Poker is a challenging yet captivating game to master; mastery can take both time and practice to reach its pinnacle. Winning players understand how to approach it to maximize their winning potential.
At every turn of a card game, every check, call and raise you make provides your opponents with vital pieces of information about your hand strength that they can use to build stories about how strong or weak it really is.
1. Don’t be afraid to bluff
Bluffing is an integral component of poker. It allows one to appear stronger than they actually are and has been utilized throughout history in nature, business and warfare settings alike.
Bluffing helps you win pots by decreasing the likelihood that an opponent has an exceptional showdown hand, which becomes especially crucial as stakes increase and opponents become more “call-happy”.
Bluffing involves creating a narrative that your opponent believes. An effective bluff may force their hand and force them out of the game altogether.
2. Don’t be afraid to raise
Fear of money loss causes many players to hesitate before raising when they have an advantageous hand, which causes them to miss out on valuable chips and puts them at a distinct disadvantage against their opponents.
Of course, some decisions in poker can be based on fundamental analysis; however, much of it involves an element of guesswork. You should be prepared to play aggressively and make educated guesses as to the hands your opponents hold – particularly important in late position play.
3. Don’t be afraid to fold
Folding is a crucial skill when playing poker. Sticking around on weak hands in hopes of hitting an amazing flop or river card wastes both your bankroll and that of your opponents.
Additionally, being easy to bluff against will significantly lower your win rate and will require you to use position, betting structure and poker odds as indicators when to fold; especially pre-flop.
4. Don’t be afraid to check
Fear and anxiety can impede one’s ability to make sound poker decisions, whether due to fear of money loss or animus toward opponents. Either situation could prompt players to make irrational calls.
Tapping the table can signify a check. But it is crucial that other players understand this is not meant to be taken as betting action; otherwise it could lead to confusion and lead to serious misunderstandings between opponents.
5. Don’t be afraid to raise preflop
Mixing it up is key to successful poker strategy, and raising preflop can be one way of doing that. When players flat call preflop instead of raising, their range becomes limited and makes them vulnerable later if a strong hand emerges on later streets.
Raising when opponents are tight can encourage them to raise after the flop, as this increases your own range. When considering raising, also take into account antes present and your table image as part of your calculations.
6. Don’t be afraid to check on the flop
Checking on the flop can often be the right move; giving your opponent enough time to assess their odds of hitting a card and helping prevent further raising of stakes on subsequent rounds.
How you decide whether or not to check depends on several factors, including how loose/aggressive your opponent is preflop and postflop as well as the characteristics of your hand. It’s always beneficial to have an arsenal of different poker strategies at your disposal.
7. Don’t be afraid to check on the turn
Checking is a poker strategy in which a player passes their turn without betting, which can be an effective way of mitigating losses when faced with weak hands and being out of position.
Checking is an effective way of controlling pot size and avoiding forcing play, though beware if an aggressive opponent makes your check unnecessary – hence its importance when learning the strategy behind checking on the turn.
8. Don’t be afraid to check on the river
Checking on the river is a risky move that could send out signals to your opponents that you are trapping for a bluff or that you possess an impressive hand that they should call with if betted upon.
No matter the situation, it is critical that you can understand your opponent and assess their hand strength accurately. This can be achieved by studying their betting history and physical tells. By doing this, you can make better decisions at river time.
