I don’t believe that there are too many people that would argue that poker is not an aggressive game. Most of us have been on both sides of that aggression. The game of poker and particularly No limit Texas Hold’em is indeed about being aggressive. Unfortunately, with TV only showing final tables in some cases it can appear that this aggression we like to speak of is just reckless play. Many times an aggressive play can result from several situations. Here are a few:
1. The result of a player attempting to protect his hand
2. Knowledge of your opponents tendencies and using aggressiveness to push them out of the pot
3. To send message to a player
There are several other reasons why any of us can and will raise any particular hand depending on what the scenario is and whom we are playing. What you need to know and understand is the reasoning behind those plays and how to pick your spots. Remember, your betting is telling a story and it’s up to you to make that story believable or not.
Identify Weak Players
Yes, we all know that we have the option to check, raise, check-raise, call or fold on any hand we participate in. The real skill is in when to make these moves and what players to make them against. The first thing I like to do when I sit down at any poker table is identify who the real card players are and who the weak players are. Why?
Because the weak players are the ones you will be stealing their blinds and pushing around most of the time. You don’t necessarily want to try and make a whole lot of moves against weaker players because there is a possibility that they may not understand what you are doing and call anyway. That’s not the spot you are looking for. What you are looking for are solid hands after the flop which you can exploit and gain extra value from.
Weaker players have a tendency to call when they are beat and will stay married to big pocket pairs all the way to the rail. So understanding who these players are becomes extremely important. Flat calling with small pairs and suited connectors is always advised unless you have a big hand yourself. These kind of speculative hands allow you to double through these players. Weaker players also have a tendency not to raise their premium hands correctly. This presents another opportunity to make a profit and take advantage of their weak play.
Know the Strong Players
I know it may sound a little out of the ordinary but when the time is right these are the players you want to make moves against. Why? You make moves against these types of players because they understand the game and its concepts and are capable of thinking logically. That is not to say that you should go around looking to get involved in a monster pot just for the sake of doing so. Again, the story has to add up. Usually when you see large bluffs at the final table or late in the poker tournament there is some kind of history there between the two players. It’s not always the case but it is often enough.
There is a saying that goes like this, “Now I know that he knows what I know…” This basically says that you can take advantage of your opponent based on the information that he has from playing a hand or several hands with you. This allows you to change gears and use that information against him later on in the poker tournament or cash game. Remember, this game is all about information. Now the check-raise that you have been wanting to make knowing that your opponent will call you to the river makes sense. Why? The reason is because you played a similar hand earlier against that same player and had to fold when you missed your draw on the river. It all makes sense when you make your moves in context.
The down side is that good players will occasionally sniff out a bluff so you need to have a good feel for whom you are playing against and be aware of this fact. Obviously, you are not going to bluff a calling station or a loose player. You want to bluff a player that is relatively straight forward in their play and plays cards close to the vest.
Follow your instincts
When you have caught a player in the midst of a big bluff you need to be capable of acting on your instincts. How many times have you caught a player in a bad spot but failed to act on it for fear of either looking bad or losing chips? Don’t bother spending any time feeling foolish or worrying about your chips when you feel you have someone backed into a corner.
In poker you have to take advantage of those spots and act on them! If he makes a big bluff on the end and you know the story doesn’t add up make the call. Not only will you rake in a huge pot but it will send a message to the rest of the table too. There is nothing like earning respect at a poker table and it will help you go a long way if you’re smart. If you wrong then you take that knowledge and use it the next time around.
So be smart about what you are doing and pick your spots.
Curtis Mayfield III
