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Betting

Betting is one of the most important factors to master in Texas Hold'em. The old adage "Know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em" is true and the first thing you should know. Whether the game has a limit or not, you've got to know when and how to bet on a given hand.

One rule of thumb is to bet on a good hand, especially if you are new to the game. Once you are more experienced, you can use bluffing effectively as a means to win the pot. There are many strategies to betting in given circumstances, a few of which I will outline here.

The bet: This is a statement that you believe, or you want your opponents to believe, that you have the best hand. And you bet accordingly.

The betting begins after the dealer has dealt each player their two hole cards. Each player then wagers depending on the strength of their hand and this continues around the table. A player has a choice of whether to call, check, raise or fold, except in the first round, where the player must either bet or fold.

Blinds - The small blind is a required bet made by the player to the left of the dealer. The big
blind is a required bet made by the player to the left of the small blind.

When the bets are all made, then three cards are dealt face up in the middle of the table, this is called the Flop. Another round of betting is made, and the players who have placed their wagers, ( some may have folded ), wait for the next deal. The fourth card called the Turn, is dealt and another round of betting occurs. The final card dealt is called the River, and this
precedes the final round of betting.

Setting your limits on what you can bet is crucial to a good time and a good game. Know the table limits, or specifically search out a table that is within your betting limits. You can find games that are low limits, to no limits. Decide beforehand what your limits will be and stick to it. Gambling is no fun when you lose more than you can afford. If you start to get in over
your head, don't get caught in the trap thinking that you can win back what you've lost. It's time to walk away.


Another important term to learn and understand is Tilt. Everyone experiences this from time to time, and it's best to learn to recognize it and deal with it immediately. Tilt, is when you have been playing and things maybe aren't going so well, and you lose focus and start to gamble or play badly or even recklessly. When this occurs, it's time to take a break, get away from the game and come back at a later time. The game will always be there, and you'll be throwing away your money if you can't concentrate on the game.