Poker Strategies
After receiving pocket cards, you are immediately faced with a choice: play your cards and either raise or call the blinds, or fold.
Practice Matters
Joe also provided valuable pointers
Joe also provided valuable pointers on playing Texas Hold’em: (1) Always be patient when playing Texas Hold’em. Don’t force the action by playing weak cards. Play strong cards, they make it much easier to shape winning decisions later in a hand. When playing strong cards, be aggressive, bet and raise. Most of the time bet your hand for value—straightforward betting—no tricks. With really strong cards, raise a raiser on the deal. When you’re holding a drawing hand don’t raise. When you’re holding top pairs, in 51
questionable situations
questionable situations raise or fold. When you are holding a set, bet and raise, don’t slow-play and give free cards. Free cards can kill you. (2) Play position. Understanding position is half the game of Texas Hold’em. You can often gain position by raising. It’s worth a bet to gain the last position. The button is “power” in Texas Hold’em. The Blinds are in a guaranteed poor position. They can be very costly to play. Don’t defend your Blind with anything but very good cards. Position is power in Texas Hold’em, you must know, understand, and play position properly. (3) Know your online hold'em poker opponents. Some opponents never call without the nuts. Some opponents always raise the pot on the river. If you don’t know an opponent, be cautious, try to always play from knowledge. Watch your opponent’s play and betting actions, study their facial expressions and mannerisms, watch how they smoke, and listen to them breathe. Learn to read their “tells.” Most players have “tells.” In addition, every player plays either a bit too loose or a bit too tight. You need to know how your opponents play. Learn to constantly watch your opponents. Also, watch strong winning players closely. Learn to play like them. 52