Archive for February, 2009
Everestpoker.nl – Suited and Semi Connected Cards
19 February 2009
Everestpoker.nl – As far as playing Holdem is concerned, suited middle ranking cards, as well as semi connected, are not particularly strong at all. Having said this though, there is a time and a place to play them, and I would never simply fold them outright. Funnily enough, the hands that I would immediately discard on a full table, include (A,2) and (A,3), but not (7,9) suited.
The reason for this is simple. if you are involved in a pot, you will often be better off raising the pot preflop, or you may have to call a small raise to see a flop. In this instance, there are so many scenarios in which a very small ace will end up being dominated by a bigger one, that I simply wouldn’t consider playing this type of hand unless I was heads up, or had no choice.
Holding hands containing suited and semi connected cards, immediately gives you the element of surprise and can contribute to you winning a much bigger pot. Although, I have to stress that in Holdem, you should not call any sort of sizeable raise with these cards as you will be going into the flop behind.
The potential in Omaha I feel, is even more so, as you have the contingent of players who hold on to big pairs and even two big cards such as (A,K,7,3), for dear life.
So when you pick up your big draws, with omaha hands such as (5s,6s,7d,8d), try and single out the players who are clinging onto big pairs, but also be aware of flush draws. Even if the flush draw is yours and it hits, you want to have narrowed the pot to have any chance of winning with the best flush.Everestpoker.nl
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Everestpoker.nl – Coming Back From a Shortstack
9 February 2009
everestpoker.nl – It’s never a position that we wish to be in as poker players, but at some point we will all have to deal with playing as a shortstack in a tournament. Opposing players tend to put pressure on you, and you feel concerned about getting involved in a pot due to the fact that you will find yourself with most of your chips committed very quickly.
On a personal note, I feel it is essential to alter your play in this situation. Once you get to a certain point, I feel you should play tight and wait for a hand, for as long as the blinds allow you to. Whilst doing this, you can look for any opportunity to suddenly open up with a strong play to win a pot. My preference is to do this in such a way as to either pick up the blinds preflop, or end up being called and having to take a gamble. You can certainly say that you never want to get your chips in as an underdog in poker, but if the primary plan of stealing some blinds goes wrong and you get called, you always give yourself the possibility of getting lucky and doubling through.
In this way, you will find yourself either picking up chips to stay afloat whilst you wait for the big hole cards you need to double through, or getting called and needing some luck. But either way, you have to say that this is better than simply waiting and being blinded off to the point where, when you finally do find that hand, the double up that follows still leaves you short on chips. Everestpoker.nl
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