Poker Tip Of the Day - BetHoldem

[Dr. Jack]

Poker Tip Of the Day - BetHoldem

Position is more important in Hold'em than any other form of poker. The later you are to act, the better. The value you gain from watching all your opponents act before you can greatly influence your decisions. Let's say you hold suited connectors, 7-8 suited, and the player under the gun raises the pot pre-flop only to be re-raised by the player to his left. The next three players fold and now your eighth to act with your suited connectors. They sure don't look as attractive as they did 30 seconds ago. In a regular nine-handed game the blinds, player under the gun and the fourth player to act are in early position, players 5-7 are in middle position and the eighth player and button are in late position. Hands you would fold in early position become hands you can raise with in late position.

The power of position is only compounded by the fact that there are four betting rounds in hold'em. In last position you get the advantage of information exposed by your opponent's actions on every round of betting. Drawing hands become profitable if enough players have limped in, you can give yourself a free card, you can raise with out the fear of being check-raised. When in doubt about a starting hand make sure you factor in all the advantages of late position and the disadvantages of early position into your decision.

[Dr. Jack]

Ask the Manager: Take the guesswork out of decision-making


The summer is almost over, so it's time to get back to school poker school that is. I'll be your teacher, Professor "Poker Alex," but you can just call me the future Poker World Champion.

Today's lesson is all about decision-making. If you think about it, that's all poker is - making decision after decision, while hoping that you're right. You could be deciding to call, raise or fold, and if you decide to raise then you've got another decision to make - how much to bet?

To play successful poker you must make as many correct decisions as possible while you're playing. Let's go over a few ways to make your decision-making process at the table easier.

Making the correct decision is based on having the correct information. It takes time and practice to get really good at reading players and figuring out what cards they have by the actions they take, but if you really want to be a successful poker player it's a must.

Every successful online poker player I've ever met has had one thing in common: They all take notes when playing. Think about how many players you've faced during your online poker career. Even if you've only been playing for a few weeks, you've probably played against hundreds of different players. The next time you meet up with one of those players at the tables you could either start fresh and try and get a read on them, or use your old notes and save yourself some time, energy and probably some money too. When a player sits down, if you already know they are aggressive, favor bluffs, or only bet if they have the nuts, then you're in for a much easier game.

If you only play poker for the recreational fun of it, then working on your player-reading skills and studying your player notes may be a little over your head. But if you really want to get better, and maybe even make some money playing this game, then you absolutely have to work on your game.

When you're through looking over the notes you have on your combatants, it's time to start reviewing the notes on your own play. If you don't know what notes you should be taking and what you should be doing with them, check back with us and we'll answer those questions next time.

I'm late for a poker tourney (guess I'll make a Phil Hellmuth entrance), so class dismissed.

[Dr. Jack]

Flop Texture - Limit Hold'em
After you watch your opponent's reactions to the flop as it is dealt you need to identify flop texture. Immediately figure out the best possible hand and where you stand in relation to the nuts. Watch out for connected, suited or paired flops. If there are draws out there and many opponents are still in the pot, you can count on them trying to draw out on you.

If you have decided to continue, you will hold either a made hand or a drawing hand. This will combine with what's on the board to influence how you want to continue. With a made hand you want to play defense and raise as much as possible to get opponents off their draws. With a drawing hand you want to play offense, value raising to build a pot that will be worth the risk when you make your draw.

Remember, the best flops aren't always the ones that give you the nuts. If you hold A-J and three aces hit on the flop, you are going to get little or no action, even if someone tries to make a bluff at the pot. You want flops that will make hands for you that are hard for your opponents to identify. Straights are overlooked by opponents more often than flushes. Also, flops that make a lesser hand than you would have hoped for might actually pay off more. If you hold A-10, do you want a flop of A-4-2 or 10-7-3? Don't be so quick to jump on pairing your ace. The 10 with an ace kicker is much stronger than the Ace with a 10 kicker, due to the texture of the flop. If you get action on the ace-high flop, it's likely your out kicked and have the second best hand. Always use flop texture to help you identify and avoid the pitfalls of many hands.

