw with no ends.
Turn: The turn card is Q♠. Now you have a Straight.
River: The river card is 2♦. Your Straight remains strong.
Betting Considerations
Pre-Flop: You may want to call or raise with suited connectors and low-to-medium connected cards (e.g., 8♣ 9♠) pre-flop to see the flop.
Flop: If you have an open-ended Straight draw on the flop, you should bet or raise to inflate the pot and force opponents drawing thinner to fold.
Turn and River: If you make the Straight, keep the bets coming to get the pot as large as possible. Keep C-betting or a large portion of the pot size if no Straight or Full House opportunities become apparent on the board.
Three of a Kind
In Texas Holdem poker, Three of a Kind (Trips or Set) is a fairly strong hand. Three of a Kind is made up of three cards of the same rank and two cards which are non-pair.
Example of Suits
Three Aces: A♠ A♦ A♣ 7♠ 4♣
Three Kings: K♠ K♦ K♥ 8♣ 2♠
Three Tens: 10♦ 10♠ 10♥ 5♣ 3♦
Three Fours: 4♣ 4♦ 4♠ Q♠ 9♥
Rules
In Texas Holdem, two pocket (or hole) cards are dealt face down to each player and then five community cards are placed in the center of the table in 3 stages. The idea is to build the best five-card hand out of hole cards and community cards. Higher than One Pair, but lower than Four of a Kind; in a single hand, when a player has three cards of a single rank.
Three Of A Kind Odds
- Per single deal: about 46.3 to 1
- Set (pocket pair): 11.8% or 1 in 8.5
- River 3 of a Kind (two cards of the same rank on the board): ~15%
Example Hand Play
Hole Cards: Say that you have been dealt 7♠ 7♦.
Dealer checks, flop: 7♥ J♠ 2♣. So you have a Set (Three of a Kind).
Turn: The turn card is 9♣. If you did have a straight or a flush, this would keep your Three of a Kind strong.
River: The river card is K♦. Although it is not as strong as the Three of a Kind, it is still a Three of a Kind.
Betting Considerations
Pre-Flop: If you are holding a pocket pair like 7♠ 7♦, then you should call or raise to see the flop.
Post-Flop: Bet to build the pot and maybe scare off other players with weaker hands while you still have a Set on the flop.
Turn: Bet aggressively if you still have your Three of a Kind, especially if the board has not shown any straight or flush draw potential.
River: Unless the board improves to a potential bigger hand, keep betting aggressively.
