Gamblers Anonymous (UK) Website

Introduction to Texas Holdem

1. EMOTIONS

2. CHIP MANAGMENT ON THE FIRST OFF

3. ADVERSARY

4. POWER OF THE SMALL STACK

1.  EMOTIONS 

An important trait to have, to be any good or to improve your game in Texas holdem no limit/limit, is your emotions must be under control at all times. From the very off, the middle and final table. Its hard work mentally and physically for a possible 3 to 4hrs depending how long a tournament can last. You don’t want to spoil all that hard work from the early stages going on Tilt [an expression used to say a player has lost it through bad luck and frustration]

Your emotions will have to improve with your game at the same pace and can only be done through experience against good and bad players you will meet along the way, some you will get to detest, some you will make good friends.

Everyone is different to how they will react when the game is on, it’s only human.  But if you don’t get your temperament under control now matter how good you get, you will lose.

2. CHIP MANAGEMENT ON THE FIRST OFF 

This is a difficult one, which can only be done through hours of play. And if you get to the higher stages of the blind, as you may know the starting blinds are 20 chips and work their way up to 15000 or more excluding the antes [see rules]. Its easier not to be afraid in the early stages of a 40 chip raise even a 100, but when it’s a 600 raise preflop or more on the turn or river, it can effect your game decisions, even though you've a good hand, and a good position. If a player is on tilt against you or even bluffing, you have to go with your instinct. Some sites have play money games which is the best option to learn this, or free roll games where you enter a tourney with out a fee. People play more loose in these games than a real money game, sooner or later you will with experience behind you, want to enter your first real money game . That in its self is a different ball game all together, it’s better to lose and learn for free, than lose a lot of real money at a far better price.

Most sites start off with 1000 - 1500 on chips, and in the early stages you want to keep a tight grip on your stack. Players will go all in on any A? Kicker at the start just to build up their stack at your expense, don’t be drawn in unless you have a decent hand to challenge it. If it’s not worth raising with it, don’t risk it. let Mr x play loose to win everything , what you need to do is build up your stack with out too much risk , once your over 3000 in chips in the early stages then you can take moderate chances against a poor player or chancer . Get to know your table and how certain players play their hands. Sooner or later you will be moved to another table which can happen at anytime. You will have to learn to acclimatize from your first table to the final one.  So learn not to be afraid of using your chips in betting and betting against you, [never be afraid to lose or rise] or let it affect your natural game play. If your going to play your first real money game then start on the low 1 dollar games, you never know you may win first prize which is around 175 dollars, then from that, you can enter a 5 dollar one etc and your playing from your winnings rather going in debt, which as you know can be a hole you may find difficult to get out of, where is the fun in that?  Play only to your money limits!!

So manage your temperament, manage your chips, manage your risks and your on your way.