Poker Hand Thought Process

Each and every poker hand could be the start or the end of your poker campaign. Especially in No Limit Texas Hold’em–you can lose everything in one hand or you can gain everything in one hand. Because of that, it is extremely important to understand the importance of a solid poker thought process. Going into each and every poker hand, you should be thinking about the same things and asking yourself the same questions over and over again. For the sake of this article, assume that we are discussing No Limit Texas Hold’em, specifically.

Poker Hand Before the Flop

Before the flop there are several different things you should ask yourself. The thought process should go a little something like this:

• What position am I in?
• What opponents are behind me, and how strong are they?
• How much money is in the pot right now?
• How good of a chance do I have to come out on top at the end of this hand?
• Am I in the position to bet or raise?
• Is it worth it?

By asking yourself the above questions along with any other things you may think about (depending on your style), you will be able to make a lot better decisions. Most of the time if you lose a big hand, you can go back and think about how you played it, and see that you made mistakes that could have been avoided. Of course, you will lose some big hands but you do not want it to be your fault. Going into the flop, you will know you belong there if you ask yourself those questions going in.

Poker Hand After the Flop

After the flop, there are several things you should think about. You should ask yourself the following questions about your poker hand and your opponents.

• Do I have the best hand right now?
• Is my hand vulnerable?
• What kind of poker hand does my opponent probably have?
• Can I win the pot with a bet right now?
• How much money is in the pot?

These are all different things that you should be thinking about while playing poker. If you do, then you will make a lot less mistakes and a lot more good decisions. Poker is a game of decisions; the more good ones you make the more you will in. The problem is that many players lose focus and discipline. It is important to think about these things all the time during every single poker hand. Just one hand mistake during one poker hand can leave you with nothing.