The Hog's Golden Rules

TEXAS HOLD-EM (NO LIMIT) - THE HOG'S GOLDEN RULES!!

When in a no-limit game playing your opponent is almost as important as the value of your cards. Often enough your opponent will be betting on a very weak hand, or bluffing, but it is hard to determine what he/she really has. So with this in mind – follow the 3 Golden rules and you'll be a winner:

1. NEVER stay in a hand with Ace and a small card off suit (2 separate suits). The problem with this hand is if an A hits the flop you will find it too hard to fold and most likely lose a big pot.
2. ALWAYS raise pre flop with rockets (A-A) or cowboys (K-K). You will find limping in (just calling the big blind) to the hand will be costly. You will most likely not fold post flop no matter what comes out. If somebody flopped 2 pair you will lose every chip in front of you.
3. Remember: A) it is always better to win a small pot, than lose a huge one. B) When in doubt – fold. It doesn’t matter how many winners you fold, what counts is how many losers you didn’t call.

Printer Friendly Version

TEXAS HOLD-EM (LIMIT) - THE HOG'S GOLDEN RULES!!

When playing a limit game the cards need to do the talking. As opposed to a no limit game, you will find in limit players will call much more often. It is advised to only stay in on good hands and “bet your hand” meaning when you have a good one feel free to bet and raise.

1. PLAY STRONG OPENING HANDS. In limit the cards do most of the talking.
2. BEWARE when a player raises you on the turn. Most players wait for the turn to raise. They get the big bet in. If you are check raised on the turn 90% of the time the other player has a huge hand.
3. CAREFUL OF FLUSHES. When there are 4 or more players in the hand, and the flop contains 2 of a suit, if a 3rd of that suit hits the deck – you can bet on the fact that somebody has made a flush. FOLD.
4. ALWAYS REMEMBER – it is better to fold a winner then call a loser.

Printer Friendly Version

OMAHA & OMAHA (HI\LO) - THE HOG'S GOLDEN RULES!!

In our opinion Hi\Lo games are the ideal games for Internet playing. They are the hardest games to learn, but the easiest to play. The advantage to them is they are games where the cards do all the talking. In hold-em it is essential to bluff at pots from time to time. Bluffing is not easy; you have to have the heart to put all your chips on the line with a weak hand. Stud (Hi\Lo) and Omaha (Hi\Lo) games allow players to 'bet your hand' (meaning bet when you have the winner), and often enough you will have callers.

There are 3 GOLDEN RULES to Hi\Lo games. These 3 rules make the difference between the winners and losers.

They are easy to learn … hard to apply.

1. Only open with a solid hand.
2. Never call hands one-on-one for half pots.
3. Never draw for a card that may not win – even if it comes.

A short explanation about each rule:

1. OPENING HANDS: a solid hand is a hand that allows feasible options of winning both the high and the low. Most often this would be a hand that includes low cards with flush or straight options.
2. CALLING FOR HALF A POT: many hands break down to two player games (meaning all the rest have folded) after the flop (in Omaha, or 4th street in Stud). If your only option is making the low, without many options for out beating your opponent for the high hand – YOU FOLD ( not easy if there was pre-flop raising, or betting on 3rd street ). The math is easy here: if all the money you are putting in the pot is in prayer that you make it back – LET IT GO!
3. DRAWING FOR A CARD: is most common when you have a flush option and there is already a pair on board (Omaha), or a player with a low and a player with a pair on board are raising and re-raising. You may be stuck in the middle of one player with a full house, and one with a low. Even if you get your flush … You lose anyway. A situation to be avoided at all cost.

Printer Friendly Version

SEVEN CARD STUD - THE HOG'S GOLDEN RULES!!

1. NEVER CALL A HAND when you are beat on the board. If you start with Q-Q in the hole, and somebody is showing K-K or A--A on board – FOLD. Yes it is nice to have a concealed high pair in the hole, but your odds of out running your opponent are just too small.
2. TEND TO BELIEVE A FLUSH when a player is showing 3 of a suit on board. If they raise it is almost always true. I would call with 3 of a kind and a chance to fill up, but not with 2 pair.
3. IF YOUR FIRST 3 CARDS INCLUDE A PAIR, and you see one of your cards for 3 of a kind sitting elsewhere FOLD. Only exception would be with A-A. With A-A you start off the hand assuming 2 pair will win (besides, who can throw away A-A to start … I can’t).
4. IF YOU MAKE A FULL HOUSE ON THE RIVER, and a straight or flush hand has been betting in previous rounds, go for a - check- raise. A straight or a flush will almost always bet the river, and when raised will almost always call.

Printer Friendly Version

SEVEN CARD STUD (HI\LO) - THE HOG'S GOLDEN RULES!!

In our opinion Hi\Lo games are the ideal games for Internet playing. They are the hardest games to learn, but the easiest to play. The advantage to them is they are games where the cards do all the talking. In hold-em it is essential to bluff at pots from time to time. Bluffing is not easy; you have to have the heart to put all your chips on the line with a weak hand. Stud Hi\Lo and Omaha Hi\Lo games allow players to 'bet your hand' (meaning bet when you have the winner), and often enough you will have callers.

There are 3 GOLDEN RULES to Hi\Lo games. These 3 rules make the difference between the winners and losers.

They are easy to learn … hard to apply.

1. Only open with a solid hand.
2. Never call hands one-on-one for half pots.
3. Never draw for a card that may not win – even if it comes.

A short explanation about each rule:

1. OPENING HANDS: a solid hand is a hand that allows feasible options of winning both the high and the low. Most often this would be a hand that includes low cards with flush or straight options.
2. CALLING FOR HALF A POT: many hands break down to two player games (meaning all the rest have folded) after the flop (in Omaha, or 4th street in Stud). If your only option is making the low, without many options for out beating your opponent for the high hand – YOU FOLD (not easy if there was pre-flop raising, or betting on 3rd street). The math is easy here: if all the money you are putting in the pot is in prayer that you make it back – LET IT GO!
3. DRAWING FOR A CARD: is most common when you have a flush option and there is already a pair on board (Omaha), or a player with a low and a player with a pair on board are raising and re-raising. You may be stuck in the middle of one player with a full house, and one with a low. Even if you get your flush … You lose anyway. A situation to be avoided at all cost.

If you find this site useful, please click on one of the links in the Trusted Sites that you wish to play on. This helps us cover overhead and maintain the site for others who are in the exact situation you are. Thank you.