Poker Positioning Strategies

There�s a board game that originated from the Philippines called Game of the Generals. Only two players can play the game and the winner is usually the one who has the better strategy when it comes to positioning key players of the game.

The flag is the most vulnerable and must therefore be protected at all costs. The spy is the highest ranking official in the game and can ironically be defeated by the lowest ranking officer, the private. It depends on where you position all your players in order for you to win the game.

It�s almost exactly the same process when it comes to winning a game of poker.

Positioning is a very important aspect of poker and unfortunately, it�s also an aspect that most new poker players tend to overlook. First time poker players tend to believe, you see, that everything depends on their cards alone. I assure you that it�s not. In poker, everything matters and expert poker players are aware of this. That�s why for them, positioning is quite an important factor because a good position in a game of poker, especially when it�s something like the Texas Hold�Em version, can give you an advantage over your fellow players.

The Starting Positions

It�s always difficult to be in one of the starting positions because you�re ultimately forced to reveal your hand in the first few rounds without having any idea on what types of hands your opponents are holding. The key to surviving the next few rounds is gauging what type of opponents you�re facing and see if it�s possible to bluff your way through. It�s also a good sign if you�re facing a few opponents and you�re holding large suited cards in your hands.

The Middle Position

This may not be the best position to have in poker but it�s certainly a shade better than having an early position in the game. With the middle position, you have better chances of calculating the odds of winning and being able to get the cards you need. If you�ve been given a slot in the middle position, simply try your best to hang on and do stick with small suited cards.

The Last or Late Position

Alas, this is the best position that you can have when playing poker, especially when there are around ten players or so which is often the case in Texas Hold�Em Poker. If you�re still not that good in playing poker, being in the last position will then give you the upper hand. As others before you will reveal their cards first, use this to your advantage and just calculate the odds as best as you can.

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To Bluff or Not to Bluff

From Texas Hold’em to nuclear deterrence, the bluff is a common strategic move, and one that we often think of as a kind of improvisation—a clever psychological ploy when the odds are stacked against us.

Game theorists take a different view on bluffing. For Ehud Kalai, a professor of managerial economics and decision sciences at the Kellogg School and founding editor of Games and Economic Behavior, bluffing is primarily computational, not psychological. To win in any strategic game, it pays to be unpredictable, and game theory offers models for how to keep one’s opponent guessing.

“It’s straight mathematics,” Kalai says. “If I bluffed all the time, obviously my bluffing would be ineffective. But it’s not effective to under-bluff, either, because then I’m not making enough use of my reputation as a non-bluffer. If you never bluff, or bluff very rarely, you can use this reputation to bluff more effectively and increase your long-term winnings.”

Mixing It Up

As Kalai defines it, games of skill are those that require strategic moves, with each move ideally serving to maximize unpredictability. In 1984, he had an opportunity to prove this in court. When the city of Chicago forbade a bar owner from putting computerized poker and blackjack machines in his establishment—claiming that these are games of luck, not skill—the owner sued, and Kalai testified as an expert witness on his behalf.

“If you’re going to bluff, you have to be clear about what kind of game you’re playing.”

In front of a judge, he played the games in strategic and nonstrategic ways. “The point was to show that it is possible for someone to play these games with skill,” he says. The judge was ultimately convinced—though he did require a brief tutorial—and the games were deemed to be legal. A crucial part of the skill was bluffing—or playing unpredictably enough to challenge the machine’s algorithms.

Kalai has also applied his expertise to professional football. He once had a conversation with Michael McCaskey, former president of the Chicago Bears, about using game theory calculations to call offensive plays. At the time, computers were banned from the skybox, but he still thinks the Bears could have paid more attention to probabilities.

“Just like in poker, you don’t want to be known for doing certain things in certain situations—in this case, always passing or always running. Even if the situation calls for running the ball, every once in a while you want to pass the ball to keep the other team unsure. I would randomize between passing the ball and running the ball in different situations, but for each situation I would randomize with different probabilities. So, for example, if it’s fourth down and we need ten yards, I would assign a high probability to passing the ball.”

Game theorists call this a mixed strategy. “It’s a standard game theory procedure to deal with two-person, zero-sum games,” Kalai says, and it works for playing poker against a machine or running an offense. It is based on the assumption that your opponent is thinking (or computing) as strategically as you are. It also assumes, of course, that a team is able to assess its own advantage.

In a mixed strategy, bluffing is constant, sustained, and systematic—it takes one’s advantage into account but randomizes just enough to keep that advantage working effectively. Randomization is common practice in any number of “games,” from the predator–prey scenario of a squirrel fleeing a hawk to a government’s approach to airport security or tax auditing. In most cases, success depends on more than a single dramatic bluff. For game theorists, the way to win is to guarantee long-term unpredictability.

Knowing the Game, Knowing Yourself

In business as in poker, it can pay to be unpredictable, but this is only true for certain competitive scenarios. “Think of two fashion companies,” Kalai says. “One company is a trendsetter and one is an imitator. If each has to commit to the next season’s line without prior knowledge of the other’s style choices, then neither the trendsetter nor the imitator wants to be predictable.”

