Holdem Players Must Know Their Competition And What They Often Play
Real success playing holdem poker depends on your ability to read what other players are holding. Most players only know what they have in their own hand. You must have at least a realistic idea of what others are playing.
Being able to read what cards players are playing must be based on a foundation of knowing what range of cards your competition plays. It is almost universally believed by weak players that several hands that will always lose money in the long run are good to play. These hands are hands that have negative expectations but look good to players. The most common will be discussed later.
Keeping track of how many times players see flops will help you know what range of cards they are playing. The more often a player sees the flop the weaker the hands they are playing. The players that see the most flops are calling with a minimum of any pair, any A with any kicker, any two suited, any connected and almost any face card.
Also watch for the player that only sees the flop once a round or less often. This player is only playing strong hands. Stay away from this player unless you have a super strong hand.
Players calling between these to levels can also be read. You can usually subtract one level of bad hands when a player folds two to three hands per round. This means they don't call with just any face card but usually all other hands listed above. If they fold four or more times per round you can subtract small suited and small connected as will. However, you must develop a feel for what they really have. How aggressively they place their bets will tell you a lot. When they place a bet gently at first but aggressive later they are showing weakness.
You learn how many flops players are seeing by watching the play when you are not in the hand. This is an important part of playing poker that many players miss. Players stop paying close attention when they are not in the hand. When you are not in a hand, you should still be playing by watching the action. Also watch what cards players turn up when the hand ends. You must know that seat three sees every flop. The player in seat seven only folded proflop twice per round. And seat nine goes more than a round before he sees a flop.
By watching the action, you will learn who plays the most common hands that can not win money in the long run. And you will learn what hands you can play that will beat the hands other players are playing. You will also learn who raises with what cards.
The next thing to watch for is who calls bets all the way to the river then mucks there cards the most often. These players are the drawers. They hold a range of cards that usually include the following. First, they either caught a second or bottom pair on the flop and hope to catch another one by the river. They may also have a small pair and hope to catch a set by the river. Other times they have top pair with a bad kicker. They hope to catch their kicker or a set. Most often these callers have a flush or straight draw and missed catching it when they muck. When their hand does improve, these players will usually raise. This means they have caught two pair or a set. Heads up they are always playing against the odds. They are the ones that will pay you off in the long run. Be nice to them when they catch their draws and beat you. And don't laugh when they catch their flush or straight and you have a higher one.
However, you must also know what hands are automatic losers. It is almost universally believed that some losing hands are playable. So many people play these hands that it makes them seem like they are good hands. This is a case of almost everyone can be wrong on some things. It is too easy to fall into playing these hands if you don't know the odds and probabilities. This is because you see someone at the table win with them. One wins one time and another next time but they all lose in the long run. They mostly feed the rake.
The following are examples of hands you must recognise as automatic long run losers. The fact that they will lose is bases on the odds and probabilities. Playing any two suited cards is a major mistake. The fact that two cards are suited only increases their strength by two to three percent. This actually means that in the long run most two suited cards will lose two to three percent less money than playing the same two cards unsuited. This applies to any two suited cards that would not equal 20 on a blackjack table. Two suited cards that equal 20 are playable because of the number of ways they can take a pot.
Two suited cards lose for several reasons. The best way to evaluate them is to think of them over a longer number of plays. You will only flop a flush 10 times out of 830 times you see the flop with them. You will complete a flush 10 times out of 140 times you draw to the river when you catch a draw on the flop. You will only catch a draw 10 times out of 110 times you see the flop with suited cards.
Suited cards that equal 20 on a blackjack table will win money in the long run because catching a pair with one of them can win most of the time if they are played correctly.*2 Playing the top pair with a good kicker wins 80 percent of the pots they are aggressively played in.
Playing small pocket pairs incorrectly will always lose money in the long run too. The fact is to win, except in rare cases, a small pocket pair must catch another one and become a set. You will only catch another one 1 in 7.5 times you play a small pocket pair. That means that they will cost the amount of the big blind 6.5 times that you see the flop with them. This means that in a little 3/6 limit game you will have $19.50 invested already when you catch your card. Sometimes all players will fold and you will only win the blinds.*1 Your set when you catch one will get beat 20 percent of the time. When they get beat, you will lose a lot of money in that hand. In a 30/60 you will have $195.00 invested for every set you catch.
The correct way to play small pocket pairs is to only see the flop in late position when a minimum of seven players have also called the flop. Then either bet your set or raise with it. You have the pot odds.
Suited connectors can also be losers in the long run.*2
You can learn what other players are playing by watching what they do when you are not in a hand or by losing to them when they get lucky and beat your good hands. You have somewhat of a choice.
*1 Some casinos have lower blinds. Example: A 3/6 game with actual blinds 1/2.
