Most of the strategy you will read focuses on preflop and flop decisions. These are important, but the decisions on the turn are also critical when determining your long-term profitability. The turn is where you can bloat pots, keep them small, and get away from bad hands.

So how would you play this pot?

A player will often call the flop with a poor holding. Sometimes they are floating. In this case they have nothing and are looking to take the hand away. Other times they have a draw and are trying to catch cards. In either case the turn is going to be a deciding point in the hand.

Checkraising the Turn as Bluff

If you have nothing on the flop, no draw or pair, then you are calling because you plan on taking the pot away on the turn or river. This is a float. Suppose you are out of position and have nothing, not even Ace high. You might call a continuation bet for a number of reasons. You might think the player has total air. You might think the player is weak and will fold to pressure on later streets. All are valid.

You should try and not checkraise any turn card. You want to checkraise certain cards. If the flop has two connected cards, either straight cards or flush cards, then you can checkraise a draw that comes in. Some people checkraise low boards to rep sets.

It should be noted that you do not want to checkraise bluff a calling station. You should only checkraise these players for value.

Checkraising the Turn for Value

Sometimes you have a monster hand and will simply call the flop. Then, if the turn comes a safe card, you can checkraise. You want to force the opponent to put in money on the turn because you have the best hand most likely.

If you are in position then you will want to bet or raise if your opponent has checked. It is not a good idea to keep the pot small on the turn when you have a strong hand. The first problem is that the other player will sometimes fold the river because the pot is not worth calling a bet, also the player might catch a card and improve.

Suppose you have top set but the turn brings a third flush card. If the river brings the fourth flush card then your opponent might have caught. You want to charge them for this. Sometimes they will catch, but you will profit long term in this spot.

Pot Control

If you have a marginal hand that you think is best, you can check the turn. Maybe you have KcQs on a 2c4dKs flop and the turn comes 7c. You could bet, but you might also want to check. You most likely have the best hand. Your opponent might have called with a worse King and will call a turn bet. However, they might have also called with hands that will fold or hands that will raise you and put you in a bad spot. On the river you can value bet most cards.

Bloating The Pot on the Turn

When you bloat the pot on the flop people put you on certain hands: sets, made flushes/straights and big combo draws. This lets them get away from hands. However, when you put pressure in on the Turn it is harder to get away.

People don’t like ditching hands they have invested money into. On the turn they have already put in money preflop and on the flop. Often times if you are checkraising, they have also put in money on the turn. When you put in lots of pressure on the turn it is harder to get away from hands.

If you have a big hand, the turn is the easiest spot to get money in. Lots of pressure on the flop will often scare people off, so that’s why you see pots get huge on the turn. People wait for safe cards to stack off. You can often times get a person with AcKc to call off their whole stack on the turn when you have pocket 2’s on a 2c9cKs7d board.

Related posts:

1. Introduction to Trapping in Poker
2. Introduction to Blind vs. Blind Play in Tournaments
3. Adjusting Your Play Based on the Size of Your Chip Stack

This doesn't usually constitute as controlling pot size. (Unless someone just shoved against your nuts)

Keeping them Small

If the pot is small then you have to be careful if your opponent is trying to get money in. Suppose you raise with KcTc and the flop comes 4c5dKs. If your opponent checks and you make a standard continuation bet only to get check raised then alarm bells should go off.

Now, if the player is a total maniac then you are often good here. But otherwise, what can you be up against? The player could have two pair, sets, a better kicker etc…. Really the only hand you have good equity against is total air or a big draw.

This is not to say you should bet fold top pair. That’s a bad idea. But it is not good to get it in. You should try and keep the pot small. Perhaps call and evaluate on the turn.

Bloating Them

On the other hand, when you have a big hand you are going to want to get the money in as fast as possible. If the pot is small and you have a set, flush, or monster draw, then it would be good to get as much money in the pot as possible. This all depends upon the player.

If you are in a pot against a tight nit, then a bet might get them to fold. That’s disastrous.  A good tactic against this type of player is to check call. When the turn comes you can check call again and then lead out on the river. Sometimes you can check raise the turn. It all depends upon the type of opponent. Some players are so tight that it is tough to get them to commit too many chips.

