How to Win at Poker

One of the most misunderstood poker techniques is the check raise; this Texas Holdem strategy can take your skill set to the next level and help increase your chip stack. In this article, learn the proper time and method of check-raising your opponents when you play no limit holdem.

One of the advantages of holdem poker is that you can make strategic moves against your opponents much like in other skillful games such as chess. Oftentimes, you can represent your hand as strong or weak, depending on your position and your opponent’s aggression.

Setting Up a Check Raise

The beginning of a successful check raise is determined pre-flop, what that means is you want to make your decision to check raise, long before the flop comes out. Making decisions preflop when you play Texas holdem is more advantageous than waiting till the moment you have to act to make your decision.

Four important factors need to be present should you decide to make a check raise play. They are:

• The strength of your hand
• Your table image
• The table attitude
• Your position

It is vital in Texas holdem to consider all four of these factors to successfully pull off a check raise that nets you a maximum win.

Hand Strength

The stronger your hand is pre-flop in Texas holdem, the better chance you have of pulling off a profitable check raise by concealing that strength. In other words if you have Ace King suited and limp, it is very difficult for your opponents to figure you are playing a strong hand, especially if your ace comes on the flop.

The fact that you did not play it strong pre-flop, will make others believe you are trying to steal the pot or you are on a draw when your ace hits. On the other hand, if you limp in with small suited connectors and hit a big flush or straight draw on the flop, this is less likely to induce much action from your opponents because those draws are more visible and more believable.

Therefore, concealing a strong hand pre-flop is the best method for setting up a check raise when you hit the board.

Table Image

Your table image is important as well; table image is the way in which your opponents perceive you as a player. They may label you as a tight player who plays few hands, an aggressive player that bets and pushes, or a passive player that folds to strong moves.

If your opponents know that you are a tight player and you check, they may bet out thinking you will fold because of your tight image. On the other hand, if you are aggressive, and you check they may not bet, robbing you of opportunities to check raise.

Table Attitude

This is another important aspect when executing a check raise. Table attitude in Texas Holdem is the general environment of the players at the table. If the majority of your table is comprised of calling stations or ultra-aggressive players, a check raise may not get the desired results, as players tend to call from behind and do not respect the raise.

Alternatively, a check raise when the table attitude is tight, usually gets people to fold and allows you to take down a pot without contention. In Texas Holdem, table attitude should be the determining factor in how much to check raise. In other words, a check raise at an aggressive or calling station table is still a good play, however, you want to make sure that your raise is sufficient to make people fold, instead of calling to suck out on you.

Position

In order to pull off a successful check raise in Texas Holdem, position plays a very important part. If you are early to act in a hand, checking to allow someone else the opportunity to bet is the basis of the check raise. However, if you are in late position with a tight player behind you, you will likely miss an opportunity to check raise.

Be aware that, as in most Texas Holdem hands, position can dictate what actions you should or should not make. Using your position to determine beforehand whether you should plan a check raise is very important to succeeding.

A check raise in Texas Hold em poker can be used for a variety of reasons. Squeeze the maximum number of chips out of your opponents; find out if your hand is stronger than your opponents, or to take down a pot to avoid anyone drawing out on you. Use the factors of hand strength, table image, table attitude, and position to give you the maximum advantage in the skillful art of check raising in your next Texas holdem game.

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Guest Post By Paul Westin

As you progress through the skill sets and learn how to play hold em poker, you want to continue to enrich your style to include some of the more advanced poker strategies. An exceptional poker strategy to learn is known as the Trap.

Trapping your opponent in Texas Hold’em is the process of doing exactly that, trapping them into a situation where they are forced to over-commit with a weaker hand and lose a sizable portion of their chips. Executing a perfect trap when you play Texas hold’em can easily propel you to a lead, especially in an online poker tournament.

The trap requires several situations to be in play in order to maximize your wins. These situations include the set-up, the weak play, and the takedown. When you play Texas hold’em, use the following guidelines and allow your opponent to easily fall prey to your trapping skills.

The Set-up

Usually when a new player begins to learn to play poker, they typically follow the same style that they are accustomed to as a player. In other words, you can set up your opponent by playing a strong hand pre-flop as though you are weak. For example if you have pocket 9’s and just limp into the pot, you are starting the set up of your trap.

