Saturday, August 30, 2008

Ready to improve your hold em game? Lets get started then.

This blog is for information and education only. It is meant to improve your hold em game in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Featured Online Poker Article

Online Poker can be profitable, but be sure to choose the right table!


1. PLAYERS & POT SIZES...

As a general rule, 6-8 players with a fairly large average pot size.

With most online poker sites you can see the average pot size and how many players are seeing the flop. Large pots are better as this generally means more loose players, playing no limit I'm looking to win big hands when I've got the nuts, not to grind down opponents by blind stealing and small pot stealing. I avoid most really tight games, rocks are boring and unprofitable typically. No limit is about getting paid off when you hit your monster, not stealing blinds all day.

A good table for me is one that is loose, but that is also not overly aggressive. I'm looking for a lot of players limping or calling small raises pre-flop.

2. The average number of players seeing the flop...

If you can see the average # of players seeing the flop, this is a hugely vital stat to use. Lower limits you can easily find something around 35-40%, which is pretty darn loose. Find this stat and then get one with a higher than average pot.

Sites like Bodog and Sportsbook.com will show you how many players are seeing the flop on average. I look for games with high averages seeing the flop, anything over 40% is usually good and very easy to find online.

The majority of times this makes for a good table as a tight aggressive player will play between 20% and 35% of any given hands on average, and in my opinion 35% is loooooose.

3. Watch the Button go around the table at least once - and pay attention!

Now that you've found a table with numbers that look pretty good its time to actually take a quick overhead view of the table and see what happens. Open up the table but do not sit down, or if you want you can sit down but not take your cards yet. If you are playing at Poker Stars, here is a screen shot of the table.

Take an open seat and pay attention! Watch the button go all the way around the table and take an initial assement of the table. Here are the things to look for:

A. Players limping and then calling a late position raise with weak holdings (hands like KQo, KJo, KTo, and other dominated hands like QJ (this is a good sign)

B. Look around the table at the current stack sizes - normally avoid tables where more than 3 players have 3 to 4 times the maximum buy in amount. These players can easily push me out of pots or have me committed early. They also might be solid players. (bad sign)

C. Take notice of the cards people are showing down. Look for weak holdings outside of the blinds offsuit small one gappers, Ace rag unsuited, and the plethora of other bad cards people play with. (more junk the better)

D. Take notice of who raises and who calls raises - are premium hands raised huge or limped with and are other players calling raises with weak holdings (good)

E. Any Maniacs at the table? - is there a crazy bettor or people who seem to be out to hit miracle cards by calling big bets? (good depending on seat) If you can get position on them (acting afterwards) you can get paid off when you hit a monster against them. The only problem is that you almost have to hit your hand to beat this player so you need to also feel confident that they will also pay you off when you do.

F. Who are the two worst players at the table? (can't tell? BAD) Pick out two players that are playing weak and have made mistakes. See who is playing really loose, who is playing really tight.

G. Look for players making small raises (1-2x the BB) with premium hands or even slow playing. (good, probably inexperienced players)

4. YOU MUST HAVE A GOOD SEAT RELATIVE TO THE REST OF THE TABLE...

A. This means sitting directly to the left of the Maniacs and the other Big Stacks so you always act after them. If you have a big hand you have the option to disguise it by letting them bet it for you. If you have a weak hand you can let it go fairly easily.

B. Give up position to short stacks/tight players - no problem letting the act after you if they are only going to play strong hands or not get involved often.

If you find the right combination of table factors and good relative seat then snag it! Since you've been watching the action already you can post as soon as you sit down if you want. This helps portray a loose image. If the big blind is 4 seats or less away from me I'll wait and post as soon as I sit down, although I sometimes post right away to make people think I'm loose.

5. IF THE TABLE TURNS COLD, GET UP AND MOVE...

Nothing is worse than staying at a bad table. Many times you'll find yourself sitting at a table with a bunch of tight and aggressive players. Unless you are wanting to work on your game, get up and move and go make money. Don't think that you've got something to prove.

6. TAKE NOTES...

I logged on to Party Poker yesterday to play a tourney with some friends and there were over 70,000 players playing right then. You'll probably never see a player again but if you find anyone who is horrible, take a note and especially when you find the good players, make a note. It could save you your stack later.

I recommend reading through Full Tilt Poker Download Guide for a step by step tutorial on setting a your online poker account. This is a great resource for new players.

Thanks and we'll see you at the tables!

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/no-limit-holdem-table-selection-tips.htm

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Matthew Hilger is generally recognized as one of the best authors on the subject of internet poker. He and some of the most knowledgeable players and writers in the poker industry have joined to contribute columns on every aspect of poker. Contributors range from Tournament Pros like the Hendon Mob� to Internet Poker Pros from the Internet Texas Holdem community. Beyond Texas Holdem Strategy, this section covers Omaha, Backgammon, Sit 'n Go tournaments, multitable tournaments, cash games, poker psychology, mind sets and general revelry.

Visit the Texas Holdem Poker Strategy Section

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posted by I Love Hooks at 3:13 AM 0 comments

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Here are some great Texas Hold Em tips to bring immediate improvement to your game.

The information in this blog is in no way meant to promote gambling. It provides information on Texas Hold Em to be used in its legal and non-gambling applications.

This Texas Hold Em Article Will Make You A Better Player

Quick Tips for Beginning Holdem Players


Tips for Playing Your Starting Poker Hands:
There are a lot of starting hand guides available, this isn't one of them. These tips are quick helpers to get the foundation of a solid poker game underneath you. These are the concepts behind starting hands and ideas you should be thinking about while playing no limit holdem.

1. Small Pocket Pairs.
Play small pocket pairs against many opponents and try and see the flop as cheaply as possible. You typically want to play small pocket pairs against many other opponents. Especially in a cash game or in the early stages of a tournament. Criteria for playing small pocket pairs is that you can get in cheaply, simply by calling the blinds (limping) and hoping to see a flop.

With small pockets you're looking to hit a 3rd of your kind on the flop. This is called "flopping a set." If you flop your set you are almost certain to have the best hand right then, unless it is just a really unlucky flop for you. If you flop a set, bet or raise and work to get as many chips in the pot as you can.

Small pockets pairs are hands like pocket two's up through pocket 8's or 9's. The reason you want to play this hand against many opponents is because when you hit your hand, you hope that someone else has hit a hand as well and will pay you off. The more opponents still active in the hand, the more likely that one of them has hit a hand and will pay off some of your bets.