If you are in a multiway pot then it is proper to put pressure on when the flop hits and you have a monster. If the flop has a flush draw, or two over cards, then it would be a good spot to check raise. You will get called by any flush draw and two pair combo. Luckily people like to play any two Broadway cards, so these are good flops to check raise.

If the flop looks like it did not hit anyone, then maybe just check call. People do tend to fear sets in multiway pots, so check raising a low, uncoordinated board can scare off even a normal player. Then on the turn you can put in more money.

Always try and put your opponent on a range of hands and then dictate the pot accordingly. You never want to put in money when you think you are behind. You should call on draws against a player who you know will not fold. Then, if you hit, you can put on pressure.

If you have JcTc and the flop comes 7d8sQc it would be a decent spot to just call a bet. You could check raise, but if you get shoved on it will be a tricky spot. While a player could have complete air they are more likely to have a hand where you are behind. If you give the player a range of 77+, QJs+, AQo, KQo, then you are not in a great spot.

It is better to keep the pot small and see what comes on the turn. You have backdoor clubs and a gutshot. It would be worth calling a single bet and seeing what the turn brings.

The key to winning large pots is learning how to create them. When you have a speculative hand don’t bloat the pot. When you have a good hand figure out which line to take to get as many chips in. It is not good having the winning hand if it’s a small pot. You want to win as many chips as you can, not as many pots.

Related posts:

1. Your three biggest weapons in Texas Hold’em
2. Mistakes Made By Low Stakes Texas Holdem Players
3. Texas Holdem

Chances are that someone is slow playing here.

What is slow playing?

Slow playing is a tactic used to disguise the strength of your hand. A bluff is a tactic to make the other players think you are strong. This is used to get them to fold. Slow playing is exactly the opposite. You want players to think you are weaker than you actually are. The idea being that you will confuse them into overvaluing their own hand.

How do you slow play? First you have to have a hand. You don’t slow play one pair, or a gutshot straight. You slow play sets, flopped flushes, two pair, sometimes you will slow play over cards. Most of this action takes place on the flop though you can also slow play preflop.

Slow Playing Pre-Flop

You don’t want to slow play pre-flop too often. The situation has to be right. The best situation is to sow play a big hand like Aces or Kings against one or two opponents. You see Phil Hellmuth do this quite a lot. He will flat a raise with his entire range including Kings.

Suppose someone makes a raise and you have pocket Kings. You can flat. The person will be hard pressed to put you on Kings since most everyone will re-rise with Kings pre-flop. Then on the flop you can get them to act with a misconception of your actual hand since they have not included Aces or Kings in your range.

The benefit of flatting with a big pair is that you can sometimes get a player to act after you to squeeze. Lets say that a player opens in early position and you flat on the cutoff with Kings. If the player on the button chooses to make a squeeze play then you can put in another raise.

Slow Playing On the Flop

This is where most slow playing takes place. You don’t need to hold a premium hand to be able to slow play. Suppose you were dealt 8c9c on the button. A loose aggressive player in early position raised and two people called. You called as well and the blinds completed.

The flop comes 8x8x9. This is a fantastic flop. You are in a large, multiway pot so the chances are someone has something. If you over bet you will chase out the draws. You should check call. Then put pressure in on the turn.

If the flop comes 7cTsJs you might want to rethink slow playing. If you are in a multiway pot then it becomes a dangerous proposition. There are many hands that will call a big raise from you: KQss, TxJc, sets and other hands. However, you want to charge them and not give them free cards. Because this board is so drawy you should not slow play.

The safer the board and the fewer players involved, the more you can slow play. If you are in a large multiway pot, or if the board is super wet, then you should try and get the money in with your hand.

Slow Playing Mistakes

Don’t slow play big hands pre-flop against multiple players. You might think it’s tricky to flat with Aces against four players but look at the numbers. Preflop you have 50% equity against those four players. Against each individually you have much more. So why not put a big raise in preflop to thin the field and get value.

If you flat then you will be in a bad spot. It is better to flat with a big hand with the intention of back raising, or to flat against a single opponent.