*2 For complete information go to web site below.
Even recreational players can always come out ahead in the long run. To find out more on how to always win go to:
Being able to read what cards players are playing must be based on a foundation of knowing what range of cards your competition plays. It is almost universally believed by weak players that several hands that will always lose money in the long run are good to play. These hands are hands that have negative expectations but look good to players. The most common will be discussed later.
Keeping track of how many times players see flops will help you know what range of cards they are playing. The more often a player sees the flop the weaker the hands they are playing. The players that see the most flops are calling with a minimum of any pair, any A with any kicker, any two suited, any connected and almost any face card.
Also watch for the player that only sees the flop once a round or less often. This player is only playing strong hands. Stay away from this player unless you have a super strong hand.
Players calling between these to levels can also be read. You can usually subtract one level of bad hands when a player folds two to three hands per round. This means they don't call with just any face card but usually all other hands listed above. If they fold four or more times per round you can subtract small suited and small connected as will. However, you must develop a feel for what they really have. How aggressively they place their bets will tell you a lot. When they place a bet gently at first but aggressive later they are showing weakness.
You learn how many flops players are seeing by watching the play when you are not in the hand. This is an important part of playing poker that many players miss. Players stop paying close attention when they are not in the hand. When you are not in a hand, you should still be playing by watching the action. Also watch what cards players turn up when the hand ends. You must know that seat three sees every flop. The player in seat seven only folded proflop twice per round. And seat nine goes more than a round before he sees a flop.
By watching the action, you will learn who plays the most common hands that can not win money in the long run. And you will learn what hands you can play that will beat the hands other players are playing. You will also learn who raises with what cards.
The next thing to watch for is who calls bets all the way to the river then mucks there cards the most often. These players are the drawers. They hold a range of cards that usually include the following. First, they either caught a second or bottom pair on the flop and hope to catch another one by the river. They may also have a small pair and hope to catch a set by the river. Other times they have top pair with a bad kicker. They hope to catch their kicker or a set. Most often these callers have a flush or straight draw and missed catching it when they muck. When their hand does improve, these players will usually raise. This means they have caught two pair or a set. Heads up they are always playing against the odds. They are the ones that will pay you off in the long run. Be nice to them when they catch their draws and beat you. And don't laugh when they catch their flush or straight and you have a higher one.
However, you must also know what hands are automatic losers. It is almost universally believed that some losing hands are playable. So many people play these hands that it makes them seem like they are good hands. This is a case of almost everyone can be wrong on some things. It is too easy to fall into playing these hands if you don't know the odds and probabilities. This is because you see someone at the table win with them. One wins one time and another next time but they all lose in the long run. They mostly feed the rake.
The following are examples of hands you must recognise as automatic long run losers. The fact that they will lose is bases on the odds and probabilities. Playing any two suited cards is a major mistake. The fact that two cards are suited only increases their strength by two to three percent. This actually means that in the long run most two suited cards will lose two to three percent less money than playing the same two cards unsuited. This applies to any two suited cards that would not equal 20 on a blackjack table. Two suited cards that equal 20 are playable because of the number of ways they can take a pot.
Two suited cards lose for several reasons. The best way to evaluate them is to think of them over a longer number of plays. You will only flop a flush 10 times out of 830 times you see the flop with them. You will complete a flush 10 times out of 140 times you draw to the river when you catch a draw on the flop. You will only catch a draw 10 times out of 110 times you see the flop with suited cards.
Suited cards that equal 20 on a blackjack table will win money in the long run because catching a pair with one of them can win most of the time if they are played correctly.*2 Playing the top pair with a good kicker wins 80 percent of the pots they are aggressively played in.
Playing small pocket pairs incorrectly will always lose money in the long run too. The fact is to win, except in rare cases, a small pocket pair must catch another one and become a set. You will only catch another one 1 in 7.5 times you play a small pocket pair. That means that they will cost the amount of the big blind 6.5 times that you see the flop with them. This means that in a little 3/6 limit game you will have $19.50 invested already when you catch your card. Sometimes all players will fold and you will only win the blinds.*1 Your set when you catch one will get beat 20 percent of the time. When they get beat, you will lose a lot of money in that hand. In a 30/60 you will have $195.00 invested for every set you catch.
The correct way to play small pocket pairs is to only see the flop in late position when a minimum of seven players have also called the flop. Then either bet your set or raise with it. You have the pot odds.
Suited connectors can also be losers in the long run.*2
You can learn what other players are playing by watching what they do when you are not in a hand or by losing to them when they get lucky and beat your good hands. You have somewhat of a choice.
*1 Some casinos have lower blinds. Example: A 3/6 game with actual blinds 1/2.
*2 For complete information go to web site below.
Even recreational players can always come out ahead in the long run. To find out more on how to always win go to:
0 comments: