Texas Hold'em Strategy Guide

Opening Ranges

Your opening range should vary significantly based on your position:

• Early Position: Play tight with premium hands (AA-TT, AK-AQ)
• Middle Position: Widen slightly (add 99-77, AJ, KQ, some suited connectors)
• Late Position: Open much wider (include more suited Aces, all pairs, suited connectors)
• Small Blind: Similar to middle position if folded to you

Sizing Your Raises

Standard raise sizes vary by game type and situation:

• Cash Games: Typically 2.5-4x the big blind
• Tournaments: Often smaller, around 2-2.5x the big blind
• Against Limpers: Add one big blind per limper
• Out of Position: Consider raising larger to discourage callers

Responding to Raises

When facing a raise, you have three options:

• Fold: The most common response with weak holdings
• Call: With hands that play well in position or have implied odds
• 3-Bet (Re-raise): With premium hands for value or as a bluff with select hands

Position is crucial when deciding to call or 3-bet. In position, you can call with a wider range of hands, while out of position you should typically 3-bet or fold.

Blind Defense

When in the blinds facing a raise:

• Small Blind: Defend tighter as you'll be out of position
• Big Blind: Defend wider since you're getting better pot odds and only need to act once pre-flop
• Against late position opens, defend more frequently with 3-bets and calls
• Against early position opens, tighten your defense range considerably

Board Texture Analysis

Different board textures favor different strategies:

• Dry Boards: (e.g., K-7-2 rainbow) Favor the pre-flop raiser and big card hands
• Wet Boards: (e.g., 9-8-7 with two suits) Favor drawing hands and connected cards
• Static Boards: Unlikely to change much on future streets
• Dynamic Boards: Many cards can drastically change hand strength on later streets

C-Betting (Continuation Betting)

As the pre-flop raiser, you should consider:

• Betting more frequently on boards that favor your range
• Using smaller sizes (1/3 to 1/2 pot) on dry boards
• Using larger sizes (2/3 to full pot) on wet boards with draws
• Checking more often when out of position or on boards that favor the caller

Facing a C-Bet

When facing a continuation bet:

• Fold weak hands with minimal equity
• Call with medium-strength hands, draws with correct odds, and some strong hands for deception
• Raise with strong made hands, strong draws, and select bluffs
• Consider your opponent's c-betting frequency when deciding whether to float or raise as a bluff

Check-Raising

Check-raising is a powerful tool, especially from out of position:

• Check-raise for value with strong hands
• Check-raise as a semi-bluff with strong draws
• Check-raise more frequently on boards that connect well with your range
• Use polarized sizing: small for bluffs, large for value on draw-heavy boards

Double Barreling

Continuing your aggression on the turn after betting the flop:

• Bet again with your strong hands and continued draws
• Consider checking strong hands occasionally for deception
• Bluff on cards that favor your range or hurt your opponent's range
• Use larger sizing (60-75% of pot) compared to flop bets

Delayed C-Betting

Betting the turn after checking the flop:

• Effective when the turn card improves your range
• Can represent a wide range of hands
• Use when you check the flop with a medium-strength hand and the turn improves you
• Particularly effective against aggressive opponents who might bluff the flop

Pot Control

Keeping the pot small with medium-strength hands:

• Check back the turn with vulnerable showdown value hands
• Call with hands too strong to fold but not strong enough to raise
• Consider your showdown value versus the board texture
• Particularly important when out of position

Drawing Hand Strategy

With drawing hands on the turn:

• Calculate your direct odds and implied odds
• Consider semi-bluffing with stronger draws
• Be more inclined to fold draws without implied odds when facing large bets
• Remember that your odds of completing a draw decrease significantly from flop to turn

Value Betting

Extracting value from your made hands:

• Bet with hands that are likely ahead of your opponent's calling range
• Size your bets based on your opponent's tendencies and the board texture
• Consider larger bets with your strongest hands on non-scary boards
• Use smaller sizes with thin value hands that want a call

Bluffing

Strategic bluffing on the river:

• Bluff with hands that have little to no showdown value
• Target hands your opponent can fold but are ahead of your actual holding
• Consider the board texture and what story your line tells
• Bluff more against thinking opponents who can fold medium-strength hands

Calling and Folding Decisions

When facing a river bet:

• Consider your opponent's range and betting patterns
• Factor in the pot odds you're being offered
• Look for physical tells and timing tells in live games
• Be more willing to make hero calls in position against aggressive players

Showdown Strategy

When the hand reaches showdown:

• In position, check back with medium-strength hands that have showdown value
• Out of position, consider leading with medium-strength hands on safe rivers
• Be aware of which player must show their cards first
• Consider what information you're giving away by showing your cards

Line Coherence

Your betting lines should make sense across all streets:

• The hands you represent on the river should be consistent with your actions on earlier streets
• Mixing up your play prevents your strategy from becoming predictable
• Balance your ranges on each street to avoid being exploitable

Adapting to Opponents

Adjust your strategy based on how your opponents play:

• Against tight players: Bluff more, value bet thinner
• Against loose players: Value bet wider, bluff less
• Against aggressive players: Trap more, call down lighter
• Against passive players: Value bet thinner, bluff less

Hand Reading Skills

Develop your ability to narrow opponent ranges:

• Start with their pre-flop actions and position
• Narrow their range based on each action they take
• Consider what hands they would play similarly with
• Practice reviewing hands and analyzing opponent ranges