Part Three: Preflop and Postflop Play
written by BeatTheFish.com
Proper Play: Preflop
The consensus among No-Limit Hold 'em
experts is that a "standard" raise is 3-4 times the amount of the
big blind. I agree for real cardroom poker. But online against loose
players, one of the best defenses you have is increasing the amount
of your "standard" raise, possibly to 5-6 times the big blind. If
your online poker site has a "Bet Pot" button, raise at least by
this amount. By doing this, you make it a little harder for bad
players to stay in with bad cards that will draw out on you. I
definitely recommend a larger raise for tricky pocket pairs like
K-K and Q-Q. If two players call your raise instead of five when you
have K-K and an Ace comes on the flop, you are more likely to still
be holding the best hand.
I can't stress this enough about online
poker: RAISE YOUR BIG HANDS AND RAISE THEM HARD! I've learned to
rarely slowplay anything at all unless I have the absolute nuts.
Slowplaying will just get you into trouble and often lose you a big
pot, especially online. Lee Jones advocated this same style of play
in Winning Low-Limit Hold 'em. He's right.
Sure, you're often going to end up
winning a small pot when no one wants to call your raise. Why get
greedy? You won the pot, didn't you?
IT'S ALWAYS BETTER TO WIN A
SMALL POT THAN LOSE A BIG ONE!
Tell me a single time where that isn't
true.
More tips on Pre-flop Play:
-Player
Advice: Getting Started Against Fish
-The
Facts on Minimum Raises
-Stealing the Blinds
Proper Play: On the flop
Okay, so you're playing the right cards
and raising them before the flop, now what? After you judge your own
hand, you've got to get good and reading the board and reading your
opponents. Always look for straight and flush possibilities. Think
of what the best possible hand is on the flop and what your opponent
is likely to be holding. Look for straight and flush possibilities.
If you've been studying their play, you should be able to make a
fairly good read on their possible hands.
If you think that you have the best hand
on the flop (usually at least top pair with a good kicker), protect
it against loose opponents. Why let them draw out on you for cheap?
If I'm heads-up and out of position on the flop holding A-K offsuit
with board of A-J-8 with two diamonds, I'm going to make at least a
pot-sized bet to try to make my fishy opponent pay for his flush
draw. The same thing goes if you see a straight draw on the board.
Lots of players will play anything from any position, so no matter
how unlikely it seems, you have to protect against any possible
draw. If you have a strong hand with multiple opponents and two
suited cards or two connected cards come on the flop, you've got to
bet at it. And bet even more with multiple opponents. There is no
worse crime than allowing your opponents to draw out on you for
cheap or for free. Don't do it!
The Board Flops a Pair
Be very careful when the board flops a
pair, three suited cards, or three connected cards. A flop of J-4-4
rainbow might look harmless, but many bad players have the
"Ace-anything" mentality and will routinely play A-4. Don't bet much
at that pot with A-J. Also, one or more of your opponents is likely
to have flopped a big hand with three suited or connected cards on
the board. People like to play suited and connected cards, so I'd
play extremely cautious, especially if many opponents are seeing the
flop with you. If anyone bets a substantial amount in this situation
and you don't have the nuts or a draw to the nuts, you've got to lay
your hand down.
Don't Slowplay Very Often
Unless you have the nut straight, nut
flush, a full house, or better - don't slowplay on the flop! I will
bet out top set routinely, unless it is an unsuited board with no
straight possibilities. I'll check it down then. The fish will draw
to anything. Don't let them do it for free.
If you do hit something huge on the
flop, then you've GOT to check it down. You've essentially crippled
the possibilities of there being other good hands out there. If you
want any action on your hand, check your hand and let them catch up
a little on the turn and river.
More tips on Slowplaying:
-Slowplaying on the Turn
-Pocket Aces (AA)
Letting Big Slick Go
A-K, often referred to as "Big Slick" is
a drawing hand, not a made hand. It's a great drawing hand because
when you pair up the board, you're going to have top pair with top
kicker. But you're only going to hit a pair on the flop with A-K
about 1/3 of the time. The other 2/3 of the time if someone bets,
just fold and be done with it. Big Slick is nothing without help
from the board, unlike A-A or K-K. If you don't pair up on the flop,
you can try to take a stab at the pot if you're heads-up and in
position. Otherwise, check it down and fold to most bets. Why keep
drawing with a very thin draw? That's just a bad way to lose more
money.
More tips on A-K:
-How
to Play Ace-King Preflop
Preflop and on The Flop:
Alternative Method
My poker mentor, who's been playing
poker for over 40 years, told me about an interesting method that
helped him get through streaks of really bad beats. Sometimes he'll
play No-Limit hold 'em without every raising before the flop. He'll
smooth call every he intends to play, regardless of how huge it is.
Of course if someone raises and he's holding pocket Aces, he'll
probably reraise him back. But when he plays like this, he'll
usually just call with everything. He does this for one simple
reason: it teaches you to rely on the flop and read your opponents
properly. It can also save you some money if the flop turns out
really ugly for you.
Just call with all of your hands and
read the flop. If you don't get any help, obviously you're out. If
you do get help but the board is dangerous, see what the other
players do. If they bet anything substantial, you must entertain the
possibility on folding your hand. An advantage to this method of
play is when you're holding K-K or Q-Q and the flop comes out with
an Ace. You check and fold to a decent-sized bet. You saved money by
not raising preflop. This can be a dangerous way to play if you
don't read the flop right, but it can be a good way to learn to read
your opponents on the flop and can save you money in certain
situations.
Summary
-Always raise your strong hands,
especially at loose tables
-Consider raising at least 5-6 times the
big blind.
-Bet out hard on the flop to keep draws
playing against the odds
-Be careful with a dangerous board
against bad players - they play any two cards
-Don't slowplay unless you have the
absolute nuts
-Let go of A-K immediately if you don't
flop anything
-Consider only calling everything
preflop for awhile if you're on a bad beat streak
Back to Part
Two... Continue to Part
Four...
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