Don’t slow play wet boards. Wet boards are boards that are dangerous because they are coordinated. A flop like JcTc8s is a wet board. Something like 2c7sQh is a dry board. Do not slow play dangerous boards. You should be charging people money for their draws.

Don’t slow play the wrong person. Some players are not the type you should slow play. A calling station is not the right person. Just value bet your hands against these players. You should slow play a tricky player, or a tight player.

Related posts:

1. Slow Playing Sets in Texas Hold’em Poker
2. The Perils of Slow Playing
3. Strategies for Playing Multi-Table Tournaments

See all those small pots on the table? Could make a nice stack.

Of course, you have to understand when to play at small pots. There are things to consider such as pot odds, player tendencies, and number of players involved in the hand. These are the same things you have to consider when playing any hand of poker; only there are a few different considerations when playing small pots.

If there is not much money in the pot, and you have a weak holding, then it is not normally worth trying to win the pot if you are facing aggression. Suppose you are in one of the blinds and hold something like Tc7d. This is a weak hand.

If someone makes a 3x raise, you should fold. Calling those extra bets is not worth it. You will be out of position and have a bad hand. Suppose you call and flop a pair. It is not going to be good enough of the time to warrant the call.

You also have to take into account reverse implied odds. Suppose the flop comes 2x5xTx rainbow. You now have top pair. However, you have a bad kicker. There are many hands with a Ten in them that might have raised that have you dominated. Also, the person might have an over pair, or sets. You are going to be putting yourself in a position to lose money.

One of the ways to win a small pot is to take advantage of position. Suppose there is a weak player in early position. You recognize that they are the type to either limp/fold to a raise, or else limp/call then check fold most hands.

If you are in late position, it is a good spot to iso-raise this player. You can probably do it with any two cards. However, you have to be aware of the players left to act. If there are aggressive players behind you then it is not a good spot to try this play.

If there is no interest in the pot, then you can try and take it down. If there is interest, then you have to consider your hand. Obviously with a premium hand you can raise even if there are several limpers. Pocket Aces/Kings/Queens is a hand you will want to make a raise with.

If, however, you have a pocket pair such as 33/44/55 then you should limp and try and hit a set. You can also limp with suited Aces and suited connectors. What you are looking to do is to see a cheap flop and then hit it. If the flop comes 4x8xJx and you have 4c4s then you can get value from a whole range of hands.

It is important to not chase out players. If you have a set, and there are only three players in the pot then you might consider checking the flop and try and let the other players improve. Suppose you have a set of 4’s and the flop is 4hAcTd. If the other two players check then you can check as well.

You want to play small pots when you have a speculative holding, and then once you improve your hand you can build the pot. Never call a big raise just to see a flop; this is the classic mistake. Look for spots where you can take down small pots pre flop or on the flop with marginal hands. Once you can figure out the right circumstances you will see a dramatic improvement in your winrate.

Winning a small pot might not seem like a big thrill. However, over the long run, it can drastically improve your hourly win rate. Learning how to maneuver and take down uncontested small pots is one of the best skills a player can develop.

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1. Tips for Playing a Loose Aggressive Style
2. Tips for Playing Coin-Flips in Holdem Poker
3. Online Poker Tips to Memorize for Success – Part 2

"Action" Dan Harrington is a master at exploiting his tight table image.

There are two basic types of good poker players. TAG and LAG are the acronyms tossed around when describing good, winning players. TAG is a player who is tight and aggressive. A LAG is a loose aggressive. Most famous poker personalities are LAG’s. Doyle Brunson, Tom “Durrrr” Dwann, Phil Ivey, and Gus Hansen are all LAG’s. Players who are at a table with a LAG expect them to play a wide variety of cards.

A LAG might be able to play a big hand in a tricky way due to their image. Suppose you are at a table and have been raising almost any pot you are entering. When you pick up pocket Aces or Kings and someone raises you have the ability to win a large pot. If you have been 3 betting a ton, then by all means continue. They are very likely to think you are simply picking on the table. They then might 4 bet and call a shove.

