5 Lesser Known Poker Tips

Here are some Lesser Known Poker Tips that you don't hear very often.  Remember if playing online always use a poker bonus code before signing up at a USA online poker room. These codes will give you an increased starting bankroll. This lets you play at higher levels, where you can win more. So here they are.

5 Lesser Known Poker Tips

A Good Time To Bluff

One of the best times to bluff is when an opponent is staring you down, reaching for his chips, or otherwise threatening to call. While opponents who are trying to discourage your bet by threatening to call, might actually call, they don't have hands powerful enough to raise.

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So, what remains are usually hands that they will be reluctant to call with. They will either call — reluctantly — or fold. Usually, in limit poker games where the size of the pot dwarfs the size of the bet, an opponent acting in this matter will fold often enough to give your bluff attempt an expectation of profit.

Adjusting To Wins And Losses

Many of your opponents will treat you differently when you're winning than when you're losing. That's because they're conscious of luck and fear you more when you're “running lucky.” When this happens, everything is as it should be in the universe, and your opponents are easier to control. You can bet marginal hands for value that you wouldn't be able to otherwise — because you'd be afraid that these same opponents would be inspired by your losses and would raise aggressively or play deceptively.

It's true. When you're winning, your foes are apt to be docile and well behaved, and this allows you to press every hand for maximum value without fearing that they'll get maximum value for their hands, too. But, wait!

What's the best way to adjust, depending on whether you're running good or bad? Simple. Most of your decisions in poker will be “borderline,” meaning that the decision isn't especially clear.

Do this: When you're conspicuously winning and faced with a borderline decision between checking and betting, bet… AND between calling and raising, raise.

But… when you're conspicuously losing and faced with a borderline decision between checking and betting, check… AND between calling and raising, call. These adjustments works like magic, and they're pure profit.

A Check Can Cost Money

Why is it so often better to bet than check and call? When you check and your opponent also checks, that usually means you lost an opportunity to profit by either (A) being called with a worse hand or (B) winning the pot outright without being called. Check-check means the second check is more apt to be satisfied than the first.

A Quick Bluff Is More Likely To Succeed Than A Hesitant One

Of course, there are exceptions, but on average… If you bluff fairly quickly — without pondering — you'll succeed in stealing the pot more often than if you hesitate and seem unsure. I was able to further support this theory by programming my artificially intelligent Orac poker player in 1984. I learned while testing that opponents were much more likely to fold against fast bets than against pondered ones — even against a computer!

7-Stud: They're More Likely To Be Bluffing, Not Less Likely

In reading poker tells, one of the most important things to do is watch your opponents look at the final river card. If it helps them, they're very likely to only look for a short time. Then they'll quickly place the card face down and try to look uninterested. Perhaps staring away from the approaching betting action. This is a ploy to make you think the card wasn't a good one. Whenever you see this mannerism, you should be wary. Furthermore you should not bet or call with marginal hands.

Conversely, if the opponent keeps staring at the card longer than necessary, that's an indication that it didn't help. He's trying to make you think that he's interested in it. He isn't, and you can bet medium strong hands for profit.

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