When
to Fold
in Texas Holdem Poker
By
Jennifer Schwechten
Knowing
when to play your hand and when to fold is
one of the most crucial aspects of Texas
Holdem game play.
The decision to fold is one that must
be weighed at each stage of the game:
preflop, flop, turn, and river.
Preflop
Although
it may be tempting to play a mediocre
preflop hand, especially if you have missed
out playing several rounds in a row, folding
early is a critical strategy.
Players should only play premium
hands that have a high expected value.
As
a rule you should play:
§
Small pairs and suited
connectors more readily if it is a multi-way
pot (four or more players)
§
AA, KK, QQ, JJ, 99, 88, 77, or
TT
§
AK, AQ, AJ, KQ, QJ, or JT
§
T9 if they are the same suit,
or Ax if they are of the same suit
You
should fold if you are dealt:
§
Small pairs and suited
connectors more readily if three or less
people will be betting on the flop
§
Unconnected cards that are
off-suit
§
Suited cards if they are low
and not connected
Example
#1:
Preflop
is
Your
decision should be to fold these cards since
they are not connected.
Example
#2:
Preflop
is
Your
decision should be to play this hand since
you were dealt a mid-level pair.
Flop
Bets
during this stage will likely still be
small, so the decision to flop or play is
not as critical this round is it is during
preflop and the turn stage. Most
players will have a better idea of their
hand’s expected value after seeing the
flop, though, it is appropriate to calculate
the pot odds at this stage.
If
based on the pots odds, you think that you
can beat the pot, then it is advisable to
play the hand. If pot odds show that
you are likely to lose out, then your best
option is to fold.
The
simple mathematical formula for pot odds is:
(pot + bet) * (chance of hitting) >= bet
Example:
Preflop
is
Flop
is
Based
on the flop, you need just one more heart in
order to hit a flush. You know that
there are nine more hearts that are
unaccounted for, so you have an approximate
19% chance (9 hearts out of the remaining 47
cards) of hitting your flush.
If
the pot is currently $30 and you are up to
bet $10, the pot odds are ($30 + $10) * .19
= 7.6. Since the pot odds are less
than the bid, you should fold.
However,
if the pot is currently $100 and you are up
to bid $10, the pot odds are ($100 + $10) *
.19 = 20.9. Since the pot odds are
greater than the bid, you should continue to
play your hand.
Turn
A
lot of players automatically stay in the
game at the turn because they want to know
what the other players have in the hand.
Basing your decision to play or fold,
though, simply based on curiosity is a one
way trip to a loss. As with the
preflop, the decision you make at the turn
is a critical strategic move.
If
you call the turn, it only make sense to
call the river as well since it would be a
bad move to fold the winning hand on the
last card. Consider though, that by
calling the turn and the river, you are
investing two big bets (or 4 small bets)
into the pot. This is likely double
your total bets at the preflop and flop
stages.
By
folding at the turn, therefore, players with
weaker or questionable hands stand to lose a
little less than half the money they would
have lost if they played through the rest of
the hand.
Again,
the key is to look at the pot odds and
determine what you stand to win or lose
based on the preflop, flop, and turn cards
dealt. If pot odds show you have a
strong chance of at least breaking even,
then you should call the turn.
However, if pot odds are not in your favor,
you would do best by folding.
Example:
Preflop
is
Flop is
The
turn is
You
need a Queen in order to hit your straight.
The odds of the river card being a Queen are
8.7% (4 Queens out of 46 remaining cards).
If the pot is already up to $150 and your
next bid would be $20, then the expected pot
odds are ($150 + $20) * .087 = $14.79.
Since the pot odds are less than your
expected bid, you should fold.
In
this example, you should only place your $20
bet if the current pot size is $209.89 or
larger. To determine the minimum pot
needed to make the bet, simply work
backwards: (pots odds / odds of drawing a
Queen at the river) – your bet). So
in this case, ($20 / .087) - $20 bet =
$209.89
Another
important tool at this stage is player
reading. If you are questionable about
the strength of your hand, and there is
considerable betting and raising by other
players, it is likely that someone at the
table has a stronger hand. In this
case, folding early at the turn is
preferable to throwing more money in the pot
only to lose at the river.
River
Strong
Texas Holdem players know that the river is
not the time to be pondering the strength of
your hand. It is a rare occasion when
you should fold at the river stage. In
fact, there are only two exceptions to this
rule:
1
You missed a draw such as a small flush draw
2
There is so much active betting and raising
on the table that you know you have a losing
hand
Next: Playing
multiple tables
|