Another move with a big hand preflop is to smooth call. Because your image is loose and aggressive they are going to be hard pressed to put you on a hand. They will certainly not put you on Aces or Kings. The rational being that an aggressive player would play those hands aggressively.

If you have a tight image then you can take advantage of it by making well-timed bluffs or else slow playing big hands. Suppose you have AsKc and are on the button. The cutoff makes a standard raise. You might re-raise but if he knows you are tight he will fold. If the player is bad post flop you might want to play a hand against them.

The flop comes 2s8sJc. The cutoff donk bets. You can float here because you still have equity against his range of hands, plus because of your tight image you can take the pot away if the right cards comes. The turn brings a 5c. The cutoff now checks. If you bet, you will have to fold to a raise. So you decide to check back. The river comes a 9s. This is a great card. Two different draws came in. Because you are in position and have a tight image this is a good card to bet.

You have the As which eliminates all AsXs combos from the players range. Because you flat called preflop your range is going to look like suited cards, or pocket pairs. That means that you have sets, flushes and straights in your range. The player, if they are aware of table image and are not a calling station, is going to fold a decent amount of the time in this spot.

If you have created a tight image you will be able to get away with well-timed bluffs. A player with a tight image is going to have a hard time getting max value from their hands, unless there are calling stations at the table. Of course, if you overdo it, and get caught at showdown with complete air, then the image will change. Be aware of how other players play back at you, and watch what cards they do it with.

It is also important to be aware of other player’s table image. Some might behave like they are loose and crazy, but are really just limping and check folding. These are the players you should be wary of. If they every play back they have a hand.

If you in a pot with a fit or fold player and flop a monster, then check it back. Suppose you have pocket 9’s and flop top set on 2c6d9h then you would want to check it back. You want them to have a chance to hit something, even if it is only a draw. If the person is a calling station then by all means value bet them for three streets.

Understanding table image is one of the most important skills a poker player can learn. It is something that can turn you from a small winner into a big winner. Learn to watch how other player’s act and how they react to you, this will give you plenty of information about how to act.

Related posts:

1. Learn the Importance of Your Table Image
2. Advantages to Being a Nit at the Poker Table
3. Single table sit and go strategy part four

Consider you are dealt two Aces. You are sitting in a 9-handed cash game. You make a standard raise from early position to 3x the big blind. A player in middle position shoves all in for his whole stack, about 70 big blinds. It folds back to you and you snap call.

The player turns over pocket Queens and you turn over your Aces. You are ahead but a Queen comes on the river and you lose. That is a plus EV play. In the long run, that play is going to make you money. Your expected value is high because no matter what your opponent has in that spot, you are ahead. If the hand were to be run hundreds of times you would win 80% of the time.

Anytime you win 51% of the time it is a plus EV play. The above situation is a dramatic one, but it is a basic example. Whenever you get your money in good, as a favorite, you are making a plus EV play. This is what you should strive to do long term. The theory of large numbers says that in the long run you will realize your edge and profit.  So essentially, positive EV means that your expected value of a hand is a profit over the long term.

What you want to do is stay away from making negative EV plays. These are plays that have negative expected value. A good example would be the following. You are dealt Aces and make a normal sized raise. A tight player calls from middle position. The flop comes 8c9cTc. If you bet and get raised all in, or face a large pot sized raise, then consider what is happening.

The tight player was either set mining, of flatted with suited Ace King. They are unlikely to reraise you on such a scary board with a pair of Jacks. They likely hold either pocket 8’s, 9’s, T’s or AcKc. If you call you are making a negative EV play. Sure, you might suckout, but in the long run this is a losing play. You have about 20% equity in the hand. In the long run you would be losing money to stack off in such a situation without very specific player dependent reads.

Plays can be either positive EV or negative EV, but only when you put a player on a range. Of course, calling off with Ace high is plus EV against someone who shoves King high. The main thing is that you need to assign a range of hands that your opponent is likely to have. It is not likely that most players will play King high in such a way.

