Best Texas Hold’em Cheat Sheet to Win for Every Player

A Texas Hold’em poker cheat sheet is an essential guide for both beginners and seasoned players. 

It contains valuable information, such as hand rankings, betting strategies, bluffing, and positional play based on pot odds and implied odds.

However, it must be remembered that the process will take time. 

Do not expect to read an article online and then begin defeating experienced poker players within a short time. 

It is one thing to learn and understand, but it is quite another to put that knowledge into practice. To improve your game, you must play and apply these tips. 

Nevertheless, a well-designed cheat sheet can be a valuable tool. It offers quick access to important game details, helping you make better decisions and enhancing your overall strategy. 

With a good cheat sheet, you will feel more confident and poised to face the challenges of Texas Hold’em. 

To polish your skills and to begin winning at Texas Hold’em, you can use our Texas Hold’em Cheat Sheet created and reviewed by seasoned poker players.

Ultimate Texas Hold’em Cheat Sheet

1. Poker Hand Rankings

Anyone seeking to play Texas Hold’em effectively should be familiar with poker hand rankings. These rankings determine the strength of different card combinations, which is the foundation of poker. 

The rest of the game strategy becomes meaningful by knowing what hand beats what For example, if you have the lowest possible hand and your opponent has a royal flush, bluffing will likely result in a loss.

A knowledgeable player, aware of their weak starting hand, would choose to fold rather than bluff. Therefore, the first step in becoming a skilled poker player is to memorize the poker hand rankings. 

Knowing the rankings allows you to make informed decisions, enhancing your overall gameplay and increasing your chances of winning. The standard poker hand rankings, from highest to lowest, are: Source

Royal Flush: The best possible hand, consisting of the Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten of the same suit.

Straight Flush: A hand with five cards of the same suit in sequential order, such as 9-8-7-6-5 of hearts.

Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same rank, like four Queens or four Aces.

Full House: Three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank, for example, three 7s and two 3s.

Flush: Five cards of the same suit, but not in sequential order.

Straight: Five cards in sequential order, but not all of the same suit.

Three of a Kind: Three cards of the same rank, with the other two cards being different.

Two Pair: Two cards of one rank and two cards of another rank.

One Pair: Two cards of the same rank, with the other three cards being different.

High Card: When a hand does not fit any of the above categories, the highest card in the hand determines its rank.

2. Starting Hands

Now that you have memorized poker hands, it’s time to learn which starting hands to play. A well-crafted cheat sheet for starting hands can significantly enhance a player’s performance by providing a clear guide on which hands to play in different positions. 

The strategy for starting hands varies between 6-player and 9 or 10-player tables due to the differences in competition and potential action.  Source

In a 6-player game, the range of playable hands broadens because fewer opponents increase the value of each hand. 

Conversely, in a 9-10-player game, tighter hand selection is necessary because the increased number of opponents raises the likelihood that someone holds a stronger hand.

Starting Hands for 6 Players

In a 6-player game, the dynamics are more aggressive, and players often need to play a wider range of hands due to fewer opponents. 

This can lead to more frequent blinds, which require players to be more flexible with their starting hands.

Position	Hands to Play
Early	AA, KK, QQ, AKs
Middle	AQs, AJs, KQs, TT, 99
Late	AQ, AJ, ATs, KQ, 88, 77, 66
Blinds	Any of the above hands plus suited connectors like 98s, 87s

• Early Position (EP): Play only the strongest hands (AA, KK, QQ, AKs). The early position is the most challenging to play from because you have to act first in all betting rounds.
• Middle Position (MP): You can start adding strong but slightly weaker hands (AQs, AJs, KQs, TT, 99) compared to the early position. This is because you have fewer players to act after you, reducing the risk of facing a stronger hand.
• Late Position (LP): You have the advantage of seeing how most of the table acts before you make your decision. This allows you to play a wider range of hands (AQ, AJ, ATs, KQ, 88, 77, 66) and also gives you opportunities to bluff.
• Blinds: In the small blind (SB) and big blind (BB), you are forced to put money in the pot, which can limit your flexibility. However, you can play any of the strong hands from other positions and add some speculative hands like suited connectors (98s, 87s) because you are already partially invested in the pot.

Starting Hands for 9-10 Players

In a 9-10 player game, the competition is tougher due to more players being in the hand, and therefore the likelihood of someone having a strong hand increases. This necessitates a more selective approach to starting hands.

