Free Casino Games / Ultimate Texas Hold'em / How to win at Ultimate Texas Hold'em
How to win at Ultimate Texas Hold'em
You win at Ultimate Texas Hold'em by making the Play bet at the right time: 4x before the flop with strong starting hands, 2x after the flop with a hidden pair or better, and 1x at the river unless 21 or more cards beat you. That keeps the house edge near its lowest. Nothing changes the odds beyond that, but these six things change your results.
1. Bet 4x with every hand on the chart
Any ace, any pair of 3s or better, any suited king, king-5 or better offsuit, queen-6 or better suited, queen-8 or better offsuit, jack-8 or better suited, and jack-10 offsuit. That is about 38% of hands, and these are the bets that matter most. The 4x chart.
2. Don't slow down with strong hands
A common mistake is checking a hand like ace-4 or king-6 to "see the flop first." That gives up the 4x bet for a 2x bet at best. The hands on the chart win often enough to earn more with the biggest bet now than with any bet later.
3. Use the flop rule
If you checked, bet 2x after the flop with two pair or better, a hidden pair except pocket 2s, or four to a flush with a hidden 10 or higher. A pair that is only on the board doesn't count. The dealer has it too.
4. Count outs before you fold
At the river, folding costs the Ante and the Blind. A 1x bet risks one more unit but can win the hand or tie. Bet 1x with any hidden pair. With less, count the unseen cards that would give the dealer a better hand. Under 21, bet. Players who fold every weak hand at the river give up money on hands they would often win or tie. How to count outs.
5. Know what each bet costs
| Bet | House edge |
|---|---|
| Ante, Blind and Play, best strategy | 2.19% of the Ante |
| Ante, Blind and Play, simple strategy | About 2.4% of the Ante |
| Trips, 50-40-30-8-6-5-3 table | 1.90% |
Measured against all the money you bet, the main game costs about 0.53%. Trips adds a second, separate cost. The full odds.
6. Size your bets for the swings
A 4x hand puts six Antes on the table: Ante, Blind and four on Play. Lose two of those in a row and you are down twelve Antes. That is normal. Pick a bet size that lets you sit through runs like that without changing how you play.
Things that don't help
- Betting systems. Raising after a loss or a win doesn't change the house edge on any hand. It only changes how much rides on each one.
- Reading streaks. The deck is shuffled every hand. The last hand tells you nothing about the next.
- Playing hunches. The strategy already accounts for every card the dealer could hold. A feeling about the dealer doesn't.
- Betting 3x. The rules allow it before the flop, but when a hand is worth a bet, 4x earns more.
What winning looks like
With the simple strategy you win about 46.7% of hands and lose about 31.9%. About 3.4% tie and 18% are folds. You win more hands than the dealer, but the Blind loses on every losing hand and fold and pays only on straights and better, so the game still has a house edge. Any session can end ahead. Over many hands, correct play keeps the cost as low as the game allows.
Is it luck or skill?
Both. The cards decide each hand. The skill is when to make the Play bet. A player who never bets before the river, or folds every weak hand, pays far more over time than one who follows the strategy.
Practice the decisions
The three rules are simple, but the close calls come up often. Our free table grades every bet, check and fold against the simple strategy. Practice Ultimate Texas Hold'em.
Play free Ultimate Texas Hold'emNo signup. No download.
Questions
What is the best way to win at Ultimate Texas Hold'em?
Bet 4x before the flop with every hand on the chart, 2x after the flop with two pair or a hidden pair, and 1x at the river unless 21 or more cards beat you.
Is Ultimate Texas Hold'em beatable?
No. Every bet has a house edge. With the best strategy it is 2.19% of the Ante, about 0.53% of all money bet.
Should you always bet 4x with an ace in Ultimate Texas Hold'em?
Yes. Every hand with an ace is a 4x bet before the flop, suited or not.
Is the Trips bet worth it?
It costs 1.90% of the bet over time on the 50-40-30-8-6-5-3 table and adds bigger swings. It doesn't change how you play.
Is Ultimate Texas Hold'em luck or skill?
Both. The cards decide each hand, but when you make the Play bet decides how much the game costs you over time.
More: How to play Ultimate Texas Hold'em · Ultimate Texas Hold'em rules · Ultimate Texas Hold'em strategy · Ultimate Texas Hold'em strategy chart · Ultimate Texas Hold'em payouts · Ultimate Texas Hold'em odds · The Trips bet in Ultimate Texas Hold'em · The Blind bet in Ultimate Texas Hold'em · Ultimate Texas Hold'em hands · Practice Ultimate Texas Hold'em