Texas Holdem Guide

The other night I needed some time out, so I just decided to kick back and relax by playing some casino games online.

It was whilst I was watching the jackpot grow and grow, that something struck me – like a ton of bricks, as they say… Its amazing how things come to you when you are doing something completely different – ever happened to you?  Have you ever lost something and then suddenly out of the blue, weeks later, you pick something up and there is the thing that you were looking for, just staring at you saying, “Why couldn’t you see me fool?…..”

Ok where was I?  Phew lost myself….oh right…the growing jackpot reminded me of how you must let the pot grow – build yourself a big pot.

It doesn’t matter whether you are playing online poker or whether you are at a real poker table, you must remember to build a pot of money – let it grow.  Many beginners get excited when they have a great hand and get carried away, they raise too much or too quickly.  The other players pick up on this, if they are good, they should pick up on the fact that you have a good hand and then they fold.  Leaving the blinds and your money in the pot.  Not a great return on your investment!

What you have to do is draw your opponents money out onto the table.  Let them think they have a chance of winning – build yourself a big pot!  Manipulate the situation, don’t scare them off.  The idea is to get as much of their chips into the table so that you can maximize your winnings.

Funny how it takes a visit to an online casino to remember my poker strategy!  But if you think about it, letting the jackpot grow is the same thing really – there is no point in joining a game when someone has just collected the jackpot.

I just love watching the pressure that the All-in creates in No Limit Holdem.  It makes watching poker so entertaining!

In No Limit Holdem the All-in is a powerful weapon – but you have to know how to use it.  Many poker players get it wrong.  I found a great video clip that explains the All-in, when to use it and why. Do you need to protect a hand pre-flop, protect a hand post flop with an aggressive move to force your opponent out or just pressure your opponent?

Its good to be aggressive, but sometimes you can be too quick to go All-in. It’s way better to keep your options open and don’t go All-in too soon. The video clip explains it better – take a look.

Video clips on YouTube are a fantastic way of learning more about poker, I can’t tell you how many tips I have picked up. And, the beauty is that you can replay clips and move to another video at the click of a …

Enjoy!

Bluffing in limit poker is not easy. In a no limit poker game, a player can put another player’s entire stack at risk, which is a fearsome proposition. In limit, opponents know exactly the maximum that they can possibly lose. Still, there are ways to bluff in limit poker.

Limit Poker Bluffing Tip 1: Set Up Your Bluff

If you and an opponent have been checking the whole way and you throw in a bet on the river, your opponent would really have to have absolutely nothing not to call you. If multiple players are still in the hand, you can bet one will look you up.

If a player bets on the river and you put in a raise, your opponent will almost call you. If you’re going to bluff, you have to commit to it all the way. Bet/raise the flop, bet/raise the turn. If you’ve been betting the whole way, you’re much more likely to take down the pot with a bet on the river.

Limit Poker Bluffing Tip 2: Play Higher Limits

The higher the limit, the more likely a bluff is to work. To some extent, this is because more money is involved. However, everyone plays to the level of his or her comfort (or discomfort). A $25 bet may mean as much or as little to one person as a $2 bet does to another.

However, players in higher stakes games are often better players. They are more likely to respect a raise and not throw in a call “to gamble.” At a $1/$2 game, multiple players will be chasing to the river and it will be nearly impossible to get someone off a hand.