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Hand Texture Strategy in Post-Flop Poker

Flopping good cards like a set or something higher—or second best cards like flushes with good kickers—is a good way of developing post-flop hand plays. But flopped hand texture strategies also count in the game.

When we're able to analyze the texture of flopped cards we get to appreciate more the hand strength of our opponent. We should, therefore, be aware of flop texture types. The first type is a flop that is coordinated. This flop shows cards that have the potential of being a flush, a straight, a full house through a draw. The next type is a flop that is semi-coordinated. This flop has at least a 10 card, which is commonly held and played by poker players. So this flop type has a high hit probability in a game.

A flop that is semi-coordinated may also have 2 cards that are a gap from each other, like a flop of 9 and 8, or 9 and 7. With this combination a straight draw is highly possible. This flop may also have suited 2 cards that is common in flops and can easily hit a flush draw—this is what we are uncertain of because either we or another player can make this hit. And the hit benefit can land on any position at the table.

The other flop type is one that is uncoordinated. This flop doesn't fall under any of the above mentioned features of a flop. For instance, if a flop shows Qh, 7d, and 3c, only one 10 card, the gap between the cards are too far, and they are unsuited. When our hand is strong and we don't want any player to catch up with us or build a miraculous hand post-flop, this is the flop we want.

Some flops that are semi-coordinated are sometimes as good as uncoordinated. For instance, if the flop shows 8h, 7d, and 2c, we see a flop semi-coordinated. However, against tight players who are fond of face cards and holding big pairs, chances are they didn't derive these on the flop. So we treat the flop as uncoordinated instead.

But against loose players—those who mess up plays by playing multiple hands—this flop type may backfire on us when treated uncoordinated. So we shift flop perception and see it as semi-coordinated instead.

Hand texture in post-flop poker is more quickly identified and typified for effectiveness with the above hand texture strategy.

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