Learn How To Play The Nuts

July 11, 2008

Flopping the nuts during a poker game or tournament is very rare. When the opportunity does arise, though, it is vital that you get as much money in the pot as you can. When you know you are going to win the hand, it is important to make as much money as you can. When you have a hand that can’t be beat, you have to have the ability to get as much money from your opponents that is possible.

When you have flopped the nuts, the hand becomes all about your competition. When you have a hand that can’t be beat, the game becomes about the other player and making the right moves that gets him to put his money in the pot.

When you flop the nuts against a conservative player you will have to play differently than if you were playing against someone who will call you at every opportunity. While flopping the nuts is great, there are times when you won’t be able to make a huge amount from the pot.

Slow playing against aggressive players is the best bet when you flop the nuts. If they are going hard pre-flop, you have to play wisely in order to maximize your winnings. A lot of action before the flop generally means there will be some good action after the flop.

If your opponent raises before the flop. It is best to let him bet after. By you checking it tells him you do not have a strong hand and you are worried what he might have. You have the nuts so you want him to think he has you beat.

If there isn’t a lot of action before the flop, it could mean your opponent does not have a strong hand and a big bet after will scare him off. Either checking or putting in a small bet will let you know what kind of hand he has. A quick call could mean he has a medium hand or is on a draw. A reraise could indicate he either has a decent hand also or is trying to bluff.

The most important thing when you flop the nuts is getting the largest amount of money you can from your opponent. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to get to excited. Letting your opponent know you have the better hand will cause him to fold, leaving you with nothing to show for extraordinary hand. Keeping calm and not giving off any tells is the key to getting paid off.

You also need to be aware your opponent may have a better draw. And even though you have the nuts you can still possibly loose the hand. Depending on the cards out there say a possible flush or anything that can beat your hand. You might want to come out with a big raise. To insure he does not draw out on you. It all depends on the situation. Having a good idea on the way your opponents play and watching for tells will help you immensely. Most likely your hand is going to win but you still need to be aware of other hand possibilities.

Flopping the nuts is the hard part. Knowing how to play them and getting paid off is the fun part.

How To Play Small Pocket Pairs

April 28, 2008

Some of the trickiest hands that you will come across in Texas Hold’em are small pocket pairs. They can be fairly hard to understand and you may have a hard time making decisions when you look down at a couple of small matching cards. There is a pretty set way that you should play these hands and once you get the experience you will realize why you play the way that you play small pocket pairs.

When to play Small Pocket Pairs?

The most important thing you need to know is that small pocket pairs are not good in a full game unless you hit a set with them. What you also must know, is that you are not very likely to hit a set. Still, when you do hit a set it will pay off more than you could imagine. Most of the time it is the last hand that your opponent will put you on and more times then not, it will lead to an all-in situation. You will get paid off on sets, more than any other kind of hand when it is a set made from your pocket pair.

With that said, you might be wondering when a good time to play would be. There are three things you should think about before making the choice to play small pocket pairs. The first thing would be how much money is in the pot? The next question would be how much money is likely to be put into the pot? Then, lastly; how much money do I need to put into the pot? Now, this is really just basic pot odds and implied odds, but you may not know what those are yet. So for now, just ask yourself those questions. If there is a lot more money to be made than there is to be risked; you should call.

When not to play Small Pocket Pairs?

This is basically just the opposite of what was said above. If you are not getting good odds, you should fold. The worst time to play a small pocket pair would be in an all-in situation before the flop. You are a huge underdog, most likely against most all-in hands at a full table. That is why you only play when you are getting great odds. If you do that, it will be worth it to call, because you will hit a set enough to make up for all the times you do not hit a set in that situation. It is all about the numbers.

Overall, smaller pocket pairs are perhaps the biggest misleading hand in poker. A lot of people assume they are something better than they are. If you do not hit a set, they are going to lose most of the time. If you play them the right way, you will be able to make a lot of money from small pocket pairs. If you over use them, you will lose a lot of money.