As I've just said, your opponents are less likely to think you're conning them if you're a joy to lose to and you don't seem to mind losing. But, beyond that, they will be much more willing to part with their money if you don't add psychological punishment to their defeats. Be a gracious winner and loser. If they play a poor hand, you can advertise by convincing them you sometimes play the same way (and you've been lucky doing so).
Instead of criticizing a hand that beats me, which is a mistake some pros make, I often say, "Wow! I didn't think you had that. Believe it or not, I won twice with that same hand yesterday. I don't always play it, but I'm surprised it's winning so often. Maybe it's the hand of the month!" Laugh and have fun. Think about how different this attitude is from one that makes your opponents uncomfortable about playing poorly. Also, think about how many extra weak calls you might win from this opponent in the future, just because you've shown you won't be critical of bad play and simply because he likes you!
That's right! Opponents will give you extra calls with borderline hands simply because they like you! But this will only happen if they also think that you are not painful to lose to and that you gamble, too.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Friday, February 02, 2007
PLAY AGGRESSIVELY, it's the winning way
There's a very well known Poker player, a man who enters the World Series of Poker every year, who has a talent for figuring out exactly what your hand is. But when he decides that you're holding a Pair of Jacks (in Hold 'em) and his own hand will not beat the Jacks, he'll try to make you throw your hand away.
To me, that's not being aggressive ... that's being stupid. It works sometimes, but should you jeopardize your money when you think your opponent's got a good hand? Let him win the pot and wait till you think he doesn't have much of anything. That's when you can try to bluff him out of the pot. Or wait until you think you have him beat.
Everybody in Poker thinks he knows what a tight player is, but I'm going to define it again because so many people confuse the term "tight" with "solid".
"Tight" means conservative. A tight player is a player that is tight pretty much all the time.
There's a very well known Poker player, a man who enters the World Series of Poker every year, who has a talent for figuring out exactly what your hand is. But when he decides that you're holding a Pair of Jacks (in Hold 'em) and his own hand will not beat the Jacks, he'll try to make you throw your hand away.
To me, that's not being aggressive ... that's being stupid. It works sometimes, but should you jeopardize your money when you think your opponent's got a good hand? Let him win the pot and wait till you think he doesn't have much of anything. That's when you can try to bluff him out of the pot. Or wait until you think you have him beat.
Everybody in Poker thinks he knows what a tight player is, but I'm going to define it again because so many people confuse the term "tight" with "solid".
"Tight" means conservative. A tight player is a player that is tight pretty much all the time.
Blackjack Player VS Poker Player
The difference between playing good Poker and playing good Blackjack is as vast as the difference between squad tactics and grand strategy in warfare. You can beat a Blackjack game by knowing exactly what to do in every situation...and doing it. That's tactics. But in Poker you may face an identical situation twice against the same opponent, handle it two different ways, and be right both times. That's strategy.
The difference between playing good Poker and playing good Blackjack is as vast as the difference between squad tactics and grand strategy in warfare. You can beat a Blackjack game by knowing exactly what to do in every situation...and doing it. That's tactics. But in Poker you may face an identical situation twice against the same opponent, handle it two different ways, and be right both times. That's strategy.
Friday, January 26, 2007
There are easy ways to analyze the play of other players
Many sites have a function where you can write notes on each player, and these notes are
accessible the next time you are at the same table as those players. This is a nice feature that is
unique to online poker. There are also software programs that allow for the analysis of other
players’ games. These software programs can only look at the hands that your opponents playedwhen you were in the game with them and not every game that they have played, but this could stillbe useful.
More hands are dealt per hour online
When players are paying attention, more hands are usually dealt per hour online compared to brick
and mortar games. There is no need to wait for the dealer to shuffle, take in the mucked cards,
collect the chips, make change, take the rake or time, get a rack fill, call for empty seats, settle
player disputes and all sorts of other issues. For the player who plays with a positive expectancy,more hands per hour means a higher expected profit.
Shorthanded games are easy to find online
It is difficult to find a shorthanded game in a brick and mortar casino and when it exists, it may notlast for long. Often these games will break up as most players do not usually prefer to play short,or they fill up to a full table when other players come in. Many online poker rooms have specifictables specially designed for those that like to play short, they may have heads-up tables and/or tables where a maximum of six players can be seated. Shorthanded games mean even more hands per hour as fewer players have to make decisions. This could mean even greater profitability forthe skilled shorthanded player compared to a full game.
Players can play at more than one table simultaneously
One of the great advantages of playing online is the ability to play more than one game at the same time. In a full game often there is some dead time as you watch the other players play out their hands. If you do not know the players, this is a useful time to gather information about how theyplay and use it in the future. However, if you are well versed in their abilities and styles, it can be boring just sitting at the table. In a brick and mortar casino, many people will take this time to chit chat with other players near them, get to know each other, discuss current events or eat a meal. For some players, their primary reason to play poker is for the social aspects, so they rather enjoy this time to talk with friends while playing the game, but online is a different story. Many players know each other online, and can hold interesting conversations, but it is different from a brick and mortar casino. Once you get done with all that stuff, sometimes it can get boring especially if you are dealt junk hand after junk hand and are constantly folding. This is why people like to play more than one table, to deal with the boredom. Instead of getting distracted by non-poker issues,they choose to play two or more games and keep all of their attention on poker.
