Trash Hands at Online Texas Hold'ems

I define a trash hand as a hand that has no pairs, no straight or flush draws, and
does not have two overcards. For example A♣ 7♣, 7♥ 4♥, or K♠ 8♦ with a Q♦ T♥ 5♠
flop. The only time when trash hands are playable is when you are against one or
two opponents and you believe a poker bluff can be successful. Sometimes ace high is
the best hand, which might even justify a bet.
Let’s look at some examples of when playing trash hands might be profitable.
Sometimes bluffing out of the blinds can be profitable with an all rag flop, or when
there is a rainbow flop with only one high card. For example, you are in the big blind
with an 864 flop against two early position callers. Betting out might win the pot. as
it is unlikely this flop helped your opponents.
Another example is with a Q53 flop and you are in early position with AT. You might
bet out into one or two opponents representing a pair of queens hoping that they
fold. When the flop is two-suited, two-connected, or has two high cards, be less
inclined to make these types of bluffs, as it is more likely that your opponents either
have a hand or have a draw. The exception to this is when you are acting last and
both of your opponents have checked. In this case, bluffing may be successful
since your opponents have indicated weakness and they might suspect that you
were the one helped by the flop.

Internet Tip
You will find yourself in small blind versus big blind situations a lot more on the Internet than you would in a live game since in a live game you often "chop." Bluffing with trash hands in these situations can often be profitable. If neither player raised preflop, you only have to win once every three hands for bluffing to break even; therefore, betting out the flop from either the small blind or big blind cart often be successful.
There are many different scenarios when bluffs might work, but be careful in playing
these trash hands. Remember, bluffing is risky when you don’t have many outs.
Also, bluffs against three or more opponents are rarely profitable with these types of
hands. Hopefully, these chapters on the flop have covered most of the common situations
you will find yourself in. Although it is impossible to cover every situation, you
should now have a good background to be able to evaluate any situation that might
arise. One thing to remember is that there are always a wide variety of strategies
available to you. Sometimes two strategies could have an equal expectation. For
example, sometimes calling has a break-even expectation, so this is the same as
folding. Remember to vary your play so that your observant opponents aren’t able
to read you like a book, and pay close attention to your opponents so that you can
begin to learn their betting patterns. The more you understand the betting strategies
of your opponents, the better decisions you can make when you play against them.
If you have the discipline to play good starting hands and you have a good
understanding of how to play the flop, you should be a profitable player. Now we
move to the turn and river where mistakes become more costly, but if you have
played well up to this point, you should be getting the best of it)

Texas Hold'Em Online Poker Lingo

• Bad Beat: When you lose a hand despite having strong odds that supposedly should have been in your favor. For example, if you were holding pocket Aces against a player holding pocket 2s, and your opponent ended up beating you by hitting another 2 on the last card, you would have suffered a bad beat.
• Big Slick: Refers to holding an Ace and King as your two pocket cards.
• Blinds: Texas Holdem is based on what is called a blind structure, meaning that two players at dealer's left-most side must place a bet before seeing their cards. Since they are forced to bet without seeing their cards, or are playing blind, those bets are called "blinds".There are two blinds, the big blind and the small blind. The small blind position must post half the minimum bet and sits immediately to the left of the dealer. The big blind must post the full minimum bet, and sits immediately to the left of the small blind, two seats to the left of the dealer. As the deal rotates around the table, each player takes turns posting the small blind and the big blind bets. This blind structure forces the action on the table since there will always be a pot to win. So, for example, if you are seated at a $1-2 limit hold'em table, the small blind must post $.50 and the big blind must post $1 bet. As play rotates around the table, each player may choose to call that $1 bet, raise, or fold. When it's the small blind's turn, that player only needs to call $.50 to play the hand.
• Board: This refers to the community cards dealt face up on the table. In Texas Hold'em, there will ultimately be five community cards on the board, not including the two pocket cards dealt to each player.
• Button: Also called the "Dealer's Button", this is a white puck that indicates the dealer's position on the table. The Dealer Button rotates around the table, so each player takes turns being "on the button".
• Check-raise: The act of checking a hand, in hopes of luring your opponent to bet, so that you may then raise over him and build a bigger pot to win.
• Flop: This is when the first three community cards are dealt on the board. The fourth card is called the turn, and the final, fifth card is known as the river.
• Flush Draw: A hand where you have 4 of the 5 cards needed to make a flush. For example, if you are holding two clubs, and the board flops two more clubs, you would be holding a flush draw. You would need to draw an additional club to complete the flush.
• Gut Shot: A hand where you have 4 of the 5 cards needed to make a straight, but your 4 cards are not in sequence, and you need a single card in the middle of your straight to complete the straight. This type of hand is also known as "inside straight draw".
• Kicker: This is your tie-breaking card. For example, if you hold an Ace and King, and the board shows Ace, 5, 8, 2 and 6, you will have a pair of Aces with a King kicker. Your opponent may also hold an Ace, but with a weaker kicker, in which case you win the showdown.
• Limp: To limp into a Texas Holdem hand refers to calling the minimal bet to play your hand.
• Maniac: This is a player who plays ultra-aggressively, making big bets on poor cards, throwing money around in the hopes of winning by bluffing and intimidation. Important: A maniac may be a big source of profits!
• Muck: The act of folding one's hand without showing the cards
• Nuts/ Nut Hand: This is the best possible hand at that particular moment. In other words, there is no hand that you can lose to at that moment.
• Pocket Rockets: Also known as American Airlines, because it implies that you are holding two Aces as your pocket cards. Double A or AA, get it?
  
• Rake: This is the commission the house takes from every pot. The rake can be set dollar amounts or a percentage of the pot, depending on the casino.
• Semi-bluff: The act of betting on your hand when your hand is not made yet. So if you have four cards to a straight or flush and you place or raise a bet, you have a chance of bluffing your opponent out of the pot or hitting the card to complete your hand.
• Slow Play: The act of intentionally under-playing a very strong hand in the hopes of tricking your opponent into thinking that he/she has done you in, which leads to him/her betting more in later rounds.
• Smooth Call: The act of just calling a bet or raise with a very strong hand to conceal your strength and keep the attention on the initial raiser.
• Stone Cold Bluff: The act of betting with no real possibility of winning the hand if your bet is called. In other words, you rely on your opponent folding.
• Tilt: This refers to a player who is angry, upset, or emotionally unstable, affecting his/her game in a negative manner.

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