A Bit of Strategic Poker Jargon
A Bit of Strategic Poker Jargon
Let's consider the various types of poker games. They are divided into two main groups: tournament poker and non-tournament, that is, cash poker or ring poker. Tournaments can be multitable tournaments (MTT) or single table tournaments (STT). Single table tournaments are usually sit and go games (SNG), that it, the game begins as soon as the table is full.
There are satellite game tournaments where players have access to the higher status and higher fee games, or the freerolls, where there is no fee to enter into play, then there are the guaranteed games where a prize pool is guaranteed by the game's originators. A buy-in fee is mandatory in all but the freeroll tournaments. Sometimes, the house will allow players to purchase more chips using the re-buy or add-on options. Tables are classified by the number of players: long tables (8-10 players), short tables (4-6), and one-on-one or heads-up tables (HU).
Having familiarized ourselves with the basic rules and terms, we can move on to the basics of poker strategy. The single most important concept any player must know is probably the concept of the odds. Odds are the chances you have of getting the winning combinations in any of the future steps of a current game. These cards are called outs. The improvement of your chances depends on the number of outs you currently hold and can be calculated, memorized, or read from a table of chances.
You must also be able to do the same with pot odds which is simply how the required bet relates to the size of the pot. There are discounted and implied pot odds. The process of discounting involves a decrease in the number of outs that are a boon to the opponents as well as yourself. Implied chances involve not just the current pot and bets, but throw in the possible bets in upcoming rounds.
The possible strategies of poker include the bluff plays such as the straight bluff which is either a bet or raise with no chance at winning should a showdown come up, and the semi-bluff, a raise without a proper hand to do so but the hand has a nice number of outs, which gives it a good chance to improve. There are more intricate plays like the slow play or sandbagging, which refers to playing passively while at the same time having a strong hand in the game's beginning phases. This move will keep opponents in the game. Then there is the free card which is a raise from the late position in the flop with the expectation there will be checks on the turn to enable the river to be arrived at without further betting action. This technique is most commonly employed in a drawing hand.
There is normally a distinction between flush-draw, four cards to a flush, and straight draw, four to a straight. A straight draw is possible as open ended or gut shot (inside straight) draws. If two distinct cards are required to build a combination, these draw hands are referred to as backdoor draws or runner-runner. Should a player continue to attempt to construct a draw even though he is for sure losing to an opponents present combination, this player is referred to as drawing dead.
There is the check-raise. The player checks with the intention of making a raise after an opponent bet. The move is usually used during the flop against the preflop-raiser (a player raising during the preflop found). And lastly, we have the blind steals and defense. Should no one enter into the game prior to the flop, a player in the late position raises in order to coerce the blinds to muck, thereby raking in the bets with no opposing forces. The blind defense is one in which the blind answers the steal with a 3-bet.
Let's consider the various types of poker games. They are divided into two main groups: tournament poker and non-tournament, that is, cash poker or ring poker. Tournaments can be multitable tournaments (MTT) or single table tournaments (STT). Single table tournaments are usually sit and go games (SNG), that it, the game begins as soon as the table is full.
There are satellite game tournaments where players have access to the higher status and higher fee games, or the freerolls, where there is no fee to enter into play, then there are the guaranteed games where a prize pool is guaranteed by the game's originators. A buy-in fee is mandatory in all but the freeroll tournaments. Sometimes, the house will allow players to purchase more chips using the re-buy or add-on options. Tables are classified by the number of players: long tables (8-10 players), short tables (4-6), and one-on-one or heads-up tables (HU).
Having familiarized ourselves with the basic rules and terms, we can move on to the basics of poker strategy. The single most important concept any player must know is probably the concept of the odds. Odds are the chances you have of getting the winning combinations in any of the future steps of a current game. These cards are called outs. The improvement of your chances depends on the number of outs you currently hold and can be calculated, memorized, or read from a table of chances.
You must also be able to do the same with pot odds which is simply how the required bet relates to the size of the pot. There are discounted and implied pot odds. The process of discounting involves a decrease in the number of outs that are a boon to the opponents as well as yourself. Implied chances involve not just the current pot and bets, but throw in the possible bets in upcoming rounds.
The possible strategies of poker include the bluff plays such as the straight bluff which is either a bet or raise with no chance at winning should a showdown come up, and the semi-bluff, a raise without a proper hand to do so but the hand has a nice number of outs, which gives it a good chance to improve. There are more intricate plays like the slow play or sandbagging, which refers to playing passively while at the same time having a strong hand in the game's beginning phases. This move will keep opponents in the game. Then there is the free card which is a raise from the late position in the flop with the expectation there will be checks on the turn to enable the river to be arrived at without further betting action. This technique is most commonly employed in a drawing hand.
There is normally a distinction between flush-draw, four cards to a flush, and straight draw, four to a straight. A straight draw is possible as open ended or gut shot (inside straight) draws. If two distinct cards are required to build a combination, these draw hands are referred to as backdoor draws or runner-runner. Should a player continue to attempt to construct a draw even though he is for sure losing to an opponents present combination, this player is referred to as drawing dead.
There is the check-raise. The player checks with the intention of making a raise after an opponent bet. The move is usually used during the flop against the preflop-raiser (a player raising during the preflop found). And lastly, we have the blind steals and defense. Should no one enter into the game prior to the flop, a player in the late position raises in order to coerce the blinds to muck, thereby raking in the bets with no opposing forces. The blind defense is one in which the blind answers the steal with a 3-bet.
0 Comments