Poker Veteran of 50 Years: It’s All About The Flop

It is often said that Texas Hold’em, the most popular of all poker games, is easy to learn and play but takes a lifetime to master.

In Hold’em, your goal is to make the best possible hand using five of the seven cards dealt.

Of the seven cards, only the first two hole cards are yours. The rest are community or common cards, which are dealt face-up in the center of the table and used by all the players. 

It all starts with the Flop — the first three common cards. The Flop is such a central part of your hand — instead of calling the game Texas Hold’em, they would have called it Texas Flop — if that didn’t sound too much like a hotel or a dance.

The Flop is a bit of magic waiting to happen. It can make or break any hand.

The Flop — which represents 3/5^th of the board — can in a mystical, supernatural way transform any hand into the nuts, or make the best Pre-Flop hand worthless. 

It can turn coal into diamonds or gold into dust.

Knowing that, you should embrace the Flop as a friend and try to see as many as you can. No hand should be off-limits Pre-Flop if they are reasonable enough to play. After all, the Flop increases your hand possibilities by 60% and, if you miss, it’s easy enough to fold.

Depending on your position at the table and the action before you, combined with your comfort playing the cards you are dealt, you can determine which hands you’ll choose to see a Flop with. You’ll want to consider: What does the optimal Flop for your hand look like? What would be the worst Flop for your hand? If the Flop did not improve your hand, how likely did it help or improve your opponent’s hand?

Always keep in mind that if your opponents don’t get to see a Flop, they can’t beat you.

RELATED: Blackjack vs. Poker: Which game has the best odds?

Learning to recognize the benefits and dangers of certain Flops, and the endless possibilities they can bring, might be key to poker success and helpful in protecting your chip stack.

It is usually after the Flop that most of the prime betting and bluffing action takes place. And it is easy to understand why. Since Flop consists of three common cards, usable by all the players, that can set up some interesting situations. One player might think they have the best hand while another might possess the best draw, or in the worst-case scenario, they might have the second-best hand. It has the making of a “perfect storm” yielding exciting betting and bluffing action.

Knowing the potential impact the Flop can have on your two starting cards is not enough. You must also consider the strategies and betting actions you’ll need to implement both Pre-Flop and Post-Flop to help you navigate through the hand properly. Ask yourself the following: Do you want to see a Flop or do you want to push your opponent off their hand so they don’t get to see one? How many players are you comfortable seeing the Flop with? Will a Flop be more helpful or hurtful to your hand? 

Whoever said playing Hold'em was easy?  

Here’s some Flop strategy in a nutshell:

Pre-Flop: Minimize the number of players who get to see the Flop. After all, the more players who get to see a Flop, the lower your odds of winning. Because anyone can get a lucky Flop.

Post Flop: Maximize the benefit you received from the Flop. You’ll want to protect your good Flops and defend your hand against them hitting their card on the turn or river. And if you miss, you can just fold.

The Flop is something to look forward to and fear all at the same time.

Remember: The Flop giveth and the Flop taketh away!