Flop play is very important in No-Limit Texas Hold'em. The key is to determine the relative strength of your holding. Over time, it is crucial that you develop the ability to release good hands when you suspect them to be second best. You must determine your relative strength and release hands that face a serious risk of being second-best. Betting is the natural move if you want to protect a good hand from being outdrawn or when you are presented with the opportunity to make your opponents fold their hands. You should usually "pump it or dump it" on the flop.

It is extremely important that you always evaluate the relative strength of your hand on the flop.

In order to decide the correct action, it is very important to keep several factors in mind:

• What did you flop and what is your relative strength (straight draws, flush draws, set, paired board, etc)?
• Who, if anyone, raised before the flop (often expect another bet)? What kind of player is it?
• What position do you have relative to the raiser's?
• Number of players (it is hard to bluff facing 3 or more opponents and there is a greater chance of someone hitting a strong hand)?
• Your and your opponents' stack size

When facing a bet you should fold unless you have good reason to doubt the strength of your opponents. As they are "setting the odds", it is crucial that you make the appropriate decision. Remember, your opponents can be holding anything from the stone cold nuts down to nothing - if your hand is decent it may very well be an underdog to a lot of likely holdings.

Of course, you will not always fold. In fact, every now and again you should play back with a raise when you have a good chance of taking the lead or if you think your opponent is weak. Consequently, you will be "setting the odds" and forcing your opponent to make a decision (and a possible mistake).

Typical Situations on the Flop

Here are four typical situations on the flop:

Very Strong Hand (top two-pair, set)

• Often slow-play on an uncoordinated board to lure opponents in, to induce bluffs or let them make second-best hands.
• However, if the board is coordinated and several players are in, you will need to over-bet the pot in order to make them pay for attempting to outdraw you. The bigger the bet they call, the greater their mistake. And that is how you make money in poker: letting other players pay to chase you.

Strong Hand (over-pair, top-pair with A kicker, etc.)

• Generally, bet about the size of the pot in order to protect it (for example, pushing out overcards and making draws pay).
• However, you might have to release this type of hand when facing an over-bet or a raise. In such cases, someone could hold a bigger overpair, a set or connectors that hit the flop for a two-pair. Usually you should not back top-pair with your whole stack!
• If you bet and are called in several spots you have to decide whether your hand is the best or not, as it is unlikely that all of your opponents are drawing.

Medium Hand (top-pair with a weak kicker, middle-pair with A kicker, second pocket- pair, etc.)

• Most of the time, you should avoid betting this hand when you are in early position, facing several opponents or facing tricky players who slow-play a lot. You want to get a free card to hit one of your pocket cards on the turn or maybe call/raise an opponent who bets from last position.
• However, if you are in late position and it is checked to you then you should bet.
• If you are facing a bet (or get raised) you should fold. You have no initiative and are probably chasing 2-5 outs.

Drawing Hands (nut flush or nut straight)

• If you have 11 outs or more and are drawing to the nut flush or straight, which requires at least one over-card (higher than any board card), you can mix up your game by betting/check-raising/raising in order to win the pot immediately or draw out on later rounds.
• If you are playing with "calling stations" this strategy has much lower equity as you will not be able to win a lot of pots with semi-bluffs. With this type of hand, one option is to check-raise/raise all-in if you have a short stack and the pot is fairly large. Then you have two ways to win, either by forcing your opponents to fold or by outdrawing them. You have between a 33-53% chance of doing so if the outs are between 8 and 14.
• Sometimes it is correct to call a bet on the flop because of the existing implicit odds. This play is directed by the size of your stack and your opponents’ stacks and also by the size of the bet. If a weak player with a lot of money bets and you too have a large sum of money, a call would be good since you might double-up if you hit on the turn.

Specific Holdings at Flop Play

Non-vulnerable "monsters" (four of a kind, nut full house, nut flush, nut straight)

• With this type of flop your main concern is how to play in order to get the maximum pay-off.
• Build the pot if no one is taking initiative (often with small bets/raises to give pot odds). When betting 30-50% of the pot in multi-way pots, a lot of players will call/raise with draws and other weaker holdings.
• If you need to be active to build the pot, be sure to leave ample room for opponents to make a move/bluff.

