Measure Your Words – Issue 106

The art of playing poker is exciting. The growing number of top players suggests that the game is recruiting new hunters looking for the feeling of winning a tournament, excelling at bluffing or just having fun at the table. The challenging energy certainly goes far beyond the funds required. Of course, in a competitive situation, competitors will look for advantages to differentiate themselves from others. One of the keys to differentiation, especially in tournaments, is working hard and knowing the stakes. In poker, nothing says more about a player’s intentions than the interpretation of bet sizes used in different situations. Gambling is important and cannot be ignored. This says a lot about consistency when it comes to focusing while acting and observing. Explain whether this bet size is what was intended. Now, when we don’t have a fixed or simple auto sized bet, there is a huge amount of possibilities. See how beneficial just pausing and thinking about bet sizing can make extracting value easier? Or even get more than the traditional way? why not? How much should I do to make part of my opponent’s range uncomfortable, such as forcing them to fold? I could ask a lot of questions here, but the main one is this: Have you ever thought carefully about why you bet? When it comes to online poker, it’s common for players to place standardized, fixed wagers. Using the preset bet buttons, many players have won less than they deserved or spent more chips than they should have simply because they didn’t put in the effort. These are “bet bet bet” players who mimic patterns and click buttons quickly and automatically. An unconditional, finite game. Interestingly, this kind of setting, the simplest game, also called “ABC”, has a certain foundation and has a certain effect. What happens is that getting to higher and higher levels is definitely not enough. The higher the level of your opponents, the more they will pay attention to your bet sizing. Remember: the money is in the details. In live poker, information about bet sizes and stack sizes is not as explicit as in online poker, since players and dealers do not need to calculate. In my opinion, this situation opens up a lot more room for making size bets. How many times have you come across a player you know will pay you no matter how much you bet? He just didn’t realize how big a big blind could be in a pot, let alone bother to do it. He’s just blind to his own worth and you have to take advantage of that. For example, do you realize how beneficial it is to you not to limit yourself to betting 50% of the pot? Again, it’s worth pausing to think about how to make the most of the situation. One thing to remember about tournaments in general is that as they get closer, it becomes increasingly effective to manipulate bet sizing according to your intentions and beliefs. In situations where we put players under pressure, nothing makes someone else’s game more fun than creative and well-crafted bets. During the final push, when higher payouts are imminent, players often lose their cards more often than they should. Now is the time to unleash your creativity and make the game even more awkward for you. So as you gain experience, you become more complete, unpredictable and uncomfortable in combat. Also, to make progress in this medium, you have to realize that you have to drill down to game details on a case-by-case basis. Being creative is fundamental when it comes to betting big and small, but professional references can be very helpful when dealing with it. We are all creative, but creativity can be stimulated by showing examples and real situations. Good luck at the table and see you next time.