Intelligence and strategy: Keys to Texas Hold åEm

By Josh Zach

There is an age old proverb in the poker world: ≥If youπre sitting at a table and canπt spot the sucker, the sucker is you.≤

Before deciding on what hands youπre going to play with, you must equally consider which players youπre going to play against. You have to figure out who the sucker at the table is and go after him. Clean him out and move on to the big fish with an increased stack of chips to play with. This will give you some breathing room.

Deciding who the strong players and the weaker players are takes time. You have to spend considerable hours at a table, closely observing each personπs style of play. You have to pay close attention to whoπs raising, whoπs limping, and whoπs drawing to a particular hand. Being able to figure out whether a player has a strong hand or a weak one is considerably difficult, but there are several things to watch for along the way.

First on the list is to watch a playerπs body language. Watch each playerπs reaction to the community cards the dealer presents. Are they rubbing their face with their hands? Are they shifting in their seats? Are they shifting their eyes around the table? Do they immediately go to their chip stack and make a mental count?

One of the more obvious ≥tells≤ is how long it takes them to make a bet once theyπre on the clock. If the player takes considerable time, heπs thinking one of two things: heπs either wondering if his hand will stand up, or heπs thinking that if he takes a long time, people will think his hand is weak (when in fact itπs strong, and possibly the best). The latter is a strategy play used by a more advanced player.

The second characteristic to be mindful of is how each player is managing his hands. ≥Loose≤ players tend to play just about every hand, regardless of what their hole cards are. Theyπll bet to the end and call just about anything. Most times, if the loose playerπs hand is full of rags (mismatched cards that donπt pair up), he would make an over the top bet to try and force the others in the hand to fold, and thus buy the pot.

There are two types of loose players: beginners who have not yet learned how to read the board, and advanced players who have not only learned how to read the board with great skill, but who can also read everyone at the table so well that they can see right through them.

Being able to spot these two types of loose players is a cinch. The beginner practically wears a sign on the front of his shirt that says, ≥Take my money.≤ This type of player will call every bet made, but he wonπt raise, and thatπs his mistake. By just calling, heπs automatically conceding to a better hand. The advanced player is the one who makes large bets with poise and confidence. He will psyche you out with his cool, calm demeanor. This type of player will always have an advantage at any table because, since heπs playing almost every hand, youπll never know if heπs got a good hand or a poor one until the hand is over.

≥Tight≤ players are easier to spot. This type of player will, most times, play only good hands and fold everything else. Once you identify who the tight player is at the table, you will have a good idea of what heπs holding based on how heπs playing the hand. If heπs betting confidently, it would seem obvious that heπs got to have a piece of the board (community cards) or heπd have folded his hand. While tight players have a knack of sticking around for a while at the table, they donπt win often, if at all. You have to remember that No Limit Texas Hold åEm is poker. Itπs a game of chance. A player that doesnπt take a lot of chances will have little chance at winning.

Finally, it pays dividends to pay attention to each hand, especially if youπve elected to fold and sit it out. Just because youπre not playing the hand doesnπt mean you should not pay attention. In fact, opportunities like this are extremely beneficial. This gives you a chance to concentrate all your energy on observing the players at the table. Since youπve already folded, youπre not engaged in the warfare. Your mind is free to absorb the tactics of the other players at the table. This is the best time to observe and learn about everyone elseπs style.

No Limit Texas Hold åEm is worth all of the praise it receives, from both players and enthusiasts alike. The closest thing to compare the game to (outside of poker) is chess. It is a game of wits and strategy where the player with the best strategy and the most wit will always win out.