On the Flop - Limit Texas Holdem

What you need to consider when deciding whether to check, bet, call or raise

1. How strong of a hand did you flop (read Specific Holdings on the Flop)?
2. Number of players (hard to bluff in a 4 handed pot)?
3. Did anyone raise before the flop and, if so, who and from what position (expect a follow through)?
4. What pot odds do you have (the size of the pot vs. how many outs you have)?
5. What kinds of draws (if any) are on the board?
6. What kind of hands are the other players likely to have?
7. What position do you have (the later the better)?

Specific Holdings on the Flop

Top-pair with an Ace Kicker

• Most of the time you should value bet on the flop (and continue on the turn), as you often have weaker players staying in with weaker kickers or worse hands.
• Watch out for overpairs especially in raised pots.
• Avoid a check-and-call strategy by betting out, check-raising or raising.
• In order to protect your hand against draws be prepared to raise if someone bets.

Top-pair with a Weak Kicker

• If possible, try to bet out in order to find out if your hand is good.
• In an un-raised pot make a value bet and try to take the pot immediately. This is especially relevant if your pair is Ten or below, as almost any card on the turn will be a scare card.
• Generally, it is best to fold if you are raised.
• Consider how many opponents you are up against in an effort to clarify the relative strength of your hand.
• A possible flush, straight or a lot of draws on the flop will weaken your holding.
• Did the flop come with three high cards? If so, a two-pair and top-pair with a better kicker than yours likely exists.
• Avoid a check-and-call strategy by either betting out, check raising or raising.

Two-pair (pairing both hole cards)

• Generally do not slow play these types of hands. You should bet out /raise if the possibility arises.
• If the board is highly coordinated (two or three cards of the same suit and/or two or three connected cards), you should raise out the draws or make your opponents pay for attempting to outdraw you. One option is to wait until the turn and see if a blank hits and then raise/bet. This may work better in bigger pots since the bets are doubled on the turn and many players will call a raise on the flop when the bets are small.
• If you have hit two-pair with a "weak" Ace, let AK and AQ pay to chase. For example, if it is a raised pot and the flop comes A-6-2 and you hold A6, someone holding AK or AQ will usually give you a lot of action and will call to the end with only 3 outs for a better two-pair.
• If you hold a small two-pair, watch out for Aces and Kings in later rounds as higher two-pairs than yours will likely surface.

Overpair (pocket-pair bigger than the highest card on the flop)

• Bet or raise with this hand to eliminate your opponents and to protect your hand.
• Occasionally check-raise with this hand if you think an opponent will bet and your raise will force others to fold.
• If someone raises you, it is often best to re-raise. Most players will raise at least once with top-pair but only cap the betting with stronger holdings, therefore you can also gain information as to whether your hand is good or not.

Second-pair (pocket-pair in between the flop's high and middle card)

• Typical fold or bet hand. You can often bet to have weak/loose players chase on middle-pairs or draws. Your bet can also make more solid players fold weak top pairs or other non-made hands.
• Usually fold if there is a bet in front of you, especially if players behind you have yet to act.
• Again, always consider the number of opponents in the pot and from which position they are betting (if they bet).
• Avoid a check-and-call strategy, usually raise or fold if someone bets in front of you.
• Fold if you are raised.

Middle-pair with Top Kicker (Ace or, in some cases, a King)

• Typical fold or bet hand (see Second Pair).
• You should not find yourself in too many hands like this if you follow a tight strategy. There are not many situations in which you are playing weak Aces or Kings (see Starting Hand Guide).
• With this hand you hold 5 outs that can make you two-pair or trips. Consider calling a bet on the flop if you have pot odds and if you believe your hand will be the best if you hit.

Middle-pair without Top Kicker

• Folding is the best play is most situations except if you are heads-up.
• Again, avoid a check-and-call strategy. Instead, you should bet, raise or fold.

Nut draws with 8 outs or more (nut flush draws, two overcards and a nut straight draw, straight flush draws, nut straight draws)

• Rather than calling, always consider putting pressure on your opponents by betting, raising or check-raising. Play aggressively, especially when facing only one or two opponents who can fold a decent hand.
• With 12 possible outs (like a nut flush draw with an Ace kicker, giving you 9 nut outs and 3 top-pair outs), you will have almost a 50% chance of hitting on the turn and river combined (see Pot Odds); you should play aggressively in most cases to give your Ace a better chance of winning if you hit.
• Late position gives an extra advantage as you can raise to build the pot if there are many players in the pot. This might give you a free card (see Special Moves) if it is checked to you on the turn and your hand has not improved.
• Overcards - AK, AQ, AJ, KQ, KJ, QJ

• Fold these hands in most situations if there are several players in on the flop and you do not hit.
• Do not make a (expensive!) habit of betting this type of hand against a flop with face cards and several opponents.
• Do not draw to overcards unless the pot gives excellent odds and the board looks favorable (no straight or flush possibilities on the turn).
• Often times, when you hit one of your overcards on the turn, this card will give someone else two-pair or better. For example, if you hold KQ and the flop comes 10-8-4, a K on the turn gives KT, K8 and K4 two-pair. If a Q hits it could make someone holding a J9 a straight or players holding QT, Q8 and Q4 a two-pair.

Very strong hands on the flop (set, flush, straight and full house)

The most common way to play in this situation is slow-playing. This means that you will check-and-call if someone bets and then raise/re-raise on a later turn when the bets are doubled. If there are a lot of draws on the board for someone to make a better hand, then you need to raise and gain as many bets as possible while you still have the best hand.

Here are a few examples when you should not slow-play a flopped set, straight, flush or full house.

Very strong hand: Set (You hold a pocket-pair)

• When there are flush draws on the flop, bet/raise in order to make your opponents pay for attempting to outdraw you.
• When there are straight draws on the flop, again bet/ raise for the aforementioned reason.
• When the flop comes with big cards and it was raised pre-flop, your opponents are likely to give you a lot of action. As well, you will gain information as to whether your set is good or not, thus saving you bets on later betting rounds.

Very strong hand: Straight

• When there are flush draws on the flop, bet/raise in order to make your opponents pay for attempting to outdraw you.
• When there are draws for bigger straights on the flop, you should again bet/raise for the reasons listed above.
• When there is a pair on the flop, someone with trips will give you a lot of action and, if your hand is the best, you can make your opponent pay to outdraw you (a full house is possible).

Very strong hand: Flush (you hold two suited cards)

• When there is a pair on the flop, someone with trips will give you a lot of action and, if your hand is the best, you can make your opponent pay to outdraw you (a full house is possible).
• If you do not have the nut flush then someone giving you action is likely to be drawing to a bigger flush and the action will dry up if a fourth suited card hits on the turn or river. Get your bets and raises in right on the flop.

Very strong hand: Full House

• When there is a pair on the board and you hold the low set. You will get plenty of action from someone holding trips. By betting and raising on the flop you make them pay for drawing to a bigger full house.
• If you hold one of the pair cards and the low-card. Again, you will get a lot of action from someone holding trips and making them pay for attempting to outdraw you.

Drawing Hands (flush draws or open-ended straight draws to the high end)

• Go for draws where you only need one card to make a flush or straight.
• Generally, you should not draw to a straight if there are two suited cards at the table, unless you get excellent pot odds. You should count two of your outs (the flush cards) as dead, so instead of having 8 outs you have 6.
• Usually avoid going for a straight or a flush if there is a pair on the table because of the potential risk of a full house. You will need better pot odds than normal to draw.