Free Ultimate Texas Hold'em trainer. Drill the 4x, 2x, and 1x-or-fold decisions against the dealer, with every choice graded against optimal strategy. New: read the complete strategy guide (linked at the top of this page), including the full 13×13 starting-hand chart.
You play only against the dealer, and the dealer never folds. Of your three mandatory areas, two are built to lose: the Ante only pays when the dealer qualifies, and the Blind only pays when you win with a straight or better. The Play bet is the one part of the game that favors you, because you act with information the dealer does not have. So the whole strategy is simple: get the Play bet in as big and as early as you can when you are ahead, and put in nothing when you are behind. Before the flop the max raise is 4x, on the flop it is 2x, on the river it is 1x. Earlier raises are worth more, which is why the preflop decision matters most.
This is the most important decision in the game. Always raise the full 4x or check. Never raise 3x. Raise 4x with any of these starting hands, and check everything else:
| Pairs | Any pair of 3s or higher. Check pocket 2s. |
| Aces | Any ace, any kicker, suited or not. Never slow play an ace. |
| Kings | Any suited king. Offsuit, K5 or higher. |
| Queens | Q6 suited or higher. Q8 offsuit or higher. |
| Jacks | J8 suited or higher. J10 offsuit only. |
Checking a weak hand is not a mistake. It keeps the 2x and 1x options open if the board helps you.
Only if you checked before the flop. Raise 2x with any of these, otherwise check:
| Made hands | Two pair or better. |
| Hidden pair | A pair using at least one of your hole cards, any rank above deuces. |
| Flush draw | Four to a flush that includes a 10 or higher in your hole cards. |
Only if you checked twice. There is no checking here. Bet 1x with either of these, otherwise fold:
| Hidden pair+ | A hidden pair or any better hand using your hole cards. |
| 21 outs rule | Bet if fewer than 21 unseen cards would give the dealer a winning hand. Count the cards that pair the dealer above your hand, plus cards that out-kick you. 21 or more means fold. |
Folding forfeits both the Ante and the Blind right away, so the bar to fold is high. Any hidden pair is almost always a 1x bet.
| Slow playing aces | Checking an ace preflop is the single most expensive habit. Any ace is a 4x raise. |
| Raising 3x | The 3x option is always worse than 4x on a hand worth raising. Never use it. |
| Folding too early | Folding the river is only correct when 21 or more cards beat you. Players fold far too many live hands. |
| Missing the 2x | When the flop connects with your hand, press it. Checking a made hand to call 1x later costs money. |
| Gut feel | No hunch bets, no chasing losses. Bet exactly what the chart says and let the math work over time. |
The dealer needs a pair or better to qualify. The Play bet always has action. If the dealer does not qualify, your Ante pushes and your Play bet still wins if you beat the dealer. The Blind only pays when you win with a straight or better.
| Royal flush | 500 to 1 |
| Straight flush | 50 to 1 |
| Four of a kind | 10 to 1 |
| Full house | 3 to 1 |
| Flush | 3 to 2 |
| Straight | 1 to 1 |
| Less than straight | push |
| Royal flush | 50 to 1 |
| Straight flush | 40 to 1 |
| Four of a kind | 30 to 1 |
| Full house | 9 to 1 |
| Flush | 7 to 1 |
| Straight | 4 to 1 |
| Three of a kind | 3 to 1 |
Computer-perfect play gives a house edge near 2.19% per ante. This simple memorizable strategy gives about 2.43%, which is still one of the lowest edges on the casino floor.
This free Ultimate Texas Hold'em trainer drills the three decisions that decide the game: the 4x raise before the flop, the 2x raise on the flop, and the 1x bet or fold on the river. It deals a real hand against the dealer, grades each decision against optimal strategy, and explains the rule behind it, including the 21 outs rule that most players get wrong on the river. It resolves the Ante, Blind, and Play bets with dealer qualification, pays the Blind pay table and the optional Trips bonus, and uses a full seven-card poker evaluator so every showdown is exact.
Every hand asks the same three questions, in order: raise 4x before the flop or check, raise 2x on the flop or check, and bet 1x on the river or fold. The math rewards early aggression, because the 4x raise puts the most money in play exactly when the rules say you have the advantage. The rules below are the strategy this trainer grades against, and they match published perfect-play reference analysis.
