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.
Hi,
I guess I have a very simple question to ask. When and for what reason will you check?
I hope to hear from you soon.
Best regards,
January
January,
There are lots of reasons to check. You may want to check to induce a check-raise, you can check when you miss with your hand, you may want to check to induce a bet. You may check to slow play. You may check dark to throw your opponent off. You can check because your opponent’s hair is blue. The reasons depends on the hand conditions and is up to you.
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.
Hi,
I’m here to ask something. Well, normally in fixed limit games, depending on position I call but I see to it there’s no raise particularly if it’s quite a tight game. And if in case I hit on the flop I call them down, if not it’s check or fold time.
I have this approach but I am not sure if it’s sensible. In pot limit I should be careful not to overestimate what I have, and not get committed easily. In no limit, I should only play whenever there are many other callers preflop. What do you think?
Thanks in advance.
All the best,
Dustin
Dustin,
In Limit, if you hit the flop or flop a draw, you should tend to stay until the end as you usually have odds to stay.
In Pot Limit and No Limit you need to develop a tight aggressive strategy based on hand selection and position. Playing when there is only multiple players in the pot is not an optimum way to play all holdem pots you enter. You need to approach the other Holdem games differently than Limit Holdem. It sounds like you are approaching them like Limit Holdem.
Hello,
What’s the difference between a weak tight player and a rock? Well to me they look similar. Your thoughts?
Thanks a ton!
Regards,
Tom
Tom,
Weak tight players will sometimes make folds when certain scare cards hit the board, even if they have a hand. For instance, a weak tight player will fold a set to a potential straight or flush on board. A rock will still call this.
Rocks usually will raise their big hands and their hands on the flop if they are in the lead. Sometimes weak-tight players will play a little more passively. Weak-tight players may also check their big pocket pair preflop and then just check call bets, where rocks will at least make a raise.
Hi,
For about 12 months now, I’ve been playing Holdem. Well, in live games, I can actually say what kind or type of opponents I have, weak, tight, aggressive/loose, etc. But when it comes to myself I’m quite not sure. I believe that when I play, I play really tight however once someone call me a tight passive player.
I can’t believe I’m a tight passive one as I always thought I was a tight aggressive player. I don’t know if I just don’t realize it at all, but I’ve never played a passive game, I don’t also pretend to be a pro and actually very open to suggestions, advices, tips, etc.
Any tips on becoming a tight aggressive rather than passive? Your help will be much appreciated.
Many thanks,
Drew
Drew,
A lot depends on how much you are betting and raising etc. Do you check a lot when you miss the flop with your big hands? Do you only raise when you have the nuts? Do you not play position? If you can answer yes to any of these, then you are a passive player.
Being tight and aggressive means getting strong hands and then betting them strongly. Betting out, check raising, using the occasional semi bluff, and value betting are all skills that tight aggressive players have.
Hi,
I’m just new to Poker and now I badly need your help. I don’t understand what a check raise is. Kindly explain it to me with sample situation if possible.
Thanks in advance and keep up the good work!
All the best,
Carson
Carson,
A check raise is when you check to another and they bet out, followed by you then raising that bet. For example, let’s say the flop fell 10-5-2 and you checked to your opponent and he bet out 500. You then raise to 1,500. That is a check-raise.
Hi,
I actually understand that pre-flop raising in case you have a good hand has two main purposes. One is to force out second-rate starting hands which decrease your winning percentage and the other one to invite more money in the pot. Well, I know for a fact that there are some hand that oftentimes mandate pre-flop raise for such reasons as well.
Here’s a certain situation that happens quite often: You are in the big blind and the table goes around. Dealer then has his eyes on you to either check or bet as everyone either called or folded. Then you check your hand. Big blind then checks. Everyone at the table has no idea what your hand is and so you have a huge advantage. It’s actually far better than having the best hand.
Now, is there any circumstance that you would feel it’s advantageous to check with a good hand in the big blind than raise?
Hope to hear from you.
Thanks,
Argyle
Argyle,
If I am heads up with a highly aggressive opponent, I may check my big hand. Otherwise, I am probably going to raise.
Hello,
There’s a situation which tends to happen quite often. Please give me clarity on this.
In a $1-$2 No Limit game or at times Limit, I have a high pocket pair Js to Ks and then would raise preflop. Early position and I’ll get 2 or 3 callers. Flop would then came A-6-4 rainbow.
Then I would be the first to act and at least two players would be there behind me. Then I would assume that from the 2 or 3 callers, at least one would have an A and without knowing would then draw 2 outs.
If you were me, will you check or bet then? If in Limit, I would more or less place a bet for the information as for an instance in a $10-$20 game it will just take me $10 to get useful information regarding $60 or $80 pot and if there’d be a raise, I’ll be busted out. On the flip side if in Limit, I will most likely place a min size bet as if it’s a very small one I might just be raised and if a significant bet I might risk possible A.
Any thoughts?
Thanks and more power to you and your site!
All the best,
Alesser
Alesser,
I am going to bet out if I was the aggressor preflop, especially in Limit Holdem. If I am raised, then I will slow down. I will also bet out on the turn if I am just called on the flop in most cases, unless a tight player calls. In that case, I will check.
Hi,
If I remember it right you once said that betting or calling to chop a pot is normally not advisable however in some cases is also possible like when the board has something silly like AAA QQ and in the pot is quite a bit of money. I fairly understand what you are trying to imply but it would be much better if you still explain it to me further.
I’ll be glad to hear from you soon.
Thanks and keep up the work on this site!
Regards,
Gelo
Gelo,
When it is apparent that the pot is going to be chopped, you should call a bet at the end. It is almost silly to bet unless the board has a straight or flush that could yield to a higher straight depending on a persons hole cards. For example, if the board is 6-7-8-9-10, then you may want to be to represent a J. Otherwise, just check or check and call on the river.
