There are many opinions and strategies used by successful players who are considered Texas Holdem poker experts. The first thing a new player should know for sure is what starting hands are considered the best and how they rank.

The rank is Ace Ace, King King, Ace King suited, Ace King unsuited, and then Queen Queen and Jack Jack. Of course players develop hand favorites like suite Jack Nine or a pair of sixes. This is due to the player having a favorable outcome in the past. Reading flops and the other players comes with hours of play. Sequenced cards in the flop are dangerous, as a player could easily have started play with suited connectors like an eight nine of hearts.

Suited cards in the flop could mean that a player could be playing for a flush or have one already if the flop ends up with three suited cards. It is a distinct possibility when the flop has four suited cards out of the five. When an ace is in the flop there is a good chance that one of more callers has a pair of aces or more.

Betting and table position of the players, is telling when playing Holdem. Early aggressive play of a hand may cause others to fold hands they should have drawn too. Raises over other raises should be noted and given credit if later the player raises again.

Playing a small pair takes guts and money unless you are lucky and get a third matching card in the flop. Strong betting can carry the day if the opponents have middle pairs at the end of the hand. It is hard to call a strongly betted hand with a middle pair like nines or tens.

One rule that all players should abide by is don't play if you are not willing to call a raise. Some players raise without any hand just to find out where they are in the hand and also to run off other weak hands.

Players who bet with conviction and raise with consistent merit will be feared in the play of any hand. All players should bluff every now and then. If caught, it may set up an opponent for a losing call later when you have a good hand.

In a live game in a casino there is a tradition of tipping the dealer when you have a winning hand. Watch what the other players do and match their tips.

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