Over-cards in the flop – the key to your success

If you love Texas Hold 'em, then you'll accredit these tips as the key to your success when you've taken home the pot. Get some simple strategy, and learn how to ensure victory at the tables.

Poker is a game of many strategies and approaches, and there is no one technique that can guarantee you consecutive wins; the element of luck is always present. However, there are several key decisions that you can make throughout the flop round that can bring you success in most cases.

Here are some of them:

Texas Hold 'em

Employ an 'over-card only' policy during the flop, and follow these steps:
1. If you are beaten to the bet in the flop by another player, and have an ace or two low over-cards, fold at the turn unless your hand improves.

2. In the flop, if you have an ace or two low over-cards, fold if someone raises your bet.

3. If in the flop someone raises your bet, and you have two high over-cards, call it. If you're feeling confident, check-call the bet.

4. Call a raise in the flop round if you hold a pair and high over-card, If it is raised and your hand does not improve by the next round, it is best to fold.

5. If in the flop every player checks, you can still bet in the turn round even without any over-cards. This is because in such a case, most players will fold.

6. When the flop contains an ace, it is impossible for players to hold any over-cards. As such, unless your opponents are holding pairs or an open ended straight, they will fold. Take advantage of this and bluff your bet.

7. A good way to check whether or not a player is bluffing his/her bet or raise, is by looking at the amount of chips they have left at the table. Chances are that if it is little or nothing, they are bluff raising or betting, out of the knowledge that going all-in will be required anyway in the next hand. In this case, don't fold.