One thing to be kept in mind while selecting a multi-table tournament is that it will take upwards of two to three hours to complete( depending on how far away you make it). You must also ensure that you get sufficient time to see through.

If you like the idea of tournament but if you are struggling for time a sit and go single-table tournament or a sit and go might be the solution.

For a ten-seat sit and go tournament, it usually takes about an hour to play, but a six-pack should be enclosed in about forty five minutes only.

Hold’em or fold’em?

A speedy guide to starting hands in Texas hold ’em is as follows:

Once you take your seat it’s time to start looking at some cards.

The first choice you are going to have to make at the table is whether or not to continue the play with the cards you’re dealt (your entire or pocket cards).

To start with, your decision to play or fold the hand should be based on 2 things:

1) Your cards quality.

2) Your position on the table.

In the fullness of time you will begin to identify other clues that will tell you whether a hand should be played by you or not, but if you start with a good knowledge and understanding of the two points stated above, that is, quality and position you’ll be well on your way.

Are the cards good?

There are no strict rules for playing hands,that is,what hands should be played and what hands should be folded in a game of hold ‘em. Given the right circumstances some of the most successful and triumphant players in the world will play almost any two cards. But until you’ve reached those flighty heights it’s essential to know and understand that some cards win a lot more than others.

There is a lot of information out there about the possibility of diverse hole cards winning a pot, without excluding our own handy guide. The more you learn, the more you become skilled at, the better you will get.

One thing that is to be remembered here is that the suited hands (where both your cards are of the same suit) are to some extent more valuable because there is a better possibility you will make a wash out with them.

Betting pre-flop Calling and folding pre-flop are appealing and straightforward, but can you say what does it mean when a player raises the stakes on the first round of betting? When should you think about doing the same thing?

There are many probable answers to the first question – the more you play the more you’ll know and understand and automatically you get to learn more about how unpredictable and erratic poker players can be. The most expected answer though is that the player has a premium pair: A-A, K-K, Q-Q or J-J, or ace-big: A-K, A-Q, A-J.