Anyone from beginner to expert poker players can benefit from these Texas Hold Em strategies.
We do not promote gambling of any type. This blog information is to be used when playing Texas Hold Em in its legal and non-gambling applications.
A Hold Em Article to Instantly Improve Your Game
Table Image - Part 1
by Gary Gates
As a serious player, student or casual poker enthusiast, I�d be willing to bet you�ve come across some variation of the saying �play the man, not the cards.� Its meaning has been interpreted hundreds of ways by various poker authors, pros, and even movie directors; perhaps most famously immortalized by Matt Damon�s character in Rounders, who insists he can �play it blind� when pitted against less formidable opponents. �The cards themselves hardly matter,� he tells the judge.
Though it might work in the movies, I don�t advise that you play too many hands blind. On the contrary, you should play every hand, even the ones you�re not in, with wide open eyes. Though �play the man, not the cards� typically pertains to physical tells, or visible mannerisms that can tip off a player�s hand, I would argue that in order to best �play the man� you have to observe how he plays his cards, which in turn means the cards matter a whole lot.
From the minute you sit down at a poker table, your attitude, your outfit, your betting habits, the frequency with which you call, raise or fold and the quality of the hands you expose all combine to create a snapshot of your playing style in the eyes of the other nine people at the table trying to separate you from your money. Your opponents� perception of your playing style, also known as your �table image,� often determines how an observant player chooses to play against you and you against them. So what if we could control how other players perceive us at the poker table and use it to our advantage?
Fortunately, we can! Being aware of your table image and knowing how to take advantage of it is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal. Before you decide to be creative and make a play based on image alone, it is important to consider which of your opponents is capable of recognizing and applying the concept of table image. Assuming that everyone at the table has been watching and keeping track of your every move can be a costly mistake. You�ll often find more opponents than not who will be too preoccupied with a game on TV or a conversation with their neighbor to notice that you haven�t played a hand in an hour, so be sure that the target you attempt to exploit has been watching.
Most poker texts categorize playing styles into four major groups: tight, passive, loose and aggressive. The terms �tight� and �loose� are typically used to describe the range of hands a player is likely to play. A tight player folds most hands before the flop and only plays the upper echelon of starting hands, such as pocket aces, kings, queens, AK, etc. A loose player will get involved with a much wider variety of starting hands, including small pairs and small suited connectors. �Passive� and �aggressive� are terms used to characterize players� betting habits. A passive player does a lot of checking and calling, while an aggressive player makes a lot of bets and raises.
Part II will discuss ways to exploit table image, both projected and perceived.
Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=table-image-part-1.html
Latest Hold Em News:
Poker News Bytes, August 17, 2008
Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:15:00 -0700
PartyPoker's recurring bad beat jackpot paid off in a big way on Thursday evening when the prize find climbed to $1,013,381.63, a new record for an online poker jackpot, before being hit. German player 'Judith75' had the losing...
Hollywood Poker all set with two PNC Australia packages
Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:01:00 -0700
Hollywood Poker's two upcoming PokerNews Cup Australia Freerolls give players the chance to compete for entry to Australia's most anticipated poker event, plus entries to qualifiers for other major poker tourneys…
Inside the Tour, Vol. 96: Punta del Este 2008
Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:00:00 -0700
The landscape is beautiful, the site a delightful choice; if only I spoke Spanish I would be in heaven! Well, I likely wouldn't lose with kings to queens on the river and be writing this story if I was in heaven...
Poker Room Review: Arizona Charlie's Decatur Casino & Hotel, Las Vegas, NV
Sun, 17 Aug 2008 07:23:00 -0700
I played at Arizona Charlie's on Decatur during my most recent trip to Las Vegas, during the World Series of Poker. I had decided to go to the poker rooms that were off the beaten track. Anything in North Las Vegas, as Arizona Charlie's...
PartyPoker's 'Poker Den' Promises 36-Hour Marathon Session
Sun, 17 Aug 2008 01:45:00 -0700
PartyPoker and Matchroom Sport have announced the latest edition of their popular 'Poker Den' series. 'PartyPoker.com Poker Den: The Big Game III' is set to film in London on September 30th and October 1st, 2008, and promises to draw...