So, if you are dealt a small pocket pair it is usually a good idea to simply limp in and hope to hit your 3 of a kind on the flop. If you miss, which you will most of the time, then it is fine to check and fold to any bet. It is almost always a bad idea to call any substantial bet on the flop hoping to hit your set on the turn, just fold and save your money.

Small Pocket Pair Quick Tip: You will flop a set roughly once out of every 7.5 times you get a pocket pair. click here for a poker odds chart.


2. Suited Connectors
Suited connectors are hands that play well against many opponents, but poorly against 1 or 2 others. Suited connectors are a bit more difficult to play than small pocket pairs... with small pockets you know pretty much exactly where you stand after the flop. You either hit your set or you didn't. Suited connectors typically do not make a monster hand on the flop, but they will often flop monster draws (draws means that you need 1 more card to complete your hand, typically with a straight or flush).

Suited connectors are hands that are of the same suit, and next to one another, such as 7c 8c, 10d, 9d, or my favorite, Js Ts.

These hands play well in multi-way confrontations, against many opponents. When these hands hit, you typically have a very strong hand, strong enough to beat most everyone else. With suited connectors you are hoping to flop a strong draw, such as an open-ended straight flush draw, a flush draw or a straight draw.

Pre-flop, these hands are weak hands, and even if you hit the top pair these are still a fairly weak and vunerable hand. Suited connectors have a lot of potential to turn into very strong hands. See flops cheaply and late in position with these cards, especially if there are already a lot of players calling the blind to see the flop. Look to flop strong draws or two pair to continue against any heavy action before you.

Look to flop straights, flushes and draws to both. Do not overvalue flopping top pair with small or medium sized suited connectors. Two pair is normally good, but that means that someone else very well may have a straight draw while you have two pair with suited connectors.

Suited Connector Quick Tip: One of the best hands to hold against pocket aces is suited connector, such as 7h8h.


3. Two Big Face Cards
Do not slow play your big face cards. If you are going to play these cards, you need to come in for a raise pre-flop. Big face cards start out very strong, pre-flop, and that means that normally you should make the others pay to stick around for the flop.

Pre-flop these hands are probably some of the strongest at the table, out ranking most of the other hands out there. For this reason, these hands you want to play against as FEW players as possible. To make sure you are playing against few players, you should RAISE pre-flop when it is your turn to act instead of just calling the blind.

A hand like AQ is a strong hand, but it doesn't play well against 3+ players on average. Ideally you will be playing this hand against 1 other opponent, and you ban bet the flop virtually regardless of what comes down.

Avoid calling raises with hands like KJ, QJ, AT, even AJ and KQo. You are often times dominated by everyones 'favorite' hand, big slick (AK). There is no shame in folding KJ pre-flop.

Big Face Card Quick Tip:

Raise pre-flop to limit the field to just one other player whenever possible.

For more poker tips, be sure and check out our listing of poker strategy articles and the absolute best way to improve your play is by finding an online poker room that has SERIOUS 'play money' poker (if you don't want to deposit)..

The best way to practice these no limit holdem tips is to download free online poker software. I recommend PokerStars or Bodog Poker for new players. You can play with free chips and practice these strategies. I do recommend that you also play for extremely small stakes to get a real feel for poker. Free money poker is played differently as poker is for anything of value, even if the value is very small.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/no-limit-holdem-tips.htm

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posted by I Love Hooks at 9:26 PM 0 comments

Sunday, August 24, 2008

This great article contains great poker tips as well as news items.

This blog is for entertainment purposes only. It is meant to provide information relating to the game of poker in its legal and non-gambling applications.

Another Great Hold Em Article

Texas Holdem Lesson - Five Tips!


1. Big Bets mean big hands, don't call them!

Do not call large bets without a very strong hand yourself. Unless you are against truly wild players (or extremely tough players), big bets will most of the time mean big hands! You have to have a bigger hand to beat a big hand.

So, unless you have a very strong hand (or a monster draw with good odds) you need to strongly lean towards folding a hand like top pair plus good kicker on scary boards like straight or flush draws, or even most semi-coordinated boards once all 5 cards are out. Especially on the river, don't call down big bets with medium strength hands!

A big bet is considered "big" by comparing it's size in relation to the current pot size. 2/3rds to 3/4th the size of the pot are generally considered large bets.

2. Bluff "less" Especially when playing poker online!

I say less but that depends on how often you bluff now. The real tip is to make yourself have a compelling reason to make a bluff. Yes, pulling off a successful bluff is an awesome feeling... winning a big pot on a bluff is fun, but overdoing it is one of the fastest way to donk off your bankroll. Slow it down unless you're playing with a bunch of rocks (tight guys who will fold unless they have a monster hand).

Good bluffs need to be set up, well timed and 'fit' into the holdem game. Just making some random bet during some point in the hand because you want to win the pot is a loosing play. Make sure you have a reason to bluff (you sense serious weakness, or have dead on reads). Don't bluff away your money, especially online! It is easy to 'call and see' online since you are not sitting there face to face and have to 'face the music' of making a donkey call.

Plus, many good players will check top pair good kicker on the river if you have called them down with a drawing hand that has obviously missed. (ie, 4 to the flush on the turn, and a blank on the river). They check to give you the chance to bluff your busted draw and pick you off with a hand like top pair or even 2nd pair, when you would have simply folded to their river value bet.

Good bluffs depend on opponents who are paying attention and have the capability of laying down a strong but vulnerable hand. Make sure you have seen something in a player that shows you that they are paying attention and can lay a hand down. Most online players call.

So - don't bluff so much, your bankroll will thank you! (mostly considering $$ games here, tourneys are more situational even than $$ games imo)

3. In general bet larger amounts.

Bet more when you are betting for value, they'll call you. Bet more when you have a strong but vulnerable hand so you end the hand there and take down the pot now. Bet more so you make they draws pay way to much to properly draw for their outs. When you bluff, bet the amount to 'get the job done', which is normally a larger amount (unless your opponent things large amounts mean bluff and smaller value bets mean monsters....

When in doubt, bet a little bit more. If there are flush draws or straight draws on the board, trying to value bet a hand like Ac Ad on a board of Js 10ds 8h with 1/4 or 1/3 pot sized bets on the flop or turn is way to small. This is a highly coordinated board, with straigt draws, flush draws, straight flush draws etc... you name it. Your hand is probably good, but you need to find out right now. You need to stick in a bet around the 3/4th's to pot sized bet to find out where you are at. You could already be behind. Strong re-raises should be respected, as well as smooth calls depending on the turn and the action.

Bet bigger and take it down or give the drawing hand very bad pot odds for calling! 3/4ths pot size to full pot size bets get it done!

