Many beginner poker players tend to play it safe, opting for a passive style that helps them minimize their losses, especially when they have weak hands. While this approach may seem wise at first, it often results in missed opportunities to accumulate significant winnings. To truly excel in poker, it's essential to learn how to seize pots that aren't necessarily yours based on your hand's potential.
In this piece, I will delve into common scenarios that allow you to make more money increase your aggression at the poker table, which can lead to better outcomes.
Stop Limping
One of the most significant blunders beginners make is allowing themselves to limp play passively too frequently. When another player limps by matching the big blind, it's often with a hand that shows potential but isn't strong enough to heroically raise. raise If your competitors become aware that you often limp with weak hands, they may raise, pushing you into a large pot that you would prefer to avoid.
For instance, a common situation for an inexperienced player who limps might unfold in the following way:
With a total of $200 in play at a $1/$2 game, and everyone folding before your turn in the middle position, you decide to limp in with Qc-Js under the impression that Q-J is decent but not strong enough to warrant a raise. A player in the later position then raises to $9. The blinds fold, and now it's your turn. button At this moment, you have the option to call the additional $7. However, unless you hit a pair or obtain a solid straight draw on the flop—which occurs approximately 35.9% of the time—you'll likely be.
left to fold after the flop if your opponent places a bet, which is something you can expect to occur in most scenarios. fold Even if you are lucky enough to land a pair, you may often find that your hand is the second-best, leaving you vulnerable to an opponent holding a stronger pair. Moreover, if you catch a draw, it will only transform into a premium hand by the river about 40% of the time. This is not an ideal situation to be in.
Hands like A-4, K-10, and 9s-8s will fare similarly if you limp alongside multiple other players. You will often be forced to navigate a pot from an unfavorable position, commonly with a hand that is only moderately strong. With many players seeing the flop, there is a high chance that at least one player will have hit a strong hand. If you don't catch a good flop, you will struggle immensely with attempts to bluff for the pot; if you do hit well, you can't be sure of securing a payout.
Therefore, rather than being the first to limp, consider raising with any hand you think has potential, unless the players remaining are remarkably passive, which is uncommon in today’s poker environment. stealing Hands such as A-4, K-10, and Q-J should typically be discarded from early positions since there is a significant risk that someone yet to act has a hand that dominates yours. Although you may feel hesitant to fold these 'good' hands, especially early on, doing so will help preserve your bankroll significantly.
When in late position, feel free to raise with these hands. Employing this tactic increases your chances of winning the pot when everyone else fails to catch a solid hand. Poker hands For instance, if you raise to $6 at a $1/$2 table holding A-4 from the cutoff position and only the button player calls. The flop displays K-7-3. You decide to bet $8, and your opponent folds. Had you opted to limp, it’s possible your opponent would have raised to $8, you’d call, and subsequently check-fold when they bet $10 on the flop. By raising instead of limping, you could have a shot at winning many pots.
Just as limping presents a significant mistake, also consider that calling preflop raises with a broader selection of hands that aren’t deemed strong enough for a re-raise, is another frequent error made by early players. Marginal hands fail to convert to premium hands frequently enough to justify the financial commitment required to see the flop. control of the pot For example, a suited hand like 10s-7s may only hit a decent draw around 8.7% of the time and may flop a reasonable draw only 18% of the time.
While the allure of catching a draw may be strong, realize that these draws will yield premium hands by the river about 40% of the time. Often, when you complete your draw, it turns out that your opponent has not made a strong enough hand to offer you action, which means you won’t see much return.
Stop Calling Raises
Unless you possess a deep stack—holding a significant amount of chips—these types of hands are usually not worth pursuing by calling. The same applies to many easily dominated hands such as A-8, K-9, and Q-J. Engaging in calls against competent players with these hands can quickly deplete your bankroll.
Using an online poker calculator Instead of calling, it is generally advisable to fold these hands. While folding may not be exciting, it prevents you from entering large pots with inferior holdings. If you continuously risk making errors, it's very likely that your bankroll will see significant fluctuations, mostly in a negative direction. To be successful in poker, you must learn to fold hands that are decent but fall short of greatness. flush , straight , trips , or two pair only 4.9% of the time. It will flop a one pair hand Conversely, if you believe the preflop raiser is particularly loose, or someone who will automatically assume you hold a strong hand due to your aggressive play, you might want to re-raise with hands that don't warrant a call, but still hold some potential. Hands such as 10s-7s can work well in this context.
Should you fail to secure the pot preflop, which can happen quite frequently, you still stand a good chance of grabbing the pot with a continuation bet on the flop or potentially building a well-disguised premium hand if the flop showcases middle cards.
For example, if someone raises and you decide to call in position with 10s-7s. If you miss the flop and face a wager, you should generally fold. However, if you had re-raised your opponent prior to the flop, you might sweep the pot uncontested. Should your opponent call and the flop shows A-8-5 or K-9-5, you could place a bet and claim the pot if your opponent checks. big blinds If you miss your draw, and your straightforward opponent refuses to fold, assume they have likely connected with a strong hand on the flop. Conversely, if you do hit well, such as making two pairs or better, continue betting the same amounts. This approach obscures your hand's strength, making you harder to read, as you play both premium and weaker hands similarly. Some aggressive opponents may misjudge middle-card flops as unfavorable for the preflop raiser, leading them to check-raise you on such boards—a wonderful scenario if you hold 10-7 on a 10-7-4 or 9-8-6 flop.
By following these principles, you’ll acquire the skills needed to claim pots that shouldn’t rightfully belong to you. As long as you can accurately identify when your opponent possesses a genuinely strong hand they intend to hold, your stack will steadily grow.
Stay tuned for my next article where I'll cover strategies for determining appropriate bet sizes in various common situations. 3bet Jonathan Little is a veteran poker player with over $6.5 million in live tournament earnings. He’s also authored 14 bestselling books focused on poker strategy.
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