Texas Hold Em' Question

[HamSupLo]

3 general questions:

#1 If a player who calls/raises way before it gets to the big/small blinds, does that usually means he has a good hand?

#2 If everyone folds and the blinds are still there, should I raise/go all in to bluff everyone to pick up the antes?

#3 It's just me and one other player and he checks, I call, he calls then checks, does that mean he's trying to suck me in?

Thanks.

 

[memo]

its tough to give a good answer to those questions, in terms of pick up antes on #2, i never like to do that unless I have JJ or better. better being a better pair or AKs, AQs, AJs.

 

[pulse8]

#1 I've found it usually does. My hand has to be much better than if I'm going to call someone who's raising me from an early middle position.
#2 I wouldn't go all-in, but if you have a decent hand you can bet a large amount to make it not worth it for them to follow.
#3 He might be. If I'm in heads up and someone checks me and I have a decent hand I'm going to raise them and try and steal their blind. I will also rarely limp in when I'm heads up. I'll usually either fold or raise.

I should also say that I don't claim to be the best player in the world, but this is how I generally play in these types of situations.

 

[LOLyourFace]

Originally posted by: HamSupLo
3 general questions:

#1 If a player who calls/raises way before it gets to the big/small blinds, does that usually means he has a good hand?

#2 If everyone folds and the blinds are still there, should I raise/go all in to bluff everyone to pick up the antes?

#3 It's just me and one other player and he checks, I call, he calls then checks, does that mean he's trying to suck me in?

Thanks.

Your questions all depend on the situations/players/your position/pot size. There is no answer to those questions. There are just too many combinations of things to consider. Are the players playing tight? Are you on the last position to call/raise/bet? When did the player bet? Is he bluffing? Semi-bluffing?

However you can extensively read about Hold'em that can teach you play better.

The blinds are ranked up to 25+ levels. The first and the best level is:

AA
KK
QQ
KK
TT
AKsuited

second level:
AKo


i cannot quite recall but there's a lot to memorize.

 

[Chu]

1. What stakes?

2. Tourney or ring?

3. Limit or NL?

The answers change depending on those 3 questions, but in general

1: ring : yes; tourneys : not necessarly
2: ring : HELL NO; tourneys : depends, google for "folding equity"
3: he checks, you call? huh?

 

[HamSupLo]

THanks for the replies. My questions are just general strategies when approaching a game. I know there are lots of books to read and stuff, but I don't have the time right now. My questions apply for small stakes poker nites with my friends. I'm just a beginner.

 

[HamSupLo]

and also, what's the use of checking? any purpose or advantages you can use with that?

 

[Yax]

Originally posted by: HamSupLo
3 general questions:

#1 If a player who calls/raises way before it gets to the big/small blinds, does that usually means he has a good hand?

#2 If everyone folds and the blinds are still there, should I raise/go all in to bluff everyone to pick up the antes?

#3 It's just me and one other player and he checks, I call, he calls then checks, does that mean he's trying to suck me in?

Thanks.

Limit or no limit?

In a no limit game:
1. if he raised, he's got something, you can call if you have a decent hand, you decide. If he calls and you feel like you're hand is good, don't call, just raise some. If he calls you, then he's got a decent hand (pocket pairs or two high cards). The info you get from his actions to your raise will let you know how to continue play after the flop.

2. Depends on how big the blind is compared to how much you've got. Going all in when the people who have the blinds have alot of chips could spell doom should one of them happen to call. Going all in against a shortstack won't be too bad, because you won't lose all your chips even if they call. Sometimes, its better to just let a few pots go.

3. that could depend alot on what's on the board. If the flop shows only a draw hand, he could be chasing that, if there's nothing showing or showing a possible hand, he may have trips and is trying to sucker you in.

 

[Chu]

Originally posted by: HamSupLo
THanks for the replies. My questions are just general strategies when approaching a game. I know there are lots of books to read and stuff, but I don't have the time right now. My questions apply for small stakes poker nites with my friends. I'm just a beginner.

A warning, if you ever want to pick up a book, avoid "Championship NL and PL pker" by Coulter *LIKE THE PLAGUE*. This book will poison your mind . . .

