As a new player, it is important to understand how to read the board in a flop game. In Texas Hold'em, the community cards may be referred to as "the board."

Once a player has decided to enter a hand by calling a bet pre-flop, this player will have the opportunity to see the flop. Upon seeing the flop, it is interesting to note that 71.4% of the cards are now visible. These are the 2 unique cards the player holds in his or her hand combined with the 3 cards on the flop.

A Player will look at the flop and at his cards and see how they work together.

General Knowledge

Practice looking at flop after flop. In your head, determine quickly what the best and second best hand could be according to the rank of hands.

Possibilities:

• If the flop is all one suit, a FLUSH is possible

• If there is a pair on the flop, a FULL HOUSE is possible

• A STRAIGHT is possible if all 3 cards can be combined to make 5 cards in a row.

Examples:

Flop is: Ah 4h Kh

1. Best Hand: FLUSH is possible if a player has 2 hearts in his hand

2. Second Best Hand: SET OF ACES if a player has AA in his hand

Flop is: Ah Ac 9d

1. Best Hand: FOUR OF A KIND is possible if a player has AA in his hand

2. Second Best Hand: FULL HOUSE is possible if a player has A9 in his hand

Flop is:4h 6s 8d

1. Best Hand: STRAIGHT is possible if a player has a 57 in his hand

2. Second Best Hand: SET OF EIGHTS if a player has 88 in his hand

Learning to read the board will help you make the best decision about whether to play your hand or to fold it if a bet is made. The term players often use when making this decision is FIT OR FOLD. You might have had a great starting hand, but after the flop it became trash, as nothing on the flop helped to make it a best or second-best hand. The strategy section will help you understand when keeping a hand that does not FIT is applicable. For the time being, learning to read the board every time you see the flop is very important.

After making a determination of the best hand and second-best hand after the flop, do the same thing after the turn and after the river. When the turn card is dealt, determine the new best and second-best hands. Do this again when the river card is dealt. Continue to practice until you can look at the cards and automatically know these hands.