[Dr. Jack]

Raising on the Flop - Limit Hold'em
On the flop you have a lot more information to work with and the reasons for raising become numerous and more complex. This is where the strategy becomes more creative and less mechanical. There are many reasons to raise: ranging from protecting your hand, building a pot, bluffing and semi-bluffing, to gaining information or getting a free card on the next round. In most cases you want to be the aggressor if you've got the goods.

First, let's talk about defense: failing to protect a strong hand in a large pot is a very costly error. You protect your hand by betting and raising so that you put your opponents who hold weak draws on a decision between folding and making a bad call. Everyone has bad beat stories of how they bet and raised on every round only to be called and sucked out on by a horrible player. Bad beats suck, but guess what; you want those players to call you every time. They will pay you off far more in the long run, than beat you. Ignore the results of one hand and appreciate that you made the correct play by raising.

You can also play a little offense with your betting strategy and still make the right decisions. This will take greater skill and awareness of your table, but it makes the game a whole lot more fun. With a drawing hand, or even better, a hand with multi-way possibilities (ex. Ac-Jc on a board of Ah-9c-4c) start building a pot right away. The large pot will ensure you get the correct odds on your draw, and pay off big when you make your hand. Just as you don't fear protecting your hand, don't be so timid that you walk away from risky situations that are profitable to play aggressively.

[Dr. Jack]

Check-Raising and Slowplaying - Limit Hold'em


Check-Raising and Slowplaying are creative plays available to you on the flop. Both these moves are used to deceive your opponents and make them think you are weaker than you actually are. For either of these plays to work you will need to hold a strong hand.

Of these two plays you will most likely check-raise more, especially in limit hold'em games. When you check-raise you need to have a strong hand on the flop and you must be sure that there will be action behind you. Use your knowledge of the game's texture to gauge the aggression at your table. If you are quite sure someone will bet behind you then check to that player and raise him when the action gets back to you. This is easy and very effective in low limit hold'em games where people like action.

Slowplaying requires you to lay more of a trap and should be used less often because more variables need to be met. In addition to holding a strong hand, the table needs to be passive, to the point where on this particular hand you're sure that a small raise on the flop will drive opponents out. But, before you check take a second look at the board and make sure that the free card has a good possibility of making someone the second best hand and very little chance of making an opponent a better a hand.

[Dr. Jack]

Bluffing - Limit Hold'em
Yesterday we talked about deceiving your opponents to think you are weak when you are actually strong. It can work the other way as well and this is where the bluff comes into play. Often thought of as the sexy play you can make at a table, the bluff is often over emphasized in movies and on television. A bluff is a very effective play and a winning player needs to know how to do it well, but not as often as you might think.

When you bluff, you raise the pot with nothing or close to nothing in an attempt to make others think you're strong, inducing them to fold and give you the pot without having to show your cards. A few words to the wise on bluffing: In limit hold'em you will rarely bluff, not nearly as often as you would in no-limit hold'em because it's too hard to make people fold for one bet. Pay attention to the size of the pot, people are more likely to call you if the pot is large and fold if the pot is small. You usually want to be head's-up when you bluff and never try to bluff more than two opponents out of a pot.

The most important thing for you to know when bluffing is to know your opponent (a recurring theme). Watch them throughout the game and you'll know when they're on the come and then you can possibly bluff them out of the pot. Also, if you are in a pot with a bad player, don't bluff. They will usually call anyway and you will have to show down the best hand to win. As you play more poker you'll notice the correct situations to bluff in will find you more as you recognize them. Develop your observation skills and you will able to blend all the information given to you by opponents, pot size and game texture to decide when to bluff. Integrate bluffing into your game and you can skillfully pick up pots when you're not dealt the winning hand.