4. Frequent continuation bets are fine if you are the initial aggressor pre-flop.

If you've raised pre-flop and gotten 1 or 2 callers it is fine to often make continuation bets on the flop. Continuation bets can be made when the action is checked to you on a non-threatening board.

A continuation bet is a bet that should be between 1/2 the pot up to the size of the pot, made on the flop after raising pre-flop (not calling a raise). If you make a lot of continuation bets, you also need to bet exactly the same when you make a hand.

To be a successful continuation bettor you must also bet the same when you hit your hand. Please notice I said 'frequent' and not 'constant.' Finding exactly where and when to make these takes practice, but if conditions are not bad, start firing away.

5. Don't go broke in an unraised pot - play cautiously when you and others limp on in!

In unraised pots players can literally have any two cards and if you do not have a seriously strong hand (nut or near nut), don't play a large pot. Two pair no good - fold it to serious aggression or resistance. Don't go broke by flopping two pair in an unraised pot!

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/texas-holdem-common-sense-tips.htm

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posted by I Love Hooks at 8:19 PM 0 comments

Friday, August 22, 2008

We have searched high and low to bring you these tips on online poker.



A Online Poker Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

2008 World Series of Poker


By Scott 'The Deputy' Diamond

Poker players from all over are anxiously waiting for this year's World Series of Poker to begin. They have been honing their skills all year by playing in the various tournaments that are plentiful throughout the country and the world.

Some of us, including me, have had some very good coaching by some of the best in the business. (see photo)

I am very fortunate to have one of the first female inductee's into the Women's Hall of Fame, along with another women who has over 20 years of experience in the Poker Community and is a Instructor at the best Poker seminar available, give me advice and polish my game.

Linda Johnson and Jan Fisher are cornerstones in the Poker World.They not only teach at the WPT Boot Camp, they are constantly on the road volunteering their time at numerous Charitable Events.

With the economy here in the United States in a supposed recession,it will be interseting to see how many travel to Las Vegas and enter into one of the 55 events the WSOP is offering this year.

Several of the local casino's are counting on the huge numbers of visitor's by holding their own tournaments. the Venetian had a very successful tournament last year during the WSOP and will be offering the Deep Stack tournament again this year.

Caesar's has decided to have a Tournament Series as well as the Golden Nugget and of course, Binion's.

These tournaments have been designed for the average Poker player with smaller bank roll's and added play with more chips and longer levels.

The Rio will also be offering $330.00 NL tournaments nightly to compete with the other casino's.

If your dream is to play in a WSOP event, there will also be a variety of satellites held at the Rio for you to obtain your dream. These are an excellent way to gain entry into any WSOP event and if history repeats itself, there will be very long lines for satellites.

I would not be suprised if you are sitting at a table satellite with one or two professional player's this year. In the past, professionals felt there was not enough "equity", in playing satellites. However, the fields are very soft in the majority of the satellites during the WSOP and many are going to try and take advantage of the throng's of amateurs who are in town, trying to become the next Chris Moneymaker or Jerry Yang.

If you have never been to a WSOP you should plan on going. It is an electricfying experience and the atmosphere is just incredible. There is still plenty of time to make your reservations and to read a few books or attend a Boot Camp before this year's WSOP.

If you are one of those who will be in Las Vegas for this year's events and you see Linda or Jan,make sure you acknowledge them not only for their accomplishments in the Poker Community,but what they have given to thousands of player's and fan's,Their HEARTS

Scott Diamond AKA The Deputy

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=2008-World-Series-of-Poker.html

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posted by I Love Hooks at 8:21 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Winning strategies to improve your online poker game.

We do not promote gambling of any type. This blog information is to be used when playing online poker in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Hold Em Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

What I Like About Poker


GOAT - Where do I begin? What do I like about poker? Many things come to mind, first I enjoy winning money, as everyone probably does, but poker is more than that to me. I enjoy the competition, I enjoy the psychological aspect of the game.

It is almost primal in a sense.

I was watching the World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel and they were interviewing Howard Lederer, an excellent player and he said that there is something primitively appealing about taking your opponents� chips. Your opponent has a stack of chips, and you would like to take ownership away from him. He wants to take your chips away from you and how you play your hand determines who ends up with the chips.

Poker is not a game of luck. Luck is certainly involved (ever lose to a runner runner flush? Ever win with it?). Poker is a game of skill, if you are counting on catching lucky cards to win, over the long run you will probably lose more money than you win.

Some friends and I just recently took a trip to Biloxi to play some poker. It was only my 2nd time playing poker in a casino, it was a great experience. I lost money overall, but I didn�t do horribly in my opinion. I believe that I improved my game. I know I made the wrong plays in certain situations, and I know that I made the right play in certain situations. I came back from Biloxi a much better Poker player than when I left.

My bankroll from my online game also reflects that fact. I was down to my last $30 the day I left, and today I�m currently up to nearly $200. Yeah, I can�t quit my day-job yet but it�s a step in the right direction. Don�t get me wrong, if I would have won I would have been happier, but I have no problem loosing as long as I teach myself, or get �taught� by others.

My worst hand was the very last one I was going to play. If I had won this hand I would have finished the trip with a slightly larger bankroll than I brought down. I had been playing from about 11pm on Saturday night until around 9am Sunday morning.

My buddy came down from the room and asked was I nearing a decent place to leave the game, and I agreed to leave when the blinds got back to me. Well, wouldn�t you know it, I�m Under the Gun and I get dealt QQ�

Like any good poker player I raise it up. A very loose and aggressive player 2 positions behind me raises it again and we have 2 callers. I probably should have re-raised right there, but I only called. Flop comes down K 10 x. I bet, the loose player raises and the other 2 callers fold. I re-raise and am called.

Turn comes Q� BAM, I figure I�m up against A/K and I just hit my set. I bet out again and am once again Raised. I�m still fairly confident that I�ve got the best hand so I re-raise and am called.

River is rags so I bet out again, and once again I am raised. Now I start to question the strength of my hand, but there was no way I�m folding. I call and say �Got the straight?� Sure enough, he flips over J/9 offsuit for a K high straight. I think most people would fold J/9 offsuit when I�m aggressively betting, I�d like to think that if I would have re-raised after the flop that I might have one it, but the way this guy was playing he wasn�t folding anything.

It really sucks to have your very last hand be one where you get totally owned. That one bothered me for a while. This guy was a �Jackal� and I didn�t think he would fold to anything, but I still probably should have raised him instead of just calling. Flopping the Set was actually worse for me in this situation, my Q�s would have held up if not for the 3rd Q on the board. Live and learn.

