If you have been playing hold ‘em poker for a while, you know or might have realized that good position is crucial. Acting after your opponents somehow helps you to make a better decision. Here are some tips that you may try during a poker game to make most of your good position:
Stealing a pot
The rest of the field checks and you will be the last player to act. If no one wants the pot and if no one is really hiding a big hand, you can go for the pot by betting and possibly winning it. This is not a very simple thing to do. You just do not bet when everyone checks. Each situation is different and you should learn how to vary your strategies.
So when do you steal the pot? Let us assume that the scenario involves a pot with no preflop raise therefore no possibility for a continuation bet. You need to consider the kind of the flop and the number of poker players. These things would somehow give you an idea if someone benefited from the flop.
Remember that when you have more players on the table, the higher the possibility that someone connected upon flop. And when you see cards from the upper half of the deck on the board, the higher the possibility that someone made something out of the flop. If there are cards which tends to form a straight or a flush, most likely someone connected.
Let us look some examples:
Say you have on the board 2 of Clubs-7 of Diamonds-Q of Hearts. Here are are no flush or straight draws. If someone has a good hand, there is a good temptation to check. Considering that you only have to worry about the Queen, it is a good move to bet when you are checked to.
If there is an Ace of Clubs- 9 of Hearts- 5 of Diamonds, there is a good potential that others will play because of the Ace on the board. If someone holds an Ace, he might check as he does not have to worry about an overcard. There are no possiblities for straight or flush draws. If you are against multiple opponents, back down and do not try to steal the flop.
King of Hearts-Jack of Hearts- 8 of Clubs. Here it is quite to tight having a ton of possible good combinations. Best move is not to bluff bet on this since you just might end up being sorry.