To be a profitable player you need to consistently make positive EV plays. Even if you lose several of them, you are making the right decision. Think of it this way, you have lost back-to-back all-ins with pocket Aces. You then are offered a freeroll where you can choose either pocket Aces or a random hand. You will then go up against another random hand. When the board is dealt out, if your Aces hold, you win the prize. Of course you should choose Aces over a random hand. They have 85% equity over a random two cards. Just because a hand has lost twice in a row, it is not more or less likely to win the next time. The idea that previous results affect the next result is known as gamblers fallacy. Pocket Aces are an 85% favorite each time even if they have lost the prior 10 flips.

As long as you continue making the right decisions you will be profitable in the long term. Stay away from making negative EV decisions, whether because of tilt or gamble, and you will be fine.

No related posts.

Well set traps can help you stack opponents.

Trapping is when you have a good hand and are able to convince your opponent that they have a better hand. Then you simply wait for them to put the pressure on. This will allow your opponent to bet on the flop and the turn with either a weaker hand or a total bluff.

Depending on the board texture you will want to checkraise either the flop or the turn. Sometimes, but rarely, you will wait to checkraise the river. All of this will depend upon the strength of your hand and what you put your opponent on.

Suppose you have a small pocket pair and you call a raise out of the blinds. The flop comes 2c4s8d and you hold pocket 8’s. You should check in most spot. You can then check call or check raise. If you checkraise the flop then you might get a fold. A good opponent is not going to stack off with complete air or a pair of Tens in a deepstacked cash game. If the game is playing shallow then you can get stacks in.

If you decide to call then it is almost always correct to check raise the turn. The turn will often bring backdoor flush and straight outs. There is always the possibility that the river may give your opponent a higher set. This is why you should checkraise the turn and get your money in while you have more equity.

In the previous example you used trapping to extract value. Sometimes you are playing against a hyper aggressive opponent. These types are easy to trap. They will always put the money in, so all you have to do is sit back and collect. If, on the other hand you are up against a super nit, then you have to play different.

Suppose you are at a full ring game and you open from UTG with Aces. It folds to a super nit in the small blind, who then calls. The flop comes three baby cards, all different suits. The nit checks and you continuation bet. The nit calls. This should set off alarm bells. At the minimum they have an over pair to the board. This would be good as you would be ahead of their range and have them crushed. But often enough they have a set. If the on the turn they check raise you big then you know you are behind.

This is a rare example. People do not like to fold Aces and it is normally not correct, but there are circumstances where you are always behind. When a player who plays 5 percent of hands decides to checkraise you on the turn you can be sure you don’t want to continue with just an overpair.

Believe it or not but there are players who will check call three streets with pocket Kings in the above situation. These are the players who you should be aware of. If they ever check raise you, dump your hand. They have no bluffs in their range and are always raising for value.

Once you learn to trap you will be able to see a trap being set by another player. This will let you get maximum value from aggressive players and avoid paying off the tight players. It is a crucial concept that is applicable to all forms of poker but is especially relevant to full ring games.

Related posts:

1. Introduction to Turn Play
2. Introduction to Freeroll Tournaments

The player on the left flopped a ton of outs with his speculative hand. They didn't get there though.

Over Cards are good speculative hands to play against a single opponent. If the pot is heads up then over cards can be very powerful. They are best if they are suited and connected. This allows you to have straight and flush outs. But often times the over card itself is worth having.

If you have Kh-Qh then you have a powerful hand. When the flop comes 2c-5c-Th, you are going to want to continue on with the hand for a reasonable bet. You have 6 cards that are likely good if you hit them as well as backdoor straights and flush cards. If the turn is any Jack, Ace or Heart you will increase your outs.

Of course it needs to be said that you have to take pot odds and player stacks into consideration. You never want to chase a costly draw for the wrong odds. Also, it is important to look at the other players stack. If they are short stacked and you call a bet from them on the flop, then their turn bet might be quite large, even all in.

Likewise, if they are deep stacked, then you are getting good implied odds. If you do hit the nut flush, or the nut straight, you are sometimes going to win their whole stack. This is why it is essential to keep the other persons stack in mind when calling or betting.

Straight Draws

There are many types of straight draws. The best is to have a pair and a straight draw or an open ended draw. The open ended draw is even better when you have a flush to go with it. A hand like 7s-8s with a flop of 5s-6-s-10d is great. Against a random hand you have around 65% equity. Against bottom two pair you are a slight favorite. Against top two pair or a set you are only a slight dog.