I like Poker because it really is a sport. It is a sport that you can play as long as you are mentally capable. As I�m sitting at the table in the casino an older gentleman sat down, my first instinct was that this guy is a farmer. I don�t know what that means in regards to his poker skills, but if I was to guess his profession, I would have picked farmer, either that or professional online poker player over at poker stars.net, but i knew that was unlikely.

Anyway, he was probably in his mid 60�s, and was by far the best player at the table. He completely confused me in hands and I lost a decent amount of chips to him. At the time I was pretty disgusted that I was outplayed by someone who on the outside looked like I should be able to beat no problem. The more I thought about it, the less disgusted I became.

First I know I�m a rookie, through and through. Second, it�s kind of cool to know that when I�m his age, I�ll be taking young punks money at the table. The more I thought about it, the more I respected him and his style of play. He was excellent at hiding his hands and I rarely see him enter pots that he did not win (or at least go down swinging). I liked his strategy, he didn�t get involved in pots where he didn�t have a decent chance to win, and he didn�t let you chase your cards cheaply. I mimicked his play (as best I could) online when I got home and have done pretty well.

So, for all you up and coming poker players out there, if you take any advice from a rookie like me is, always learn. Poker isn�t just about the cards that land in your hand, it�s about how you play. I'm mostly playing online poker now with a live tournament every now and then, but I can't wait to get back to the casino and try my hand, err hooves again.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/what-I-like-about-poker.htm

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posted by I Love Hooks at 5:17 AM 0 comments

Monday, August 18, 2008

Are you ready to start winning at poker? Im going to show you how.

This blog is for entertainment purposes only. It is meant to provide information relating to the game of poker in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Poker Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

The Idiot Approach


MYSTIC - Playing online poker can differ greatly from playing poker on the pro circuit. While on the pro circuit you can get to know the opponents you encounter quite well, and can study and adapt to their personal methods of play.

In online poker, however, the players you encounter will often differ greatly from day to day as new players enter the game. Many of
these players will lack skill at the game of poker, backing up bad hands with good money, while still others will be lurking at tables waiting to take advantage of these weaker players. You can take advantage of this
phenomenon by taking the idiot approach.

The idiot approach can give you great results when you're playing against the weak player or the player who wants to prey upon the weak. It involves putting good money behind bad hands when starting play, then suddenly switching gears to play a much more conservative game - more conservative, perhaps, than even your normal style of play. Basically you want the good players to think that you are a weak player, and the weak players to gain confidence after they win a few beefy pots.

This gambit will lose you money in the short run, but the potential for strong gains in the long run will be increased. If you can throw in a bit of money on a weak hand and play it until the hand is over, then unless you've accidentally bluffed your way to a win, your opponents will see your pocket cards and will notice that you are playing money on weak hands.

This could potentially persuade stronger opponents to start putting chips behind weaker hands, thinking that they've got pretty good
bets against your hands considering that you are playing weak poker. Meanwhile, the weaker opponents will start playing bigger money, thinking that they are on a lucky streak or sitting at a good table due to taking some early wins. At this point, however, you will have tightened your game and will only be playing your better hands.

This strategy is weak if you're playing against excellent opponents who notice right away that you have switched gears, or against opponents who play based on their hands and not based on the actions of the other players at their table. It's also a bad idea to gamble away too much money up front using this tactic - don't throw away so much money that getting those initial losses back becomes an insurmountable chore.

But against a table full of random players, a few badly placed bets here and there in the early hands can win you some good money on later deals.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/the-idiot-approach.htm

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Matthew Hilger is generally recognized as one of the best authors on the subject of internet poker. He and some of the most knowledgeable players and writers in the poker industry have joined to contribute columns on every aspect of poker. Contributors range from Tournament Pros like the Hendon Mob� to Internet Poker Pros from the Internet Texas Holdem community. Beyond Texas Holdem Strategy, this section covers Omaha, Backgammon, Sit 'n Go tournaments, multitable tournaments, cash games, poker psychology, mind sets and general revelry.

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posted by I Love Hooks at 3:15 PM 0 comments

Saturday, August 16, 2008

No matter what your level of play, these poker strategies will make you better.

We do not promote gambling of any type. This blog information is to be used when playing poker in its legal and non-gambling applications.

This Online Poker Article Will Make You A Better Player

Online Poker can be profitable, but be sure to choose the right table!


1. PLAYERS & POT SIZES...

As a general rule, 6-8 players with a fairly large average pot size.

With most online poker sites you can see the average pot size and how many players are seeing the flop. Large pots are better as this generally means more loose players, playing no limit I'm looking to win big hands when I've got the nuts, not to grind down opponents by blind stealing and small pot stealing. I avoid most really tight games, rocks are boring and unprofitable typically. No limit is about getting paid off when you hit your monster, not stealing blinds all day.

A good table for me is one that is loose, but that is also not overly aggressive. I'm looking for a lot of players limping or calling small raises pre-flop.

2. The average number of players seeing the flop...

If you can see the average # of players seeing the flop, this is a hugely vital stat to use. Lower limits you can easily find something around 35-40%, which is pretty darn loose. Find this stat and then get one with a higher than average pot.

Sites like Bodog and Sportsbook.com will show you how many players are seeing the flop on average. I look for games with high averages seeing the flop, anything over 40% is usually good and very easy to find online.

The majority of times this makes for a good table as a tight aggressive player will play between 20% and 35% of any given hands on average, and in my opinion 35% is loooooose.

3. Watch the Button go around the table at least once - and pay attention!

Now that you've found a table with numbers that look pretty good its time to actually take a quick overhead view of the table and see what happens. Open up the table but do not sit down, or if you want you can sit down but not take your cards yet. If you are playing at Poker Stars, here is a screen shot of the table.

Take an open seat and pay attention! Watch the button go all the way around the table and take an initial assement of the table. Here are the things to look for:

A. Players limping and then calling a late position raise with weak holdings (hands like KQo, KJo, KTo, and other dominated hands like QJ (this is a good sign)

B. Look around the table at the current stack sizes - normally avoid tables where more than 3 players have 3 to 4 times the maximum buy in amount. These players can easily push me out of pots or have me committed early. They also might be solid players. (bad sign)

C. Take notice of the cards people are showing down. Look for weak holdings outside of the blinds offsuit small one gappers, Ace rag unsuited, and the plethora of other bad cards people play with. (more junk the better)

D. Take notice of who raises and who calls raises - are premium hands raised huge or limped with and are other players calling raises with weak holdings (good)

E. Any Maniacs at the table? - is there a crazy bettor or people who seem to be out to hit miracle cards by calling big bets? (good depending on seat) If you can get position on them (acting afterwards) you can get paid off when you hit a monster against them. The only problem is that you almost have to hit your hand to beat this player so you need to also feel confident that they will also pay you off when you do.