Still, he says, it is important to recognize that not all competitive games call for the same strategy. A mixed strategy might work best in a two-person zero-sum game, but there are also many kinds of nonantagonistic games—in other words, those that require full or partial cooperation. “It gets complicated when you cross into different strategic relationships,” Kalai says. “If you’re going to bluff, you have to be clear about what kind of game you’re playing.”

You also have to be clear about your own reputation. Kent Grayson, a professor of marketing at the Kellogg School who has studied trust and deception, says that bluffing is only effective when it is done with a measure of self-awareness. A good reputation might allow a company to bluff periodically—by, for example, ostensibly moving the date of a product launch, and thereby rattling competitors—but only if that company has a clear sense of how it is perceived.

“A company might want to capitalize on its reputation for being innovative,” he says, “but the bluff would only work if they actually have that reputation—and also if they have a reputation for telling the truth. In general, too much unpredictability is likely to decrease people’s confidence in what you are saying.” In other words, whether through bluffing or outright deception, overcapitalizing on your reputation can damage your reputation. A well-respected bank can introduce hidden fees for a while—just as a popular car salesman can sell the occasional lemon—but eventually devious practices will lead to a serious erosion of trust.

Our concept of trust, Grayson says, is comprised of three components: competence, honesty, and benevolence. In other words: Do I believe in this person’s ability? Do I think he or she is telling the truth? And finally, am I sure that he or she has my best interests at heart? In poker, football, and war, only the first two categories are in play. When it comes to the marketplace, bluffing becomes a much riskier business, because a company has to consider exactly whose trust it is manipulating—and whether the payoff is worth the cost.

High-Stakes Math

It is also not a natural move to bluff when the stakes are extremely high. Game theorists say a mixed strategy has been proven to yield the best results, but there are times when strategic randomization feels like the wrong approach. People under pressure tend to be more risk-averse. They also have to deal with the psychological and political fallout if their bluff does not succeed.

Take for example the final play of this year’s Super Bowl, when the Seattle Seahawks had the ball on the goal line against the New England Patriots. Despite having the best running back in the league, the Seahawks chose to pass on second down, and when the ball was intercepted there was an outcry among the team’s fans. Sometimes even the best strategy is deemed incorrect in hindsight—that is, if it fails. But if it had worked and the Seahawks had won, fans might have thought the play was brilliant.

Randomization is especially tough when it comes to warfare and politics—something Kalai, who is Israeli, has witnessed himself. In 1967, during the Six-Day War between Israel and its Arab neighbors, the Israeli military approached a fellow game theorist with a problem. They knew that some Egyptian convoys were using Israeli symbols on the roofs of their trucks to fool the Israeli bombers. This posed a predicament for the Israeli pilots, who could not tell the true identity of such convoys before making a decision about whether to bomb.

“My friend, being a game theorist, told them that you can compute it. You bomb according to such-and-such probabilities. Of course, there was no way the general was going to do that, even if it was the right decision, because to bomb people by the flip of a coin would be political suicide.”

The British faced a similar dilemma during World War II. When Alan Turing broke the wartime German code, Enigma, the military used a math formula to determine how many interventions the Allied forces could plausibly make without revealing their secret advantage. This, of course, was classified.

So while game theory has a lot to teach about strategic deception, there are limitations. Sometimes the math is too complex to recommend a course of action. “If we take a restricted poker game,” Kalai says, “I can compute the optimal bluffing probabilities. But if it was a full poker game as played by a group of players in the casino, I could not compute the absolutely optimal strategy. The same goes for other situations. Sometimes it is a solvable problem, and sometimes it is just an estimate.”

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After the Flop

After the flop, your hand is pretty much defined. Before the flop, you have seen only 2 cards out of the total 7 cards that will eventually be in play. The flop gives you 3 more cards, so now you are seeing 5 out of the 7 total cards that will eventually make your hand. As a result, the strength of your hand will change far more on the flop than it will on the turn or river, with the exception of those times that you draw at a flush or straight.

For instance, before the flop an Ace and King of the same suit, such as AhKh, is a good hand, with potential to become a huge hand. After all, with a great amount of luck it could turn into a royal flush, the best hand possible. A little more likely is something like top pair, with the best available second card, a pair of Aces, with the King as your second card (kicker), still a very good hand. However, if the 3 cards on the flop are 2, 6 and 9, with no hearts, you have nothing but a weak draw. The best you can hope for is that it is checked around, and an Ace or King comes on the turn. Your great potential has turned to trash, and if there is a bet you should fold unless the pot is very large.

At the other end of the scale, you could start with something like a J and Q unsuited, which you would hopefully only be playing in 1 of the last 2 positions or the blinds, which is a weak starting hand. However, if you get lucky and flop something like J, Q, Q, your hand has just gone from marginal to monster. In a case like this, your decision changes from one of �should I stay in� to �how do I get the most money in the pot�.

