Essentially, I recommend a "Flop It or Fold It" strategy for loose online hold 'em - especially for beginners and intermediate players. If you keep playing a drawing hand, you're usually not going to hit your draw and you'll usually be going against the odds to try. If you flop an open-ended straight or flush draw, you're a little worse than a 2-to-1 favorite to hit your hand if you stay in to the river. If you make a weak call on the flop, miss your draw on the turn and fold, then you might as well have calculated yourself a 4-to-1 favorite for seeing just one extra card.

You're usually going to need a couple of other players calling on the flop to get the right pot odds to continue with your draw. And I don't recommend drawing out of position. If you're last to act, at least you have one advantage over your opponents. Plus you can occasionally mix it up by raising with your drawing hand. This will make players tend to check to you on the turn, allowing you to check behind them if you miss your draw and bet again if you hit it.

One note on draws: drawing to the nuts or having two overcards greatly increases your hand's value. For example, if you have A-K suited and flop another two cards of your suit, you'll have a draw to the nut flush and also outs to hitting your overcards and winning the pot.

More tips on Playing Draws:

-Betting Your Draws

Proper Play: Turn and River

Play in Texas Hold 'em, especially No-Limit, is defined by the flop. This is where you want to take control of the hand and you'll pick up lots of pots by winning it right there. With many players drawing to straights and flushes, you also need to learn to adjust your play on the turn and river. On the flop, you're going to bet out with suited or connecting cards on the board. When you're last to act, many opponents on a draw will make the weak play of checking and calling your bet. If the turn completed the flush or straight and your opponent has it, he'll probably check to you again hoping to check-raise you or trap you into betting again on the river. Don't fall for it. I'll often check behind them and make them bet on the river if they have a good hand. If he makes a big bet and there's an obvious straight, flush, or set out there and you can't beat it, think about laying your hand down. If it's a pretty small bet and the pot is a decent size, you'll probably want to call and keep him honest. As Lou Krieger suggests, you can't play being afraid of the nuts all the time. If you do, you're giving up too often.

More tips on the Turn and River:

-Raising on the River

Checking on the River

A very important play is knowing when to check on the river. If you're first to act and you put your opponent(s) on a missed draw, there is no reason to bet out on the river. If you bet and they're holding a missed draw, they're just going to muck their hand. However, if you check, you send the signal that maybe you missed a draw, too. This gives your opponent the opportunity to bluff and you can make some extra money on the end. If they check behind you, you win the hand anyway and the pot is the same size as if they had folded their hand to your bet.

Checking on the Turn

This is a play that I like to use when I have a strong hand (usually at least two pair) and I don't think my opponent can beat me. If I'm last to act, I'll bet on the flop. Then when I get checked to on the turn, I check behind him. This will probably make your opponent think that you have a busted draw and you can make some extra money when you raise him on the river.

More tips on the Turn:

-Slowplaying on the Turn

Betting the Minimum

Another opportunity for a value bet comes on the river when you know that you have the best hand but you don't think anyone else has much. Try betting the minimum amount. This can make your opponents suspicious and could induce a raise or they may have something good enough to call with. At least you make a little extra on the end rather than betting your opponents out of the pot.

Know When You're Beaten

Know when you're beaten on the river. I see players time and time again calling a big bet with two pair or a set on the river when there's four to a straight or flush showing. That's not a good play. The odds are very high that someone has one card to complete the straight or flush, especially with more than one opponent. I know that they shouldn't have stayed in with the cards necessary to complete an 8-high straight, but they do. Usually you shouldn't call a substantial bet in this situation without that flush or straight.

Is Your Hand Counterfeited?

Know when your hand is counterfeited - decreased in value by the board. If you get to see a free flop with 5-3 and the board comes J-5-3, you're going to have a pretty strong hand. However, if the turn comes with another J, you don't get credit for having three pair! You merely have two pair - Jacks and fives. Another holding a Jack has you beaten.

Discipline

This is the one facet of poker that is most under your control and yet can be the most difficult to master for some players. You must have discipline and patience to play winning poker. You must have the patience to wait for the right hands, and the discipline to stay off tilt. Getting bothered by a player or angry by how the last hand turned out can be the undoing of your hard day's work of poker. It is difficult to combat and we all go on tilt at times, but you must learn to let the previous hand go before playing the next one. If you can't, just sit out and walk around for a few minutes. The game will be there when you get back. Or try switching tables. In all honesty, you're not making the best out of your poker career if you don't have endless discipline and patience.

Summary

-Don't draw unless you're getting the right odds

-Usually employ a "Flop it or Fold It" strategy

-Check behind your opponent if you think he made his draw

-Try checking behind your opponent with a strong hand on the turn and raising him on the river

-Check on the river if you think your opponent missed his draw

-Fold when you're obviously beat on the river

-Know when your hand is counterfeited

-Patience and discipline are essential to poker

More tips on Beating The Fish:

-Why Online Poker Isn't Rigged

-Crushing a Loose Table

-Defending Against Maniacs

-Trapping Table Bullies

-An Overview of Poker Bad Beats

That's it. There are many specific situations that you'll run into playing poker that I haven't covered here, but I believe that this guide gives you a solid foundation to employing the right strategy for the craziness of online poker. If you follow the strategy that I have outlined, you should find yourself tearing your hair out less about the reckless idiot who drew out on your pocket Kings.

If you're wondering which online poker room best suits your playing style, we have reviewed a number of them and given our opinions on each of them. If you're looking for specific tips on how to play your favorite site, we have that in our reviews, too. Please don't hesitate to write to us if you have any questions. May you beat the fish and be blessed by the Poker Gods. I'll see you at the tables...

Back to Part Three...

For further reading, check out our updated Poker Strategy section. It's all written by us, too.