Poker World

NICE POKER BLUFF!

WPT S05E01 - Bad Beat on the river

Establishing a Tight Table Image

In poker, image matters.

Throughout a tournament, your table image will help determine how much action you’ll get and, ultimately, how you can manipulate your opponents into making big calls or big laydowns at the wrong times.

While establishing a loose, aggressive image early on can help build your initial chip stack, I believe it’s important to develop a tight table image in the later stages of a tournament because it gives you the ability to maneuver at the times when the chips matter most.

When the action is folded around, some players will always raise from the cutoff and the button. The problem with this play is that’s its predictable and can be easily exploited. If you always raise from the button, the players in the blinds catch on sooner or later and will put in a big re-raise with any two cards. You will also find players just calling you with a much wider range of hands from the blinds before putting in a big check-raise on the flop. Read the rest of this entry »

To Bluff or not to Bluff ?

To bluff or not to bluff, that is the question. What is bluffing? When should I bluff? When should I not bluff? What are the different types of bluffs? When is bluffing most effective? These are all good questions pertaining to the art of bluffing. So go pour yourself a cup of coffee and enjoy the lesson.

What Is Bluffing?

Bluffing is when you are making it seem like you have a big hand but, in reality, you don’t. Also, you can bluff with a big hand and make it seem as though you have a weaker hand.

Different Types Of Bluffs

Semi-bluff � Which basically means that you are betting on a hand that still has a chance to win, such as a draw.

Stone cold bluff � Is when you are betting or raising when you have nothing.

Opposite SCB � I call this the opposite SCB bluff because it’s the opposite of the stone cold bluff. You are bluffing and representing a weak hand when you actually have a big one.

Reasons To Bluff

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Little Pairs

I’ve written about little pairs and the problems they can present especially when played out of position. There are many beginners and intermediate players who just can’t resist playing little pairs. You only see a pocket pair, on average, every sixteen hands so what’s not to like? I’ll tell you what’s not to like and that is little pairs out of position!

The funniest reason I’ve heard regarding playing little pairs in early position is the premise that if they are folded, they always seem to make a set on the flop …

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Playing from the Blinds in Tournaments Part 1

If tournament poker is a game of situations, then it’s important to know how to play from the blinds. Poker comes down to three basic decisions: fold, call, or raise. When you’re facing a pre-flop raise, folding the blinds will usually be your best option. You have a significant disadvantage when you defend your blinds because you will be out of position for the remainder of the hand. However, there are times during the course of a tournament that you can pick up a key pot or two by making the right play from either the small or big blind.

One of the first things to realize is that you should never get too attached to your blinds early in a tournament. Being first to act leaves you at a clear disadvantage. The reward of winning a small pot simply isn’t worth the risk of playing out of position. Later in a tournament, when the blinds are more significant and antes come into play, you should think twice about automatically folding your blinds to a raise because there are so many more chips at stake before the flop.

In fact, these are the times in a tournament when you need to think about playing back at your opponents from the blinds. As I mentioned, tournament poker is a game of situations and it’s critical that you evaluate your situation properly throughout the event. When appropriate, you may want to just flat-call a late position raise or even think about re-raising from the blinds.

I’ll never defend my blind with marginal cards against an early-position raiser no matter what point of the tournament I’m in. When a player raises in early position, it’s often safer to assume he has a real hand as opposed to thinking that he’s just trying to pick up the blinds. Against strong players, I usually let the blinds go because I know there’s going to be a battle. I’m looking to pick up pots, not pick a fight. Read the rest of this entry »

Phil Ivey Vs Erick Lindgren

Awesome Poker Bluff

Folding Aces Pre-Flop… Some Scenarios

Some poker psychology today… well a new look at an old question at least - want to run an old scenrio by you all, and then apply this to various situations…

The Situation:

You just sat down, the very first hand is dealt - you are dealt a pair of red aces in the big blind… nice.

The UTG player pushes all in… even nicer.

Before you know what is happening UTG+1 also pushes, as does the next player - in fact by the time the action gets to you every player at the table has pushed all in!!

Wow. Read the rest of this entry »

Thats really unbelivable.High Stakes Poker.