Gambling
Guide: Texas Hold 'Em Part 3
from Guys Night Online
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Playing Back to Back Hands
If someone has just won on 3 of a kind, it is almost
guaranteed that the next hand will not win on 3 of
a kind – this goes for any winning combination.
While a full house can be likely, most often something
completely different will win such as a low pair,
a straight, a flush, or even a single high card. You
must be constantly aware of the poker odds against
you. Be very selective when betting back to back hands.
There are times when you may feel a
sense of “domination” and become more
aggressive in your betting - eventually losing a big
pot. Never let your emotions dictate your strategy.
The only exception to this rule would be if you were
a substantial chip leader or established player and
the other players were reluctant to call your larger
bets. Then you can use your chip stack along with
momentum to bully the table - although this is usually
short lived.off. Always keep them guessing. You do
not want to be a predictable player.
Folding
Believe it or not, many poker players will tell you
that folding is an art just like bluffing is. This
section will definitely raise a lot of eyebrows, but
all I can say is don’t knock it until you try
it. It is possible that if you folded every hand and
never played a flop (except for the forced blinds),
you could finish in the top 1/2 of most internet tournaments.
Yes, you read that right. Try it for yourself, play
a money game with 9 other people with the intention
to fold every hand, and often times you will end up
in the top 1/2. How is that for an instant improvement
in your game?
I simply call it conservative play
and if you haven't figured it out by now, it is one
of the biggest secrets to winning consistently online.
Remember when I said that you do not have as many
physical tells when playing online? It is because
of this that you must condition yourself to play your
cards more often than you play the other people at
your table. Believe me, I know how hard it is to lay
down an Ace/King with a big pot show - but when a
tight player is betting heavy on the board low straight
- I save my chips and fold. It is human nature to
want to think a bluff is going down and nothing will
beat MY good cards. But I can't see him. I can't see
the shift in his eyes, the nervous finger tapping,
the smirk on his face. I can't hear the tone of his
voice. The only thing I can do is bet on the value
of my cards in relationship to the cards on the table.
Most online casinos have a stat tracker
showing you how many times you fold (and when), how
many times you see the flop, how many times you win,
etc. When your fold percentage is high, you will more
often than not get the cards you need to win that
hand you have been waiting patiently for. Remember
the motto? Minimize loses. Fold when in doubt and
never chase cards - especially when the stakes are
high. Players who continually chase cards end up broke.
Call this odds, call this percentages, call it anything
you want. I call it "knowing from experience
that after I have folded 12-15 hands I usually get
a good starting hand that almost never loses".
Could Haves
There are times when you fold, only to see a flop
that would have given you a good betting hand. Watch
this closely. First of all, this tells you that you
missed your opportunity to win a hand. Most importantly,
your odds of getting a good hand AFTER that are seemingly
lowered due to perceived expectations. Always wait
a few more hands before you bet strong again. Give
yourself some time to get over the emotion of "missing
out" so that you can get back to your game plan.
The basic psychology behind this is
simple: You feel that you have missed an opportunity;
you then try to create another opportunity to compensate.
More times than not, you loose your money trying to
make something happen out of nothing. Be patient,
your time will come around again and let the odds
roll back in your favor. Never play out of frustration
or with a sense of hopelessness. Keep your mind focused
and constantly remind yourself that you are a winner.
Positive thinking does wonders for your game (wonders
for your life) and will reveal opportunities you would
have otherwise never noticed.
Flush showing on flop
I included this section apart from the others for
a good reason. Unless you have at least one suited
HIGH card to go with the flush, simply do not wager
high on this type of hand. Get out while you can if
there is any heavy betting action.
Keep in mind, loose players will often
chase the flush if they are holding only one suited
high card and they see 3 more on a flop. If you are
going to chase cards, then this is the only time I
would recommend it. Typically you should hold nothing
less than a suited Ace, King, or Queen if there are
8 players or more, Queen to Ten when there are 5 or
less. I have talked to a number of great players about
the “bad beats” they have taken, and a
flush draw is one of the favorites. As stated earlier,
this is usually how the pocket Aces end up getting
“shoved”. High card flush hands win some
of the largest pots of every game. Period.
When the Blinds Have Been Raised
This is the best time to bet a slow hand early in
any tournament. Most players will fold due to the
initial shock of the minimum bet being raised. Many
who are "fishing" will not fish until a
few hands have been played with the new minimum bets
and their comfort level has resumed. Also take note
that many players will tighten up every time the blinds
are raised, and aggressive players will start to bluff
even less.
Players Who Raise Often
This is one of two things, a very strong player who
is confident and experienced, or a very stupid player
who plays only by the luck of the draw. Watch this
player carefully during the first 5 or so raises.
If they lose more often than not, you probably have
a sucker. Be as a tiger, patiently waiting in the
bush to attack. Take his money when you have a strong
hand or the nuts.
Confident players will often change
up their game strategy during play. A supposed loose
player will become tight for a few rounds, and then
loose again. If you see a player that is playing too
loose, occasionally bet big hands and slow them down.
If you lose a big pot, you then have the opportunity
to set them up for an all-in. Make them believe that
you are even looser! One good hand will take their
entire chip stack. By purposely giving away a few
small hands you can set them up for the big pot winner
and often times bring other players into the stack
as well.
Bluff Less
It is harder to bluff on the internet than it is in
person. Because of the limited tells, more often than
not, players will play their hand rather than the
person they are playing. This is not to say that it
is impossible to bluff an internet holdem game, but
be very selective when you do. Many players will only
bluff bad hands, but I want to introduce to you the
art of bluffing a good hand (commonly know as slow
playing). Let’s say that you make a significant
raise and you get a caller. Assuming that you have
the nuts (a hand that cannot be beat) check or bet
the minimum on the next card. Very often, this will
provoke an even bigger raise than you would have gotten
had you bet heavy again. In this way you are bluffing
your opponent with a winning hand and - maximizing
your winnings.
If you are attempting to bluff with
a losing hand, it is wise to do so preflop and post-flop
only. Continuing a bluff on the turn or river card
is very dangerous unless you see a weakness in the
caller. If you haven’t bluffed them out by the
turn card, chances are you’re not going to.
I will say it again, conservative players win consistently
when playing online. Believe this and bluff less.
Tournament Play
As a general rule you should play very aggressive
in the beginning of a tournament. This is for two
reasons. First, many beginners will hold and bet on
nothing until they are eventually put out. Secondly,
the blinds and minimum bets are very low allowing
you to see more cards on the flop without loosing
much of your stack. If you are going to chase cards
(which you very seldom should), do it at the beginning
of a tourney, but never, NEVER at the end of a tourney.
Be aware that other players will use
this same tactic also. If you find yourself at a table
where everyone seems to using this same strategy,
play the opposite and take advantage of a loose table.
The ability to constantly change up your playing style
during a game is what separates the champions from
the wanna-be's.
