No Limit Texas Hold’em strategy

So many books and articles have been written on this topic. From Doyle Brunson’s Super Systems I & II, to the numerous books by 11 time WSOP bracelet winner Phil Hellmuth to books by unknown authors illustrating how to play different hands at different monetary levels.

Everone seems to have their own take on what is the best strategy to win or just play successful No Limit Texas Hold’em. I on the other hand have just tow strategies. Both may seem simple but they take lots of work to perfect.

Strategy #1: Win the pot by having the best hand.

Sure it sounds simple, but you won’t always flop a royal flush. Hell, most players don’t see more than one in their lifetime. If you look at your hand in a statistical fashion and have the mathematic knowledge to back it up, you might only play hands that will always win. Then again, there is quite an element of luck in any poker game. This strategy is easy to use if you know how. Just look at the group form MIT who won big playing BlackJack in Vegas by using statistical strategies. Some luck there but mostly statistical equations solved in mere seconds in the minds of some very intelligent folks. But iif math isn’t your stong suit (no pun intended) then you may want to try my other strategy.

Strategy #2: Make your opponent believe you have the best hand.

Another name for this strategy is the “bluff”. Unless of course you are holding the best hand (hence strategy #1). If you play your hands like you have the nuts, an unbeatable hand, and your opponent(s) believe you, generally speaking you can get them to fold to your bets if they aren’t holding a premium hand. This strategy naturally doesn’t work if your opponent(s) are holding the nuts.

This, my friends, takes skill practice and a little knowledge of psychology. Unless you are at a game where you know all the players this can be tricky to accomplish. You must be a very observant player and look for tells (hints about what cards a player is holding). Tells are typically some sort of body language, eye movement or noice a player makes that give away the strength of their hand.

Once you have seen some of your opponents tells it can make your game much easier. Now I have to admit, I am a decent poker player, but my game is much more about observing my surroundings and other players than solving complex algebraic equations in an instant.

For example, I host a few poker games in my home every month. Just friendly competition, no big money and plenty of Bud Light. Since we’ve been playing with this group, I’ve always finished in the money, usually first or second place. Why? Maybe because at the end of the game I’m the only one sober enough to make sound decisions? More likely is the fact that I’ve been watching these players carefully over the past several months to recognize their tells and their play style. Its very funny to see their reaction when I tell them what cards they are holding! No Houdini or David Copperfield here, just an observant player.

So whether or not you choose to play No Limit Texas Hold’em using one of my strategies, keep one thing in mind, enjoy your game!

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