The result that will occur most frequently is that you put in a raise before the flop with premium cards that have an opportunity to turn into a big hand, or you call a bet in late position with a weak, speculative hand like a suited connector, and once you see the flop, you have nothing. In this case, you must check and fold.

This is the reason for only playing speculative hands in late position for one bet. They will not usually turn into anything and you throw them away, so you don�t want to put in a lot of money which you are probably going to lose. The large premium hands will however end up turning into a good hand much more often, so you raise with those to get more money in the pot because you expect to win it.

After you see the flop, one of several things is going to happen.

1) After the flop, you have nothing. You have no pair, no draw to a straight or flush, and there are cards on the board that are higher than yours. For instance, in late position, after 3 other players have called, you call with a Jack and Queen of 2 different suits. The flop contains an Ace, a 9 and a 3, all different suits. Note that if someone has an Ace, your only hope is that both a Ten and a King come to give you a straight, or both a Jack and a Queen come, to give you 2 pair, or perhaps 2 Jacks or 2 Queens to give you 3 of a kind. In the latter 2 cases, your opponent could be holding an Ace and either a Jack or Queen, so you would still lose. The decision in this case is very simple. Check and fold to a bet.

2) Once you see the flop, you have a huge hand. For instance, you started with a pocket pair, and hit a third of the same rank, giving you a set, or you flopped a flush or straight, or you hit top 2 pair. Once again, the decision is easy, bet and/or raise. There may be an occasional case where you want to slow play, i.e. check and just call a bet. For instance, you raised before the flop, hit a third ace, and it seems unlikely that anybody could have a hand where they could call a bet. However, at the low limits, there is no need to be tricky. The players will call bets and raises even when it should be obvious that they can�t win. One of the worst things that can happen is that you hit your huge hand, while someone else hits a very good second best hand and would have raised, so you cost yourself money. Of course the worst thing that could happen is that you let someone draw cheaply, or for free, and they end up beating your huge hand. This is very expensive, because your slow play cost you the entire pot.

3) You have a good, but not great hand. For instance, you raised before the flop with a pair of jacks, no cards higher than a Jack came on the flop, and there is no flush or straight likely. You probably have the best hand, but it is vulnerable to bad cards appearing on the turn or river. Any Queen, King or Ace that hits the board may give someone a higher pair, and the board could develop into straight or flush possibilities. Ideally, you would like the person on your right to bet, so that you can raise, giving everyone else the situation of having to call 2 bets instead of 1. You may have to try for a check/raise in order to face people with calling 2 bets. You can only try this if you think someone will bet after you check. If you are not sure that someone after you will bet when you check, you should bet. What you want to do if possible is to get players with an Ace, King, or Queen to fold. At the low limits, this is very unlikely when they only have to call 1 bet. Some of them will call all the way to the end with an Ace and any other card hoping that you are bluffing. You may however get someone to fold small cards that would have turned into a straight, a flush, or 2 pair if you had let them draw for free, and this is still a good thing.

4) You have a mediocre hand, such as top pair with a poor second card, or you have the second or third pair. An example of this would be when you call from late position with A7 suited, hoping for a flush draw, and pair the ace, with none of your suit showing, or call with a small pair like 44 or 55. Most of the time, these will be losing hands. Especially if there are several players in the pot, there is likely to be someone with an Ace and a better second card, putting you at a huge disadvantage. In the case of the small pair, you are hoping to flop a set (hit the third card, such as a third 4, or third 5) If there are several people in the pot, and there is a bet before you play, just fold. If it is checked around, and no card comes on the turn that would seem to help anybody, you may want to try a bet and see if they all fold. This is most likely to work if there are only a few people in the pot. The more players there are in, the less likely that they will all fold. You must also be aware of how the players play. If you have a player that will call to the end with a slightly better hand, it may not be worth a bet. Also, if you do bet on the turn, and get raised, fold. Not very many players at the low limits will check raise as a bluff.

5) A situation that happens often is that, after the flop, you either have no made hand, or a very weak made hand, but you have possibilities for improvement. For instance, you call from late position after 4 others have called, with an Ace and 6 of hearts. The flop contains 2 hearts, but no Ace or 6. You are drawing at the nut (best) flush. If you get another heart, you will probably win the pot, otherwise you will most likely lose. To make a decision with drawing hands, you need to consider pot odds, implied odds, and your odds of making the hand you are drawing to, and winning. Note that in many cases it is quite possible that you will make the hand you are looking for, and still lose. And extreme example of this would be hoping to hit a 9 to pair the one you are holding. This would of course lose to anything, pair of Tens or better, and is a bad idea. A more practical example is drawing to an open ended straight, such as 8, 9, T, J, with 2 cards of one suit on board. If either a 7 or Queen hits, you have a straight. However if that 7 or Queen puts 3 of one suit on board you may lose to a flush. As well, if the 2 cards that you have are the 8 and 9, someone else may be drawing to a better hand, with a King and Ace for instance, in which case the Queen that gives you a straight gives them a higher straight at the same time, and is going to cost you some money. As we will see when we talk about counting outs in another article, you must take these possibilities into account when calculating your odds.

