Playing the river
Whether in a tournament, or a cash game, in no-limit hold ‘em, the river is one of the most under stressed areas of play. Many people believe that if you lead on the flop, and turn, you auto-bet the river. As in everything in poker, the answer depends on the players, the situation, and the cards on board.
I would make the argument that it is not always correct to bet the river. Often times, people are calling with draws and will fold the river to any bet, other than advanced or hyper-aggressive players who will try to raise you off your hand. However, it is safe to say that 95% of players will fold their draws.
This makes it important to be able to read hands and draws on board. If an obvious flush or straight draw comes out, then I will often check the river and try to induce a bluff. Even if a player is a relatively solid, conservative player, they will understand they can’t win the pot by checking, so they will often fire off a bet that you would have missed out on by betting. Also, sometimes you save chips or money, because people who are slow-playing monsters or have made a lucky 2 pair or other hand will bet less, because they will think that you will not call a big bet. In a worst case scenario, you often lose less than you would have by betting and calling a raise.
This play often depends on the player you are playing against. You need to be able to read what a big bet from a player means. For some players, a big bet means a big hand, and for others, a big bet means a bluff, because they think that you will not call without a monster. This distinction is one that only can be made on the felt. In a tournament or a cash game, usually these kinds of plays have huge value outside the hand, because if you call a huge bluff bet, people at the table will be less apt to bluff you, and you can fold marginal hands. The player who bluffs and is caught often has a tendency to go on tilt as well which is invaluable in any game.
It is very important to remember this in reverse too when you are the player who has position on the river. Beware the player who will induce the bluff. Sometimes, a small “crying call” bet is the proper play in this position. Good players will often fold a pot for 1/2 pot bet in this situation that they would flash-call an all-in for, because of their thinking of what they would do in this situation. So in general, against good players, I limit river bluffs when checked to when no obvious draw comes in. However, this also makes very useful bluffs with position when flush, open-ended straight, and 4 to a straight draws come in, as well as the river pairing the 2nd highest card.
Most people stress how important position is in no-limit hold ‘em and I agree with this 100%, but this is one of the few instances that being out of position can actually be more profitable than having the button.
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Filed under: How to play poker, Introduction, Online Poker
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How to play Texas Hold ‘em poker
Welcome to the How to play poker blog. Here you will not only learn how to play Texas Hold ‘em poker you will also get poker tips and strategy. To make the most of the site use the page navigation on the right hand side of the page. As most poker players are in different stages of learning how to play poker this will help you find what you are looking for.
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Online poker training site welcomes another big name
Online skill development site PokerVT.com adds Jon “PearlJammer” Turner to current roster of online pros
LAS VEGAS, Sept 22, 2009 – Online, he’s known as PearlJammer. Off-line, this poker champ goes by the name Jon Turner – a name that’s just been added to the roster of online poker pros at virtual poker training site PokerVT.
“I’m thrilled to be part of the PokerVT team,” Turner said. “Having greats like Daniel Negreanu on board gives us an image and separates us from other training sites in regards to attracting the casual poker player and fan – however, something else really sets our training apart. It is Poker VT’s use of live games in their studios that is revolutionary. It’s this kind of innovation that really attracted me to the company.”
This new partnership with PokerVT is another milestone in what is shaping up to be a big year for Turner. In April on the virtual felt, he finished third in the SCOOP: $10,300 Main Event, $5M guaranteed on PokerStars for $527,100.00, his biggest cash to date. He also finished the 2009 World Series of Poker with three cashes and two final tables for close to $100,000 in winnings.
Turner noted that his success has been the product of honing his skills in both the virtual and “real” poker worlds. “There are certainly different aspects of the game that become more or less important depending on whether you are playing live or online,” he said. “But poker is still poker either way, and getting better in one world will no doubt making you stronger in the other one.”
As part of the faculty at PokerVT, Turner brings a unique philosophy to the game.
“Solid fundamentals, a desire to always learn more, good bankroll management and keeping up with the curve are what will really help your game,” he said “There are some people who have the ability to figure out the game and even constantly improve it on their own, but these people are few and far between. For the vast majority of us, the more training the better. Reading about poker, discussing it with friends, and experience in the game can all help us improve, but in my opinion, there is no match for direct training from professionals.”
As one of the pros at PokerVT, Turner joins the ranks of fellow faculty members Daniel Negreanu, Jason “JCarver” Somerville, Adam Junglen and Grayson “SpaceGravy” Physioc.
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About Poker VT
Daniel Negreanu’s online virtual training site PokerVT.com broke the standard online poker training mold one year ago with state-of-the art training techniques such as the “Real Time Thought Process” series that captures the inside strategies of beginning, advanced and professional players during live play. Negreanu’s “Small Ball” course allows members to virtually train one-on-one with Kid Poker 24/7/365 from any computer in the world with an Internet connection. Sample videos and further information is available at pokervt.com.
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