THE FLOP

The Flop: in Texas Hold Em the flop is the biggest moment in the hand as the majority of the cards available to you will be dealt at once.

The flop consists of three community cards that are dealt onto the table face up so everyone can see them. You, and everyone else, may use these cards to improve your hand. So if you had an A(ce) and a J(ack) for instance and the flop comes A, 4, 8- you will have the top pair available which is a pair of Aces. To see all the possible hands you can make please have a look at the table located here.

After the flop, you have a major decision to make at this point. This decision making defines whether you will be a sucessful Poker player or not.

The top players in the world make the correct decision the majority of time based on a number of factors they have learned due to experience (calculating the pot odds, reading other players, knowing the hand odds etc.).

Players who make the wrong decision the majority of the time will ultimately be losers as each called bet costs you money. Online Poker is particularly maths based as factors such as reading your opponent are not always possible to do, imosing a greater influence on the hand odds (odds of improving your hand) and the pot odds (the odds of you improving your hand in relation to the size of the pot).

As hand odds and pot odds are so important, make sure you thoroughly understand how they work. Below are some guides, tools and resources you may wish to use. Be sure to return to here though to continue learning Poker stratgey and the rules of the game because up next is The Flop Decision

How to calculate Poker Hand Odds

A basic Pot Odds Calculator

How to use an Odds Calculator to win more

Some free automated Poker Odds calculators*

*the automated Poker odds calculators are usually free when you sign up with a Poker site through them. Failing that you may take them on a free trial, or purchase a license.

Next, THE FLOP DECISION >>