To master poker, you must do more than just distinguish between strong and weaker hands. You must be flawless from the small blind to the big blind. Having killer poker moves certainly helps and we have covered some of the most popular ones.
The squeeze play
The squeeze play explanation
Made famous by past tournament poker players such as Dan Harrington and Barry Greenstein, the squeeze is a premium bluff opportunity, whereby a loose or aggressive player raises in the flop, and another will call in behind him.
The squeeze will therefore come in when you place a big three-bet to bluff in the hope that it will pay off, and you blast the other players out of the pot.
Why the squeeze play is used?
An aggressive player in most situations will always try to turn up the heat at the poker table, and the squeeze is one of those poker moves in cash games whereby they will try to widen their range with their hands in Texas Hold’Em.
A weak player will be calling to try and get a cheap flop in a late position, and they are commonly used in tournament play. When used correctly, it can be canny when challenging an opponent’s range.
When to use the squeeze play
There are a few occasions when you might use the squeeze in a game of Texas Hold’Em No Limit games.
You could use it for example when all players fold or when multiple players make a call, as the squeezer will have a greater range.
Sometimes, the pot odds can work out in the favour of the squeezer as it will underline their power and aggressive manner in a Texas Hold’Em game.
Pros
- Gives you added strength – If your opponents are fighting for their lives in a tournament, they can fold with a wider range of hands.
- No post flop play – Squeezes will take the guesswork out of playing three-bet pots after the flop.
Cons
- Can be overused – If you try to bluff too much through the squeeze, then stronger players will notice this during a round, and it can hamper your chances of getting paid.
- Image can be affected – Those that use a semi bluff in Texas Hold’Em too often will see their reputation affected, so tread with caution at the poker table.
How to defend against it?
The best strategy to combat squeezer is to fold. As such, against other players that are regular squeezers, you should tighten your opening range, as you will be less exposed to a squeeze from bets that are placed, and with value hands, you can play things back more. You should take this into consideration on a flat call.
The semi bluff
The semi bluff explanation
At its core, the semi bluff involves making a bet with a draw. It’s not considered to be a pure bluff, as you may have a better hand in the latter stages to improve, such as at the turn or the river.
By betting or raising through the semi bluff, there are two ways to win — hit the draw to make your best hand and win what is the pot uncontested after your opponent folds.
Why the semi bluff is used
Just like most other moves on the poker table, the semi bluff can hurt your opponents. It can combine equity with your draws to make your opponent fold and enable you to win from the pot uncontested. Moreover, it can also balance out a check raise and give you greater ranges on what can be a dry board.
When to use the semi bluff
Generally, the semi bluff is best used when you are in position. A semi bluff requires good use of card equity in Texas Hold’Em, and it is most effective if your opponent looks likely to fold during a round. There are two types of equity you need to think of for the semi bluff — the pot equity and the fold equity.
With the former, this will rely heavily on whether you have a strong hand as well as determining what is in the pot. If you have a nut flush, for example, the pot odds will be more favourable.
In terms of outs, there are a total of 14 outs, and you will have a 32% chance of making the best hand, such as holding aces or a high flush come the river.
Pros
- Win bigger pots – If you make your hand in Texas Hold’Em, you’ll win even more money, because you raised, therefore inflating what was in the pot.
- Balance ranges – Your opponent can’t always counter your hand when you raise. It keeps your opponents guessing at the table.
Cons
- Context dependency – The betting pattern at the poker table may determine when the best time to semi bluff. Most players won’t know when to pull off the bluff.
- Cheap tactic – It can be a cheap tactic to throw off an opponent who is heavily weighted at the table. There is more value sometimes in keeping more chips and waiting to see how things pan out at the table.
How to defend against it?
Flush draws on an open ended straight draw are a great way to get yourself out of trouble in a round, as they are strong hands. The quicker you can spot a semi bluffer, the more value your stack will carry.
The re-steal
The re-steal explanation
Sometimes, players raise a lot from a late position in an effort to steal the blinds in Texas Hold’Em. The re-steal is essentially three-betting when you suspect an aggressive player has raised to steal the blinds.
