If you know how to make a bluff call, it is an advantage. When you know to make a bluff call, you can deceive other players most especially those you consider your great opponents. You can bluff and make others believe that you have what they think you really have since the beginning. With a bluff call, you can have great chances of winning the pot.
However, you must be very careful when you are making a bluff call as a bluff call is actually something too risky to make. Well, it is because making a bluff call requires higher level of thinking and once you make even just too little mistake in assessing what others think of you and the cards you are holding you’re dead. Thus, you must be very careful.
To make a successful bluff call, be sure you know how to properly read your opponents. To start out, say there is a pre-flop raiser with 8s 4s and you call him. Afterwards, flop brings Kh 9c 9s and your closest rival places a sizable bet and you flat call. You call although you are not so sure as you have no hand and no draw but then you can read that your closest rival won’t win. After few minutes, turn comes and brings 3c. Closest rival places a pot sized bet and raises all in immediately. Then closest rival flips over his AA face up and so you win. You can take home the pot then.
Example scenario above is a good example on making a successful bluff. Because of the good reading made, closest rival waved goodbye to the pot. Thus, to be able to make a successful bluff later on, practice on how to read your opponents well. Practice until you learn how.
It is a must that you know how to size your bets right. Failure to know how could sometimes ruin everything, your hope and chances of becoming a winning poker player. Well, it is actually tough to ascertain the size of the bet you are going to place in a certain betting round. Sizing of bets is somehow confusing and you have to consider a lot of things. But according to the pros, this job can be made easier by knowing your reason/s why you are betting. Are you betting because you just want to make others call? Or you want to make others fold?
So Others Will Call
In in case you will be betting to make others call, then you should place a value bet. But it is a bit dangerous to place a value bet when your reason for betting is you want others to call. Before placing a value bet, it is best to know your opponents first. Know their prevailing disposition or inclination for calling. Get to know the kind of bets they typically call. Everything is a matter of getting knowledge and information about their tendencies.
So Others Will Fold
If you are betting because you want others to fold then be it. Such reason is the most acceptable reason. But what do you think should be the size of your bet if this is your reason?
Cited in some poker books, when one wants to bet to make others fold, then bet should be as little as possible. This makes sense, considering this may get the job done. But you must be careful in placing little bets as you may look like a fish to others. It is important that you get a feel what kind of players you are up against with.
It is not advisable at all that you become an underdog for some time. Being an underdog or being the least experienced player in any games is not healthy. Thus, it is important that you try to end your fate of being an underdog. There are some ways to accomplish this of course.
First, you can try to gather information. Try to collect information about a certain player or a hand to eventually make good and sound decisions. As you try to gather information, you will discover important things that can help you become a better player.
In games, you can try to start moving all-in. It doesn’t mean that because you are an underdog, you can’t be dealt with some good cards. At some point you will be and if this finally happens, try to move all-in but just be sure others don’t seem like they would call. When you go all-in, others may think you are brave enough to take the risk.
You can also try doing the opposite thing. Instead of going all-in to make others believe you are strong, you can try to make them believe that you are really at your worst, that you are an underdog. If others find you an obvious underdog, they will go easy on you. At times, making everyone believe you are an underdog is helpful and effective. You can later rob them all blindly.
In truth, being an underdog and realizing that you are really an underdog is not easy. You may lose your pride and you may lose your passion for the game. However, you should never get tired and give up. You can break your fate and eventually become a winning player if you just want to. Just have faith and the will to succeed.
It is best to change your style of play once in awhile. Do something new and unexpected to scare away your opponents at the poker table. Learn to take risk as it is only in taking risk that you will succeed.
Say on the flop comes up AsKs9d and at the turn there’s Js. Latter has the potential for drawing a flush or a straight so it is a scare card. Typically, if you are not in a good position, you will check. You might also decide to raise as soon as possible on the basis of the cards on the board.
Aside from checking if you are in a good position or raising on the basis of cards on the board, you can try doing some other things. But of course you must consider the odds and the types of opponents you are up against with.
You can try confusing your opponents. Early in the game, you can call a bluff. But bluff should be strong enough to get found out. Have the goal of making it at showdown so your opponents could see you were just plainly bluffing and almost enjoying.
All throughout the game, your opponents will think that you are just a bluffer and for it they can raise and re-raise as long as they like which can really be a great help in increasing the size of the pot.
To strengthen the pot, try to keep your opponents playing. But of course, this is only possible if you have a pretty strong hand or the nuts. However be careful. Think things through. Although you need to get an edge to make it and win, you still have to widely open your understanding and your eyes to the situation at the table. Consider the cards and the opponents you are up against with.
At some point, you will be tempted to play the most popular poker variety – the No Limit Texas Holdem. Considering that it is one of the most challenging and hard to beat poker variety, it would be helpful if you equip yourself with some information that could really help you. For an instance you can try equipping yourself with the common mistakes players commit in No Limit Texas Holdem games that could later spare you from committing them yourself.
