Tournament Poker Strategy – Don’t Be in a hurry to Call

Tournament Poker Strategy - Don't Be in a hurry to Call

I am going to assume that you are sitting at a poker table just to play the game rather than to make money. This is a big mistake. You are sitting at a poker table to win money but at the same time you can enjoy the game. In poker, you have to make money and you can’t enjoy the game. If you think you have to make money at a poker table, you are totally wrong and you are in fact costing yourself a lot of money. Business is business and you have to run it as if it was a business.

Now, you have to play your pocket aces or your small blind or perhaps middle position. What you cannot do is play immediately or you will likely lose the hand. You need to wait for the right time when you can either get in cheap or save the entire amount in the pot. Typically, you want to save the whole amount in the pot because you don’t want to lose money if you could. Many players tend to raise as soon as the pre-flop action gets in their way. This is a good strategy for a number of reasons. First, it helps to drive out players who may be on a draw and open the pot. Second, it allows you to protect your hand and when you have the made hand you want to slow-play your opponents and let them make a mistake. However, when you do raise, you want to make sure that you are in position. If you are sitting on a low pair, you certainly want to take action and you want to make sure your hand is protected.

When you flop a draw, you should bet to protect it. If you are holding middle pair, you will not be in position to bet, but if you have position on your opponents then you can make a small bet and get out if you are not getting any cards. You want to get away from under the gun players or call them with weaker hands. Let them make the mistake and make yours the prime hand.

Let’s say you do get in cheap and you make top pair. Now you are in the action and you should bet it aggressively. This is an obvious play since you are trying to protect your hand. Making a strong play against an opponent that does not know the flop can pay dividends and win the pot. Do not sit back and let players take advantage of you when you swing at a weak hand. Be aggressive and make your opponents pay for your mistakes.

The next mistake made by new players is underbetting the pot. New players will call a small bet because of the potential profit on the flop. However, when an Ace comes on the flop, they automatically slow down any number of times. Many times they will check and push on the flop. You need to be aggressive against these players and be sure to bet to test the water. If they are timid, they will call your bet only if they have a high card. If they are willing to take a chance at the low, you will need to get lucky to win the pot.

The final fifth mistake made by novice players is calling a bet on the flop when they have nothing. When the cards on the flop are terrible like 4-7-J, they will call a bet no matter what. Bad players quote the wrong information from their opponents and they end up calling future streets with hands like 5-7-9 against a hand like 6-4. Slow down and check your hand, and wait for a free card to play against your opponents. If you can, bet underdog after community card to get rid of any draws that may get there.

With these money making gambling tips, I hope that you will find a way to make money playing Dewavegas. Winning first requires a lot of patience, consistency, and financial freedom to manage your bankroll. Manage your account carefully and be sure to adhere to the picks you make on a daily basis. Grind out a profit and you will be on your way to being a good poker player.