The SBP Archives - Your less than frequent dose of SBP!

When playing poker, there's nothing like making a monster hand. What's even better, of course, is getting action on the hand and making money off of it. A lot of times when you flop a set or a straight, there's a good chance no one else made anything and they will simply fold when faced with a bet, making you little money.

If you do get action with your hand, for example, you're holding pocket 7s and a third seven comes on the flop, you more than likely have the best hand, but if an opposing players calls your bets, you should take the time to ask yourself why is your opponent still placing chips in the middle.

Using the same example as above, if the flop comes 7-10-Q and your heads up against one player, you can be fairly certain your set is the best holding. If you bet and get action, the most likely scenario is that the other player is holding A-Q, K-Q, or a looser player might have called with Q-10 and made two pair. They could be holding an overpair (pocket Kings or Aces) or might be on a straight draw or flush draw if there are 2 or 3 of the same suit on board. You should bet the hand aggressively.

If you get down to the river and there's still action, observe the board carefully to see what hands could potentially beat you. If your opponent is a maniac and bets into every pot, of course, you can give them less credit for holding a strong hand. But if you're facing a reasonable opponent who doesn't play trash hands, don't be so quick to call a large bet. Remember, especially in no-limit, you have to think about what could your opponent have that may potentially jeopardize their entire chipstack if they are willing to call you down to the river.

If you are faced with a big bet, fold if you think you are beaten. Good poker players have the courage to fold if they feel they have the second best hand. If you still feel you have the best hand, think about a flat call instead of re-reraising unless you have the absolute nuts. And in poker, it is likely you never have the absolute nuts (examples in the next paragraph). At the same time, you can't always be afraid the nut hand is out to get you, because if you have that fear, playing no-limit is not your game. But there's nothing wrong with not going overboard when betting your chips.

If you flopped a set and there are three of the same suit after all five cards are dealt, there's a potential flush. If there are closely connected cards on the board, you could be facing a straight. And of course, someone could have flopped an even higher set than you. So if you are raised on the river, consider a flat call or maybe even folding.

If you are holding pocket Aces or Kings, you've probably already remembered everytime you lost with them. Having an overpair is excellent, but by no means the holy city. Someone who flops a set or two pair has made your big pocket pair bite the dust.

If you have an ace-high flush and no two cards of equal rank are on the board, you have the best hand. But if the board is paired, you could be facing a full house. If you are re-raised on the river, flat call or fold, don't even think about re-raising since your opponent can also see that there are three of the same suit on board and still isn't afraid to stick more chips in there. The pot is probably already big enough anyway so don't get greedy.

Limit poker is different, because all of your chips are never at risk and you can fearlessly call these bets or even raise in these sitiuations, but no-limit requires a certain degree of playing more conservatively, because any one hand you play can cost you all of your chips.

Be aggressive, but make sure it's not blind aggression, when playing no-limit poker.