In any hand that you get an opportunity to limp with, you should always keep in the back of your mind that a good trap would net you more chips than over playing a strong hand. Therefore, in many cases, when you choose to limp, do it with the hopes of trapping.

The Weak Play

When you play Texas hold’em, most players take a check as a sign of weakness. Therefore, if your pre-flop hand hits the board and produces a monster hand, this is your opportunity to allow your opponent to try and steal or make a play against you.

In the example above, your preflop hand is pocket 9’s, let us say the flop is K of diamonds, 4 of hearts and 9 of clubs. This is a perfect scenario for trapping. Check to your opponent hoping they will bet, and if they do as is common in Texas hold’em, you should just call.

On the turn, as long as no draws exist, play the same way and check hoping for a bigger bet from your opponent. However, if the board creates a situation where you may become victim to a suck out (a flush draw, straight draw, etc) you may want to raise your opponents bet here.

The Takedown

The takedown is the most rewarding part of the trap; you have convinced your opponent that you are weak just by smooth-calling the flop and the turn. The river card is where you can likely get the most action for your hand, especially if the river does not put out any hand that may cause your opponent to fold (like a straight or flush).

If you are first to act on the river, now would be a good time to make a value bet, usually ½ the pot up to 2/3 of the pot is good. If your opponent actually had a part of the flop or turn, they will likely call the value bet. If you are last to act after the river, you can make a lot more if your opponent bets out first. When they bet, make a value raise, about 2 and ½ times their bet or 2/3 of the pot whichever is greater.

If you play Texas hold’em with the skill of a pro, you will soon find you are getting deeper into tournaments and reaping greater cash rewards. Use the trap as your way to play Texas hold’em and win!

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Bluffing is usually the first move many new poker players learn when they start to play no limit Texas hold em poker. Although it can be an effective poker strategy to take down a pot, the technique of bluffing is actually a refined skill that when used properly can help you win Texas holdem tournaments.

The most important consideration when using a bluff in a Texas holdem tournament is to ensure that you are doing it at the right time, for the right reason, and with the right price. Failure to follow the best poker strategy when bluffing could easily result in disaster to your chip stack.

The Right Time

In no limit Texas hold em poker, especially online poker tournaments, timing is very important. Your bluff must be executed with the utmost care to protect you from losing and quickly being recognized as a bluffer. If others at the table witness your bluff, there is a very good chance that when you have a good hand, they may call you down, believing you are bluffing again and possibly suck out on you at the river.

Therefore, a bluff is likely to work when you have the right position in no limit Texas hold em poker, usually, last to act. If the board is practically a blank, with no draws and the action is checked to you, this is a good time to pull off a bluff. However, you must ensure that the players in the hand are not inclined to trap! If a player is known to be a trapper or check raiser, you may want to wait to make your move.

The Right Reason

The right reason to bluff in a Texas holdem tournament is crucial. Are you bluffing just because everyone checked to you, or are you bluffing because you KNOW your opponents will fold? Choosing to bluff when there are calling stations in the hand could be dangerous!

Make sure the reason you are bluffing (whether in an online poker tournament or live poker game) is because you know your opponents will fold. Keep mental notes (or live notes in an online poker tournament) on who is a calling station and who is a strong player that will fold to a bet. Having that little bit of information about your opponents can help you win plenty of pots and get you deeper in your Texas holdem tournament.

The Right Price

No limit Texas hold em poker is all about getting the right price. Remember that the game is about investing your chips to win more chips, and getting the proper return on your investment (ROI). Texas holdem tournaments are especially dependent on your ROI and the right price strategy.

If your bluff is going to put too much of your chips at risk, you need to reconsider if this time is the right time to make your move. In addition, in an online poker tournament as well as a cash game, many weaker players with shortstacks are apt to call in hopes of drawing out.

In a Texas holdem tournament, you must pay close attention to the chip stack of your opponent and know that if they have less than your bluff bet amount, they may call anyway out of desperation to win. On the other hand, if you have a big stack in the hand, he may call your bluff just because he has enough chips to do so.

Carefully plan out your bluff as you progress through your Texas holdem tournaments. The use of bluffing as a tool in your poker strategy arsenal should be used with care to protect your image and your chip stack. Make sure you use the right timing, the right reason to steal the pot, and that you are getting the right price with the minimal risk.

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