|
|
|
Small Pot Poker When playing poker, you'll often find small, uncontested pots laying
out on the table. If you want to get ahead in the game of poker, take
these pots!Sometimes you'll find yourself on the button looking
down at a raggedy hand like 2 7 offsuit. This is an easy, automatic
fold, right? Not necessarily. If a player raises under the gun, get's
re-raised by another player, and yet another goes over the top with an
all in move, that would make your decision to fold pretty easy and
automatic. But let's say everyone at the table folds around to you. At
this point folding your 2 7 offsuit should not be so automatic. Poker
is a game of situations and exploitations, folks. If the small blind
and big blind are tight players who don't call many raises, you should
in fact raise in this situation. With 1.5 blinds lying out on the
table, you've just bought yourself a free trip around the table and a
free look at another entire round of hands. And even if you get called,
they will be playing out of position to you, which puts them at a
serious disadvantage. The fact is that if they're holding unpaired hole
cards, they are going to miss that flop 70% of the time, which is going
to make it very difficult for them to call a bet or a raise from you! Another
situation you could use to take advantage of some easy money is after
players limp in to see the flop. If you didn't hit anything when the
flop comes down, the obvious play to make here would be to check. After
all, you've got nothing. But don't be so quick to tap that table. If
you're in a strong position and the other players check to you, they're
telling you that they missed the flop, too. Fire off a bet. Again,
poker is a game of situations. When a situation where you can make some
easy money presents itself to you, take advantage of the opportunity.Many
pots are heavily contested. In those situations, you'll need the best
hand to win the pot. But it's not up to you whether or not you end up
with the best hand. That's the luck of the draw. But those uncontested
pots, the one where nobody has a good hand, will go to the player who
wants it the most and is willing to risk some chips to buy that pot.One
important note to keep in mind here is that not every player is the
same. Remember that tricky players lay traps. Many players who check
are doing so because their hand is weak. But some players are the type
who should worry you when they check. Know who you're up against. I'll
go back to it again; poker is a game of situations. Be sure you are reading your opponents correctly before getting yourself caught in any sticky circumstances. Generally
speaking though, when your opponents show weakness and your position is
strong, that pot is yours for the taking. Don't worry too much about
what your holding. Find the courage to fire a bet in these situations
and put the easy money into your stack.
| |
|
|