This Months Top Tip
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This Months Top Tips (May 10)
Frame of Mind - Controlling Emotional State
In coaching sessions I often use NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) techniques in order to control emotional state. You can research this online or find some basic self help books that will show you simple methods for controlling emotions.
There is another simple way to control emotions and that is make sure you are never playing with a stake that will "hurt" you if you lose it. This means playing at a level well within your bankroll each session you play and banking your winnings when you reach a certain target profit. In simple terms you are not aiming to get rich each time you sit down. You want lots of smaller wins, and some inevitable small losses, that will accumulate to provide a monthly profit. Poker is gambling, albeit with a level of high degree of skill involved, and therefore you need control in order to succeed.
Continuation Betting
Continuation betting is used so badly and so often these days. Most NLH players have learned that when they raise pre-flop, and only get one caller in particular, they can get away with taking another stab at most flops, even when they miss. So how do you deal with this? You can find tools to assist you with this and give you an advantage. Using certain poker software packages will give you a clue to your opponents use or misuse of continuation betting. Check out Flop vs Flop continuation betting stats. These will give you a clue as to when you might fold a player out by using a continuation bet or when you are likely to get paid off for your hand when you hit.
Faced with an aggressive player who is using this tactic far too often you need to tighten your game. Don't try and play the table sheriff by calling him down with nothing (he will hit sometimes). It is far more sensible to enter fewer pots with stronger hands and make sure you have position. Now you can call his raise with your strong hand and the advantage of position. If you get a piece of the flop you will more then likely to get paid off and he will quickly alter his play after taking a few losses. If you miss and the continuation bet comes, then fold or raise if you think you have the best hand. Don't keep calling his bets chasing cards that may never come.
Playing pocket Queens
This is a really tough one for many new poker players. So how should you play it in NLH? The fact is, of course, there as many different ways to play it correctly. But here are some helpful guidelines. QQ is a nice hand. It is not a monster hand. Certainly a raising hand from any position. Not a hand you want to slow play. Anyone holding something like A8 or KJ, you want to make them pay dearly to see the flop. You ideally want a heads up fight here, not a multiway pot. Raise it up strongly. Possibly QQ is a re-raising hand to narrow the field or where the play is a little loose. What you have to remember is, there are two overcards and a caller or raiser to your queens will most likely have them. If you get a solid player in front of you raise and another tight player calls his raise, chances are you may already be beat. If I get a chance to see the flop, I may call and see it. I may catch a hand giving me other outs, such as a straight, maybe J 10 9 flops for instance. If I catch another Q them I am going all the way of course. But I will not continue and commit all my chips if I am raised and re-raised by a tight player. I don't like my hand at all if an A or K hits the board. I will fire off a continuation bet here if I am first to act, but I want the fold and not the call or raise. I do not like my hand so much if I get re-raised all in (by a tight player) after the flop, to a dead board. He is telling me quite clearly he has a stronger hand and I am, more often than not, inclined to believe him and throw my queens away.
There are times when you should consider an all in move of course. If I can put my opponent on AK for instance and I am out of position, then I may call his all in re-raise in order to negate his position and make sure we get to see all the cards. In this instance I am hoping I have him well covered in chips because I am not that keen on committing all my chips to a 56% chance after two hours of tight play.
Decide on your strategy with QQ - Play them strongly and positively - Don't slow play them if other players are still to act behind you - Be prepared to throw them away if a tight player raises and re-raises you (particularly if the raises come from early position).
The importance of setting targets
One key area of coaching is setting targets for my clients. Any of you that have worked in management will under the concept and importance of targets. It is amazing what can be achieved when you are focused to achieve a particular outcome. I recommend strongly that you cash players out there, set a target before you start playing and stick to it rigidly. If you are sitting down to a game then know how long you can maintain your maximum focus and what you want to achieve from the session. Do not play for any longer than your concentration allows. We all differ in this regard and only your own data can provide the answer.
Set a win target based on your initial stake. To double your stake is a sensible and achievable target for beginners. I recommend you don't play for any longer than two hours (make sure you have water or liquid refreshment to hand - and never alcohol!!). Make sure you quit whenever you hit your target winnings. This is really tough to do for many people. If you can master this you will massively improve your rewards from poker. You must play your A game at all times and know when to quit!
