What’s one of the easiest ways to lose your stack, or lose some serious cash when playing poker? It’s by giving away a tell or two, and letting your opponent get into your head. There is absolutely nothing worse in poker than playing against someone, and just getting that awful feeling like they know what’s in your hand, or know what’s going through your head. As much as you can try to convince yourself otherwise, this definitely happens. With that said, it’s something that you need to do everything in your power to avoid allowing to happen. This is why you should never give your game, and your style of play away to an opponent. How can you do that, though? Well, that’s what we’re here to look at today.
Changing Up Bet Sizing
Let me first clarify that when you keep your bet sizing the same, there’s a good chance that many players won’t think twice about what you’re doing. Changing up your bet sizing though, can keep an opponent on their toes. Say that you have a big hand and bet 3x the big blind. Two hands later, you’re bluffing, so you can bet the same size. If both hands are shown, then go with a 2x bet with a monster the next time you get it. Don’t let opposing players pick up on what you’re holding in your hand, and specifically don’t let them figure out when you are playing with a big hand, or playing a bluff. Allowing an opponent to figure this out can turn into a total disaster, and if you’re getting the vibe that someone is figuring it out, make a complete 180 and do something different.
Showing Bluffs and Showing Strong Hands
Never, and I mean never, just show your bluffs. If you bluff and show it consistently, your luck will end at some point. We all love to bluff, but don’t be the guy who bluffs non-stop and doesn’t stop showing it with the hopes that the next big hand that you get will be a huge one, and you can take someone’s stack. Remember, if you want to create a “crazy” persona for yourself, then make sure you know what you’re getting into, because opponents aren’t going to back down from you. Show a bluff here or there, but also show it when you have the nuts. Honestly, some people will simply avoid showing their hands all together, and I can’t sit back and say that this is the worst strategy, mainly because it completely leaves your opponent in the dark in terms of what cards you were holding.
Don’t Show Frustration
If you lose a big hand, simply sit back and take a deep breath. Losing the hand and huffing and puffing when playing poker or situs slot online will only result in players taking notice and getting prepared for the next time that you try to steal chips to re-build your stack. Players 100% watch for this type of thing, and it can be the end of your chip stack before you even know it. Playing smart, avoiding showing emotions and picking your spots is key to poker. If you let frustrations come into play, then it’s going to lead to some very questionable, and honestly some possibly dumb plays when all is said and done. Just take the bad beat, or whatever it was, and move on to the next hand so that you can refocus on the task at hand.
Avoid Over-Eagerness With a Big Stack
This is so big, and it’s something that players often don’t even think about. Say that you’ve just doubled up and are holding a massive stack. So many players are quick to jump in the action and try to bully their opponents all over. If you want to do that, then you could very well end up seeing your stack taking a turn in the other direction before you even realize it. Just avoid doing this, play it smart, and sit back with your big stack while you wait for a spot that can help you build it up even larger. Remember, whether you’re playing tournaments or cash games, one thing that they have in common is that you’re trying to pick up as many chips as possible when all is said and done (the strategy behind getting them may be a bit different though).