There are many more factors that need to be taken into account in each situation. How the other players play, position, the size of the pot, the exact makeup of the flop etc. These will be covered in more detail in future articles. For the moment, this should get you headed in the right direction.

How To Win Poker...Is There A Sure Way?

As poker is very popular today and a favorite game to play among Americans, one may ask, if there really is a sure way to win at poker.

The answer is simple. Study and check out these guidelines, try them at poker time and see for yourself.

Before starting to play the game, keep in mind these simple suggestions:

* Inspect the site. Make sure that it is authentic.

* Read the terms and conditions of the site. Check the maximum payouts and the minimum bets.

* Allocate a budget for the day. That budget will determine how much you are willing to lose or to win in the game. Stick to the limit.

* Do not gamble if you can not afford to lose.

* Practice playing the game. Familiarize yourself with the game first before you play for real money.

At the table, here are some warnings that you should always remember:

* If you do make a big win, do not be greedy, stop. Making a big win and gambling it all over again is a big sign of greediness.

* In poker, overall winnings are what count most. If you are losing, or have already lost your allotted money for the day, don�t try to win your losses back. You won't. Stop. Tomorrow is another day.

* Drinking alcohol is a big no no at poker time. It can serious affect your judgment. So stay away from it while on the game.

* Never take side bets. Usually these are just gimmicks, so that more money will go to the casino.

* Never gamble your hard earned money unless you are very much ready to lose it.

While in the game, here are some important ideas to think about:

* Gaze at your opponent's eye. Survey all their moves. Observe them, to better know them. This way, you will fear them less. This way, you will know when they are bluffing or not.

* Play in silence. Have that conversation with your self as well as think deep to your opponents actions. Concentrate.

* Base your decisions on what the reality is. See all movements as they are. Do not fear, instead, be calm and assess their moves accordingly.

* Don't take it personally. At the poker table, it is always unavoidable that your opponent can irritate you. Never give in to such responses. Stay within the good game. Be cool and objective. This is a bluffing game. But do keep in mind that just because your opponent has bluffed earlier, it does not mean that he does all the time. Think tight. Review each move.

* Think about what your opponents have. Create a situation. So when deciding, you'll have a better chance to be right.

* Know when to stop. Is the hand that you are raising now the hand you folded a while ago? This is a sign that you should go home.

* Play to enjoy. Do not play if you are sad, bored or tired. If you can't play having enjoyment as your goal, then don't play at all!

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4 Poker Tips the Pros Won't Tell You

In the past few years, professional poker playing has exploded in popularity. The biggest players are winning substantial amounts of money. However, none of the professional poker players are sharing their secrets. In reality, the best players in the world aren�t doing anything really spectacular other than following basic poker tips. What makes the best players so amazing is their ability to utilize all of their strengths and capitalize on the weaknesses of others. Anyone can significantly improve his or her poker game by following these four easy tips.

1. Observe your opponents. This is probably the most crucial part of poker. When playing against someone, the more you know about them, the easier it will be for you to take advantage of their weaknesses. It is always a good idea to observe an opponent's betting habits. Some players bet extremely high when they have a good hand. Other players will attempt to make several seemingly small raises. Anyone who consistently raises after each flop might have a good hand. However, some players will try to bluff. Noticing patterns can help you adjust to the moves of your opponents. This will help you save money, and possibly have great gains.

2. Bet wisely and watch your money. Every poker player should set limits when going into the casino. The pros don�t have to worry about money so much, but the average player definitely does. Set a limit and do not exceed it. Being money conscious can help ensure that if you have a bad day at the tables, you don�t put yourself in debt. Along with managing money is managing bets. Some players like to bet high (high rollers), but this can lead to drastic losses. Some of the best players bet moderately, and increase their bets slightly when they have a good hand. The best advice for betting is �avoid the extremes.� Don�t bet too little, because you will end up losing money in the long run. At the same time, don�t bet too much because you might lose a lot of money on only one hand, and that is never good.

3. Take your time. The pros seem to think very fast, but that is because they are pros! You don�t have to make decisions too rashly. Take time to look at your hand and figure out what you have and bet accordingly. Also, take the time to survey your opponents and surmise what hands they might have. The pros are always thinking and are simply faster than the average player. It is important to realize that every poker player has to think logically and make educated guesses.

4. Know when to fold, and when to stay in. Many players do not understand the best solutions for folding or staying in. The best players understand their chances and only stay in when they have at least one type of hand. Having two face cards is a good reason to stay in, but having two different low number cards might not be such a strong hand. When observing other players, if you notice high bets from a player who does not bluff, then you should probably fold. Knowing when to take risks and when to be conservative is a very important element to being a solid poker player.

The pros may seem like they are doing impossible things, but they are really just following basic tips. Poker is a game of chance, but you can always tip the odds in your favor by studying your opponents, being smart with money and betting, and thinking through your decisions. Play smart and you will notice a great increase in your poker winnings.

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3 Quick Tips to Help You Play Online Poker Like a Pro

Online poker has exploded in popularity. More and more players are winning big money in tournaments and other money games. In order to win, you have to play like a pro. The best players are educated on all aspects of poker. These three tips should help your poker game improve vastly.

