Playing poker requires both knowledge of the rules and mastery of tactics. In this article you will learn the most effective strategies that will allow you to dominate the poker game!
Each strategy has its advantages and disadvantages – some will be ideal for beginners, others for more experienced players. So it all depends on your individual predisposition: your skills and the strategy you use according to your favorite style of play (passive or aggressive). It is a good idea to practice at least a few of the following tactics to see which one works best for you.
Multi table tournaments (MTTs) are the most interesting games in terms of money. They are where the big fortunes are made. Several groups of players compete at different tables. This is in contrast to the traditional form of card games, where several people play at the same table, which is called single table tournament (STT). It is particularly popular in online tournaments where you can also win a substantial prize. What may encourage you to take part in the MTT in the first place is the level of the players, who in the vast majority of cases do not pose too great a challenge. The MTT is an easier, though longer tournament. In single-handed tournaments there is an increased risk of running into an old handicapper.
The tips presented here can be used for both MTT and STT tournaments. Or even just as a friendly game!
Fight for a higher stack, which is the total value of a player’s chips that comes with the buy-in. Many laymen don’t take chances, hoping to keep their initial chip count. In STT games, this usually just takes away the opportunity to gain an edge early on.
In multi-table games, holding the starting stack is the first step to losing. Games last for hours before you sit down at a table in a payout game, so don’t worry about losing chips because it doesn’t mean anything to you. Just relax and play to get the most points, not to protect your stack.
Poker rules mean that the payouts (in MTTs) go to the players who finish in the top positions. This means that it is better to be among the “best”, even if you gain theoretically fewer points. As we mentioned earlier, the payout will only go to the best players anyway.
So from the very beginning play in such a way as to gain an advantage and then consistently increase it. This will give you more of the desired chips that will ensure survival in the long-running games, and thus you will win more.
Most of your encounters will be against weaker players. You must learn to recognize and exploit their biased, patterned behavior.
So if the opportunity presents itself, attack the blinds (those players who are participating in a forced bet from the players to the left of the dealer’s position). Then open with a wider range. If your opponent is reluctant to fold, simply limit your bluffs.
If you take a good look at the table, you’ll see who has what typical behaviour. Who is the best and who is the weakest at the table. In such situations you can decide on one of the most popular strategies – to concentrate your attack on the weakest link.
You then take part in any pot involving your “victim”. Once you gain an advantage over him, it is much easier to bluff. After all, this is not a long-term strategy, but it will certainly allow you to secure a few rounds. In case of MTTs you should be even more careful with this tactic, because many laymen are not willing to take risks, so focusing on them can make you miss opportunities for really high winnings.
A tactic called Tight is probably the most popular style of play. In poker, players are divided into two categories: tight – patient players who only go in with their best cards, and loose – players who go in with almost any card.
In this case you should wait for a good card and refrain from checking your opponents too hastily in each round, because it is a simple way to lose. We play from middle and late positions. This tactic allows you to bluff more often and gain more freedom as you will be more likely to fold in passive tight.
This is an ideal choice for beginners. First – it explains the poker itself, and second – it makes the game much easier. The reason is that low pairs must hit a set (which is the three of a kind you get when you have a pair in your hand and one card on the table). “Catching” the best pair allows you to get the kicker (the cards that decide the winner of a hand when at least two players have the same hand). A top pair is, for example, two kings in your hand and one king on the table (a set).
This style is an extension of the previous one. If you have mastered the passive style, you should try to switch to the aggressive style. Being cautious about the cards you come into the game with will prevent you from wasting chips on the flop (the simultaneous revealing of cards by all players).
Once you’ve got the right cards, you don’t fold like in the previous tactic, but you push. You raise hard and your opponent, who will not want to believe (after all, as a tight you can bluff) and decides to check, will contribute to your victory.
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