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Poker’s all about the fake – and here, we’ll uncover some advance poker strategies that will have you mastering the fake out in poker’s most popular game, Texas Hold’em.
Let’s be bold – meaning let’s explore when you should make a “bold” move in the game. We’re not talkin’ reckless moves, but rather taking those calculated risks that have a certain degree of positive expectation. There’s value in being bold: psychologically, a well-placed bold move can cause an opponent to fold a stronger hand that you might not otherwise win.
Before we jump in though, there’s a few online poker rooms that I’d recommend where you can practice the poker strategy move outline below, taking theory to action. To master your fake-out, try out some masterful online poker rooms
The boldest move that a player can make in Texas Hold’em is the check-raise bluff. Normally, if a player checks and calls on a flop, and subsequently check-raises the turn, the typical suspicion is that the player has a big hand. And sometimes, indeed all the time, that’s exactly what you other players to think you’re holding. Even if the move doesn’t work, there are other benefits that making it could accomplish: it sends a signal that as a player, you can be unpredictable (always a good thing), and could increase the number of calls that you get whenever you hold.
This move is risky, and should be used extremely sparingly. In fact, it’s usually relegated to high-limit and middle-limit players – which incidentally, might be another reason that other players may never see it coming.
Here’s when you should use the check-raise bluffing tactic:
1. Only in games where the stakes are consequential, not in low-limit games. It’s common in low-limit games for opponents to call bets on every round, so the main goal that check-raise bluffing tries to achieve – that of getting opponents to fold – becomes a non-issue. Your best bet – don’t try check-raise bluffing in games lower than $10-20.
2. Only against players that have more than a rudimentary knowledge of poker playing. In other words, you need to try to it on someone who knows they’re supposed to fold.
Most poker theorists recommend a tight but aggressive Texas Holdem strategy – and this move – when applied properly – counters that beautifully which again increases this move’s surprise quotient.