Some people like to play these hands super fast and check raise for stacks. You will likely get it in against over pairs (Aces, Kings, etc…) and sets. Depending upon your opponent you might also get it in against Ax-Tx .

Other people like to slow play and call, but if the turn does not improve your hand your equity drops considerably. This is why you will often see people try and get their stacks in on the flop. If you opponent is pot controlling they likely have an over pair and are looking for a safe turn card. Then, they will feel safe and put the bets in.

Related posts:

1. Tips for Playing Speculative Hands in Poker – Part I
2. Some Flop Hands and How to Handle Them
3. Online Poker Tips to Memorize for Success – Part 1

PokerRoom has returned.

PokerRoom.com has been opened for only a day, and already the buzz surrounding the poker site has been phenomenal. Players are excited about the development of the successful online community and forum, as well as the tiered points program where players accumulate poker points for games and hands played to obtain elite status and special access to VIP rooms, tournaments and other special offers depending on the rankings that have been earned.

Players can log on to PokerRoom.com and make their first deposit – as the site is up and running. Making a deposit of $100, $500 or $1,000 dollars will give the player special access to a welcome bonus of one hundred percent, increasing the funds available to play with and stretching the playing time. Players can clear a percentage of the deposit bonus with every eight points that are accumulated while playing.

Experienced players can take part in the fast game play and novice players can become a part of the online poker community to trade tips, tricks and methods with more experienced players. There is even a great place for beginners through the PokerRoom.com poker school, where players can learn the basics of online Texas Holdem and work on their technique before they decide to hit the tables for real.

PokerRoom.com is back – and back to take their place as the original real money poker website.

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1. PokerRoom is Your Destination for Poker Tournaments
2. PokerRoom Shocks the Online Poker World With Return to Market
3. Advantages to Playing Cash Game Poker Over Poker Tournaments

Speculative hands are a gamble, but in the right spots, they can pay off huge.

Before the flop almost any hand, except pocket pairs and Ace-King suited, are speculative. Some would even argue that Big Slick is a speculative hand, one that needs to see four cards. Once the flop comes some hands should be ditched, while others have some value but are not immediately strong enough to win.

There are several different types of speculative hands. What we are talking about are hands that have some equity in the pot, but are not likely to be the best at the moment. These hands include Over Cards with either backdoor Straight or Flush draws. Gutshots, Pairs with Flush or Straight draws, and pure Over Cards.

It is important to examine your equity, pot odds, and player tendencies when playing any sort of speculative hand. Below are some of the classic examples and a discussion of how to handle them.

Gushots and Bellybuster Straight Draws

This is a deceptive draw, but one that can get you into trouble if you play it wrong. Essentially, this is an inside straight draw. You will need to catch one of 4 cards to make your hand. For instance, you might have 7c8s and the flop is 3c-4d-6c. You need to catch a 5 to make your hand.

If there are several people to the flop you need to play these hand cautiously. In the example above you have over cards, but they might not be good with a multiway pot. Also, there is a flush draw that could kill your hand. If the turn is a 5c then you make your hand, but you might lose to any two clubs.

However, when you are up against one person, then a Gutshot with over cards is a good hand to play. If you do hit your straight you can often times win a large pot off of a player holding an over pair, a set, or even two pair.

The ideal situation with a Gusthot is to have backdoor outs. This is why professionals recommend playing suited connectors as opposed to offsuit cards. For instance, if you have 7d-8d then you would add a backdoor flush draw to your hand.

When the river comes and there is no flush possible, and the board does not pair, then you can usually win a large pot. If your opponent is holding something like pocket Jacks, two pair, or a set, they will be hard pressed to toss their hand. This will allow you to put in a large bet or even check raise the river.

Next week, we will conclude our discussion of speculative hands and discuss playing hand such as draws and over cards.

Related posts:

1. Tips For Speculative Hands – Part II
2. Tips for Playing Omaha
3. Online Poker Tips to Memorize for Success – Part 3