ChessandPoker.com The Hit Flops Chart	Under, Middle, Bottom Pairs	Top, Over Pairs	Two-Pair or Better
H-L-L/W	C-FR-CD	B-R-CD	C-RR-CD
H-W-W (no Ace)	C-FRR-CD	C-R-CD	C-RR-CD
H-W-W (with Ace)	C-FR-CD	B-R-CD	C-R-CD
H-H-L/W	B-FRR-CD	C-CD	C-RR-CD
L-L-W	B-CD	C-R-CD	C-RR-CD
L-W-W	C-CD	C-R-CD	C-RR-CD
H-H-H	B-FRR-CD	C-CD	C-RR-CD
L-L-L	B-R-CD	B-CD	C-RR-CD
W-W-W	C-CD	C-CD	C-RR-CD
TRIPPED	N/A	N/A	C-RRR
High Pair with Any	N/A	N/A	C-R-CD
Low/Wheel Pair with Any	N/A	N/A	C-RR-CD

Hitting the Flop

      Finally! Hand after hand of junk cards has finally yielded you a pair or better. But don't be so enthused just yet. While these hands are certainly better than nothing, they require more intimate care to bring them into fruition. The chart I have created here should guide you on how to do so. It is intended to be read left-to-right. The first column details every type of flop possible. The second, third, and fourth column indicate what play should be made based on the type of hand you have hit coupled with the Flop-type you are up against. I'll explain this more thoroughly now.

      The first thing you will need to know is what all those confusing letters mean!

      H stands for a "High" card. This is any card 10 or higher (10, J, Q, K, A). L stands for a "Low" card. This is any card 6 through 9 (6,7,8,9). And finally W stands for a "Wheel" card. While an Ace also technically qualifies as a Wheel card, it will always be considered a High card. So the Wheels are 2,3,4, and 5. "TRIPPED" of course means any flop that is three of the same denomination (such as a flop of K-K-K), and High pair with any and Low/Wheel Pair with any means that the Flop came with one of those types of pairs (for example Q-Q-x) and a random third card. It doesn't matter what the third Flop card is whenever there is a board pair as far as this chart is concerned.

      Let's go over some Flop examples. A Flop of A-9-2 is a "H-L-W" Flop. A Flop of K-Q-10 is a "H-H-H" Flop. Pretty easy, huh? Pay attention that Board Pairs have their own sections. Whenever there are two cards that are paired on the Flop (this means the cards on the board specifically, not if you are using a board card to make a concealed pair), such as a Flop of 6-6-2, you would look under the "Low Pair with any" section, not the "L-L-W" section.

      For the next three columns, there are different letters that apply. C stands for Check, not Call. Many people when reading the chart mistake the "C" for calling, when in fact they are being directed to "Check". CD in fact stands for a "Call Down". This means that you should continue calling all the action down, whatever it may be, until the next round. Don't worry, there are some safety measures in place! B stands for "Bet". It means if the pot hasn't already been opened by the time it gets around to you, then you should open it by betting. R, RR, and RRR, stand for, respectively, a "Raise, Re-Raise, or Third Raise (!)". And finally F stands for "Fold". When "F" is coupled with any of the "R's", it means you should fold to the raise indicated, if it gets to that. For example, "FRR" means that you should fold if the Pot has been Re-raised by the time it gets around to you. Simple, right?

      Notice that there are multiple keys listed in the second, third, and fourth sections and that they are seperated by a dash. The reason for this is that the plays here should be acted upon in that specific order, from left-to-right. For example, in the "Under, Middle, Bottom Pairs" section for a "H-H-H" Flop, the entry reads, "B-FRR-CD". This means that, for a Flop of A-K-10, you should either Bet if the Pot has not been opened yet, or if the Pot has already been opened, go on to the second listing, "FRR". If there has been a Re-Raise of the Pot when it gets around to you, Fold. If not, go on to the third listing, "CD". You would then call the Pot. All of the other entries in the chart should be read the same way. It is very critical that you act on your hand in the exact order listed as described by my strategy.

How to classify
What Type of Hand You've Hit

      Now that you know how to read the chart, I'll verify (if your stumped) what the second, third, and fourth column headers mean. An "Under Pair" is not something you need to put on before going out to get the paper (that's underwear). It is a Pocket pair (not one that uses a Board card to make the pair) that is lower than the highest card on the flop. For example, a hand of 9-9 would be an under pair on a Flop of Q-J-5. The Nines are lower than the high Flop card, which is the Queen. If however you held 9-9 and the Flop came 8-7-2, it would no longer be an under pair, but instead an "over pair". This will be covered below. But first, let's explain what a "Middle" or "Bottom" pair are.

      A concealed pair (a pair made with one card from your hand coupled with one card from the board) that is lower than the highest card on the Flop will be classified as either a middle or bottom pair. If your concealed pair uses the second highest card on the Flop, it is known as a "Middle Pair". If it uses the lowest card on the Flop, then it is known as a "Bottom Pair". For example, if the Flop was K-7-3 and your hand was Q-7, you would have a middle pair of 7's. On the same Flop a hand of A-3 would make you the bottom pair. Any pair that meets these three criteria (being an under, middle, or bottom pair) should be played as indicated under this heading for the Flop it is up against.

      For "Top" or "Over" Pairs, you will use the third column. "Top Pair" is made when you have a concealed pair that uses the highest card on the Flop. A hand of A-K with a Flop of A-7-6 would make you a top pair of Aces. An "Over Pair", however, means that you have a Pocket pair that is higher than the highest card on the Flop. For example, a hand of Q-Q would be an Over Pair on a Flop of J-10-4. The Queen's are higher than any card on the Flop. This is typically very good! Remember, though, that the same Pocket pair of Q-Q would not be an Over pair with a Flop of K-3-2. This is because there is a higher card on the Flop. The Queen's here would be an Under Pair as described above.

      And finally we have the "Two-Pair or Better". This one is self-explanatory. You have made, using both your pocket hand and the board cards, any hand two-pair or better. This includes the hands Two-pair, Three-of-a-kind (trips), Straight, Flush, Full House (boat), Four-of-a-kind, and Straight Flush. Whenever you make one of these hands on the Flop, this is the catagory you will be using. Now we'll move on to cover the Turn and River. Bookmark this page if you need to return to it for a refresher on how this chart should be read!

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