A lot of players new to Texas Holdem simply go through the motions of the game, and rely on the luck of the draw, and sometimes using bluffs as their only strategy. This will result in either frustrating losses or small pot wins. The secret of pro Poker players is playing the right hand at the right time.
Not knowing which hands to play is one of the most common errors that new Texas Holdem players make. Having the highest value cards on paper does not automatically translate into the winning hands in No Limit. It depends on the type of game you are playing and against whom.
For instance, in Draw and Stud Poker (and their variants), Kings/Queens, Jacks/Jacks and Kings/Jacks are very favorable. In No Limit and to a lesser extent Limit, face cards in general are not considered winning hands, because they cannot be defended well against a raise.
In addition your ability to call out will be limited with a face card like King/Queen, and even if there is another King on the board, your opponent might hold an Ace/King and still beat you. If you have face cards, the best No Limit strategy you can use is to bluff preflop and try to take the pot.
The winning hands in Texas Holdem are undoubtedly pocket pairs. Unlike Aces and face cards, they are not easy to detect. Suppose you hold a 77 and the flops comes out as J,7,4. If the other player holds QQ, you can call with confidence or even slow play him, as he will not be able to sense that you hold the winning hand.
Just as pairs are more viable hands than high cards, so are straights more valuable than the flush in No Limit. The reason is that good players can easily see a flush coming and will fold if they do not have the nuts. Straights are more difficult to spot.
Another point to remember about winning hands in Texas Holdem is that the number of players in the pot can make a big difference. If you are holding AA or KK or even QQ, you should try to eliminate as many players as possible before the showdown, as these hands can easily be overpowered.
There are numerous aspects that have to be considered when playing Texas Holdem, particularly No Limit. It is not enough to have the highest value cards in order to win, but you must know when to play them. With the right strategies in place, you can turn your cards into the winning hands in Texas Holdem.