Getting Your Feet Wet In No Limit Texas Hold’em

New day, new blog post. Today, I’m going to give you a quick crash course on an important piece of No-Limit Hold’em. You may already play the game. Or, you may be too intimidated to dive in. Whichever the case, what you’re about to read is going to be valuable to you. I’m going to take you through a critical part of the game. This is the stuff that cause rookies to self-destruct at the table.

A lot of poker players (especially beginners) are drawn to fixed limit games. There’s nothing wrong with that. You can limit your losses and last awhile at the table. But, if you have the skills and want to. build a quick bankroll, you need to be on a no limit table. Now, understand something… No Limit Hold’em may be played the same way as a fixed limit game, but it’s a completely different beast. The fact that you can bet whatever you have on the table can create massive wins or losses. So, let’s get down to it.

The Critical Element Of No Limit Texas Hold’em

You need to know your opponents. If you don’t know the types of players you’re sitting with at a no limit table, save some money for the slots. You’re going to be blown off the table. That said, once you identify the type of people you’re betting against, you can become the predator. Here are the main types of opponents you need to keep your eyes peeled for.

You’re going to see 3 or 4 types of players on a no limit table. The only thing that really makes them different from each other is how aggressively they play. Some play a lot of hands and bet like maniacs. Others play conservatively and bet like they’re playing with their rent money. Here are the main player types…

Tight-Passive Players - These are the sissies of the table. They don’t play a lot of hands in a showdown and they bet conservatively. No offense if you’re a tight-aggressive player yourself. They’re common. While they can build a bankroll at a low-limit table, they’re generally shark food at the No Limit Hold’em games.

Loose-Passive Players - These players are their own worst enemy. They depend on others bluffing into their hands (easy to spot and leverage after awhile). The way they do this is to keep calling while holding a semi-strong hand. You can take advantage of their style by betting competitively when you’re holding a stronger hand. These players buckle easily.

Tight-Aggressive Players - This is usually how I play. It’s not a flawless style. But, if you have a strong stomach, you can boost your bankroll quickly. Wait for a great hand. Then, ride it to the finish. Throw your chips into it. Win big, lose big. That’s the nature of this style.

Loose-Aggressive Players - Loose aggressive players are some of the most dangerous people to play with. Sometimes, they’ll bet like a madman and get cornered easily. If that happens, consider them your prey. Most times, though, they play a lot of hands and buy shares of tons of pots. Because they’re betting so much, it’ll seem like they’re losing a lot. But, if you keep an eye on their chips, you’ll notice the pile getting bigger throughout the night. Keep your guard up around this type of player. Don’t be drawn in by their betting.

Getting Ready For Battle

Those are the 4 types of players you’ll see most often on the No Limit Hold’em table. Generally, the passive betters are easier to drain of their chips than aggressive betters. It’s not always the case, but you’ll notice the same trend after awhile.

I usually encourage people to develop a tight-aggressive style. Play fewer hands, but ride the strong ones. It’s not for everyone. You can lose a lot of chips in a showdown. The main thing is that you understand who you’re playing against. Some players will suck you in and bleed you dry if you’re not careful. Know the players. Develop your strategy. Hone your skills. Do that and you’ll be fine.

7 comments June 7th, 2008

4 Lethal Mistakes Beginning Poker Players Make

Poker is not a science. It can’t be boiled down to a series of events and reactions. It’s an art. The best players learn to roll with the punches and come back swinging. Things go wrong. Cards land badly. Bankrolls dip desperately low. But, each time, a veteran poker player will consider his odds, keep his cool and sometimes, come back to fight another day. On the other hand, novice poker players make a ton of rookie mistakes. And when they do, the veterans on the table move in for the kill. Below, you’ll find 4 of the most lethal (and common) mistakes that novice players make.

Mistake #1: Getting Emotional

The pros make it look easy. But, keeping your cool when your luck turns bad is a learned skill. Beginning players often don’t control their emotions. But, on the table, luck turns quickly and small things start to annoy. Great hands get buried. The player next to you distracts and irritates you. But, when you get angry, you lose your focus. And when that happens, the sharks on the table smell the blood and come to feed.

Mistake #2: Bluffing Too Often

New poker players make this mistake all the time. And trust me… experienced players notice it quickly. The problem is that rookies watch movies or a poker cable channel and think they can get away with murder on the table. What they don’t realize is that there are 2 problems with that. First, veteran players have seen it all and can smell most of it a mile away. Second, beginners are usually bad bluffers. Combine those 2 dynamics and you have a novice who’s bankroll is about to get pummeled.

Mistake #3: Not Understanding Pot Odds

To be fair, even experienced poker players often neglect to figure out the pot odds of a hand. There’s no excuse, but it happens. That being said, rookies often don’t even understand the odds. That can make them call too often, bumping against maximum bets with poor hands. For the savvy player who keeps the odds in his head during a hand, the rookie is just fresh meat.

Mistake #4: Imitating Other Players

This happens a lot. Most beginners learn poker by watching more experienced players. That’s fine because it’s a great way to learn strategy. The trap most novices fall into though, is simply copying what other players are doing. They don’t understand poker strategy. Here’s the problem. If you’re imitating a great player’s moves without knowing why he’s making them, you’ll begin to follow a trend that others will pick up on. You’ll be predictable. If you copy a poor player’s move, you’re setting yourself up for failure. It’s a common rookie mistake, but it can be deadly on the table.

Becoming A Better Poker Player

If you’re a beginner, understand that nobody is a “born poker player.” The professional players that you see on TV or in tournaments developed the skills they need to win. Everybody makes mistakes. A lot of pros have made the mistakes I’ve described above. The difference is that they learned from them. If they bluffed badly, they fixed the problem. If they angered quickly, they developed control. If you want to be a proficient poker player, understand the game. Identify the mistakes you’re making and fix them.

By the way, the 4 mistakes above are just a quick sampling. Beginner poker players make a ton of others. So, we’ll be coming back to this soon. Stay tuned.

2 comments May 18th, 2008