Vulnerable "monsters" (low full house, non-nut flush, non-nut straight)

• This hand can be played profitably either by slow playing until the turn (if the turn card still leaves you with a great hand) or by "jamming it" on the flop.
• If you decide to jam it on the flop be prepared to back the hand with your whole stack.
• Sometimes a better strategy is to wait until the turn card and see if a blank hits. If so, you reveal the true strength of your hand on the turn. A disadvantage with this play is that you allow people to outdraw you on the turn by hitting a bigger flush, straight or full house. Also, the action dries up quickly when a fourth suited card hits or it is only one card to a straight on the turn. Therefore, it is important not to get "married to the hand" in case a bad card hits on the turn.

Top/Middle/Low Set (trips using pocket-pair)

• If the board is highly coordinated (2/3 cards in same suit and/or 2/3 connected cards), you have to make a stand and try to shut people out immediately, as almost any card on the turn will be a scare card. Several players may be chasing, so over-betting the pot at 200-300% is not wrong. If someone has already flopped a straight or flush you still have an approximate 34% chance of improving to at least a full house.
• If the board is uncoordinated you can set up a slow-play by calling or betting modestly and attempting to lure people in. Betting modestly works best if some cards are in the "playing zone" (for example, 9 and up) as someone usually has a decent holding.
• Remember, with a "monster" hand you want to leave room for players to try to bluff you as long as you are not in great jeopardy of being outdrawn. Always consider which types of opponents remain in the pot.

Top two-pair or top and bottom-pair (pairing both hole cards)

• Play is quite similar to playing flopped sets
• Slow-play this hand, often with a modest bet or call (you might get well paid off on later betting rounds).
• If the board is highly coordinated (2/3 cards in same suit and/or 2/3 connected cards), you usually want to punish the drawing hands. Over-betting the pot is not wrong if there are several opponents
• If you have hit with a "weak" Ace, let AK and AQ pay to chase.

Bottom two-pair

• You need to protect this pot by betting and raising. This hand looks strong but is in the vulnerable position of being outdrawn. Generally, you hit this type of hand with connected cards, which always makes at least a straight-draw possible. For example, if you hold 98s and the flop is K-9-8, any K, Q, J, T, 7, 5 that hits on the turn will be a scare card and, if you add a flush-draw, it becomes even worse.
• Watch out if the board pairs on the turn (and you do not make a full house) as someone holding an over-pair has made a better two-pair than yours or it could give someone trips.

Overpair (pocket-pair above highest card on the flop)

• To extract more money in an aggressive game, often look to slow-play high over-pairs (AA-KK) by limping, calling or making modest bets in the hope of re-raising someone before the flop. With the big pairs, you want to avoid taking flops with more than one or two opponents.
• If the board is uncoordinated and you are up against one or two opponents, consider slow-playing your over-pair.
• If you have a medium overpair the situation is quite different. You want to win the pot on the flop, as your hand is vulnerable to overcards hitting on the turn.
• Watch out for flops like 9-8-7, T-9-8 and J-10-9, especially if they come with flush draws. Anyone who gives you a lot of action on this kind of flop is likely to either have you beat or is about even-money to outdraw you.

Top-pair, Ace Kicker

• Most of the time bet on the flop (and continue on turn) as you often have weaker players staying in with weaker kickers or worse hands. Make sure to bet about the same amount as the pot if the board is coordinated in order to protect your hand.
• Again, there is a huge difference between a flop like K-7-3 rainbow and K-J-9 with a flush draw when you hold AK. In the first case you should consider slow-playing the hand and, in the second case, you have to give action on the flop as almost any card on the turn will be a scare card.
• For instance, you hold AT and the flop is T-7-2. You want to win the pot on the flop or force hands like 89, T9, JT, QT and KT pay to chase you. In addition, any 6, J, Q or K on the turn will be a scare card.

Top-pair, Weak Kicker

• In an un-raised pot, make a normal bet to take the pot if your hand is the best. If there are four players or more involved in the pot, consider giving it up without a fight.
• Generally, you should fold when facing a pot-sized bet from a tight player if there is a decent chance that you are out-kicked or (sometimes) facing an over-pair. Be extra cautious to call if there are many players left to act, as you cannot afford to take any heat.
• Avoid getting heavily involved with this type of hand unless you have a lot of additional value, like a straight draw and a flush draw. For instance, you are holding 89s and the flop is 6-7-8 with two cards of your suit. Although you only have top-pair with a weak kicker, be prepared to back your hand with your entire stack. This hand gives you 20 outs (!) to outdraw someone holding AA, thus making you the favourite to win.

