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Irish Harp
Visit Jenny Glass to
learn more about Irish & Wedding Harp!
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Here's Another Reason To
Visit
TRINITY HALL
Every Monday Evenings
Fancy a game of poker? You can sit in at
Trinity Hall this Monday evening! We're playing Texas Holdem, the easiest poker to learn &
master. Its always free to play, but there's competition for the seats so make sure to
come early!
We issue the chips and assign your seat, and
the 1st game begins at 7:30 PM. At 9 PM we count chips, of those that still have some, and we take
the top 8 chip holders and 2 bonus seats to the Finals Table that starts at 9:30 PM. At 11 PM the
player with most chips on the finals table wins a Gift Certificate!
If you don't make the Finals Table the first
time, thats okay, we have another opportunity to play at 9:30PM. The 2 top players on the Bonus
tables get invited to play on the finals table next week!
So,
join us this Monday evening for practice & overview from 6 - 7 PM,
followed by tournament play beginning at 7:30 PM
Keep reading below for how to play instructions and additional resources!
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Holdem Poker Rules
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| Highest
hand wins || Players may use one, both or neither of their hole
cards to make their highest hand || Ace plays both high and low
for straights || Three raise limit per round ||
Cards speak |
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Card
Distribution and Betting Procedure
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Example:
$2/$4 Hold'em with a double blind.
At casino Hold'em tables, a round plastic marker called the dealer "button" is
placed in front of the player who would be dealing if a house dealer were not provided. The
button is moved one seat clockwise after each game and the card distribution and betting
starts to the left of that position. Each player is dealt two cards face down. Then, a total
of five community cards are dealt face up in the center of the table in three betting
segments (3-1-1). After all the cards are dealt the players make the best hand that they can
by combining either one, both, or neither of their two hole cards with five community cards.
Using the illustration above, a player holding a king and a ten would end up with two pair,
kings over tens with an ace. With this board, that player's two pair would be vulnerable to
higher two pairs, trips, straights and flushes. |
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. The betting procedure goes like this: (1.)
Before each player is dealt two down cards, the player at the immediate left of the button,
called the "Small Blind" is forced to bet $1 (half the minimum bet). Then the
player to his left and two seats to the left of the button, called the"Big Blind",
is forced to bet $2. Each player is then dealt a two card hand. Then the player at the left
of the big blind is first to act and he must either call the big blind's $2 bet, raise, or
fold his hand. Continuing in turn clockwise, all the players around the table either call,
raise or fold. When thebetting gets back around to the small blind, he or she can fold and
lose only the half minimum bet of $1 placed earlier, call the amount necessary to get up to
the betting level or raise $2 if there is a raise left. The big blind is then the last to
act before any cards are turned up in the middle. The blinds are played in the first round
only( 2.) The dealer turns
three cards up in the center of the table. This is the "Flop". As always, the
player at the left of the button is first to act. There are no more forced bets and the
players can all check around if they want to. Bets right after the flop are at the $2
minimum bet level. (3.) Now
comes the "Turn" card with more betting that now goes to the $4 level (4.)
Finally the last, or "River" card is turned up. The last $4 betting round takes
place. The players still in the contest reveal their hole cards and the highest hand wins
the pot. |
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Hold'em
Strategy
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General
Hold'em Strategy:
Hold'em is
basically HIGH card game. The players holding two good high cards have the best chance at
the best hand or a draw to the best hand after the flop. Only play strong hands, that will
stand a raise or multiple raises, from early betting positions. Play medium strength and
other playable hands from the later positions if you have a good chance of seeing the flop
at a reasonable price. Play strong high hands MOST of the time, and play them very
aggressively. Take all the raises you can get. If you don't thin out the competition, you
reduce your chances of winning. Plus, your aggressive play before the flop can add
credibility to any strong play you might want to use on the next round if a garbage flop
falls and you want to try a steal. Be ready to fold your high pair if you get a lot of
action with a threatening flop.
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Definitions:
HIGH CARDS - A thru 10 (Aces, Faces and Tens)
MEDIUM CARDS - 9 thru 7
LOW CARDS - 6 thru 2
SUITED PLAYER HAND (S) - Both cards of the same suit.
NUT HAND - An unbeatable hand. Sometimes called a "lock".
FLOP, TURN. RIVER - The community cards in the order of distribution. See top
illustration.
FAST PLAY - Bet, raise and re-raise to get as many other players out as possible.
SLOW PLAY - Just check or call along to keep other players in the game to increase
the pot odds.
CHECK-FOLD - Check when you can and fold if you are bet into. Gladly accept all free
cards offered. |
Starting
Holdem Hands:
The starting
hands shown here are in general power order groups with names that are easy to remember.
More precise power ratings of each of the individual hands is available on the "Best of
the Net" page, under "Texas Hold'em". |
The
Strongest Starting Hands:
PAIR of HIGH CARDS - AA, KK, QQ, JJ, 1010
ACE and HIGH CARD SUITED - AK(S), AQ(S), AJ(S), A10(S)
FACES SUITED - KQ(S), KJ(S), QJ(S)
ACE KING - AK |
Medium
Strength Starting Hands:
FACE TEN SUITED - K10(S), Q10(S), J10(S)
MEDIUM PAIRS - 99, 88, 77
TWO HIGH CARDS - AQ, AJ, A10 (ace king ranks higher, above), KQ down to J10
ACE and MEDIUM SUITED - A9(S), A8(S), A7(S)
MEDIUM SUITED CONNECTORS - 109(S), 98(S), 87(S) |
Other
Conditional Starting Hands:
LOW PAIRS - 66, 55, 44, 33, 22
ACE and LOW SUITED - A6(S), A5(S), A4(S), A3(S), A2(S)
LOW SUITED CONNECTORS - 76(S), 65(S), 54(S) (lowest) |
Strategy
Tips:
Fast play
high pairs and very strong hands before the flop. This puts more money in the early pot
and encourages weak and garbage hands to fold that could get a lucky flop and beat you.
Don't draw to the low end or both ends of a straight. If a 9 8 7 flops, you want to
be playing the J 10 and not the 6 5 or the 10 6. (The low part is commonly called the
"ignorant" end of the straight.)
Unconnected Medium and Low Cards are Usually Unplayable. This includes suited cards
that can't flop a straight. Both ends of a straight such as 9 5 fall into this very weak
catagory.
Play starting low pairs cautiously. 66 down to 22. Usually not from an early seat and
from the late positions, only when the price is right. If you don't flop a set (trips or
fours) you should usually fold.
Play aggressively when you have a two way draw after the flop. If you can make a
straight AND a flush or trips etc., usually bet/raise your hand.
Bet an Ace or two high overcards after a garbage flop (a three suit
"rainbow" with unconnected medium and low cards). Usually fold if someone raises.
Watch out for uniform flops, like 8 7 6, they can easily turn into straights that can
overtake your high pair or other good hand.
Check the raisers chips. Players that are close to all-in often rush the betting just
to get all their chips in a sink-or-swim last hand.
Beware of Suited Flops that can make a completed flush. In this case, you should
usually hold the nut in that suit, or have trips or two pair that can fill up..
Get caught bluffing once in a while. It is a way to vary your play and not be too
predictable. You win pots that you don't deserve when your bluff works. You lose a few chips
when it doesn't work but it will get you calls from weaker hands down the line when you have
a strong hand and need the action.
Study your opponents, especially when you are not playing hands and can pay careful
attention. Do they find more hands to play than they fold? Do they bluff? Can they be
bluffed? Do they have any "tells" (give away mannerisms) that disclose information
about their hands etc. |
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