No limit Texas hold'em is a volatile game. Your entire stack can be at risk any time, meaning one mistake can be disastrous to your bankroll. One skill you must develop for success in no limit Texas hold'em is the ability to accurately evaluate your hand, relying on online poker tells and other factors. Simply put: You must know when to fold and when to go on with your hand.

Evaluating Your Texas Hold'em Hand Pre-Flop

Strong texas holdem hands before the flop are medium to big pairs and hands with two big cards (cards from ten through ace). Other good hands to play are small to medium pairs and suited connectors, although with these cards you would like to see a flop cheaply and try to flop a big hand. Most other hands should be folded.

Big pairs are hands that you don't mind ending the hand early with, since they are less likely to improve as the hand goes on. They are likely to be the best early though, so you'd like to get the money in as quickly as possible. However, someone who is willing to put the money in with you quickly just might have a bigger pair than yours.

Evaluating Your Texas Hold'em Hand After the Flop

When the flop comes, you'll need to think of your hand in terms of the texture of the flop. How well did the flop hit your hand? How likely is the flop to have hit someone else? If you think you're hand is in trouble, the best idea is usually to fold.

If the flop is well coordinated, with two or three of the same suit and cards close together in value, you may be in real danger if you came in with a big pocket pair or any hand that missed the flop. If the flop comes with unconnected low cards, there is a better chance that your premium hand is good, or that you can steal the pot.