Second-pair (pocket-pair between the flop's high and middle card)

• Typical fold or bet hand.
• If you have late/last position with no more than two opponents that checked the flop, you should bet an un-raised pot. Weak/loose players who chase could chase on middle-pairs or draws. Tight players might fold weak top-pairs or other non-made hands.
• Fold if a strong player bets in front of you, especially if players behind you are left to act.
• When betting, in most cases you should release your hand if you get raised. The only exception is when you strongly suspect that a weak/aggressive player is drawing. You should then re-raise or call and wait to see what unfolds on the turn.

Middle-pair, Ace Kicker

• Bet out or check-fold, depending on the board, players and number of opponents.
• If you are last to act and it is checked to you, consider betting.
• This situation arises quite frequently when you are playing the Axs hands. It is important not to get heavily involved on this type of flop.
• With the Axs hands you want to hit two-pair, trips, a pair and the nut flush draw, etc. Then you can trap weaker flushes, AK (when you hold two-pair) and trips with a weaker kicker than the Ace.

Middle-pair, Weak Kicker

• When there are only two or three players in the pot either check-fold or make a position bet when checked to you.
• Sometimes take a free card when it is checked to you in the hopes that you hit at least two-pair.
• Fold if an opponent bets.

Third-pair (pocket-pair below the flop's second card)

• Either check-fold or make a position bet when checked to you and there are only two or three players in the pot.
• Sometimes take a free card when checked to you in the hopes that you hit at least two-pair.
• Fold if an opponent bets.

Low-pair, Ace Kicker

• Fold to any action. You might be chasing two outs (for trips) as the Ace can make an opponent a higher two-pair. Either way, you only have 5 outs at best.
• If you decide to bet, it should be solely on "bluff merits" (few players, position, no face cards on the flop, etc.).

Low-pair with Low Kicker

• Fold to any action.
• Do not position bet .
• Bet or check when checked to you in last position depending on the circumstances.

Nut draws with 9 outs or more (ace flush draw, two over-cards and a straight draw, straight flush draw)

• Instead of calling, always consider putting pressure on your opponent by betting, raising or check-raising. An aggressive move is preferred against only one or two opponents who can fold decent hands. With 12 outs (such as a flush draw with an Ace kicker, giving you 9 nut outs and 3 top-pair outs), you will have an almost 50% chance to hit on turn and river combined. By putting an opponent all-in on the flop, you will often make money as you are almost even-money if called and you have a good chance of winning the pot on the flop. But remember to set your opponent all-in and do not call all-in.
• Late position gives extra advantage with this type of hand, as you can decide whether to re-raise, bet, check, call or fold depending on the action in front of you.
• If you are short-stacked and the pot is decent sized consider moving all-in, even if you are the first to act.
• Note: to call a 75% pot bet heads-up, pot odds of over 30% (14-15 outs) are required. Even counting "implicit pot odds" with potential extra winnings on the river, you still do not like a heads-up bet of more than 80%.
• Remember to draw for the nuts. Be certain not to "draw dead" against the nuts.

Non-nut draw with 9 outs or more

• Be prepared to fold your non-nut draw, particularly in raised multi-way pots. You do not want to chase and end up loosing your entire stack if you hit.
• For the most part you should avoid betting or chasing on a second or third-best draw, especially on flush draws where you may frequently find yourself up against a suited Ace.
• With a second-best draw you can make a decent bet in an un-raised pot by trying to win it right away.

Non-nut draws with 8 outs or less

• Do not chase as you have low pot odds and might be "drawing dead". You want to see the turn as cheaply as possible and find out if you make your hand.
• Raise, bet or fold depending on the board, players, actions and number of opponents. Do not call off your money.

Overcards - AK, AQ, KQs, AJs

• These hands should be played with caution against both strong and weak opposition. Strong players know that you, as a tight player, will often be holding overcards when the flop comes with low cards. This makes you susceptible to steal raises from the good players and the weak players will call/chase down with mediocre holdings.
• If the board comes with no face cards (Ace, King, Queen or Jack), you can bet about 70-80% of the pot as a bluff/semi-bluff, representing an over-pair. In particular, you should follow through as the pre-flop raiser against no more than two opponents.
• Avoid making it a (expensive!) habit to bet this hand against suited/connected flops with no face cards and several opponents. You will loose money and "bluff equity", to be used when better served.
• Remember that your overcards might still be the best hand against one or two opponents with a flop of rags.