F. Who are the two worst players at the table? (can't tell? BAD) Pick out two players that are playing weak and have made mistakes. See who is playing really loose, who is playing really tight.

G. Look for players making small raises (1-2x the BB) with premium hands or even slow playing. (good, probably inexperienced players)

4. YOU MUST HAVE A GOOD SEAT RELATIVE TO THE REST OF THE TABLE...

A. This means sitting directly to the left of the Maniacs and the other Big Stacks so you always act after them. If you have a big hand you have the option to disguise it by letting them bet it for you. If you have a weak hand you can let it go fairly easily.

B. Give up position to short stacks/tight players - no problem letting the act after you if they are only going to play strong hands or not get involved often.

If you find the right combination of table factors and good relative seat then snag it! Since you've been watching the action already you can post as soon as you sit down if you want. This helps portray a loose image. If the big blind is 4 seats or less away from me I'll wait and post as soon as I sit down, although I sometimes post right away to make people think I'm loose.

5. IF THE TABLE TURNS COLD, GET UP AND MOVE...

Nothing is worse than staying at a bad table. Many times you'll find yourself sitting at a table with a bunch of tight and aggressive players. Unless you are wanting to work on your game, get up and move and go make money. Don't think that you've got something to prove.

6. TAKE NOTES...

I logged on to Party Poker yesterday to play a tourney with some friends and there were over 70,000 players playing right then. You'll probably never see a player again but if you find anyone who is horrible, take a note and especially when you find the good players, make a note. It could save you your stack later.

I recommend reading through Full Tilt Poker Download Guide for a step by step tutorial on setting a your online poker account. This is a great resource for new players.

Thanks and we'll see you at the tables!

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/no-limit-holdem-table-selection-tips.htm

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posted by I Love Hooks at 8:26 AM 0 comments

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Here are some useful strategies to assist you in becomming a better Texas Hold Em player.

We do not promote gambling of any type. This blog information is to be used when playing Texas Hold Em in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Texas Hold Em Article to Instantly Improve Your Game

What I Like About Poker


GOAT - Where do I begin? What do I like about poker? Many things come to mind, first I enjoy winning money, as everyone probably does, but poker is more than that to me. I enjoy the competition, I enjoy the psychological aspect of the game.

It is almost primal in a sense.

I was watching the World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel and they were interviewing Howard Lederer, an excellent player and he said that there is something primitively appealing about taking your opponents� chips. Your opponent has a stack of chips, and you would like to take ownership away from him. He wants to take your chips away from you and how you play your hand determines who ends up with the chips.

Poker is not a game of luck. Luck is certainly involved (ever lose to a runner runner flush? Ever win with it?). Poker is a game of skill, if you are counting on catching lucky cards to win, over the long run you will probably lose more money than you win.

Some friends and I just recently took a trip to Biloxi to play some poker. It was only my 2nd time playing poker in a casino, it was a great experience. I lost money overall, but I didn�t do horribly in my opinion. I believe that I improved my game. I know I made the wrong plays in certain situations, and I know that I made the right play in certain situations. I came back from Biloxi a much better Poker player than when I left.

My bankroll from my online game also reflects that fact. I was down to my last $30 the day I left, and today I�m currently up to nearly $200. Yeah, I can�t quit my day-job yet but it�s a step in the right direction. Don�t get me wrong, if I would have won I would have been happier, but I have no problem loosing as long as I teach myself, or get �taught� by others.

My worst hand was the very last one I was going to play. If I had won this hand I would have finished the trip with a slightly larger bankroll than I brought down. I had been playing from about 11pm on Saturday night until around 9am Sunday morning.

My buddy came down from the room and asked was I nearing a decent place to leave the game, and I agreed to leave when the blinds got back to me. Well, wouldn�t you know it, I�m Under the Gun and I get dealt QQ�

Like any good poker player I raise it up. A very loose and aggressive player 2 positions behind me raises it again and we have 2 callers. I probably should have re-raised right there, but I only called. Flop comes down K 10 x. I bet, the loose player raises and the other 2 callers fold. I re-raise and am called.

Turn comes Q� BAM, I figure I�m up against A/K and I just hit my set. I bet out again and am once again Raised. I�m still fairly confident that I�ve got the best hand so I re-raise and am called.

River is rags so I bet out again, and once again I am raised. Now I start to question the strength of my hand, but there was no way I�m folding. I call and say �Got the straight?� Sure enough, he flips over J/9 offsuit for a K high straight. I think most people would fold J/9 offsuit when I�m aggressively betting, I�d like to think that if I would have re-raised after the flop that I might have one it, but the way this guy was playing he wasn�t folding anything.

It really sucks to have your very last hand be one where you get totally owned. That one bothered me for a while. This guy was a �Jackal� and I didn�t think he would fold to anything, but I still probably should have raised him instead of just calling. Flopping the Set was actually worse for me in this situation, my Q�s would have held up if not for the 3rd Q on the board. Live and learn.

I like Poker because it really is a sport. It is a sport that you can play as long as you are mentally capable. As I�m sitting at the table in the casino an older gentleman sat down, my first instinct was that this guy is a farmer. I don�t know what that means in regards to his poker skills, but if I was to guess his profession, I would have picked farmer, either that or professional online poker player over at poker stars.net, but i knew that was unlikely.

Anyway, he was probably in his mid 60�s, and was by far the best player at the table. He completely confused me in hands and I lost a decent amount of chips to him. At the time I was pretty disgusted that I was outplayed by someone who on the outside looked like I should be able to beat no problem. The more I thought about it, the less disgusted I became.

First I know I�m a rookie, through and through. Second, it�s kind of cool to know that when I�m his age, I�ll be taking young punks money at the table. The more I thought about it, the more I respected him and his style of play. He was excellent at hiding his hands and I rarely see him enter pots that he did not win (or at least go down swinging). I liked his strategy, he didn�t get involved in pots where he didn�t have a decent chance to win, and he didn�t let you chase your cards cheaply. I mimicked his play (as best I could) online when I got home and have done pretty well.

So, for all you up and coming poker players out there, if you take any advice from a rookie like me is, always learn. Poker isn�t just about the cards that land in your hand, it�s about how you play. I'm mostly playing online poker now with a live tournament every now and then, but I can't wait to get back to the casino and try my hand, err hooves again.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/what-I-like-about-poker.htm

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posted by I Love Hooks at 7:55 AM 0 comments

Monday, August 11, 2008

We have compiled the very best hold em strategies in this great article.



