Posts Tagged ‘strong hand’
Slowplaying Poker
May 14th, 2009
In Texas Hold'em you are not trying to win the greatest number of pots. You are trying to play correctly and win the most money. Two ways you can increase the money you win is with slowplaying and check raising. Both of these tactics have sometimes been referred to as "sandbagging" but there is nothing underhanded about either method. It is an acceptable practice used by smart players. Slowplaying is when you play a strong hand weakly to keep as many players in the hand, thus contributing to the growth of the pot.
You should slowplay your hand when it is very strong and you know that by betting all the other players will fold. Instead of betting, you would check and you would just call instead of raising if someone bets before you. You do this to conceal the strength of your hand. When you have the nuts or a monster hand that is unlikely to be beaten, you can give your opponents an opportunity to draw into a hand that will be second best.
If you held and the flop was
you have a full house. Unless someone has A-A in the pocket you have the best hand. Someone holding two diamonds has a flush draw. A player with K-Q, K-T, or Q-T has a straight draw. In this situation you don't mind checking and giving a free card. If it is bet, you should just call since a raise may drive out the other players. Better to let someone make a flush or straight that will be second best to your full house. You will also get action from anyone holding a single Jack who has just made trips.
Another example of a hand to slowplay is:
If you held
and the flop was
Although most of the time you won't want to slowplay trips, it would be correct to slow play this hand. It is extremely unlikely
that a player would be playing 7-2 unless he is the big blind. A player with the fourth Queen will have made top pair and will give you action. A player with two overcards such as A-K may be hoping to pair up. In low-limit games many players will play with a single Ace hoping to catch one on the turn or river. If an Ace falls on the river, you may even be able to check raise then.
When you slowplay, you have to be fairly certain that allowing someone else a free card won't give them a hand that can beat you. Many players slowplay hands that are only marginally strong and find that they pay the consequences for doing so. Small trips are very vulnerable and you should not slowplay them. Most of the time this would also hold true when you flop top pair. It will depend on the texture of the flop. Again your ability to read the board will be an important factor in deciding whether to slowplay or bet.
You don't want to slowplay AA before the flop unless your are in the blinds and want to disguise the strength of your hand. Aces play best against a small field. You raise to narrow the field. If you are in early or middle position, and decide to slowplay your hand it could be a costly mistake. If you merely call with AA, you are allowing everyone into the hand for a single bet. The more players in the hand, the more chances that one of them will flop a hand that can beat you.
If the flop is
someone holding 8-7 who may have folded if you had raised, has instead flopped a straight. Or the player who will play any connectors like 6-5 in an unraised pot has made two pair. You don't want this to happen. I have learned this from experience. After being burned by trying to slowplay pocket rockets, I now raise immediately with this hand.
It is better to bet out a hand and win a small pot than it is to slowplay a hand and lose a big pot.
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Getting A Free Card In Poker
May 13th, 2009
At first glance, the concept of raising to gain a free card may seem a little confusing but it can be a good value. Your position is an important factor when making this play and it works best when you are in late position and there are few players acting after you. When a player raises it usually means that he is holding a strong hand. In many instances, other players will check to the raiser on the next betting round for fear of being raised if they bet. If you have raised from late position and it is checked to you, you can also check and have the opportunity of seeing the next card for free.
This play is used a lot of the times on the flop when the betting limits are lower. In a $3/$6 game, the betting limit on the flop is $3; if you raise, it will cost you $6. The next betting round the limit goes to $6. If everyone checks to you on the turn because you raised, you can also check and you will get to see the river card for the price of your raise on the flop, which is $6. If you merely bet on the flop and then someone bets in front of you on the turn, it will cost you $9 to see the river card. By raising on the flop, you have increased the likelihood that it will be checked to you and you will see the turn card for free.
If you raise before the flop from late position, there is a chance that you can see all the way to the river card for free. You raise before the flop and then it is checked to you after the flop. If you check, you will get to see the turn card for free. In a tight game the players may again check to you after the turn card, which means that you can see the river card for free as well. You try to get a free card when you nave a drawing hand and want to try to make your hand as cheaply as possible. However, you need to remember that while you are receiving a free card, all of your opponents are getting one as well. There is an equal chance that they will make their hands with the free cards. If you have raised, and a player bets before it is your turn to act, that usually means he improved his hand with one of the free cards. You may have to abandon your hand.
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