There are occasions when a loose player may play tighter than normal. This can happen when the player has just rallied back from a significant loss to the point where he is close to even or slightly ahead. This player will now be more cognizant of that breakeven point and will be more
risk-adverse than normal. [...]
Deception can be a useful tool in poker. It is nice when an opponent is playing against you thinking you have one hand when you actually have another. You are forcing your opponent to act incorrectly. An example of deception was used in the previous section where a check on the Turn convinced your opponent [...]
The typical conception of players who play tight pre-Flop is they can be bluffed out of a pot in later rounds with a well-timed bluff raise or semi-bluff. Although this stereotype may be used when you do not know the players well, it shows the importance of observing and judging individual players on how they [...]
Professional players are sharp and observant. They will observe your play and have a better idea of how you play than other players will. Normally you want to stay out of their way if you have a marginal hand. But if you are involved with a professional player, you need to think about what he [...]
It is possible that sharp players will play differently against other players than they would against you. If you are a decent player yourself, the sharp players will likely know this and play against you accordingly. They may bet for value against weak calling stations, but would not when you are their opponent. They may [...]
In order to identify how players play, you should get a sense of their pattern of play. Players tend to be consistent with their styles, so if you observe their play, you will have a better idea of what you are up against in future hands. Here are a few things to watch for and [...]
If you plan on becoming a great poker player, it’s important that you CHANGE GEARS… Changing gears prevents your style of play from becoming PREDICTABLE… and we all know that predictability is your enemy.
One minute you should be cruising along in first gear… folding and watching everyone else play. And then the next minute you [...]