Lose and learn

Hey! It’s just play money! Staying in hands just to get a hang of what it takes to win a hand is a smart way to learn. If learning is the purpose. To win, remember, you must learn when to fold.

The check raise trap

If you have a really good hand, and the action is checked to you, try and check also! Hopefully someone behind you will bet and when the action goes back to you, you can then raise! Helps to build bigger pots.

Slow Playing

In poker, deception is everything. If you have a hand you think is unbeatable, there is no need to raise the pot too early and risk scaring the other players off. Lure them in and then strike them out!

The info bet

The more you know about your opponents hand the better. One way of finding out more about his hand is to make a bet just to see how he reacts. Does he re-raise or call? Does he think before acting?

Stealing the blind

If you are on the button and everyone folds to you, you might consider this move. By raising the pot, both blinds might fold, winning you their blinds. Remember, your strong position give them the willies.

Defend your blind

When posting small and big blinds, once in a while it can be a good idea to call any small raises – despite week cards. You will lose the blind if you fold anyway, so the extra cost can be worth it. Pot odds remember...

Commit!

The ace, ace (AA) and king, king (KK) are typical starting hands that very seldom should be played passively. They are at their best early in a hand, so don’t hesitate to commit. Be aggressive!

Paying for free cards

You flop a good draw in a late position, and want to see the turn and river as cheaply as possible. Since the flop call is cheaper than the turn, raise the flop and hope the others then check the turn believing you will bet it. Naturally, you trick them by checking, and voila! River card for half the cost!

Muck, muck, show

When you win uncalled hands you don’t have to show your hand – leaving opponents to wonder. But sometimes it’s a good idea anyhow, either to upset them (with the bluff), or to show that you didn’t bluff.

This article was provided by HoldemPoker.com - the newest online poker site using PokerRoom.com's state of the art software.

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