This Hold Em Article Will Make You A Better Player

The Turn - Where The "Truth" Is Normally Told In No Limit Holdem


Nothing is 100% in poker, but there are certain �poker truths� that you need to pay attention to. When I refer to �poker truths� I�m talking about something that�s true more than it is false. That�s as close as you can get in this game.

The �poker truth� I want to discuss today is this: "When a player shows aggression on the turn, they usually have a strong hand."

What this means is, more often than not, against an average player, you�ll know where you stand on the turn.

Let�s look at couple of typical situations where your hand is disguised:

Example 1: You get a strong hand, AKs, in LP and put in a 3xBB raise. You get two callers. The flop misses you, Q93 rainbow, it�s checked around and you put in a continuation bet of � the pot. How does this bet look to your opponents?

Example 2: Now let�s say that the flop hit you, K93, it�s checked around and you put in a bet of � the pot. How does this bet look to your opponents?

The answer is; these two bets look exactly the same. It is hard for your opponents to know what they�re up against. Now take example 1 and replace the AK with another monster, 72 off. Even though you really only have 72o, to your opponents the bet looks exactly the same.

My point here is not to raise with any two cards (though you can in the right situation), but is to point out that it is on the flop that hands are most easily disguised. This is where deception can be very useful. This is where you can often �represent� a hand and get away with it.

The Turn:
The turn is where things get clearer. Fewer players are willing to continue, at the risk of losing more chips, their bluff on the turn. Therefore, more often than not, if they bet, they have a legitimate hand. So move forward cautiously when faced with a turn bet.

An even bigger risk is calling a raise on the turn. A lot of players wait until the turn to raise their monster hands, hoping to get extra chips on the flop with a slow play. If you run into a turn raise after a relatively quiet flop you should be very cautious moving forward, there�s an extremely good chance you�ll need better than top pair to win this hand.

That pattern of smooth calling a flop bet or raise and raising the turn is almost always going to be trouble. Very few players make this move without a big hand.

According to some statistics I found that were compiled from the poker-tracker stats of several on-line players (100,000+ hands). A turn raiser goes on to win the hand 63% of the time. Even more glaring than that is 71% of turn check-raisers go on to win the hand! The data also shows that turn check-raises are generally playing 2 pair or better. So think hard before calling with just top pair.

That doesn�t mean you should automatically fold your top pair to a raiser. If you�re heads up against a loose raiser or someone who regularly bets their draws, then your top pair may very well be good for a call or re-raise. But, if you�re against a tight raiser or if someone raised after multiple players have called bets, you�re top pair is not good, so dump it.

Another problem with calling raises on the turn is that you often end up calling the river. A good rule of thumb when deciding whether to call a turn bet is to include a river bet in your odds calculation. So if you need to call 2 bets into a 10 bet pot (giving you 5-1 odds) you should also add a couple bets for the river (2.5-1 odds) which suddenly makes a lot of calling situations folding situations.

Because the turn is where the �truth� is generally told, it�s a good place for you to make some advanced plays at the pot. A turn raise or check raise bluff is very powerful in the right situations, mostly heads up. Just make sure you have a good read on your opponent and don�t get carried away. These are great moves in moderation.

In my opinion, the turn is the toughest street to play in Texas Holdem. Making the right moves here is what will ultimately make you a winning player. So going forward, before quickly calling turn bets and raises, ask yourself a few questions that may help you define your opponent�s hand.

What types of hands would he have where he would smooth call the flop and raise the turn? Two pair? A set? Does the board complete a draw?

What types of hands would he need to bet the flop and continue on the turn? Top pair? A big draw? Overs?

First and foremost you should trust your reads and knowledge of your opponents, but when that�s not enough, trust the turn.

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/playing-the-turn-where-the-truth-is-normally-told.htm

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posted by I Love Hooks at 8:56 PM 0 comments

Saturday, August 09, 2008

Tired of playing hold em and not coming out a winner? Here are some techniques to make you better.



Todays Texas Hold Em Article

AK - The Misplayed Monster


Ace King � How To Play The Misplayed Monster

Tell me if this sounds familiar; �I can�t win with AK�, �I had big slick, I can�t believe you beat me with that!�, etc., etc. etc.

AK is a very strong hand, however it can and does get beginners in trouble. If I were to hazard a guess, I�d say that AK is the most misplayed hand in No-Limit Poker.


The Strength of AK
AK is a monster hand. According to Poker Room�s Expected Value (EV) calculator AK suited is the 5th strongest hand (behind AA, KK, QQ & JJ), and AK off-suit is the 7th strongest (behind TT).

There is absolutely no doubt that AK is a positive EV hand. That�s pretty much in line with what all the Poker books teach as well.

The strength of this hand is that when it hits, more often than not, you�re going to have the best hand. Of course there will be the suck outs even when it does hit, but that�s the nature of the game. Most of the time when you pair you�re Ace or King, you�ll go on to win the hand. The other thing that makes this hand strong is that when it doesn�t hit, it�s easy to get away from, or should be. I�ll touch on this more in a minute.


The Weakness of AK
AK is very pretty to look at, but it is still a drawing hand. If you don�t hit an Ace or King, you�ve just got Ace high. Unfortunately many new (and not so new) players get sucked in by its beauty and just can�t seem to let it go, even when it doesn�t hit. How many times have you seen a player call to the river and turn over and AK that didn�t hit?

Another weakness is that you�re mostly playing for top pair top kicker (TPTK). You can only make one straight and most of the time your flush draw won�t hit. Because of this, it�s not a hand that plays well against multiple players.


Pre-Flop
We�ve established the obvious, that AK is a big hand. We�ve also established that it�s lack of draws make it weaker against multiple players (but still strong enough to play). So this tells us that we need to raise with AK.

Until the game is heads up at the final table, see very few situations where limping with AK is justified. I understand the whole �mix up your game� theory, but save it for another hand. AK NEEDS to be raised or re-raised pre-flop.

With AK you will miss the flop 66% of the time (against 3 limpers), but on those hands where you hit, you want to be isolated as much as possible and you want the pot as big as possible. Let�s do the math.

I�m assuming equal bets to keep the math simple. If you limp with AK vs. three limpers you will win 4 Bets 33% of the time (ignoring post-flop). It costs you one bet each time, for a net 1 bet per 3 hands or 0.33 bets per hand.

By raising, 33% of the time you win 8 bets, costing you 2 bets each for a net of +2 bets per 3 hands or 0.66sb per hand. So, by not raising in this situation your EV per hand goes down by 0.33 bets.

