William
03-22-2004, 08:04 PM
There are many threads about how to play JJ under the gun, AT in middle position and so on. Knowing wich cards are in the danger zone according to your position is important, but you can surely improve your chances by learnimg how your opponents think.
You have to know your classics; The player who pauses before betting, trying to induce a call from you side. The one who pauses before checking, hoping you will think he has something. The mini-better in first position on the flop, trying to get a cheap turn card, the mini-reraiser, mostly preflop, probably a monster and so on.
The poor players learn a few "moves" and stick to them, and you can easyly use that against them, but the better players start changing the patterns, and here it is important not only to be able to read them, but also to be able to send the right signals back to them, kind of infiltrating their game with a trojan horse.
For example, if I notice that a player is using a certain "move" to get a call from me, I will do the same against him when I want him to fold, as the chances are that he will think that I am imitating him.
The problem is that it is not always that easy. Some players at your table will be smarter than others and what may work with one may fail with the next. They are all watching your play as well, and trying to pickup reads on you. You must be able to identify the smart ones, and be able to "show" them how you play. That way, it will be easy to trap them when they have on you the "read" you wanted them to notice.
No move will however work forever, the other players will eventually unerstand they were wrong and it is now time to use that information to your advantage.
It is a question of constantly being a step ahead of the crowd and keeping your mind open to the adjustments that are necessary to your game to keep deceiving them.
Playing solid non-imaginative poker will make you a small winner; Learn to telegraph your "moves" and keep changing your game and you will really be rewarded by this marvellous game.
Take care,
William
You have to know your classics; The player who pauses before betting, trying to induce a call from you side. The one who pauses before checking, hoping you will think he has something. The mini-better in first position on the flop, trying to get a cheap turn card, the mini-reraiser, mostly preflop, probably a monster and so on.
The poor players learn a few "moves" and stick to them, and you can easyly use that against them, but the better players start changing the patterns, and here it is important not only to be able to read them, but also to be able to send the right signals back to them, kind of infiltrating their game with a trojan horse.
For example, if I notice that a player is using a certain "move" to get a call from me, I will do the same against him when I want him to fold, as the chances are that he will think that I am imitating him.
The problem is that it is not always that easy. Some players at your table will be smarter than others and what may work with one may fail with the next. They are all watching your play as well, and trying to pickup reads on you. You must be able to identify the smart ones, and be able to "show" them how you play. That way, it will be easy to trap them when they have on you the "read" you wanted them to notice.
No move will however work forever, the other players will eventually unerstand they were wrong and it is now time to use that information to your advantage.
It is a question of constantly being a step ahead of the crowd and keeping your mind open to the adjustments that are necessary to your game to keep deceiving them.
Playing solid non-imaginative poker will make you a small winner; Learn to telegraph your "moves" and keep changing your game and you will really be rewarded by this marvellous game.
Take care,
William