1. Don�t be afraid to commit to the pot. When you have a very good hand, you should always bet a fairly large amount. You can try to draw players into the hand with slowly increasing bets. If you make a large bet, and a player re-raises you, don�t be afraid to call. Some players attempt to scare others off by re-raising. If you know that you have a solid hand, then don�t be scared off by a re-raise. Committing to the pot is not bad when you know you have a solid hand. Someone who folds a good hand because of a raise is generally just throwing his or her money away. The best players play with a significant amount of confidence. Confidence is shown when you stay in a hand that you know you have a good chance at winning. In the end, poker is still a game of chance. The players who are willing to take chances (when they have a reasonably solid hand, of course) have the most success.

2. Avoid underbetting the pot. This goes along the same lines as �commit to the pot.� If you simply bet a small amount after every turn, then more players will be inclined to stay in. This increases the chances of someone hitting cards and beating you. The ideal betting scenario for someone with a good hand is to bet just enough to keep one person in. Or, if it is one on one, bet high enough to scare people off. This again relates to confidence. The best players are confident in their hands, so they don�t worry about betting too much. Tentative players may last longer than players who bet a lot in the beginning, but the winners are those who know exactly when to be tentative and when to be aggressive.

3. Know what to do with a draw. If you have a draw (you need one more card to have an awesome hand), you have to be very careful. For example, needing only one more card in order to have a flush is very nice, but many players get over excited. Players sometimes bet extremely high in these instances and then end up losing the hand. It is important to know what to do in case of a draw. You should either check or bet small. The only time you should bet high is if you think that the other player does not have anything.

It is difficult to win consistently in online poker. There is always new competition, and lady luck will not always be on your side. However, the pros always play smart poker, and make good decisions. These tips should help you make better decisions and have greater success with your poker game.

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When Playing Internet Poker, Be Disciplined!

A conventional blunder made by a large number of neophyte (and an outrageously excessive sum of persons that ought to know better) players is feeling the need to participate in any hand dealt. A thriving card player just participates in 20-30% of dealt hands. Just as a skilled ball player that might be able to ink a million dollar contract by keeping a batting average of .300, the successful poker player realizes that the large amount of the time another player will run away with the pot.

Having this in mind it could be vital to play aggressive when you attain a hand that you are confident in. Remember that a good amount of of the time additional players at the table are prepared to lay down their hands. Be ready to cause the weak players out with your aggressive bets. Do you believe that you have the leading hand? If so, increase the wager! The number one reason for being aggressive remains to have folks with poor hands lay down early on, due to the fact that a certain number are apt to hang on looking on the miracle draw to take the hand. By forcing their hand early you are decreasing the odds of those miracle hands as well as also ensuring you win the pot. It's consistently better to pull down a tinier pot than take a gamble that another card player draws a miracle hand late in the game.

Your table reputation is additionally especially monumental. Form a firm table image by not bluffing early in your play. Bluffing early identifies you as a bluffer and individuals should spot your bluff A large amount of the time. Play good cards and throw down poor hands, have the opposing persons at the table notice you are clearly playing top quality cards. This creates the opportunity for you to use a healthy bluff later on in the game due to the fact that you have conditioned the others individuals into believing that once you raise you hold the cards to take the hand.

Contemplating other poker players and their betting tendencies can be equally as valuable. It can be overly easy to become wound up in your personal game and miss the "tells" the other card players might be exhibiting. Recognizing if they wager aggressively or by and large call with a strong hand empowers you and also your gambling decisions.

Most essential of all may be appreciate when to quit! Everyone must consistently be smart and focused while at the poker table. Burnout spells mental mistakes and winds up losing you bucks. Frustration is a new signal that you may be ready to call it an evening, or at the very least take a rest. Play sharp and you ought to win smart.

“Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There’s plenty of movement, but you never know if it’s going to be forward, backwards, or sideways.” - 12betpokerQoutes

Classifications of Poker Players

I've got a confession to make. I like playing poker. When you are playing online poker, you will generally notice several different types of poker players. Knowledge of different poker playing styles should lead you to an adjustment of your poker game. Generally, some players you may want to attack right off the bat, others you may want to leave alone. Here are some of the different players' styles:

Loose

The loose player is someone you need to watch out for. They are characterized by their inexperience and usually play a lot of hands. Seemingly, the loose player is always in the thick of the poker game. Even with a poor hand, he will play until the very end of the game hoping to get some luck with his cards. If you play very aggressive with decent cards, exploiting a loose player shouldn't be that difficult. Most likely, a loose player will likely reward your efforts.

Aggressive loose

An aggressive loose player raises the pot with nothing and bets no matter what card he has. He always calls bluff at every opportunity and is talkative and brimming with over-confidence. Don't get egoistical around an aggressive-loose player. And don't fall into the trap of playing his game and calling his bets just to expose the weakness of his game. When you have the cards to do so, attack them.

