Maximize Chance of Winning
Tip #2 – Strategy to Maximize the Chance of Winning
You should start every poker game that you are in with a strategy.
Do you want to play conservatively at first or do you want to bet a lot and try to build an early lead?
When you are considering these possibilities, take notice at what your opponents are doing.
I’ll give you an example. If you are playing online poker site at a sit & go tournament with 1 table and nine players, try to notice the following within the first 10 hands played:
- Has every hand been contested? If people are willing to play often at first, especially multiple people per hand, they are likely to be trying to catch something. Either bet big to scare them away or stay out of those hands. Even if you do hit your hand, there’s a good chance that you’ll be exiting if that hand is beat.
- Have others place early large bets without good reason? One of two things, someone is trying to steal the blinds or someone is trying to get another person to think that they are stealing the blinds and calls. Either way, avoid these hands at first because the blinds are low and don’t hurt your chip stack. That is unless you have a powerful starting hand, where the obvious move is to put that person all in.
- Has the action been folded around to the blinds multiple times? This is a good sign that most people are playing tight and can be pushed out easily
- Is there anyone who has made a smooth call after a large raise pre-flop? This generally means that person is not all the way into the hand or else they would have re-raised. In cases of smaller raises pre-flop, a smooth call is saying the person is trying to catch their hand on the flop.
- Has there been more than one all-in before the blinds have gone up once? This reeks of inexperienced and impatient poker players. Avoid them at all cost unless you have a good hand to bust them with.
Playing this card game is not easy. In addition to the deep knowledge all the rules of the game a well-planned move is also required to win. It is basically a mind game where you have to put your best foot forward.
Starting Hands
There are some key points to keep in mind while playing Texas Holdem. You have to know about the different types of hands you can get and how to deal with them. Here are some of the descriptions of the various hands.
The game begins with each player having two cards to deal. There are 169 possible starting hands out of which some of them have been discussed below.
Strong Starting Hands:
These are hands that you always want to raise pre-flop: AA, KK, QQ, JJ, Any AK, AQ or AJ Suited
Here are starting hands that you have to be wary of your starting position (early position) before you make any raises: A10, KQ, KJ, QJ, 10′s, 9′s, 8′s, 7′s
Moderate Starting Hands:
These are hands that you would call the big blind with the intent of trying to hit the flop: K10, K9, K8, Q10, Q9, J10, J9, Suited connectors (example 9 10 of spades), pairs lower than 7′s
I would consider all other hands to be too weak to play with out already being in on the blinds.
Staying for the flop is a good option but you have to be cautious for the turn card. There should be some thinking before any act. Try to judge what the other players might do next. Is there a better chance of flush or straight for them? Is there an ace card in the flop which might ruin your high pair?
The game is all based on assumptions. People may play fair or may bluff their bet. You have your hand and the table. Keep your mind open and notice keenly the moves of all the players in the table. You will surely learn when to raise or bluff a be to get a hand on the pot. This article surely gives you a hint of ideas to play in the game.