Being Very Aggressive
Many players, play aggressively when in a No Limit Texas Holdem game. They call every challenge, bet on every hand, and play a mediocre hand till its conclusion. In real essence, it is not helpful to play aggressively in most No Limit Texas Holdem games. To beat the game, you must know when to hold on and fold up and walk away.
There should not be any signs of shame when folding in a No Limit Texas Holdem game. Sometimes there’s no any better move than folding. Folding can sometimes save you from losing big bucks. But of course you must fold for good reasons.
Playing Loosely
A lot of players play loosely when in a No Limit Texas Holdem game. Eventually, they fail to realize that playing loosely makes them play like hungry crocodile getting everything being laid down.
Well, to beat the game, there shouldn’t be a lot of starting hands being played. Call on the pre-flop in the event there are some decent hole cards such as Kings, Queens or pocket Aces. At times, temptation to call on the preflop with hole cards like 10-9 unsuited hole cards would be strong. Entertaining the temptation once in a while would be fine but shouldn’t become a practice. Stand firm against temptations to beat the game.
Hello,
I believe you once presented a modified set of hand groupings. I’m wondering if how do you recommend that these are played from different positions?
Thanks in advance!
Best regards,
Jansen
Jansen,
Hand values you can open the pot for change the later in position you become. In later position you can call with a wider range of hands. The earlier you are, the stronger the holdings should become.
Hi there!
I have K7 unsuited and flop is A – 7- 4. I normally wind up calling it but later I lose as it comes back to haunt me. Do you think I should call with a hand like such? Why?
By the way, with suited connectors do you think I should call preflop bet?
Many thanks,
Drew
Drew,
- You should probably lay down this hand on this flop when it is bet to you in No Limit as there is an ace. If it is Limit, you can stay in due to the limited bets and the fact you have odds.
- A-K, A-Q, A-J and maybe K-Q, K-J, and K-10 are the only suited connectors I am going to normally consider calling a raise preflop with against a single opponent.
Hi,
Once I was burnt with 2 pair so I want to know if how one should actually play it. I was thinking maybe I played it incorrectly.
Well, say you get dealt 2 pair on the flop and slow playing is not a good idea as players can pick up sets, straights, much more that can beat you. What will you do then? How will you bet?
I’ll be glad to hear from you.
Thanks a ton.
Warmest regards,
Jin
Jin,
If I flop two pair without an apparent straight or flush draw on the board, I will tend to slow play it. If I am in a loose game or against calling stations, I will still bet as they will likely call me down or even raise. If there is a potential straight or flush draw, I will bet the hand to try and push players out.
Hi,
I’ve been playing Poker for more or less 4 months now, mainly I play No Limit. Just this morning I participated in a 2/4 game. I must admit I barely had enough to buy in then.
At some point, I remember I was dealt 83os in late position. I thought of playing it till the end however I considered the players present, they raise preflop most of the time. To make the long story short, flop came but didn’t grant me the top pair. Turn and river followed and were actually 8′s. Unfortunately I missed my 4 of a kind. Highest hand of the day was payed out $1000 and I was really mad and upset.
Do you think I made the right call? How about my buy in which was in minimum, am I just right about it?
Please I need your advice.
Thank you in advance.
Best regards,
Matthew
Matthew,
8-3 offsuit in late position is the same action as any other position, fold. If you can play it in the big blind to no raise, then play it. Otherwise fold. By the way, you didn’t have four of a king, you would have had trip 8’s.
Personally, if you only have enough money to make a minimum buy-in, you shouldn’t play. You don’t have enough money to stand any downswings early on. Come back another time when you have more money to commit. That’s my view.
Hello,
You once said that it’s hard to play with pocket queens and jacks. Well, I agree with you on that but I believe it’s even harder to play pocket 9s. Such hand has become overrated in Low Limit games. In heads up play it’s actually a good hand but not in Low Limit. Not to mention that it ranked as a top 20 and often top 15 starting hand.
When you flop a set during the 12% of the time you suppose to have a great chance of winning big however the problem is, I find it hard to let it go most especially when there’s only one overcard on the flop. On the better side, if the board comes with an Ace I can dump it easily as I know nobody folds an Ace in Low Limit, however when the board comes Q 7 2 or J 8 5, I find it hard to let it go again. Later part, I just end up losing although normally just a small one.
Now, do you think pocket 9s should be treated essentially the same as pocket 2-6? Basically if you don’t flop a set, check or fold the hand? Another thing, with 9s, does position matter significantly?
Hope to hear from you in no time.
Many thanks,
Andrew
Andrew,
Position matters with all hands. 9’s are a raising hand in late position. Personally, unless there are multiple overcards or I am against an opponent that I know flopped an overpair, I am going to probably call down to the river when only single bets are fired. Usually it is wrong to let go of a pair such as that when there is a lot of bets in the pot. Of course if there is only a bet or two in the pot, Ill probably let go of nines if there is even one overcard on the board since the pot isn’t laying the odds to call.