This is obviously very simplistic and it doesn�t take into account the additional EV you get by folding your opponents, but it still illustrates the point. This is not a hand to limp with.


How to Play AK When It Hits
This is the easy part. BET IT! How much you bet is dependent on the texture of the flop of course. If there are draws that can hurt you, bet more. If there aren�t any obvious draws, bet what you need to and maximize your winnings. Easy, right?


How to Play AK When it Misses
I spent some time on pre-flop play, but frankly most of the problems players have with AK are not related to pre-flop play. They have a problem because when they miss the flop, they play it like they have a real hand instead of just Ace high. This is where players get into trouble.

So how should you play your AK if it misses? Well, it depends. (That�s the answer for most poker questions, isn�t it?) It depends on your position, number and type of opponents, and the exact texture of the flop, among other things. This is a fairly complex topic and there are no exact approaches, but there are some general rules that will save you some chips.

Please commit this to memory: Just because you raised pre-flop does not mean you are obligated to bet the flop.

A continuation bet (a flop bet following a pre-flop raise) is very powerful and should be used, but the situation has to be right. One thing to keep in mind is that you do not want to bet into a large field from early position.

With several players to act after you, generally the best approach is to check and either fold to a big bet or call a small bet if you have the odds to draw to your over cards and the texture of the flop is favorable. Mostly you�ll want to fold.

There are situations where you�ll want to bet. You want to bet your unimproved AK on the flop if any 2 of these conditions exist (#1 being the most important)

.1. You are up against 2 or less opponents (that are not calling stations!).

2. You are in late position and it is checked to you

3. The board is rainbow and uncoordinated

4. You have additional draws to go with your over cards

I�m sure there are other times when it would be smart to bet, but these are the general rules I follow (try to follow).

Don't get married to over cards. If they don�t hit on the flop, chances are, even if you hit, you�re going to be second best. Trying to push through several opponents with only over cards is a good way to lose a lot of chips. Remember, AK is profitable, in part, because it is easy to fold.

-jtd

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/AK-the-misplayed-monster-how-to-play-big-slick.htm

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Matthew Hilger is generally recognized as one of the best authors on the subject of internet poker. He and some of the most knowledgeable players and writers in the poker industry have joined to contribute columns on every aspect of poker. Contributors range from Tournament Pros like the Hendon Mob� to Internet Poker Pros from the Internet Texas Holdem community. Beyond Texas Holdem Strategy, this section covers Omaha, Backgammon, Sit 'n Go tournaments, multitable tournaments, cash games, poker psychology, mind sets and general revelry.

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posted by I Love Hooks at 10:20 AM 0 comments

Thursday, August 07, 2008

This is one of the very best Texas Hold Em articles I have ever come across.



Another Great Poker Article

Early Poker Memories


By Johnny Hughes


My only job from my mid-teens until I was twenty-six, was to play poker, gin, and bridge. There was a lot of gambling.

Here is a brief excerpt from my upcoming novel, Texas Poker Wisdom. In the late 1950s and the early 1960s, Maverick was a hit television series starring James Garner. He was a wise-cracking, comedic, and cowardly poker player who traveled all around the Old West. This TV series spawned a mini-boom in poker much like Rounders created a real boom in poker in the 1990s. Buddy and Matt realized it was like a weekly commercial for the poker games they ran. All the college crowd gave it a go at trying to be like Maverick, a devout anti-hero. Buddy and Matt often sang the theme song: Who is the tall dark stranger there? Maverick is his name. Riding the trail to who-knows-where. Luck is his companion. Gamblin' is his game.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


There was a lot of action, but also a lot of poor people. As a freshman at Texas Tech, I played cards every day and many nights. There was a 25 cent limit poker game in the Student Union where they kept the bets in marks on a pad. You had to pay up before you went to class or suffer severe blows about the head and body.

I remember the day, as a freshman, I got hooked on poker like a little movie in my head. Being broke, I headed for Tech to find someone to gamble with. I won a five spot from a guy playing gin who knew I could not pay until I won something. Someone told me about a poker game a block off campus that had been going all night. When I got there, people had nickels and dimes and bills in front of them. I wasted no time in getting my five bucks up there.

My first hand, playing seven-stud, high-low split, I had the nut high with three players in the pot and all the cards out. My full house could not be beaten when a guy bets $100. I said I was potted but no, these tough talking guys said call or you are out. Everyone was writing checks. There was a bank draft and I filled it out and made the cinch call. I didn't have a bank account. That game went on day and night for five days. On that first night, I played all night and won $300, like $3000, now in cash. Many times someone would bet you $10 when there was a $10 cash bill in the pot. I'd call with a $20 check expecting to lose to get my cash change.

I went to Brown's Varsity Shop and bought me a whole new outfit, including a green and black striped corduroy coat that I called my gambler's coat. This became my custom, buying lots of clothes when I had money. I'd go up and down frequently.

Once when we were running a game, we had a big slice of our bankroll on the table for me to play heads up with a guy named Maurice. We both caught wired Aces and moved in before the flop. Maurice would not split it. Jerry and I begged. He caught the flush and headed for Dallas. We hopped a plane he next morning to follow him, only he did not show up at the poker game. What we did find was a triple-draw low ball game. The gamblers were holding out. The suckers were drawing out. Our money was running out. I ran into this slick on the street that told me he had a college degree in colorology. He had a sport coat that was perfect for my ruddy face. He ended up selling me so many clothes, I had spent my half of the bankroll.

Bill Smith, the main event champ of 1985, opened a big game in an apartment house where we were running a little poker game. After a while, Jerry and I were playing with them. I was only twenty but I dressed like the older gamblers with fedoras, baggy pleated slacks, tasteful wool sports coats. When the money started rolling in, we'd get our nails manicured, get facials, get a shine, and have our hair styled. We'd see the other gamblers downtown, and this was a way of showing off. Bill used a cigarette holder, so I got a longer one. For twenty years old, I probably looked silly.

I'd run a pot-cut poker game and play in the larger games. The small game was no-limit, twenty dollar buy-in. I cut the pot 25 cents on the first five and another 25 cents when the pot got to ten dollars. Unfortunately, if I built a bankroll in the big games, I'd let the little game go until I got broke again and had to put down my spread. When the money was good, I'd blow it on travel, fancy living, and needless clothes. I can remember running good for a couple of years straight and then busto. "Broke man stinks," they say.

We could always get staked. I'd live in a fancy apartment, then a $25 a month room, then repeat the cycle. When I was broke, I was welcome in gambling houses all over to eat the great food for free. The dice games would have food delivered and call all the players for special menu items. Only one item per day: catfish, chicken, steak, stew.


