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Ultimate Texas Hold'em strategy chart
This chart shows which starting hands to bet 4x before the flop in Ultimate Texas Hold'em, and the cheat sheet below it covers the flop and the river. Together they are a complete simple strategy for the Play bet.
The 4x chart
Find your higher card on the left. The row tells you which second cards to bet 4x with. "S" means suited only.
| Higher card | Bet 4x with | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Ace | Any second card | Never |
| King | 5 or higher; 2, 3 or 4 (S) | K-2, K-3, K-4 offsuit |
| Queen | 8, 9, 10, J; 6 or 7 (S) | Q-6, Q-7 offsuit; Q-5 and lower |
| Jack | 10; 8 or 9 (S) | J-8, J-9 offsuit; J-7 and lower |
| 10 or lower | Pairs only | Every other hand |
| Pairs | 3-3 and up | 2-2 |
That is 500 of the 1,326 possible starting hands, or 37.7%. You bet 4x a little more than one hand in three.
The full grid
The same chart as a grid. Rows are your higher card, columns your lower card. Y is bet 4x, S is bet 4x if suited, and a dash is check.
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | J | Q | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| K | S | S | S | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | |
| Q | - | - | - | - | S | S | Y | Y | Y | Y | ||
| J | - | - | - | - | - | - | S | S | Y | |||
| 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Everything 9-high and lower checks unless it is a pair of 3s or better.
The cheat sheet
| When | Bet | With | Otherwise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before the flop | 4x | Any hand on the chart above | Check |
| After the flop | 2x | Two pair or better; a hidden pair except 2-2; four to a flush with a hidden 10 or higher of that suit | Check |
| After the river | 1x | A hidden pair or better; or fewer than 21 dealer outs | Fold |
A hidden pair uses at least one of your two cards. Dealer outs are the unseen cards that would beat you if the dealer held one. How to count outs, with examples.
Hands people get wrong
- K♦4♣ King-4 offsuit: check. Suited, it is a 4x bet.
- Q♠7♦ Queen-7 offsuit: check. Queen-8 offsuit is the lowest offsuit queen to bet.
- J♥10♠ Jack-10 offsuit: bet 4x. Jack-9 offsuit checks.
- A♣3♥ Ace-3 offsuit: bet 4x. Every ace is a bet.
- 3♠3♦ Pocket 3s: bet 4x. Pocket 2s check.
- 10♠9♠ 10-9 suited: check. It looks strong, but it isn't on the chart.
Reading the chart at the table
- Is it a pair? 3s or higher, bet 4x. Pocket 2s, check.
- Is there an ace? Bet 4x, whatever the second card is.
- Is the high card a king, queen or jack? Find its row and check the second card, and whether the two cards share a suit.
- Anything 10-high or lower that isn't a pair: check, and wait for the flop.
After a few hundred hands the first two steps become instant. The rows for kings, queens and jacks take longer, and those are the hands worth a second look before you decide.
Why there is no 3x column
The rules allow a 3x bet before the flop, but this strategy never uses it. When a hand wins often enough to bet, the bigger bet earns more. When it doesn't, checking is better than either.
How close is the chart to perfect play?
With this chart and the flop and river rules, the house edge is about 2.4% of the Ante. The best strategy possible is 2.19%. The difference comes from rare hands where the perfect call depends on every card on the table. Odds and house edge.
Using the chart
The fastest way to learn the chart is to play with it next to you, then without it. Our free game can show the right play before you choose, in Practice, and it grades every decision either way. Practice with hints.
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Questions
Is there a strategy chart for Ultimate Texas Hold'em?
Yes. The 4x chart covers the first decision: any ace, pairs of 3s or better, suited kings, king-5 or better offsuit, queen-6 or better suited, queen-8 or better offsuit, jack-8 or better suited and jack-10 offsuit.
Which hands should I check before the flop in Ultimate Texas Hold'em?
Pocket 2s, king-2 to king-4 offsuit, queen-7 and lower offsuit, queen-5 and lower suited, jack-9 and lower offsuit, jack-7 and lower suited, and every hand 10-high or lower that isn't a pair.
Do you bet 4x with king-2 suited?
Yes. Every suited king is a 4x bet. Offsuit, a king needs a 5 or higher with it.
How good is the simple strategy chart?
It gives a house edge of about 2.4% of the Ante. The best strategy possible is 2.19%, so the chart gives up very little.
How often do you bet 4x in Ultimate Texas Hold'em?
500 of the 1,326 starting hands are on the chart, about 38% of hands.
More: How to play Ultimate Texas Hold'em · Ultimate Texas Hold'em rules · Ultimate Texas Hold'em strategy · 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 · How to win at Ultimate Texas Hold'em · Practice Ultimate Texas Hold'em