No Limit Texas Holdem Real Money

Play this online poker game from Masque Publishing. Play two face down cards and the five community cards. Bet any amount or go all-in.

Poker


Small pocket pairs present an interesting problem for Texas holdem players. They look good enough to play, but most players end up losing money on them in the long run. Some of the best poker players in the world simply don’t play them. They’re dangerous.

Yet some players can play small pocket pairs profitably, so they’re worth investigating.

Small pocket pairs are any pair below nines. I realize that this may seem odd, but there’s rarely a difference between a pair of twos and a pair of eights. Neither of them is strong enough to win a contested pot, so you should treat them the same.

Take it up a step to get a medium pocket pair. A medium pair is anything from a pair of nines to a pair of jacks. You might win a few pots with a pair of jacks, but they can be hard to play profitably.

Before moving on, you need to understand one quirk about small pocket pairs. Their entire value is based on flopping a set. Regardless of what you think or feel, when you don’t flop a set, you must check and fold to any bet.

Never make the mistake of chasing a set to the turn or river unless everyone checks, and you get to see another card for free. A small pair really isn’t going to win a contested pot.

Playing No Limit Texas Holdem


Small pocket pairs that flop a set can be profitable in no limit Texas holdem. As a result, many players overvalue them, especially from early position. When you flop a set, you usually win a big pot. But when you lose, it’s always a big pot.

You want to avoid this situation. The worst thing that happens when you flop a set is when an opponent flops a higher set. You end up with your entire stack in the pot and almost no chance to win.

I admit that in some games playing small pocket pairs from early and middle position can be profitable. Nonetheless, most players simply aren’t good enough to recognize these situations.

Therefore, my recommendation is to fold all small pocket pairs in no limit play from early and middle position.

You need to learn from the mistakes of others, and this is a big one to watch out for. The first time you get into a pot for cheap, flop a set, and stack an opponent, it’s going to be a great feeling. Every time this happens it reinforces that this is a great way to make money.

If you’re not careful, you’re going to start looking at small pocket pairs as a gold mine. After all, you either flop a set and keep pushing or miss your set and fold. This seems simple enough. So, why not play them from middle and early position?

You need to track your play and profits from each position, which most players don’t do. This leads to costly mistakes. If you want to be successful, you need to learn from others’ blunders.

Quit playing small pairs from early and middle positions. It may seem contradictory because all you remember is the times you stacked an opponent, but the odds are high that making this play isn’t profitable. Deviate from this advice at your own risk.

Late position and the blinds have some of the same dangers, like facing a higher set. But in the blinds, your added cost to see the flop is lower. When I face a raise in the blinds with a small set, I usually fold. The only time I don’t is when I know I can get the aggressor to go all in when I hit a set. If there’s any question about getting them all in, or if they have a small stack, I just fold.

From late position, you have the advantage of being able to control the pot size to some degree. This alone turns an unprofitable play from middle and early position to a profitable one.

Once you flop a set in no limit play, you must master ways to maximize the pot size. Sometimes you can let an opponent lead the way until the river, and other times you need to raise earlier.

Your decision changes from game to game. It’s one of the biggest reasons why you should always observe your opponents’ plays as much as possible.

Playing Limit Texas Holdem


The discussion in the last section was about playing small pocket pairs in no limit Texas holdem. But what about playing them in limit games?

Your basic goals are the same. The only way you can expect to win with a small pocket pair is to hit a set. You also need to ensure the possible reward when you win is high enough to cover all of the times that you don’t flop a set and need to fold.

When you take everything into account, it makes it somewhat easier to offer specific rules for playing small pocket pairs in limit Texas holdem.

Confirm there’s enough money in the pot for you to profit. While your chances of collecting more bets yields similar to those in a no limit game, the best are capped by the table limits.

Instead of having the opportunity to get an opponent all in for 20 to 100 times your original bet in a no limit game, the realistic numbers are only four to 20 times your original bet in a limit game.

Because you can’t accurately predict what’s going to happen behind you at the casinos, just fold all small pocket pairs in limit Texas holdem from early and middle position.

What about late position and the blinds?

From late position, I prefer at least four bets in the pot before I enter with a small pair. This relies heavily on my ability to extract more bets when I flop a set. Nonetheless, in most hands with at least four other players, I can do this.

I also generally won’t call a raise from late position with a small pair. Even if it looks like four opponents will remain to see the flop, the bets on the flop are still at the smaller limit, and this restricts my opportunity for profit. While this may seem strict, remember that you’re interested in profitability.

This means that you should simply fold all small pairs in limit holdem unless you’re in late position, and then only enter an unraised pot with at least four other players.

The blinds are slightly different with a small pair than most other hands. From the big blind, if the pot isn’t raised, you’re in a good situation. Your bet is already in the pot, and you basically get a free chance to flop a set.

From the small blind in an unraised pot, you only must add a half bet. If at least three other players are in the pot I complete the bet with a small air. Otherwise, I fold.

When you flop a small set from the blinds in limit Texas holdem you should start betting immediately and keep betting at every opportunity. Forget about trying to get an opponent to make a bet and then check raising or trapping them. You can’t afford to miss a single bet when you flop a set.

If you flop a set from late position in a limit game, you should also usually bet and raise at every opportunity.

Online No Limit Texas Holdem Real Money

The only time this might not be the best play is on the flop.

If someone bets before you after you flop a set, you can flat call on the flop if you think it can keep more opponents in the hand for the higher betting rounds. But you should never do this with a dangerous board.