I went by a big seven-five low-ball game broke and another college student on a roll staked me. We played with $5 the cheapest chip and a $5 ante. After many hours and wretched tiredness, I was off $2000 winner, like $20,000 today. However, my stake horse did not want me to pull up. My problem was $25 overdue rent, and $10 for laundry. They would not allow me to pull a lousy $35 from my stack and my stake horse was fresh out of cash money. Finally, somebody loaned me the money and I ran the two blocks to pay laundry and rent. Then I came back and the older guys broke me and my stake horse. Seven-five, Kansas City low-ball is the cheater's game.

Once in Ruidoso, playing low-ball, I knew these road gamblers were going to try to cheat in this huge game. There were several big bookies and loan sharks present, so I knew there would be no cheating until after they went home. One fellow had bandages on his fingers, which could conceal tiny mirrors. On one big pot, I blinded it for $40, the size of the pot, which gives me last action. The slick smooth called with 7,6,4,3,2. I drew four and hit a seven-five. I over bet the pot, $200, and he raised his last $900. I won almost $4000 and hopped back on the blacktop. I am sure they would have cheated sooner or later.

From the early sixties on, for over forty years, there was a big Hold 'em game at a place called the Shop, here in West Texas It was perfect for me because I could play when I wanted to. There were loan sharks present, which meant no one would bug me about loaning. That also meant a steady supply of money. There were a few arrests in the early days, but the Shop ran a very long time with no robberies and no arrests. Many of the big Vegas players would come play a while, but they did not like it. Bill Smith, Bobby Hoff, Sailor Roberts, Amarillo Slim. It was a tough game because of a couple of rocks that would only win one or two pots a day, but they seemed to always win.

Nearly everyone was a professional gambler. It was a great hangout. Boosters a.k.a. thieves would come selling hot goods: clothes, boots, electric razors, steaks, large canned goods, watches. My favorites were these two old men who had a large variety of fruit for 15 cents a pound. They had a large scale on the back of their pickup.

Poker sure has gotten respectable. I sure miss it the way it was.

Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=My-Poker-Wisdom-Working-in-my-Youth.html

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posted by I Love Hooks at 2:23 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Here are some great hold em tips to bring immediate improvement to your game.

Please note this blog is meant to provide information on hold em in its legal and non-gambling applications.

A Poker Article For Your Reading Enjoyment

Texas Holdem Lesson - Five Tips!


1. Big Bets mean big hands, don't call them!

Do not call large bets without a very strong hand yourself. Unless you are against truly wild players (or extremely tough players), big bets will most of the time mean big hands! You have to have a bigger hand to beat a big hand.

So, unless you have a very strong hand (or a monster draw with good odds) you need to strongly lean towards folding a hand like top pair plus good kicker on scary boards like straight or flush draws, or even most semi-coordinated boards once all 5 cards are out. Especially on the river, don't call down big bets with medium strength hands!

A big bet is considered "big" by comparing it's size in relation to the current pot size. 2/3rds to 3/4th the size of the pot are generally considered large bets.

2. Bluff "less" Especially when playing poker online!

I say less but that depends on how often you bluff now. The real tip is to make yourself have a compelling reason to make a bluff. Yes, pulling off a successful bluff is an awesome feeling... winning a big pot on a bluff is fun, but overdoing it is one of the fastest way to donk off your bankroll. Slow it down unless you're playing with a bunch of rocks (tight guys who will fold unless they have a monster hand).

Good bluffs need to be set up, well timed and 'fit' into the holdem game. Just making some random bet during some point in the hand because you want to win the pot is a loosing play. Make sure you have a reason to bluff (you sense serious weakness, or have dead on reads). Don't bluff away your money, especially online! It is easy to 'call and see' online since you are not sitting there face to face and have to 'face the music' of making a donkey call.

Plus, many good players will check top pair good kicker on the river if you have called them down with a drawing hand that has obviously missed. (ie, 4 to the flush on the turn, and a blank on the river). They check to give you the chance to bluff your busted draw and pick you off with a hand like top pair or even 2nd pair, when you would have simply folded to their river value bet.

Good bluffs depend on opponents who are paying attention and have the capability of laying down a strong but vulnerable hand. Make sure you have seen something in a player that shows you that they are paying attention and can lay a hand down. Most online players call.

So - don't bluff so much, your bankroll will thank you! (mostly considering $$ games here, tourneys are more situational even than $$ games imo)

3. In general bet larger amounts.

Bet more when you are betting for value, they'll call you. Bet more when you have a strong but vulnerable hand so you end the hand there and take down the pot now. Bet more so you make they draws pay way to much to properly draw for their outs. When you bluff, bet the amount to 'get the job done', which is normally a larger amount (unless your opponent things large amounts mean bluff and smaller value bets mean monsters....

When in doubt, bet a little bit more. If there are flush draws or straight draws on the board, trying to value bet a hand like Ac Ad on a board of Js 10ds 8h with 1/4 or 1/3 pot sized bets on the flop or turn is way to small. This is a highly coordinated board, with straigt draws, flush draws, straight flush draws etc... you name it. Your hand is probably good, but you need to find out right now. You need to stick in a bet around the 3/4th's to pot sized bet to find out where you are at. You could already be behind. Strong re-raises should be respected, as well as smooth calls depending on the turn and the action.

Bet bigger and take it down or give the drawing hand very bad pot odds for calling! 3/4ths pot size to full pot size bets get it done!

4. Frequent continuation bets are fine if you are the initial aggressor pre-flop.

If you've raised pre-flop and gotten 1 or 2 callers it is fine to often make continuation bets on the flop. Continuation bets can be made when the action is checked to you on a non-threatening board.

A continuation bet is a bet that should be between 1/2 the pot up to the size of the pot, made on the flop after raising pre-flop (not calling a raise). If you make a lot of continuation bets, you also need to bet exactly the same when you make a hand.

To be a successful continuation bettor you must also bet the same when you hit your hand. Please notice I said 'frequent' and not 'constant.' Finding exactly where and when to make these takes practice, but if conditions are not bad, start firing away.

5. Don't go broke in an unraised pot - play cautiously when you and others limp on in!

In unraised pots players can literally have any two cards and if you do not have a seriously strong hand (nut or near nut), don't play a large pot. Two pair no good - fold it to serious aggression or resistance. Don't go broke by flopping two pair in an unraised pot!

Source: http://www.kickasspoker.com/poker-strategy/articles/texas-holdem-common-sense-tips.htm

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posted by I Love Hooks at 11:20 AM 0 comments