One of my top Texas Holdem tips is to always be aware of what type of poker player you are up against. For example, you will frequently encounter Nits, TAGs, LAGs, SLAGs, fish and so on. Here is a complete list by the way of all the poker player types and how to beat each one.
Ultimate Texas Hold’em is a variation of the classic Texas Hold’em game, which offers a much more fast-paced gameplay as well as the chance for you to play against the house. The beauty of this game is that you don’t really have to call during gameplay and the types of bets that you place directly influence whether there will be a flop and river rounds or simply a direct collection of funds after the first round.
Ultimate Texas Hold’em has been a registered trademark for over a decade, as it was developed by Bally Gaming and distributed to some of the world’s best online casinos. The game has reached the peak of its popularity recently, and it’s sure to surpass it in the coming months and years.
We want you to be fully aware of how the game works, both in its digital version as well as on its live dealer version. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of tips and rules of how the game works and how to beat the house while playing it.
We’ve based our guide on some of the best strategies out there, and we’ve also added some exclusive pieces of advice that we’ve discovered while playing the game ourselves. You could call this the Ultimate “Ultimate Texas Hold’em Online” guide, if you may!
The entire concept of Ultimate Texas Hold’em revolves around raising the stakes of regular poker and taking the game to the next level. The only thing that differs from traditional poker, in the sense of how the game works, is that you cannot play it against other players but solely against the house.
The entire concept is based on showdown, which means that it doesn’t allow more than one player to participate at the same time.
Variations of the game do allow other players to participate, but the game’s individualism is much more prominent than other variations of “against the house” poker and even blackjack. The game is currently available to be played in some of the world’s best land-based casinos, as it has harnessed undisputed popularity ever since its invention in the late 2000s.
The game allows you to raise at any given time, which is why many people use the term “Extreme Texas Hold’em” as a name to refer to this game.
The concept of the game is quite simple, as it works like normal poker in every sense except in payments and bets. As such, you will get a couple of cards to start your hand, just like the dealer. There will be a total of 5 cards on the table, too, which means that you’ll be basically playing Texas Hold’em as you know it.
You always need to place bets on the ante and the blind, and they both have to be the same stake. For example, if you wish to place an ante of $3, then you have to place a blind of $3. These are the only mandatory bets on the game.
There’s an additional bet that you can place, which is entirely optional, called “Trips”. Most of the time, you will want to place a bet on trips. This gives you the chance to further multiply your winnings depending on the hands that you manage to get. The better the hand, the more times it will be multiplied by the Trips bet.
These are all bets that you have to place before the hand is on the table, though. Once the hand is fully ready and you’re all good to go to place the bet depending on how good of a hand you have.
Placing your bets before the river is dealt means that you can bet twice the amount of money if you beat the house. If you place your bets as soon as the hand is dealt, you can bet 4 times the amount of your blind.
Placing your bet after the river is dealt (if you check before the river) will mean that your bet isn’t multiplied by anything other than the Trips wager.
The first thing that you’ll notice when playing the Ultimate variation of Texas Hold’em is that you will feel instantly comfortable with the game. If you know how to play poker, then you’re going to get the hang of Ultimate Texas Hold’em quite easily.
The only things that change are the ways in which you can place your bets, so you’ll have to restructure the way you think about the ante, the blind, the flop, and the river if you wish to become a master of Ultimate Texas Hold’em.
Keep in mind that all of the popular poker hands that can get you wins in the traditional game are all the same hands that you can get at Ultimate Texas Hold’em. Flushes, Pairs, Full Houses are all equally as valuable than they are in the card game that we all love.
If you want to win at this game, there are a handful of things that will form an important part of your strategy and that, therefore, you really need to have a strong conception of them. Keep all of these in mind before reading our tips on how to win at the game:
You really need to get soaked with the odds of the game if you want to truly get the best of it. Given that your bet will have a different value depending on when you place it, it might be best for you to get a thorough understanding of the game odds before playing the game.
For example, if you have a really good hand, you will want to make a raise from the start. Place the bet as soon as the game begins, as this will allow you to bet x4 the total amount of your blind (check the table below when to make a 4x raise). If you happen to get an Ace and a J, for example, it would be wise for you to make a raise from the get-go.
However, if you’re not sure of your hand and you’d rather wait for the flop, you can place a bet worth x3 the amount of your blind instead, but you’ll know have seen the three first cards that were dealt.
The best strategy for betting is raising early if you have a good hand or stalling as much as possible if you have a regular hand.
If you happen to get two cards of the same suit, you might want to place the bet after the flop. If you’re playing with trips, your wins could be multiplied by a lot of money and you wouldn’t have to worry about taking the x4 risk.
Much like in traditional Texas Hold’em, betting after the flop makes a world of difference. Now, instead of 2 cards, you’ll have 5 cards to work with. This means that you might now have 4 of a kind, a flush, or even a royal flush (with a whole lot of luck). If you’re going to bet after the flop in Ultimate Texas Hold’em, you’re far more likely to do it with more confidence than during the ante.