Raise 4x with any hand on this chart. Check everything else and wait for more information.
| Your cards | Raise 4x with |
|---|---|
| Any pair | 3-3 or higher (check pocket 2s) |
| Ace high | Every ace, suited or offsuit |
| King high | Any suited king; K-5 or better offsuit |
| Queen high | Q-6 or better suited; Q-8 or better offsuit |
| Jack high | J-8 or better suited; J-10 offsuit |
| Everything else | Check |
Checking a hand that belongs in the 4x column is the most expensive habit in the game. The trainer flags every missed 4x and names the rule that applied, so the chart stops being something you look up and becomes something you know.
If you checked before the flop, raise 2x when the flop gives you any of the following. Otherwise check again.
| Two pair or better |
| A hidden pair — any pair that uses at least one of your hole cards — except pocket 2s |
| Four to a flush that includes a hidden 10 or better of that suit |
With all five board cards out, bet 1x with a hidden pair or better. With anything weaker, count the dealer outs: the unseen cards that would give the dealer a hand that beats yours. Fewer than 21 outs, bet 1x. Twenty-one or more, fold. Counting outs feels slow at first, which is exactly why the trainer walks through the count on every graded river decision until it is automatic.
Played perfectly, Ultimate Texas Hold'em carries a 2.185 percent house edge measured against the ante. Because an average hand puts about 4.15 units in action across the Ante, Blind, and Play bets, the element of risk — expected loss against total money bet — is about 0.53 percent, one of the lowest of any table game. The simplified strategy above gives up very little: about 2.43 percent per ante, an element of risk near 0.58 percent, per published reference figures.
The Blind pay table is why hand strength matters beyond winning: royal flush pays 500 to 1, straight flush 50 to 1, four of a kind 10 to 1, full house 3 to 1, flush 3 to 2, and straight 1 to 1. A weaker winning hand pushes the Blind, and it loses whenever you fold or the dealer wins.
A strategy chart tells you the rule, but it cannot tell you which rules you keep breaking. This trainer grades all three decisions on every hand, names the exact rule you missed, and tracks your accuracy over time, so recurring leaks — checking 4x hands, chasing weak flush draws, calling rivers against 21 or more outs — show up in your numbers instead of your bankroll.
The complete Ultimate Texas Hold'em guide (linked at the top of this page) covers the rules, the 13×13 strategy chart, house edge math, side-bet odds, and bankroll planning — each backed by the same validated engine that grades this trainer, with interactive tools you can run live.
Is the Ultimate Texas Hold'em trainer free?
Yes. It runs in your browser with nothing to download, and it is free to use.
When should I raise 4x in Ultimate Texas Hold'em?
Before the flop, raise 4x with any pair of 3s or higher, any ace, any suited king, K5 offsuit or better, Q6 suited or better, Q8 offsuit or better, J8 suited or better, and J10 offsuit. Check everything else.
When should I raise 2x on the flop in Ultimate Texas Hold'em?
Raise 2x with two pair or better, any hidden pair except pocket 2s, or four to a flush that includes a hidden 10 or better. Otherwise check and decide on the river.
What is the 21 outs rule on the river?
On the river, bet 1x if you have a hidden pair or better, or if fewer than 21 unseen cards would give the dealer a winning hand. If 21 or more cards beat you, fold.
What is the house edge in Ultimate Texas Hold'em?
About 2.19% per ante with computer-perfect play, and about 2.43% with the simple strategy this trainer teaches.
The Blind bet only pays when you win with a straight or better, pushes on weaker winning hands, and loses whenever you fold or the dealer wins. That quirk makes the Blind one of the most important bets to understand before you sit at a real table, and the trainer resolves it correctly on every hand.
Chips
300-Piece Clay Composite Chip Set
Numbered chips in a five-denomination spread, for practicing this trainer's bet sizing by hand instead of a keyboard.
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8-Deck Casino-Grade Playing Cards
A standard casino-grade deck for dealing out practice hands away from the screen.
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For practice and training only. No real-money wagering. 21+. Gamble responsibly. Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
More free trainers for casino games that reward the same disciplined, decision-by-decision play: the Texas Hold'em Bonus trainer, the Casino Hold'em trainer, the Craps trainer, and the Roulette trainer.