Mixing up your playing styles is actually a good strategy. Your opponents can’t easily read you and your cards. However, so you could ascertain which playing styles to mix up, you should know the condition of the table you intend to sit at.
First, consider if there are lots of players entering each hand. Then if such players usually stay in until the turn or river. If there is actually a lot of players entering each hand and they stay in until the turn or river then expect a table with predictable players and action.
You can also consider number of players who love raising preflop, betting on the flop and always try to stay in until showdown. And consider also if there is serious bluffing taking place. Observing the table before you decide to mix some of your playing styles is a good idea.
After knowing the condition of the table, finally determine which of your playing styles are you going to mix up. Nonetheless, you can set some internal rules on which styles to use more often however you can also try to do some things you do not usually do so your opponents can’t easily read you. Create an unpredictable image at the table to thwart your opponents.
Also, while at the table, observe the situation. Once table starts to tighten up or otherwise loosen up, consider also changing your styles. It is vital that you know how to adjust with the current situation at the table. Be aware that some styles only work for a tight table and there are also some styles for a loose one. If you still do not know how to make abrupt adjustments, then you should know how. This is a must in Poker, most especially if you want to be a successful player.
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,
I played poker yesterday. Early position, I had AK off suit and then raised it preflop. No raises appeared but for the flop 4 players stayed. Flop came but not that significant, 10-9-3 rainbow. At such point I had 25% chance for a top pair top kicker by the river. However I was not sure then if possible top pair top kicker can make it till the end.
After a while, bet appeared right in front of me. I then had to choose whether I’ll call, raise or fold. Well, I can call however I can only obtain additional infos about player’s hand if somebody else raises. Folding was the worst choice then as I only have a 25% chance to win and so I just raised. Two players then folded and opener called my bet. Table then was up for a heads up play.
Later, he didn’t raise pre-flop and didn’t raise me back after the flop. I then I figured out it was impossible he had flopped a set. He might be holding then either a 10 or a 9, probably with a bad kicker but not necessarily.
Turn came and I had K. He then checked and then called my bet. Well, he doesn’t have K 9 and so I won with a pair of Kings. He had pair of Tens with crap kicker.
Do you believe that raising pre and or post flop when it is cheap can really give you lots of information about other people’s hands?
Thank you in advance.
Best regards,
Lowell
Lowell,
Raising in your situation can give you information on your opponents hand. Like you, when he didn’t reraise, I would have put him on a pair. Personally, I would have bet out on the flop since I was the preflop raiser. The player with the pair of tens would have probably only called the bet thinking that you may have an overpair.
Hello,
First I would like to commend you for this nice site. Keep up the good work.
Well, I’m actually here to ask you something. I’m just a newbie and have actually tried playing small pocket pairs recently. The experience was really intriguing.
At a certain table, I had 22 with a similar flop of 2 6 T rainbow. Unfortunately, because other players who called preflop had 66, I didn’t win such hand. Also he called post flop. I thought I then bet the river but later on discovered things went differently, also called post flop.
After the flop I was really troubled. I was thinking what if someone started with starting hands like 55, TT, 52s, T5s and even T2s that was being slow played and could eventually beat me with a draw on the turn or else on the river.
Now, is it the nature of the betting scenario that creates the confidence to play small pairs or is it an odds or probability scenario? Any thoughts? By the way, any specific way I should play small pocket pairs? Most of the time, I play limit holdem tournament style.
Thanks and more power!
Regards,
Phillip
Phillip,
Small pairs in limit are usually playable, sometimes to a raise in later position. You still want to hit the flop hard with them. When you do flop your set, bet your hand aggressively. The odds of a player flopping a set is around 11% so don’t worry about another player flopping a set too. It happens and when they flop a bigger set, you will lose usually, but that is just part of the game. Most of the time, you will win a nice pot with your set.
Hello,
I’m not implying anything here but I usually win because of my discipline and right strategy. But of course I’m not perfect and so have also experienced being a loser. One of my most unforgettable losing moments was in a limit game 60/120 or 75/150. I remember I was in a table full of very aggressive players. At the start, I was just okay but later on I got tired and upset because others were winning pots on almost nothing and everyone seemed to have far better hands. I tried to play aggressively with good cards but later just end up being beaten. At some point, I thought of not raising preflop with high cards and instead just wait. What do you think? How about the idea of playing conservatively, does it makes sense?
Thanks a lot!
All the best,
Jonathan
Jonathan,
In aggressive games, playing tight is right. Don’t change your strategy based on some bad beats. They happen to players that play solid. Eventually luck evens out. Stick to your normal strategy.
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.
Hello,
I regularly watch Holdem on television and once because of a certain game I’ve witnessed I realized something. Well, I realized that there are certain situations where acting first and betting can take a pot. But of course I understand that as a viewer I can see the cards of everybody while as a player I cannot.
Do you know of any circumstance by which a player can actually use first position to his own advantage?
Thanks in advance!
Warm regards,
Levi
Levi,
In pots where opponents both miss the flop, the person that bets first will usually take the pot. If you were the aggressor preflop in early position, then you should bet. If you are a tight player and people perceive that, sometime you can use early position to make a bluff.
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.
Hello,
I know of a player who always checks no matter what he has but also sometimes bets, raises and the like. I never saw him even once considering anything. He can check pocket aces, raise 72o, etc. I find it really hard to play against him. Any strategy to suggest?
Many thanks,
Andrew
Andrew,
I would play small ball poker and keep the pot small with this person preflop. If you then hit the flop strong, then punish your opponent. See more cheap flops and push your strong hands against him.