Tight

Compared to an aggressive player, a tight player folds at every hand and waits for pocket Aces. They can easily be lured by a bluff. However, when they see signs of intimidation, they fold. Be cautious, however, if they don't fold.

Aggressive Tight

These type of players are extremely cocky. Until the aggressive tight player gets a good hand, he will opt to fold several times. When he plays his cards, he tends to play like a loose player. He has knowledge of how to get more money for his strong cards. Likewise, he knows how to take it easy and let the other players on the table do battle when his cards are not good enough. You might be in a bit of luck if you are successful in bluffing an aggressive-tight player into a hand. Don't allow yourself to be played by an Aggressive Tight player.

These are just a few examples of the general classifications of the type of poker players you may encounter at an online poker table. Remember. when you are playing poker, you are playing the personality of your opponent more than your card. Master these styles and quickly identify these players during your poker game.

It’s sometimes all that’s needed to help someone out of a negative headspace. 

                               

                                - 12BetQoutes 

                                                                                                    

Texas Holdem Poker - Effective Slow Playing

Slow playing a hand in texas holdem poker is a very risky strategy; however, if successfully executed can yield a very large payoff. Slow playing a hand simply means betting and calling conservatively so that the maximum amount is extracted from the maximum number of opponents.

The strategy of slow playing is very risky and should only be attempted when you are sure you will have the winning hand. Usually when you have the highest possible hand that can be made by the cards on the board is when best to use this tactic. It is very easy for an opponent to catch the cards needed to make his hand so the hand you choose to slow play with should be nearly unbeatable. Also you should know what could possibly beat you and make sure the necessary cards don't show up on the board.

I think to illustrate the correct instances and situations to slow play in we will resort to examples.

Example #1: Your starting hand is a pocket pair of aces. The flop is ace, nine, nine. Now this instance would be a good time to slow play. You have to realize that if someone was dealt the starting hand pocket nines then they have you beat, but short of that you have the highest hand strength at this point. Also the probability of someone having a pocket pair of nines as their starting hand is very low. Furthermore; the probability of someone having a stronger hand even after the turn and river are very very low. Your hand is a full house, aces full of nines. A hand with a very high hand strength. If the turn and river happened to go very badly say running nines (which would result in a split pot for everyone remaining in the hand), or even worse one nine on the turn or river could spell disaster is one of your opponents starting hand contained a nine. Now they would have four of a kind, nines. Short of those two highly unlikely events there isn't much else that could beat your hand. This would be a very good situation to slow play.

Example #2: Your starting hand is nine of spades and ten of spades. The flop is jack of spades, queen of spades, and king of spades. You have flopped a straight flush king high and if the ace of spades comes on the turn or river you have a royal flush. In this situation your hand is unbeatable. It is extremely rare to have a hand that is unbeatable especially after the flop. This is the perfect situation to slow play. You can not possibly lose the hand so every dollar you can extract is going straight into your chip stack.

Example #3: Your starting hand is ace of spades, and king of spades. The flop is ace of diamonds, king of hearts, and 4 of spades. In a situation like this flopping the top two pair you may feel you have a dominating hand strength over your opponents. Though you may feel this is a good situation to slow play it is not. The reason is because there are quite a few hands that your opponents could have that would beat you if they where to play all the way to the river. For example if one of your opponents starting hand was pocket kings. This starting hand would have flopped a set of kings and would have a dominating hand strength. You would be playing right into his hand by working off the assumption that you have a dominating hand strength when he in fact has the dominating hand strength. Another starting hand that could have been dealt to an opponent is a pocket pair of aces. Again this starting hand would have flopped a set and have the dominating hand strength.

Example #4 Your starting hand is ace of hearts, and 6 of hearts. The flop is 9 of hearts, ten of hearts, and queen of hearts. Now you have made your ace high flush on the flop; however, there are straight flush draws out there. If an opponent has an eight of hearts, jack of hearts, or king of hearts he has a straight flush draw. You can slow play in this instance as long as you realize that if one of the other straight flush cards come out you will need to make a feeler bet to see if your ahead in hand strength. The other possibility is that an opponent made a straight flush on the flop in which case you may be being slow played, and you will be playing into a starting hand that has now an unbeatable hand strength.

It is important to understand all of the possible starting hands that could have your hand beaten at the point you are at in the hand. Also you have to understand the starting hands that would continue to chase a hand given certain flops. This is critical to feeling out where your hand strength fits in the given hand. It is too easy to get tunnel vision when you get a great starting hand strength followed by the perfect flop. Your perfect flop may still have benefitted one of your opponents starting hand strength even more. You have to remain objective and continue to study your opponents moves to make sure your starting hand strength in addition to the given community cards is ahead in the hand.

So now lets examine the texas holdem poker strategy of slow playing. You should now have a good idea of the situations when to do it and the situations when not to do it. So lets discuss how to do it successfully.