If you have two pairs, then the best thing you can do is raise your bet. You’re very likely going to beat the house unless you get really unlucky.
The same thing goes for any rounds in which you have a hidden pair before the final bet is placed (especially if it’s the highest on the table). However, it might be smarter for you to just place an x1 raise in this case, as it’s a much safer bet and it would still give you a good profit if you win.
As complicated as the game sometimes might feel, there are a few hands that you might always want to bet whenever you get them. Unlike traditional poker, since your only opponent is the house, you should place much more priority on what your hand is. Other players don’t play a role, so your main focus will be to beat the house.
The following hands give you the best odds of doing so:
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+ 200 Free SpinsUltimate Texas Hold ’Em is one of the newest variations of poker to be created and it has become widely available in most U.S. casinos over the last several years. Today it is one of the most popular niche table games in almost every casino that offers it.
When Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em was first introduced, the game was only available on multiplayer electronic machines. Since that time, its popularity has exploded and it has been expanded into a live table game which is the most common variety played in casinos today. It is now a registered trademark of Bally Gaming.
Currently Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em is available at most Las Vegas casinos and many others throughout the country. Like other forms of poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ’Em is played with a single 52-card standard deck of cards. Players start off by making a blind and ante bet. Unlike traditional Texas Hold ‘Em variations, however, these two wagers must be equal. There is also an optional Trips side bet which pays regardless of whether your hand wins or loses. Read on to learn more about Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em payouts, rules and how to play.
– Read Our Guide to Playing Ultimate Texas Hold’em Online
The blind, ante and play bets are each scored slightly differently depending on the outcome of the hand. The blind bet has its own special pay table, according to the strength of the overall hand. For the blind, winning hands of a straight or better have special payouts. Winning ante and play bets are paid out at 1:1. Below we have put together a basic chart outlining each of these:
Winner | Dealer Qualifies | Blind Bet | Ante Bet | Play Bet |
---|---|---|---|---|
– Royal Flush: 500-1
– Straight Flush: 50-1
– Four of a Kind: 10-1
– Full House: 3-1
– Flush: 3-2
– Straight: 1-1
The Trips side bet is optional and pays regardless of whether the hand wins or not. It even wins if the board makes the hand, making it one of the most popular features of Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em. It is also worth noting that players may fold and still win the Trips bet. Below we have outlined payouts based on the winning hand:
– Royal Flush: 50-1
– Straight Flush: 40-1
– Four of a Kind: 30-1
– Three of a Kind: 8-1
– Full House: 8-1
– Flush: 6-1
– Straight: 5-1
The format used in Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em is similar to other versions of Texas Hold ‘Em that are spread in poker rooms. The biggest draws are that unlike other poker varieties, Ultimate Hold ‘Em is played against the dealer and there is an optional trips bet (which we go over below). Another draw comes from the raise format, which offers the player an opportunity to raise as a multiple of of ante. These factors help add a higher level of excitement to the game. Below we’ll outline the rules and payouts associated with Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em.
1. To start off, players receive two cards and so does the dealer. The players look at their cards and decide whether to check or to raise. If they opt to raise, it must amount to four times the ante. There is also an option to raise only three times – however, there is never a hand where basic strategy calls for this move. A raise at any point in the hand ends any player action.
2. After this decision, three cards (known as the flop) are shown. Players that did not raise before the flop now have the option of raising two times the ante. Checking is also an option here.
3. After the post-flop betting has been resolved, the last two cards are shown. At this point, players must either match their ante or fold.
4. The dealer then exposes his two cards and grades the hand. The dealer must have at least one pair to qualify. A paired board is considered a qualifier, even if the dealer did not match it.
5. If the dealer does not qualify, then the ante pushes; even if the player’s hand loses to the dealer. If the dealer’s hand qualifies, the best hand wins the ante bet. This is the same whether playing in a casino or online at top poker sites for real money.
Additional notes: Regardless of whether the dealer qualifies, the blind and raises are in play. If the dealer beats the player then the blind bet and raise lose. If the player beats the dealer, the raise is matched. Ties push the raise and blind bet.
When it comes to the excitement level of Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em, the possibility of hitting a progressive certainly adds to the game. There are generally two types of progressive available at a table. This includes a “small” and “big” progressive. Obviously, this will vary from casino to casino, and sometimes even state to state. Most commonly, to qualify for the progressive requires the player to place a $1 side bet.
A “small progressive” refers to a player making certain hands by using at least 1 hole card. The highest payout comes from hitting a Royal Flush. Doing so will mean you get paid out the entire small progressive jackpot. Other hands qualifying for the progressive are community royals, straight flushes, four of a kinds and full houses.
A “big progressive” refers to when a player makes the same hands listed above without using any hole cards. Instead, the player must flop a Royal Flush to win the jackpot. The jackpot for big progressives are generally much higher than the small progressive, since the odds are much lower on hitting one. You can still, however, win by using hole cards. For example, making a royal with a hole card still pays 5% of the jackpot, while a community royal will generally pay $3,000.