Play Better Pool
Everything Music
Mens Workouts
Joke of the Day
online poker strategies | poker
A Hold Em Article to Instantly Improve Your Game
Table Image - Part 1
by Gary Gates
As a serious player, student or casual poker enthusiast, I�d be willing to bet you�ve come across some variation of the saying �play the man, not the cards.� Its meaning has been interpreted hundreds of ways by various poker authors, pros, and even movie directors; perhaps most famously immortalized by Matt Damon�s character in Rounders, who insists he can �play it blind� when pitted against less formidable opponents. �The cards themselves hardly matter,� he tells the judge.
Though it might work in the movies, I don�t advise that you play too many hands blind. On the contrary, you should play every hand, even the ones you�re not in, with wide open eyes. Though �play the man, not the cards� typically pertains to physical tells, or visible mannerisms that can tip off a player�s hand, I would argue that in order to best �play the man� you have to observe how he plays his cards, which in turn means the cards matter a whole lot.
From the minute you sit down at a poker table, your attitude, your outfit, your betting habits, the frequency with which you call, raise or fold and the quality of the hands you expose all combine to create a snapshot of your playing style in the eyes of the other nine people at the table trying to separate you from your money. Your opponents� perception of your playing style, also known as your �table image,� often determines how an observant player chooses to play against you and you against them. So what if we could control how other players perceive us at the poker table and use it to our advantage?
Fortunately, we can! Being aware of your table image and knowing how to take advantage of it is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal. Before you decide to be creative and make a play based on image alone, it is important to consider which of your opponents is capable of recognizing and applying the concept of table image. Assuming that everyone at the table has been watching and keeping track of your every move can be a costly mistake. You�ll often find more opponents than not who will be too preoccupied with a game on TV or a conversation with their neighbor to notice that you haven�t played a hand in an hour, so be sure that the target you attempt to exploit has been watching.
Most poker texts categorize playing styles into four major groups: tight, passive, loose and aggressive. The terms �tight� and �loose� are typically used to describe the range of hands a player is likely to play. A tight player folds most hands before the flop and only plays the upper echelon of starting hands, such as pocket aces, kings, queens, AK, etc. A loose player will get involved with a much wider variety of starting hands, including small pairs and small suited connectors. �Passive� and �aggressive� are terms used to characterize players� betting habits. A passive player does a lot of checking and calling, while an aggressive player makes a lot of bets and raises.
Part II will discuss ways to exploit table image, both projected and perceived.
Source: http://www.wisehandpoker.com/articles/index.php?article=table-image-part-1.html
Latest Hold Em News:
Poker News Bytes, August 17, 2008
Mon, 18 Aug 2008 01:15:00 -0700
PartyPoker's recurring bad beat jackpot paid off in a big way on Thursday evening when the prize find climbed to $1,013,381.63, a new record for an online poker jackpot, before being hit. German player 'Judith75' had the losing...
Hollywood Poker all set with two PNC Australia packages
Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:01:00 -0700
Hollywood Poker's two upcoming PokerNews Cup Australia Freerolls give players the chance to compete for entry to Australia's most anticipated poker event, plus entries to qualifiers for other major poker tourneys…
Inside the Tour, Vol. 96: Punta del Este 2008
Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:00:00 -0700
The landscape is beautiful, the site a delightful choice; if only I spoke Spanish I would be in heaven! Well, I likely wouldn't lose with kings to queens on the river and be writing this story if I was in heaven...
Poker Room Review: Arizona Charlie's Decatur Casino & Hotel, Las Vegas, NV
Sun, 17 Aug 2008 07:23:00 -0700
I played at Arizona Charlie's on Decatur during my most recent trip to Las Vegas, during the World Series of Poker. I had decided to go to the poker rooms that were off the beaten track. Anything in North Las Vegas, as Arizona Charlie's...
PartyPoker's 'Poker Den' Promises 36-Hour Marathon Session
Sun, 17 Aug 2008 01:45:00 -0700
PartyPoker and Matchroom Sport have announced the latest edition of their popular 'Poker Den' series. 'PartyPoker.com Poker Den: The Big Game III' is set to film in London on September 30th and October 1st, 2008, and promises to draw...
Play Better Pool
Everything Music
Mens Workouts
Joke of the Day
online poker strategies | poker
Labels: poker tricks | winning poker | online poker tips
posted by Snake Eyes at 11:42 AM
0 comments