[Dr. Jack]

Semi-Bluffing - Limit Hold'em
Let's turn our attention to a very solid play you can make on the flop called semi-bluffing. Here you bet on a weak hand, hoping everyone else will fold and you will win the pot right there, but if you are called you still might win. Good examples of hands to semi-bluff with are second pair with a strong kicker, an inside straight draw or a small pair with a draw (Ex. You- Ac-4c Flop- Kc-8c-4d). A semi-bluff is best made from early position, as are all bluffs, to show strength. If everything goes according to plan, your opponents will fold, if not you have a fighting chance. In most cases it is better to make a semi-bluff rather then just checking and calling if you have no reason to fear a raise. You want to be the aggressive one if you decide to play. If you are in last position and have the luxury of giving yourself a free card, it is usually correct to do so and pass on the semi-bluff to avoid being check-raised.

There are many advantages of integrating the check raise into your strategy. If opponents call you and you do make your draw it will be hard for your opponents to read. They will put you on a made hand if you raised on the flop, not a draw. This will be very profitable for you on the later betting rounds, when the bets double. Also, if you semi-bluff on the flop and get no help on the turn, it is likely that opponents ahead of you will check to you. You have effectively given yourself a free card by semi-bluffing on the flop.

Lastly, by semi-bluffing you use your cards and situations to randomize your betting patterns to your opponents. This is a very important step in keeping your opponents guessing about your play. And, the best part about a semi-bluff is even when you get "caught" you can still win if help comes on the turn or river.

[Dr. Jack]

Keep'em Guessing - Limit Hold'em
A lot more weapons are available in your strategy toolbox once the flop is dealt. Don't waste all these weapons by making your play mechanical and predictable. Never become so tight or loose that your opponents can predict what you hold with some degree of accuracy. Have an overall plan with every play you make to deceive the table. This will also help you remain patient by keeping the game exciting.

You want to deceive your opponents whenever you can; act weak when you are strong with slowplays and check-raises and strong when you are weak with bluffs and semi-bluffs to throw them off track. Show your hole cards every once in a while when your caught bluffing. Start out playing tight then change gears to loose play, and vice versa. Make it so your opponents always have a little voice in their head second-guessing what you hold when they are in a pot against you.

Pre-flop play is just the tip of the iceberg. Post-flop play is where it gets creative and where winning players truly establish themselves. To become a winning player you need to use all the plays available to you and mix them up to make the most money you can off your opponents. Be observant and you'll notice the right situations to make these plays. Never stop thinking about your opponents and all the information available to you. Remember, the part of the iceberg concealed beneath the water is usually what sinks the ship, not the part that's visible. Have a plan so that your opponent only observes the small part of your play you want them to see while you formulate a master plan to sink them with deception.

[Dr. Jack]

Improve on the Turn - Limit Hold'em
You played solid starting cards, received good news on the flop and once again improved on the turn, or you had a strong hand on the flop and the turn was an inconsequential blank card. What now? Pour on the aggression! Betting or raising is a far superior play to calling or checking on the turn. You set the tone for the rest of the hand and run the show. If you call here, you better have a good reason to have done so, either to set someone up for a play on the river or if you have the correct odds to continue a draw.

The general rule of thumb is, if you have top two pair and an opponent bets into you, fire out a raise that separates the contenders from the pretenders. You want to build the pot and knock out the opponents on draws. In late position bet if no one has already done so and only check in early position if you're absolutely sure someone will bet and allow you to check-raise. As always, before you blindly rush in with guns blazing double-check the board for connecting, suited or paired cards that could put you in the path of raises and re-raises.

[Dr. Jack]

Not Improving on the Turn - Limit Hold'em
You played solid starting cards, hit enough of the flop to continue and no help came on the turn. This is a sticky situation, what should you do? This is where the information obtained by observing everything going on at the table is a major advantage. If you haven't improved you'll most likely hold a draw with the right amount of opponents, a big pocket pair in the hole that you believe will hold up or absolutely nothing, but you believe you can bluff and pick up the pot.

A lot of time when you flop an open-ended straight draw or a four-flush you will not improve on the turn. If you have two or more opponents you can call a bet and give it one last shot on the river. Watch out for a lot of action on the turn though. If there's a bet and raise ahead of you, be wary. Make sure the board is not paired so that you're not drawing dead to a full-house.

If folding is the superior play to checking with your hand, it might be the most profitable to bluff against your opponents. The turn is a good place to do so, if the action leading up to it is passive. This will require that you pull in all the information from the hand to pick a good situation to pull it off. If everyone has checked on the flop, then you have a good chance of pulling off a bluff on the turn from early position, especially if a blank card has fallen.

