When to Stay in Texas Hold Em
Three to a Flush
Here, with starters like king, nine and four of spades, you have up to a 20 percent chance of making a flush, but some tight players would quit unless they were dealt another spade on the fourth card. Usually it's worth staying for a fifth card, particularly if the betting is light. Starters like jack, ten and 5 are good because you have three to a flush and two to a straight. If you miss a diamond on your fourth card, but are dealt a queen or a nine, you will have three parts to a straight as well as three to a flush, which makes it worthwhile to go for a fifth card.
Three to a Straight
This can be handled like three to a flush. Nice, even if the suits are different, as ten of spades, nine of hearts, and eight of clubs; but nicer with two of the same suit, and jack of diamonds, ten of hearts, and nine of diamonds, as a diamond for a fourth card will give you three parts to a flush as well.
Pair in the Hole
A hand like ten of diamonds, ten of hearts and queen of spades is good and even better if your up card gives you a start toward a flush, as nine of diamonds, nine of clubs, and king of clubs; or a straight, as queen of clubs, queen of hearts, jack of hearts. It's tough, though, if some other player has an up card of the same value as your hidden pair, cutting your chance of triplets in half. A hidden pair is very nice to hold if you make a full house, as many players will figure you for a three of a kind and nothing more.
Split Pair - One Down, One Up
Some players fold on this, particularly with a low pair, like 10 of diamonds, four of clubs and four of hearts, as they think that staying on the visible four of hearts gives away the fact that they have another four in the hole. However, a high pair say six of clubs, king of diamonds, and king of hearts may convey that you have a low pair in the hole and are hoping to pair up the king of hearts to make two pair. If you do catch another king, you will have triplets, which can fool the opposition very nicely. If your split pair also has two cards toward a flush or a straight, you will have that much more reason to stay.
Two to a Straight Flush
Jack of hearts, 10 of hearts and six of spades is a potential prospect and so is two to a straight or flush; but you will need immediate help from the fourth card and generally from the fifth as well. Two parts of a mere flush or a mere straight are apt to be useless; so is anything less.
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