The 7 Hold'em Habits You Need to Learn

[NFI]

It's easy to forget the basics as we move up the levels in poker.

But it's a good idea to take time and think about the basics of the game. If you spend time re-learning what you thought you already knew then you may surprise yourself what you have forgotten.

Here we go over some straightforward, and some deceptively complex points to see if you are really as good as you think you are. But we know you are busy people so we've slimmed it down to a few top tips. So you can get back quickly to taking our opponents to the cleaners again and again.

#1 – Top pair is overrated
There are two kinds of top pair hands. There is flopping an Ace with AK, and there is flopping top pair with 8♠ 9♣. The former is going to win you a lot more money than the later, but both are hands where you can easily get yourself in trouble.

This is where knowing your opponent is crucial. If you have a calling station, or a player who can't fold a draw, then bet your top pair for value. But don't fall in love with it against most opponents. Remember to exercise good pot control at all times.

#2 – Fold lousy hands
It sounds so simple, doesn't it? Why, then, do so many players get involved in pots with bad cards? Many otherwise-decent players get attached to so-called 'trap' hands, which end up costing them a bundle.

#3 – In general, either raise or fold
This strategy works – try it. If you're not comfortable raising in many situations where you would normally just call, then why are you calling in the first place? Perhaps you shouldn't be in the hand if you aren't confident enough to make a raise.

Obviously, there are exceptions to this guidance, such as calling with drawing hands in multi-way pots, but the 'raise or fold' strategy makes you an extremely troublesome person to play against, which is exactly what you should be trying to accomplish.

#4 – Respect kickers
In Limit Hold'em, more pots are lost at the showdown because of 'kicker trouble' than any other clash of hands. This is especially true with Aces. An Ace with a small side-card is very tough to get away from when an Ace flops. If you bet and get called in any spot, you can't feel confident about your hand.

Big cards with weak kickers are the proverbial ball and chain of Limit Hold'em. Unless you're in the blinds in an unraised pot, or you're acting very late and might steal the blinds with a pre-flop raise, don't play high cards with weak kickers.

#5 – Blinds are a table toll, not an excuse to play more hands
If you were to calculate the wins and losses from every single seat you have played in your Hold'em career, you would have lost more money in the blinds than any other spot. Here's a hint: don't add to the losses. Blinds are the worst possible position. You might be last to act before the flop, but after the flop – and on the turn and river – you'll be the first to act. That means that Against aggressive players, you're at a huge disadvantage. If you can't get in cheaply or re-raise with a strong hand, don't get involved. Calling liberally from the blinds should only be done in short-handed games and against very weak-tight opponents who may be susceptible to a bluff after the flop.

#6 – Bluffing is vastly overrated, especially in Limit games
Bluffing can be effective in tight games or against timid opponents. However, it should only be used selectively. Once you get tagged as a bluffer, you can't do much more with it.

One thing to consider is that players remember bluffers. We all recall when we were bluffed out of a big pot. You probably remember the person who bluffed you. You don't want to get tagged with this tactical albatross, because then you have to start playing 'showdown poker' (showing the best hand to win the pot), which means you have effectively become card-dependent.

Moreover, it's rarely wise to try to bluff more than one player, especially in Limit games.

#7 – Be a 'zen master'
Zen is a Buddhist philosophy that encourages emotional tranquility and acceptance of what has already transpired.

Remember that bad beats happen to every single poker player. And, interestingly enough, bad beats happen more often to good players than to bad players. This is because the good players usually have the advantage – until doom falls, that is.

The best poker players learn to accept tough beats as part of the game. They recognise that losing control, or going 'on tilt', as it's otherwise known, causes more losses at middle-limit games than anything else.

[freerollbird]

Great refresher tnks Boss. I have a question about #4 kickers. Here is a hand I folded today and the two in the pot split it. I don't see why the split if one kicker was higher. Did I miss sumething here. . I couldnt see why these two split the pot. Freerollbird

[NFI]

The best five cards used would of been 6 6 A Q 10 and as both players had cards under the 10 the pot was split

[freerollbird]

Ok I see now ty. FRb