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Poker Guides and Strategies - Page 4

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The Loose-Aggressive Table

The way to recognize this table is that there will be a great deal of betting and rising. This type of table can be chaotic with giant pots almost every time. Players are staying in to the late stages of the game (by virtue of it being a loose table), but they're also doing a ton of betting and rising along the way. Because of the price to stay in, you can only afford to play your best hands, but you'll win big pots with those hands.

Check-raise more often

The check-raise (also known as sandbagging) is a powerful move whereby you check (indicating weakness) with a strong hand, wait for somebody behind you to bet, and then raise that bet, trapping people into calling two bets. The problem with a check-raise is that if you check and nobody bets behind you, you are unable to rise, and everybody just got to stay in the game for free. In an aggressive game however, you can be guaranteed a bet behind you, allowing you to pull off the check-raise with your strong hands far more frequently.

Play less hands in early position

One of the disadvantages of being in an early spot on the betting round is that you don't know what's going to happen behind you. Many times, you'll want to call with a certain hand, but wouldn't if you knew there was going to be an additional rise behind you. At an aggressive table where you can expect much more action, you'll save yourself money by folding mediocre hands in early position. One of the worst traps to fall into is calling a bet and being forced to call an unforeseen raise behind you since you've already trapped yourself with your original call.

Anticipate big shifts

Your money will go on a roller coaster ride if you involve yourself in enough pots. The price to stay in the game will be high, but in combination with the number of opponents, you will win huge pots whenever you win. In effect then, you should find yourself playing very few hands, but coming out swinging when you do. Assuming the table is aggressive enough that the rare action from you doesn't fold everybody immediately, you will lose a few bets most of the time, but will win big pots the rest of the time. The size of the pots will offset the number of times you have to fold after investing a few bets. Remember how pricey this game will be, and how to tighten up accordingly.

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