Pre-Flop Strategy

The flop is the decisive point – from where there is no way back – in Texas Hold’em. As you wait to see the flop, you commit a fraction of your stack. If you do, you might lose your bet, but on the other hand, if you don’t you might lose a possible win.

As a result, your pre-flop strategy is vital in poker. You should how to adequately and intelligently play your cards before the flop and also the hit or miss which comes next. Below are just some simple tips in shaping your individual pre-flop poker strategy. Remember, that the actual situation will more likely need you to respond in your own way. Nevertheless, this will serve as a starting point from where to call your pre-flop playing decisions.

Fold Pre-Flop

Folding pre-flop is the simplest and cheapest way of playing poker. As you fold your hand pre-flop, you are practically not losing anything,  except if you are the small blind or the big blind, because your compulsory original bet is lost if you fold. Even though you are the small blind or the big blind, folding might still be the proper strategy, if it maintains your loss for that hand at the lowest possible level.
When is the time for you to fold pre-fold? Obviously, if you are dealt with bad starting hands or with pocket cards giving you reduced chance of winning, you should definitely fold. Usually, you should fold even if you already contributed to the pot - as the small or the big blind – and of course, you don’t want to lose the blinds.

Call Pre-Flop

When is the time for you to call in the round of betting pre-flop? Usually, poker players limp in when they want to slow play good pocket cards or are standing by to draw a good hand. In the first scenario, you just match other player’s bets as you want them to stay in the game and put in more money into the pot. In the second scenario, you want to maintain your costs as low as possible until you draw the hand you are looking for.

Bet, Raise and Re-Raise Pre-Flop

Typically, you bet, raise and re-raise pre-flop when you have good or impressive starting hand. With great pocket cards, you might try to steal the blinds pre-flop if the blinds are sufficiently big. You might also try to mount up the cost of seeing the flop to cut down the number of players and ensure your supremacy after the flop.