Play Inconsistently For Best Results

Did I get your attention with that title?

Hope so since Everest Poker is all about giving you’re the knowledge and skill to have an enjoyable (and possibly profitable) online poker experience.

So what do I mean about playing inconsistently? Well of course I’m talking about mixing up your playing style. Watch the pros, they do it all the time and so should you.

Step one of course is to learn and understand the game completely. You don’t want to sit down at a table having little idea how to play the game; but we’ll assume (for the purpose of this article) that you have the knowledge and experience to choose a table and play the game. Okay then, what’s next on your winner’s strategy list?

Poker is not an assembly line and if one is playing hand after hand, it’s possible to fall into a playing pattern, a pattern that can be recognized by your opponents. HINT: That is to be avoided. While by the book play is wonderful in theory, don’t forget that more than one person has probably read the book.

Here’s a scenario that I found by watching a player over a period of time; he would only raise with Kings, Queens or Aces, knowing that when he raised (unless I had a strong pair), I’d muck my hand and save my bankroll. Had he instead varied his style of play, sometimes raising with a lesser pair, I wouldn’t have discovered his tell so easily. The trick (or at least one trick) is to keep your opponents guessing about what you have; if they know then you’ve already lost… vary your play.

LEAN and MEAN

Remember the expression, “The best defense is a good offense”. While that wasn’t said about poker, it does hold a lot of value if you’ll read between the lines and learn to use aggression to help you win some big pots. A skilled player has to learn aggression as a means to win; while in theory it would be wonderful wait for just the right cards, poker is so much more than this. One WSOP winner stated that he does far better playing the cards “after the flop” than waiting for the perfect pocket pair.

In order to be a winner, watch, learn, strategize then move in for the kill. Here’s a scenario to think about… you have pocket aces, do you limp in, or throw caution to the wind with a big bet.

ANSWER… It depends. If the guy on your left is a maniac and you’ve watched him raise when someone limps in, then arm yourself with this knowledge and limp with a smile (inside of course) knowing you’re baiting the hook.

DEFINITION: Maniac, a very aggressive player who plays a lot of hands and raises often. Limp-In, only call the big blind without raising.

Everest Poker was created to give every poker player the opportunity to pick their game and play their way. It’s your job to master the game, learn the tell and know when to make the big bets.

Written By Tim