Frustrated in re-buy tournaments?
A common issue I often hear with clients is their apparent frustration with re-buy tournaments. They are getting confused and frustrated with the poor play of "fish" around the table calling their raises and all with weak hands and catching cards. What they don't realize is these players are more than likely experienced re-buy players who understand the strategy for the first hour of re-buy tournaments. They have more than likely set a budget of four to five rebuys and they are strategically playing "loose" in this phase of the game. They will plan to get to a minimum of three or four times the starting chips before the freezeout. They will revert to another style of play in phase two of the tournament. Be prepared to vary your style in re-buys. Start loose and be prepared to re-buy and add-on to build your stack before the freezeout. Then you can revert to your normal tight game at a later date to make sure you make that final table.
Don't assume a player that played loose during the re-buy phase will be holding crap when you meet him later in the tournament and he raises you up. You need to re-assess his play during this later phase of play. You have plenty of time to do this because you are not going to be playing many hands during this first phase after the freezeout. You will switch to playing more hands later in the tournament when we move to phase three.
Playing draws
Avoid drawing to the "idiot" end of a straight
If the flop comes J 10 9 for example, you want to be playing KQ and not 87. You don't want to be taking too much heat with Q 8 either. If your opponent raised pre-flop then holding 87 or even Q8 might not see you ahead at the river. He is likely holding a made hand already with KQ or is hoping to make a higher straight if he holds AQ or AK. You have to think very carefully any time you are holding the lower or "idiot" end of the straight.
Play aggressively when you have multiple chances of a draw after the flop
If the flop comes down with two suited cards matching your hole cards and you have an up and down straight draw then this is the time to be getting aggressive. I see many inexperienced players pushing too often with only a flush draw. Not a great move as the odds are likely against you if your opponent holds even one pair. If you can make a straight and you are holding two suited hole cards that can make a flush, then this is your time to get aggressive with two cards still to come (raise and re-raise). This is the kind of draw you may be prepared to "squeeze" or push all in against a bet.
Beware of "baby flushes"
I don't like playing flushes without an ace in my hole cards in 6 or more handed games. I have seen it all too often, the chips going in with say JT suited against an opponent holding say A 8 suited. It is tough when you make the flush on the turn or river to give your hand up to a re-raise when you are holding cards like JT and you have hit your flush. If your opponent raised or called a sizeable raise pre-flop, then you have to give them credit for the higher nuts flush. Tough to lay it down? My advice is to avoid having to make the decision to often. You can pick up a few pots with them sure enough, particularly when you have a fair idea of what your opponent might be playing, but do you really want to commit all your chips? I am much happier building a smaller pot when my holding does not include the nuts flush.
Beware when the board pairs
You have made your flush and you opponent is still betting and raising you? Has the board paired? For instance you hold Ad10d suited and the flop comes Jd 9d 9. You bet and you get called. The turn comes 6d and the the river Qh. Your thinking you like your nuts flush right? But your opponent is calling your bets on the turn and raising you on the river. I don't like playing flushes aggressively once the board has paired. If you are taking heat with your flush then your opponent has likely hit his full house. Are you gonna call an all in against a good opponent with a paired board even with your nuts flush - suicide!
Make sure you get caught bluffing
There is something to be said for developing a reputation at the table of a tight player during a long session. Used correctly you can play some well timed bluffs and fold out better hands. You can also raise up smaller pairs or suited connectors from time to time and win some pots when your opponent is putting you on a big pair or AK and is convinced his two pair is better - only for you to show your trip 3's or straight. But once in a while I don't mind if I get caught playing a bluff against weaker or inexperienced players. I figure the investment in losing the pot now, will pay me back big in future hands. Making some loose bluffs early on against weak players may not be a bad strategy.
In this situation you will confuse opponents and later down the line you will catch weaker opponents when you are holding a strong hand and you do really need their action. He will figure you for another bluff and believe his pair of pocket queens are best. When he pushes all in against your perceived bluff bet, you can turn over your AA and clean him out.