The basic concept of slow playing in no limit texas holdem poker is simple yet its execution can be very tricky. The idea of slow playing is to bet an amount that your opponents will call, or to play your hand in such a way as to extract the maximum amount of money. In order to do this usually you want to represent a weak hand, or represent a starting hand that is playing for a draw so that your opponent will attempt to bet you out of the hand. If by betting the minimum amount will demonstrate weakness, or perhaps checking and then calling after some amount of time as if your thinking of weather you want to continue to chase. Demonstrating weakness or a starting hand that is on a draw will be a different play depending upon the table, your opponents, past behavior, and other factors such as these. Keep in mind the correct play is dependent on the situation, and often times in order to represent the same type of starting hand you may have to employ a variety of different methods in a variety of different and unique situations.

Keep in mind slow playing a hand in no limit texas holdem poker is a very risky play to make, and can often result in your opponent making his starting hand into the winning hand if not done correctly. Also slow playing in texas holdem poker should be done extremely rarely as the conditions for it will only occur when a variety of variables are in place. If used appropriately the strategy of slow play in no limit texas holdem poker can be one of your most profitable and effective tactics. Use it sparingly and use it well.

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Official Texas Hold'em Rules

Texas Hold-em can be a lot of fun. Please always play with the intention of having fun and leave the heavy gambling to the pros. Many lives have been destroyed because of addiction to gambling.

Texas Hold'em, or simply holdem, is a favorite poker game among people who frequent casinos. A fast action game, Texas Hold'em places much emphasis on the player's starting cards, which help determine who the winner of the game is. The Official Texas Hold'em rules require each player to take turns as dealer.

How the games works according to the Official Texas Hold'em Rules

According to the Official Texas Hold'em Rules, the first part of the game involves the dealer button which indicates who among the players is the dealer. The Official Texas Hold'em Rules require the dealer to deal each player two cards which are called pocket cards. These pocket cards must not be revealed to other players during the course of the game, as stipulated in the Official Texas Hold'em Rules.

After the pocket cards are dealt, the Official Texas Hold'em Rules require that the first betting round is initiated by the player to the left of the dealer. According to the Official Texas Hold'em Rules, this is the part of the game where the 'small blind' and the 'big blind' are placed.

After the small and big blinds are in place, the Official Texas Hold'em Rules require the dealer to now deal three community cards to the center of the table and face up. According to the Official Texas Hold'em Rules, these cards are called the 'flop.' The second betting round will now start.

The Official Texas Hold'em Rules will require the dealer to deal a fourth community card, called the 'turn' once the second betting round is completed. The players will use these four community cards and their two pocket cards to start building their 5-card poker hand.

In the Official Texas Hold'em Rules, a third betting round will commence and after which, the dealer will turn over the fifth and final community card. According to the Official Texas Hold'em Rules, this card is called the 'river' and will signal the players to start the final betting round. At the showdown, after the final betting round is done, the Official Texas Hold'em Rules requires every player to reveal their poker hands.

How betting works according to the Official Texas Hold'em Rules

In the Official Texas Hold'em rules, there are 4 rounds of betting. The first 2 rounds requires player to make bets or raise based on the lower limit of the stakes structure. However, at the last 2 rounds, the players can increase their bets or raise according to the higher limit set in the stakes structure. According to the Official Texas Hold'em Rules, each player is allowed 4 options in betting - a bet, a raise, a re-raise, and a cap, which is the final bet. When a pot is capped, the Official Texas Hold'em Rules require the rest of the players to do only two things - call or fold.

A message about gambling: Gambling (or betting) is any behavior involving risking money or valuables (making a wager or placing a stake) on the outcome of a game, contest, or other event in which the outcome of that activity depends partially or totally upon chance or upon one's ability to do something.

A Simple warning from 12betpoker about gambling: Know your limit and play within it.

How To Actually Win At Online Poker

Following are ten online poker winning tips. While they do not guarantee that you will win every single poker game they serve as a kind of checklist you may rely on.

- Playing too many hands Nearly all beginners play way too many starting hands, most top players typically play between 20-30% of their starting hands. It is a lot better to concentrate on higher value starting hands and help remove the luck element of the game.

- Know when to holdem, and know when to fold'em This is the biggest tip you will get, learn how to fold a hand, and do not be a fisherman, i.e. making a call, thinking you are going to get what you want. Many beginners keep betting regardless of the board or what their opponent's actions are suggesting. Pros frequently say it is the hands you can lay down that are often the key to profitable play.

- Choose less skillful opponents Sounds fairly obvious, but you should play at betting limits where you can beat the majority of players. Move down the limits if you are having difficulties winning cash. It is best to leave the ego at the door when playing poker.

- Keep an eye on your opponent's habits Especially, when you are not in the hand. The best time to try and read other players, is when you are not emotionally invested in a hand, you can make more prudent observations this way. Watch your opponents bet, how much they bet and in what position are they betting. Learning how your opponents play is one of the keys to success.

- Betting to gain knowledge To bet should not mean you always have the best hand. Pro players use various betting techniques to try to gain information. For example, a defensive bet is one that you can use early on to avoid calling a bigger future bet. A re-raise may be used to probe the credibility of your opponent's hand.

- Learn to put your opponents on a hand Once you have mastered Tips 4 & 5, try and put your knowledge to work. Try being in your opponent's shoes, and learn to put them on a hand. Ask questions like "Why did he re-raise me that amount?", and "Why did he only call in the previous betting round?".

