Archive for the ‘Poker Strategy’ Category

Another part of the strategy of a player is the development of a skill to avoid tilts. Be sure that your opponents are not going to use your emotions against you. Even when you play at a casino online, players can often detect when you are nervous based on a single odd play you make. The results of an emotional play are only very bad decisions and money loss. If you are on a tilt, the loss of self-control is absolutely normal, and the only cure for this is to stop playing. Do not worry, the game will be played tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, it will not disappear, so nothing will happen if you stop playing for some time – sometimes you may need just a few hours rest, sometimes you may need more. But anyway, you are not going to lose your chances and you can try your luck again.

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There are some good reasons to play when you know your poker position. Here are some of them:

A. When is your turn to play, you have much more information than your opponents.
B. The position gives you a “bluff equity”, in other words, cheap and good opportunities to use a bluff.
C. The position allows you to place more accurate bets.
D. The position gives you the opportunity to control the size of the pot.

Let’s see first what are the positions when the number of the players at the table is 10. As we already mentioned, the best position is the dealer’s position. The position to the left of the dealer is the Small Blind (SB), the position to the left of the SB is the Big Blind (BB). To the left o the BB there are 3 UTG (Under the Gun) positions called also early positions, followed by 3 middle positions (MP), and the cut –off position (CO – the one before the dealer).

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Position is the most important and valuable advantage that you can have at the poker table.
If you are not familiar with the term, to have the position means that you are acting last (i.e. either you are the dealer, or the player who is to act after you have already fold). The worst positions are considered the blinds, since after the first betting round all players are to act after the blinds. Whatever your skill level, the situation, your cards, and the position (if you have it) will always give you more information during the game than any of your opponents. And in the world of Texas Hold’em the information is the most important thing.

Losing is never fun, especially when there’s money on the table. But whether you are playing poker, bingo or blackjack, there’s more than just money at stake – there’s also your ego, which makes losing even more bitter.

Many people think that there are a lot of pure bluffs used in the poker game but this is absolutely not correct. In fact, this type of bluff in most cases is not a good idea and it is not used very often.

In order to expect some profit by using pure bluff, you need to understand exactly what happens in the game, including the thoughts and plans of your opponents. Therefore, this technique is used by very, very experienced players. Of course, you can successfully use such a bluff, but being not a very experienced player, you risk your opponent to answer you with a call. Besides, there are tables where it is impossible to bluff.

This type of bluff reminds the blind bets since you have no idea what is going on around you. Something more, in order not to lose in poker, you just need to avoid this type of bluff, the pure bluff. But you still may use the fast bluff and semi bluff, so you have options. The best way for a beginner to gain some money is to play strictly by the rules i.e. the so called ABC poker. In other words, in case you have a high ranking hand, place a bet. If you don’t have it, better fold. And one more thing also very important – keep your mouth shut. Always.

Let’s say that you make a raise during the pre –flop, your hand is an Ace of hearts and a King of hearts, and you are called by two of your opponents. The flop is a Jack of hearts, 9 of spades and 5 of hearts; you have only a flush draw and over card. The first player plays check, the second one places a bet equal to ¾ of the pot.

In situation like this a semi bluff will be if your raise, because technically, you have nothing and any pair of your opponent, no matter how low it is, can beat you. Nevertheless, if you have a flush draw and the best over cards that means you have many opportunities to win the pot at the showdown. Your hand has a certain value which makes your raise just a semi bluff. Ideally, your opponent will fold and you’ll win the entire pot. But in case he calls, you still have a chance to get nuts on the turn.

Semi bluffs are an important part of poker game but never forget that if you use semi bluff every time you have a great draw, you’ll be too easy to read, so don’t be so obvious. Besides, it s never a good idea to be easy, isn’t it?