Many sites have a function where you can write notes on each player, and these notes are
accessible the next time you are at the same table as those players. This is a nice feature that is
unique to online poker. There are also software programs that allow for the analysis of other
players’ games. These software programs can only look at the hands that your opponents playedwhen you were in the game with them and not every game that they have played, but this could stillbe useful.
More hands are dealt per hour online
When players are paying attention, more hands are usually dealt per hour online compared to brick
and mortar games. There is no need to wait for the dealer to shuffle, take in the mucked cards,
collect the chips, make change, take the rake or time, get a rack fill, call for empty seats, settle
player disputes and all sorts of other issues. For the player who plays with a positive expectancy,more hands per hour means a higher expected profit.
Shorthanded games are easy to find online
It is difficult to find a shorthanded game in a brick and mortar casino and when it exists, it may notlast for long. Often these games will break up as most players do not usually prefer to play short,or they fill up to a full table when other players come in. Many online poker rooms have specifictables specially designed for those that like to play short, they may have heads-up tables and/or tables where a maximum of six players can be seated. Shorthanded games mean even more hands per hour as fewer players have to make decisions. This could mean even greater profitability forthe skilled shorthanded player compared to a full game.
Players can play at more than one table simultaneously
One of the great advantages of playing online is the ability to play more than one game at the same time. In a full game often there is some dead time as you watch the other players play out their hands. If you do not know the players, this is a useful time to gather information about how theyplay and use it in the future. However, if you are well versed in their abilities and styles, it can be boring just sitting at the table. In a brick and mortar casino, many people will take this time to chit chat with other players near them, get to know each other, discuss current events or eat a meal. For some players, their primary reason to play poker is for the social aspects, so they rather enjoy this time to talk with friends while playing the game, but online is a different story. Many players know each other online, and can hold interesting conversations, but it is different from a brick and mortar casino. Once you get done with all that stuff, sometimes it can get boring especially if you are dealt junk hand after junk hand and are constantly folding. This is why people like to play more than one table, to deal with the boredom. Instead of getting distracted by non-poker issues,they choose to play two or more games and keep all of their attention on poker.
Most common tells in online poker
1. The eyes – the length of time a player stares at his cards, his willingness to look you in the eye, his eye pupil dilation
2. Facial expression – does a player show a noticeable tic, or obvious unhappiness when a hand is weak, obvious confidence when a hand is strong?
3. Weak is strong, strong is weak – with a strong hand a player tries to look disinterested, with a weak hand a player tries to appear intimidating
4. Anxiety – physical clues such as flexing of muscles, changes in voice, chest expanding
5. Trembling hands – showing nervousness by hands shaking, usually indicating a strong hand.
6. Glancing or playing with chips – Indicating a player is already planning his attack.
1. The eyes – the length of time a player stares at his cards, his willingness to look you in the eye, his eye pupil dilation
2. Facial expression – does a player show a noticeable tic, or obvious unhappiness when a hand is weak, obvious confidence when a hand is strong?
3. Weak is strong, strong is weak – with a strong hand a player tries to look disinterested, with a weak hand a player tries to appear intimidating
4. Anxiety – physical clues such as flexing of muscles, changes in voice, chest expanding
5. Trembling hands – showing nervousness by hands shaking, usually indicating a strong hand.
6. Glancing or playing with chips – Indicating a player is already planning his attack.
Know poker psychology:
A good poker player must be a good psychologist. During a big money game, every kind of human emotion comes into play. I used to play stud with a player who, whenever he was dealer and had a pair back to back, would almost always fail to deal himself an upcard until his attention was called to it. He was concetrating so much on his pair that he forgot he could better the pair by drawing.
Another player at draw poker would always ask, "Whose play is it?" When he asked this question, I knew he probably had openers or a four-card flush -- at least he was going to play. When he had a poor hand he would keep quiet and put his cards down before him. These are little mannersims, if noted by the smart poker player, that will help him win because they will help him to know what to do at the proper time.
These poker strategy tips and tactics are from the world's foremost gambling authority and poker strategy expert, John Scarne.
A good poker player must be a good psychologist. During a big money game, every kind of human emotion comes into play. I used to play stud with a player who, whenever he was dealer and had a pair back to back, would almost always fail to deal himself an upcard until his attention was called to it. He was concetrating so much on his pair that he forgot he could better the pair by drawing.
Another player at draw poker would always ask, "Whose play is it?" When he asked this question, I knew he probably had openers or a four-card flush -- at least he was going to play. When he had a poor hand he would keep quiet and put his cards down before him. These are little mannersims, if noted by the smart poker player, that will help him win because they will help him to know what to do at the proper time.
These poker strategy tips and tactics are from the world's foremost gambling authority and poker strategy expert, John Scarne.
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