Texas Hold'em – What is Hand Value?

You only have two ways to win. If you bet and all of your opponents fold, or you go to showdown.

If you have a weak hand chasing your opponents out of the pot is an option, but often folding is the best option. If you have a value hand then getting your opponents to showdown is the best option. With a value hand, you do not want to force everyone to fold, but you want to extract maximum value.

Value hands like showdowns, the others don't.

If you are ahead on the Flop, you will usually be ahead on the River. It's simple math. If someone draws out on you they will raise and you can fold. With a value hand, like top pair, your goal should be to bet your hand, in such a way, that your opponent will call with weaker hands.

If you bet a hand on a street and most of the time weaker hands will call, then you have a “Street Of Value." You should bet. If your opponent raises, you should usually fold.

If worse hands will usually call you then you should usually bet. If your opponent doesn't bluff often and raises, you should usually fold.

Checking is a poor strategy with a value hand. Make him pay by betting when he may call with a weaker hand.

A hand has a street of value if you can bet it and expect to be called by weaker hands.

If an opponent folds, then you have won. If your opponent calls with a weaker hand, then you are still ahead. If your opponent raises, them it's probably best to fold.

You can not determine how valuable a hand with your hole cards only at the hand you made with your hole cards plus the board. You must also look at the board texture and how it affects your opponent.

When you have a value hand, but not three streets of value, you must decide which street you will check and which streets you will bet. On a wet board bet early. Draws are likely to call on the flop but less likely to call on the turn or the river. When you bet a wet board, your opponents must guess whether or not you are betting a draw and are more likely to call.

If the board is dry, you can pick the street to check based on your reads of the other players or other factors.