- Learn how to bluff and semi-bluff ..at the right times against the right players, and at the right frequency. Bluffing is often a misunderstood concept, and many beginners dismay most pros use bluffs quite sparingly. A bluff can be very effective when used rarely, and where there is a seemingly low risk of being called by your opponent.

- Changing Gears Unpredictability is a strength in poker. Most pros can figure out a really loose player by waiting for the nuts (top hand) and being patient. However, an even easier opponent is a tight player or "rock", who plays only the Group 1 type hands. You need to change your game up, and let them see that you can run bluffs, and can play some lower value starting hands. These changes should be subtle and should not dramatically affect the flop rate we mentioned in Tip #1.

- Understand player position ..and how it is critical. Not only is it important to play strong hands, it is even more important in what position you play them. For example, the ideal position is the Button (the Dealer), as you are last to act, and have the advantage of watching all of the betting action before you need to make a decision. eg. If the action before you consists of a bet, a raise, and a re-raise, and you hold a pair of Tens, you might think that folding is the right decision.

- Read books and take notes Players can always learn more if they want to be a better poker player. Keep notes on what works and does not work for you, and eventually you will come up with a style of play that works uniquely for you and improves your game.

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Is Playing Poker Online Right For You?

Playing poker is a wonderful hobby and an engaging form of entertainment. Although many times in the past you may have found that you wanted to play poker but were not close enough to a casino to just hop in your car and run on in to take a seat at the poker table. This is where online poker gaming comes into the picture. Online poker is an increasingly popular way of playing poker from within the confines and comfort of your own home. As you are able to play many different types of poker games at casino establishments, online poker websites also make this type of variety with regard to poker games available to its poker players. Playing poker online via an online poker website is different in a few ways from playing in a physical casino environment. It is important to focus on those differences thereby enabling yourself to make the decision of whether or not playing poker card games online is the right option for you.

One way in which playing poker online and playing poker within a casino differs, relates to the betting limits which are imposed on the poker players. When playing poker online by way of an online poker website, the online poker player may not be required to put up as much money for an ante as the poker player that is playing this type of card game within the casino limits. This is one of the many advantages of playing poker in an online setting. Many individuals just want to play poker for fun or to make a little spending cash perhaps and are wary of risking large amounts of money in the process. The various online poker websites will allow the prospective online poker player to bet smaller amounts of money than the casinos will at times. This is an attractive feature of the online poker websites. If you are looking to spend small amounts of money, this might be the type of gaming situation for you. If money is no object, then maybe you will prefer to go to a physical casino. However, keep in mind that certain online poker websites will host higher betting limits.

Another way in which playing poker on an online poker website differs from the casino atmosphere is the lack of other players in your physical vicinity. Casinos can make a person become a bit claustrophobic after awhile and if you are the type of individual that likes his or her own space, then online poker gambling on a poker gaming website might just be the answer. When you are playing poker online you are playing against other individuals; however, the upside to this is that you are not crowded in a small, stuffy area with those other players breathing down your neck, trying to get you to hurry up and make a move. Not only can this type of player behavior on the part of your peers be obnoxious but it can also make you decide to play in a way which you would not have done had you been given the time and space to think the move through. This is a definite plus to playing poker online as opposed to in a casino. If you are keen on the idea as well, then again, maybe online poker playing is your cup of tea.

A third way in which an online poker website may be right for you is if you enjoy excitement and would like to play more than one game at one time. By playing the poker game in an online setting, you are able to play more than one game at one time. This is not possible in a physical casino setting since the only way an individual could be playing at more than one table at one time would be if that person had really long arms, which is highly unlikely. Therefore, by utilizing online poker websites you are able to play two or three games at once. The choice is up to you. If you have the concentration skills to pull this off, then this would be another attractive detail that might pull you into playing in an online poker game setting.

A final way in which playing poker games via an online poker website might be right for you is if you want the convenience of not having to leave your home in order to enjoy some gaming entertainment. Online poker websites are extremely convenient for a number of reasons. First of all, you do not have to drive anywhere in order to play poker. You simply log on to the internet via your internet provider, connect with a specific online poker website and get down to business. A second reason why online poker websites are extremely convenient is that they allow you to jump right into a game without ever having to wait for a seat to open up. Lastly, online poker websites are extremely convenient options for the avid poker player in that they enable you to pay money and collect money via a few quick touches of the keypad. Payment systems companies that act as a go between from online poker player to online poker website enable money to be transmitted quickly and efficiently from online poker player to online poker website thereby ensuring that either or both individual(s) are paid in a swift manner.

Online poker websites are a wonderful alternative to the casino businesses of the past. Not to say that casinos are out of date, this is just to provide an alternative to poker players that may be interested in checking out this different type of gaming avenue. If any of the aforementioned items seem of great interest to you, then maybe online poker playing is something that you should take a look at. It never hurts to give it a try. It may just be something that you are happy to have discovered and will change your impression of gambling forever.

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