 

[HamSupLo]

Originally posted by: Chu

Originally posted by: HamSupLo
THanks for the replies. My questions are just general strategies when approaching a game. I know there are lots of books to read and stuff, but I don't have the time right now. My questions apply for small stakes poker nites with my friends. I'm just a beginner.

A warning, if you ever want to pick up a book, avoid "Championship NL and PL pker" by Coulter *LIKE THE PLAGUE*. This book will poison your mind . . .

TJ Coutler? I heard great stuff about the Slansky book, anyone read it?

 

[memo]

Originally posted by: HamSupLo
and also, what's the use of checking? any purpose or advantages you can use with that?

if you check a monster flop, i.e. full house, and the other player is aggressive/stupid he may try to buy the pot making you think he has trips or better. if he bets the pot or even goes all in you can call right away and probably win. checking has MANY advantages.

 

[Yax]

Originally posted by: HamSupLo
and also, what's the use of checking? any purpose or advantages you can use with that?

Check if you're
1. waiting for someone to bet so you can fold
2. Chasing a hand.
3. Trying to sucker someone in when you have a monster hand.

 

[LOLyourFace]

Originally posted by: HamSupLo
THanks for the replies. My questions are just general strategies when approaching a game. I know there are lots of books to read and stuff, but I don't have the time right now. My questions apply for small stakes poker nites with my friends. I'm just a beginner.

Then you have to define few things for yourself and us:

1. Are your friends tight players? who are the conservative and risk-taking players?
2. how much money are you guys playing with? And how much is that worth to the players? Are there re-buy-in?
3. Observe their betting patterns. Remember and record when and how much they bet + their final hand if you get to see them. Did they bet at the flop? turn? river? Did they bluff? etc...

It's all in the record-keeping in your head....

In major tourneys, many things are assumed about the players. However in a friendly match with some buddies in $5-20 games, anything goes. They could be anything: scared noobs, tight experts, crazy noobs, crazy experts... The best way to win is to study your friends and adapt to them as quickly as you can.

 

[memo]

i think sam farha said it best, it's very hard to play against a bad player. they might do something like see a spade on the board and have two spades in the hole and try to bet you out of a pot because they think they are going to get the flush. i never try to play it by the book when playing against friends because
1. its not for alot of money
2. most of them don't completely understand the rules so they might or might not be playing the best hands.

 

[Chu]

Originally posted by: HamSupLo

Originally posted by: Chu

Originally posted by: HamSupLo
THanks for the replies. My questions are just general strategies when approaching a game. I know there are lots of books to read and stuff, but I don't have the time right now. My questions apply for small stakes poker nites with my friends. I'm just a beginner.

A warning, if you ever want to pick up a book, avoid "Championship NL and PL pker" by Coulter *LIKE THE PLAGUE*. This book will poison your mind . . .

TJ Coutler? I heard great stuff about the Slansky book, anyone read it?

"The Theory of Poker" by Slanksy is the most important poker book to own. If you read it, you probably wouldn't be asking those 3 questions 😉

 

[LordSnailz]

My question is how to beat 'weak tight players' on a micro limit games. We play small, BB is a dime but sometimes raises go up to a dollar or two. The reason I ask is because I play a tight game, usually pay to see the flop and if I don't get hand I fold. It works most of the time since I'm usually top 1 or 2 ... but I mean how do I beat someone like myself?

 

Watching a lot of espn eh.

 

[Chu]

Originally posted by: LordSnailz
My question is how to beat 'weak tight players' on a micro limit games. We play small, BB is a dime but sometimes raises go up to a dollar or two. The reason I ask is because I play a tight game, usually pay to see the flop and if I don't get hand I fold. It works most of the time since I'm usually top 1 or 2 ... but I mean how do I beat someone like myself?

At micro limits, you really don't try to beat someone like yourself, you just join them in 0wning the other players. Really though, your trying to beat the game, not specific players. Trying to take someone out is a huge trap in tourney play, and even worse in ring where they have no motivation to play along until they hit a monster.

-Chu