Poker is a game of constantly changing perspective. Perspective is almost more important in Texas Hold’em then in other poker games. Most of the decisions you make will impact your stack, your opponents stack, and your odds of winning. The bulk of the game is made on your opponents stack and the decisions you make will affect there.
In Texas Hold’em you must be focused on the game and how you are playing certain types of pots. Once you understand the different types of pots that are being played you will be able to make the correct plays to win.
The general types of plays include:
- Folding with a strong hand.2. Calling with a good hand.3. Betting or raising when you have a very good hand.4. Raising or calling with drawing hands such as suited connectors or gappers.5. Capping a pot in order to gain information.
It is important to bet against strong hands, such as pocket aces, when you have another player that has already shown strength. Make a strong bet and you may take his stack for a blind act. Make a weak bet and you may get a check raise. When you have a strong hand you want to take the pot down immediately.
Always be aware of when a player may be bluffing and take him for a bluff if he bets a strong amount pre-flop.
There are a few situations in which a player may not want a call or a raise. If any of the players in the hand are short stacked and the table is short handed the player may not want a call because it would cost too much money to go to a showdown. If the players are sitting in late positions and no one has raised the pot the player may want a raise to take down the pot.
There is rarely a point in which it makes sense to call a bet or a raise. It only makes sense to raise when you have a strong hand. Calling is just paying the blinds. The blinds are usually a small percentage of the money in the pot so calling the blinds is low risk.
Don’t raise when you have a weaker hand. It makes no sense to call a bet when you have a weak hand. The other players at the table are more likely to take the pot away from you with a raise. If you have a weak hand try to get as cheaply as possible so you don’t risk it all to a raise with no hand.
There are a few situations where it always makes sense to call a bet. If you are in early position and your hand is very strong. If you are in late position and a player raises pre-flop and you have a hand that you think will be the best hand call a bet to see the flop.
Always take your time when calling bets. Don’t call a bet immediately that you know you will have to act before the action gets to you. Give your stack the opportunity to multiply its winnings by taking the pot down at the right time.
The player in early position should rarely call a bet when it doesn’t have a very strong hand. The player in late position should rarely call a bet when he is not sure that he has the best hand.
Understand the poker hands and the order of play in relation to each other. You can quickly find the information you need to increase your odds of winning by flipping a coin. You want to be involved when you have the best hand!
So let’s say you’re holding 2 hearts in your hand and there’s a flush draw on the board
So let’s say you’re holding 2 hearts in your hand and there’s a flush draw on the board. You’re holding a pair of King’s, Jack’s, Ace’s and a King. There are five players at the table. The flop is dealt and there are three hearts. The player in first position bets and the player that bet the most bets a bet. That player bets again. The player that is second bets a bet and then the player that bet second. Each player can call, raise, or fold. The first player checks, then the second player bets out. Is now a good time to call a bet? The flop is dealt, now the first player bets big on the flop. Pot is now $20.00. The second player folds. You are the only one with a strong hand. Should you call? I bet you would!
First position is now the opponent with the tight image. Second position is now the opponent that is loose in image.
To take down a pot you need to get past first position. You can’t afford to call a bet if it will cost you a large amount of your stack. You are risking to lose a lot of chips if someone bets what you need. It is an important fact that if you are playing against the right opponent the chances of winning are considerably increased.