If the flop offers a flush or straight draw, don’t wait to raise an earlier bet on the flop. Because there can be a fine line here, I always recommend that beginning and intermediate players simply always bet and raise in limit holdem when they flop a set. When you gain more experience, you might be able to see situations where calling on the flop is more profitable, but if you’re not sure the best way to play is to bet and raise at every opportunity.

Conclusion

Small pocket pairs are hard to play in Texas holdem. For this reason, your best bet may be to simply fold them at all times until you’re an experienced player. But you can play them in some situations. Make sure you always fold them when you don’t flop a set and can maximize your return when you do flop a set.

While playing Texas Hold’em for fun can be…well, fun, it’s nothing like the real experience of playing Texas Hold’em for real money. Real Money Texas Hold’em is filled with intensity and drama that just doesn’t exist when you’re competing for play money chips. Whether you just want to casually play low stakes online poker for real money, or aspire to be a poker pro, Texas Holdem for real cash is where the serious action is. Take a look at the table below where we recommend the best real money poker sites below specific to your country.

Best Real Money Poker Sites for Players in United Kingdom:

Tutorial on Signing up and Playing Poker for Real Money

This video by our US poker expert Matt explains how to play online poker for real money. Matt will guide you through the sign up process and answer any questions you may have about playing online poker at your favourite poker site. While this video is geared towards US poker players it still applies to non-US players and is very beneficial for anyone new to playing online.

Where to Play Real Money Texas Hold’em

Texas

There are literally hundreds of different sites available online for playing real money Texas Hold’em, from the huge sites that you’ve seen advertised on television and in magazines, to smaller sites that may not have the name recognition of their larger competitors, but offer great features and incentives to those who play there.

Each of these sites has something different to offer to players in terms of games available, the bonuses they offer, and their incentive programs. With so many options open to you, you’re certain to find a real money Texas Hold Em site that feels like home. Check out the table above where you will find the top real money poker sites.

Advantages to Real Money Texas Hold’em

Playing online poker for money is where the cash is, so if you want to use poker as a way to earn some extra income, you’re going to have to play in real money games. But even for new players who are only playing casually, real money Texas Hold’em has several advantages.

First of all, players who wish to improve at poker will get way more out of low-limit real money Texas Hold’em games than they ever would from a play money game. The play will much more closely resemble the kind of play you’d expect to see in a competitive setting, and with real money on the line, you’ll be more likely to play your best game as well. Even if you’re not that concerned with improvement, though, real money Texas Hold’em is really the only way to get a true poker experience, since money is an integral part of the game.

Disadvantages to Real Money Texas Hold’em

All of that being said, there are some players who are best served by playing free Texas Hold’em instead of real money Texas Hold’em. If you’ve just learned the rules of Texas Hold’em, you’re probably not ready to jump into real money games right away (or if you do, you’d better be prepared to lose). Instead, playing free Texas Hold’em will allow you to get a grip on how hand rankings work, how the course of play flows, and other basics that you’ll want to be intimately comfortable with before you start playing poker online for real money.

In addition, playing for free is a great way to check out a new poker site you haven’t played at before. Instead of worrying about whether or not you’ll be happy with a site you pick, you can always jump in and play some free Texas Hold’em games first to see if you like the software client, features, and other aspects of a given site before committing. Once you’ve found a site you like, you can then make a deposit and move on to playing real money Texas Hold’em, confident that you’ll be happy with the experience.

No Limit Texas Holdem Rules

Depositing To Texas Holdem Sites

Two of the biggest of these online eWallets are NETeller and MoneyBookers (not available to USA). The advantage of using one of these is that players can hold all their poker money in a separate account and move the money between accounts quikcly and easily. For beginner players it is not as important but the majority of experienced online poker players will usually transfer money using these eWallets.

Newer players, like most recreational players, normally use credit or debit cards to deposit. Cards are an instant deposit method and are much easier to use as they do not require the setting up of any other accounts. eWallets require first setting up account, then depositing into the eWallet and then depositing from the eWallet to the poker client. Since the UIGEA bill was passed, many US poker rooms are having issues accepting credit card deposits from players residing in the USA. Be sure to check the TexasHoldemOnline.com homepage as we list all the US sites that accept credit card deposits.

No Limit Texas Holdem Cash Game

Cashing Out Texas Holdem Winnings

When cashing out, poker players are also presented with a large choice of options. Players may cash out to a large number of eWallets, direct to their credit/debit card or by bank transfer (credit card are normally not available to USA players where paper checks are the standard withdrawal option).

No Limit Texas Holdem Real Money L Money Games

Players wishing to access their money in the fastest time are recommended to use direct bank transfer. Transferring out to a card will take three to five working days. Transfers to eWallets take up to 48 hours to process; however it will take further time if a player wants to withdraw from an eWallet to his or her his bank account. The advantage of withdrawing to one of these accounts is that the funds are available to use to deposit in any other poker client immediately. This can be a deciding factor for a serious poker player that wishes to keep their real life bankroll separate from their poker bankroll.

Free Texas Holdem Poker Games

Many players who are just starting their poker careers, start depositing by card and withdrawing by direct bank transfer. As a player becomes more serious, they will usually start using an account such as Neteller to keep all their poker funds in the same place so there is no need to redeposit from a bank account.

Online Poker For Real Money In The USA

While 2011 saw the exodus of the two of the world’s biggest poker sites – Full Tilt Poker and Pokerstars – from the US market, there are still a wide number of options for players who want to play online poker for real money in the USA. Right now there are 4 poker networks that still take US real money poker players, including the Merge and Everleaf networks. Both of these long serving real money poker sites allowing US players have been around for several years and represent the top options for players residing in the USA who still want to play poker for money online.

Free Texas Holdem No Download No Registration