|
No Limit Texas Hold'em is thought by
many to be the true Cadillac of poker.
It makes you employ a variety of skills,
so much so that even the best players
must admit to constantly developing new
strategies to maintain their winning
edge. Don't let this become a put-off
even if you are new to the game since it
is also a game that can build your
bankroll quickly when you implement
winning strategies and even novices can
do well many times.
Players who have played this poker
variation for a while testify that keys
to winning are thorough knowledge of the
game itself, effective strategies, and
quick adaptation to other players, and
their levels of knowledge. You must
objectively examine your skill levels
and determine what stages of the game
you have mastered; then identify how to
make improves in your game. Use this
honest appraisal to apply specific
strategy tips and watch for players at
your No-Limit table that are weak
players.
The skills necessary for consistently
winning at No-Limit Hold'em can really
be divided into progressive stages.
After you master one stage, anticipate a
notable increase in your winnings. As
you master each additional stage, your
winnings should continue to become
larger.
Pot Odds
Having a grasp of the meaning of pot
odds, especially when calling with a
drawing hand, is essential. There is no
set wager amount so you get to determine
the size of the bet. This means you must
either set good pot odds for yourself or
give are probably away good odds to the
competition.
For example, if you call an un-raised
pot pre-flop and your hand is a pair of
8's. Odds are pretty good in this
situation since if you do hit a set and
can then make a lot of money because
people will not anticipate it and will
call you holding only top pairs.
But, let's look at another situation:
you are holding a high flush draw after
the turn and the current pot is only
$10. Another player goes all-in with
their stack of $30. Here, the pot odds
are really poor because you have only
around a 1 to 5 chance against hitting
the flush draw on the river, plus you
must bet $30 in order to possibly win
only $70 -- a poor return on your
investment!
This sounds simple, but you'd be amazed
how many No-Limit Hold'em players have
failed to master the concept of pot
odds. Don't worry if you are still a bit
confused with pot odds because lots of
other players are much more confused
then you but most of them just don't
realize it.
Limit and No-Limit: The Differences
Check-raising for value is far less
crucial in No-Limit poker than in Limit.
You must avoid giving your opponent a
free card; often this proves to be
deadly. At the Limit tables, a losing
costs only a little money at No-Limit
tables, your entire bankroll can
disappear.
Aggression
Betting is usually better than just
calling in No-Limit games in every
situation. Betting give you have the
chance to take a pot in one of two ways:
by holding the better hand or because
your opponent folds. Calling lets you
win only if you have the better hand.
When you bet, you control the bet size
in No-Limit and that determines the pot
odds. When you call, you take whatever
pot odds someone else established.
Betting lets you force other players to
pay when your hand wins but when you
call, you play in the hope someone is
willing to pay to see your hand. For
this reason tight-passive players win a
great deal more at Limit than No-Limit
-- they fail to use aggression
effectively.
Adjusting to Players Styles and Skills
Different scenarios demand different
aggression levels and strategies in
No-Limit, just like with any other form
of poker. Shorthanded games at the
No-Limit tables pay best if you play a
bit loose and more aggressively. Playing
loose opponents works best if you must
tighten up and wait for that strong
hand. The opposite of the overall way in
which the game is being played, loose or
tight, usually works out best for you.
You have to adjust really quickly to the
qualities of each of your opponents.
When playing weaker players, you should
give them awful pot odds and slowly eek
away their money. When playing with
strong players, you should concentrate
on setting good traps to ensure an edge.
Reading Abilities
Knowing those cards your opponent
probably has in his or her hand is one
of the keys to winning. Good "reading"
abilities require a great deal of
experience; however you can increase
your abilities for reading opponents by
asking these key questions whenever
someone bets or calls: (1) What do I
think he has? (2) What does he likely
think I have? (3) What does he think I
think he has?
Traps and Game Psychology
What happens when you have that monster
hand but your opponent has a good hand
too? Your goal should be to take
advantage of the situation by getting as
much money into the pot as possible
before scooping it up. Setting traps for
opponents, and getting out of the traps
set for you, requires experience but it
does pay off to master this stage of the
game.
Applying psychology in No Limit poker
games means you work toward changing
what the other players believe the
answers are to the questions mentioned
earlier. This is, quite simply, how
traps are created. Let's say you
over-bet the pot while holding a flush
draw hand, and then follow it with a
check when you hit your draw. Your
opponents will: (1) fall for the trap
hook, line, and sinker, or (2) catch on
to the trap and check-fold to you on the
river. You take the pot and, here, the
slow-play was used to alter the answer
to the question "what does he think I
have"?
Game psychology at the No-Limit poker
tables can best be used when playing
against strong players that have
mastered the stages of the game, as a
rule. Against weaker players, you will
just have to build a good hand and take
their money away a bit at a time due to
the fact they tend to play the cards,
never considering what you have in your
hand.
 |