Position	Hands to Play
Early	AA, KK, QQ, AKs
Middle	JJ, TT, AQs, AJs, KQs
Late	AJ, ATs, KQ, 99, 88, 77, 66
Blinds	Any of the above hands plus suited connectors like 98s, 87s

• Early Position (EP): Stick to only the premium hands (AA, KK, QQ, AKs). This is because acting first in a large field requires a strong hand to proceed confidently.
• Middle Position (MP): You can expand your range to include strong pairs and high-suited connectors (JJ, TT, AQs, AJs, KQs), as the risk of facing better hands is still present but reduced compared to early position.
• Late Position (LP): Similar to the 6-player game, you can play a wider range of hands (AJ, ATs, KQ, 99, 88, 77, 66) due to the positional advantage. This position allows for more strategic plays, including bluffs and semi-bluffs.
• Blinds: In the blinds, you have to be more cautious. While you can play the strong hands listed for other positions, adding some speculative hands like suited connectors (98s, 87s) is advisable. However, be prepared to defend your blinds against aggressive players.

3. Texas Hold’em Betting Rounds

Texas Hold’em features four distinct betting rounds (Source), each with its own strategic considerations. The first round, known as the preflop, occurs after players are dealt their hole cards. 

Experienced players like Phil Ivey often advocate playing a tight range of hands preflop, folding marginal holdings to avoid bloating the pot with inferior cards. 

The flop, turn, and river rounds follow, with community cards being dealt after each round. On the flop, players should look to continue bets with their made hands and strong draws, applying pressure to their opponents. 

The turn and river are where the real action happens, with players making value bets with their strongest hands and bluffing with their air or semi-bluffs.

As noted by legendary player Doyle Brunson, players on the button have an advantage since they get to act last in the round.

When players play a tight-aggressive style and vary their bet sizes over the long run, they can maximize their profits and minimize their losses.

4. Poker Position and Its Importance

Poker position is a critical factor that significantly impacts decision-making and strategy at the table. The positions are typically divided into four categories (Source): early position (EP), middle position (MP), late position (LP), and the button (BTN).

In early position, players like Phil Ivey recommend playing a tight range of hands, as they have the least information about their opponents’ actions. 

As you move to the middle position, you can begin to widen your range slightly, as you have more information to work with.

Late position is where you can really take advantage of your position, as you get to act last preflop and post-flop. 

Daniel Negreanu says you should play a wide range of hands from the late position, as you can often win the pot uncontested. 

In poker, the button is the best position since you have an advantage over all your opponents. 

Doyle Brunson advises players to play aggressively from the button, as you can often steal blinds and get folds from players in earlier positions.

5. Poker Odds and Probability

A comprehensive poker cheat sheet must include Texas Hold ’em odds and probabilities. Mathematics plays a vital role in making informed decisions during a poker hand, as well as determining the probability of different outcomes. 

Among the most important probabilities to consider is the likelihood of receiving specific starting hands. 

For example, the probability of being dealt a pair is around 5.88% or about 1 in 16 hands. The probability of being dealt a specifically suited hand like an Ace King is 0.302% or about 1 in 331 hands (Source).

Another important probability is the chance of improving a hand on the flop, turn, and river. For instance, the probability of flopping a set (three of a kind) when holding a pocket pair is around 12%. 

The probability of completing a flush draw when holding four suited cards on the flop is approximately 35%.

Knowing these odds can guide players in determining the correct pot odds and implied odds when deciding whether to continue with a hand.

Probabilities also come into play when considering the relative strength of hands in a showdown. 

For example, the probability of one player’s set being beaten by another player’s set (known as “set over set”) is only around 0.003518% in a heads-up situation. 

Players should be aware of these rare, but significant scenarios to handle tricky situations and make informed decisions.

6: Bluffing

Bluffing is part of Texas Hold’em poker strategies, and you need to know when and how to use it. Bluffing is the act of betting or raising with a weak hand in an attempt to make your opponents fold stronger hands. 

It’s a powerful tool that can help you win pots even when you don’t have the best cards. However, bluffing should only be used when necessary and at the right time.

For example, you may want to bluff when the board cards suggest a strong hand that you don’t actually have, such as a potential straight or flush. This can induce your opponents to fold better hands.

Alternatively, you can bluff when you have a position on your opponents, as this allows you to control the action and potentially force them to fold. 

Avoid bluffing against players who are likely to call you down, such as overly aggressive or loose-passive players. 

Conclusion

A Texas Hold’em poker cheat sheet is a valuable resource for players at any skill level. It brings together crucial information like hand rankings, betting strategies, and key odds calculations, making it easier to understand the game.

For beginners, a cheat sheet can speed up the learning process, helping them grasp the basics quickly. Experienced players can use it to fine-tune their strategies and improve their performance. 

Using our guide, you will learn about position, bluffing, poker hands, and the fundamentals of poker strategy, allowing them to make better decisions and win more often. 

No matter how good you are or how new you are, following this Texas Hold’em poker cheat sheet will help you.