On most hands you'll never see the turn, but when you do make it to this turning point in the action without much hope, know when you can correctly continue to the murky waters of the river and when you should fold.

[Dr. Jack]

Large Pots - Limit Hold'em
Pot size is one of the most important factors to consider when making decisions about a hand. On the turn, you'll start to have an idea about how large or small the pot size is going to be. Hands have value that depends directly upon the size of the pot. Always think of the pot size by the number of bets involved and not the chips or money. This will lead you to think more strategically and will work no matter what limits you play.

While there is no distinct line that defines a pot large or small there are a number of things you can watch for that will tip you off. These include, for a large pot: flops that are six-handed, flops that were raised pre-flop and are still four-handed, when pre-flop action is three-bet and hands were you suspect two of your opponents will call down to the river. Use these as a guideline starting out and then with practice you will be able to make decisions in marginal situations.

When pots get large play your draws aggressively and call liberally with marginal hands. Large pots will frequently build up in loose game and you will win a lot of your money by forcing opponents to fold with aggressive play. Knocking oppoenents out of the hand, no matter what you hold, is invaluable in this situation. Folding a live draw can be quite costly here. When the pot gets large it is a huge mistake to fold a winner, while only a small mistake to call one bet with a loser. When the pot is large, you stand to win a lot of money. These pots will largely determine your profit at the end of the night. Make every attempt to wins these pots by investing extra bets if it helps your chance to win the pot.

[Dr. Jack]

Small Pots - Limit Hold'em
When the pot is small you need to tighten up because there isn't much to gain by playing loose. If anything, it will be you who contributes most of the money into a pot with one or two opponents, which will add up over time. You need to be much more confident that you have the best hand or a strong draw to continue. Try and bet a marginal hand on the flop to win the pot right there, but if you find yourself on the turn with a bet in front of you and opponents to act behind you continue only with the best hands. Especially on the turn, where the bets have doubled, don't make the mistake of giving your chips away one call at a time.

If you find yourself with a close decision on the turn and the pot is small, use this factor to lean towards folding. If you do have a strong hand, push the action and bet. You'll win most of your money in hands with small pots from opponents who call down to the river with weak draws and second best hands. Let your cards and the size of the pot, be your guide.

[GFootsXtreme]

Jack I was playing last night and recognized that one of the players in this multi-table tourney seemed to be quite sharp at poker, able to outbet/guess the rest of the table and probably getting cards too.

My question is, if I recognize there's a guy like that at the table, and I'm not nearly that good, is it better to fold out on most hands even if they were ones you might normally play and wait to be seated without the sharp guy?

i realize this is a general question but it has been gnawing at me since last night.

[Dr. Jack]

Originally Posted by GFootsXtreme

Jack I was playing last night and recognized that one of the players in this multi-table tourney seemed to be quite sharp at poker, able to outbet/guess the rest of the table and probably getting cards too.

My question is, if I recognize there's a guy like that at the table, and I'm not nearly that good, is it better to fold out on most hands even if they were ones you might normally play and wait to be seated without the sharp guy?

i realize this is a general question but it has been gnawing at me since last night.

There is probably better people to answer this than me but for me if I am being patient - I don't really fear anyone. But you have to still get the cards because if he is a good player he is not going to be fooled. Without the cards there is not much you can do when playing people with poker skills. That being said if you have the cards, go for it because in the long run that is what will win, right?

[Dr. Jack]

Head's Up vs. Multi-Way - Limit Hold'em
The number of opponents you have on the turn is another factor you should consider in your strategy. If you are head's-up you can use more tricks, like bluffing, slowplaying, semi-bluffing and inducing bluffs. When the hand has many people involved you want to pull back on the fancy play and play straightforward.

You should not completely stop using these moves when the pot gets large, but you need to understand that with many opponents the implied odds have increased not only for you, but your opponents as well. You are probably going to have to show down the best hand to win and if you are on a big draw you don't have to worry about building the pot yourself because there will already be a lot of action ahead of you.