Why the re-steal is used
Good players know that if they fold closer to the dealer button, they will be able to make a raise or small raises with more profitable hands.
Nevertheless, most players can be exposed their hand might not be strong enough to call a three-bet.
When to use the re-steal
In Texas Hold’em, the re-steal is often used in tournament play or sit and go situations when the big blind becomes worth taking.
You may choose to re-steal when you are defending against someone who wishes to make a standard raise in a late position. They will work against marginal hands, and will suit those who don’t get flustered in situations where the stakes are high.
Pros
- Rewards can be greater – If used correctly, you can gain more money from the pot if the original raise or re raise is successful.
- Can be attempted from the blinds – For those Texas Hold’Em plans that like to hatch a plan, this will suit such players who aren’t always keen on folding their blinds, and can do so by calling or making a re raise. Lower suited connected and small pocket aces will come in handy.
Cons
- Can’t make any assumptions – In Texas Hold’Em poker games, it is hard to make any assumptions about your opponents when attempting a re-steal, especially when you are up against tight players.
- Carries some risk – If your opponent places a big bet and has a monster hand, then there is little you can do about it in Texas Hold’Em, and they will take more from the pot.
How to defend against it?
To defend against a re-steal in Texas Hold’Em, you will be faced with two prospects. Either you will have to stop stealing in the late position with hands that can’t withstand a re raise or be prepared to take a gamble and make a call with a wider range.
Min raise
The min raise explanation
This type of Texas Hold’Em power play is where players will make a raise, which is exactly two big blinds. It is exactly as it sounds, and it is a raise for the minimum amount allowed. By making a minimum raise before the flop in poker, this would be twice the size of the opening bet.
Why the min raise is used
Min raises are common occurrences in poker, and many players will resort to it when betting to make their bluffs more profitable. Once again, it is about establishing position on the poker table, whether that be in the early stages or later on at the river.
When to use the min raise
You should employ a min raise in poker if your opponent is not adjusting his folding tactics whether it be at the flop or later on in a betting round. Of course, any min raise will be based on the size of the pot.
Pros
- Can attack more pots – By making smaller raises in an early position, you will be risking fewer chips, and for a number of players, this will allow them to attack more pots with other blinds.
- Greater control – You’ll also be in greater control of the pot if you were the preflop aggressor, and you will be able to disguise your best hand well.
Cons
- Missed value – If used in the wrong spots, there is a greater chance you will lose, as you won’t get value with the bets you make in any given situation.
- Used by default – Many players in Texas Hold’Em might make a min raise, but if they have a good position, then they should be raising higher to force their opponents onto the back foot.
How to defend against it?
If we were on the receiving end of a min raise in Texas Hold’Em, we could proceed in one of two ways. It will depend on the street, but you could peel flop min raises or continue raising at the river.
Also, a potential avenue would be to widen any min raise or re raise, as failure to do so could see your opponents exploit any gaps, such as if they were to make a flush draw.
Overbetting with monsters
The overbetting with monsters explanation
In more recent times, some poker players would play a huge hand, such as a full house or nut flush and they would make a small bet. Overbetting is not a new phenomenon, and it is a common Texas Hold’Em strategy when you play. Therefore, overbetting refers to when players go all in against their opponent with what they consider to be premium hands, however, it is anything but a value bet.
As such, by going all in, the flush possibility could desert them as their eyes light up when they see what is in the pot.
Why overbetting with monsters is used
In some cases, especially when in an early position or a small blind in Texas Hold’Em, you might notice that your opponent will be able to call a standard-size bet, but in the end, they end up folding with larger bets.
When to use overbetting with monsters
In deep stack games, they can be used on any street in a poker game, including the river. This move provides a lot of versatility, and it can be hard to beat when deployed successfully.
While it can be a brutal move, if you have premium hands, including a top pair, then you can push forward more chips compared to other players in Texas Hold’Em.
Pros
- Provide value – With this tactic, you will be betting with greater value come the post flop. It also gives tight players in Texas Hold’Em a greater nut advantage, especially if they have a strong hand in the stack. The bigger the nut advantage, the bigger you can over bet. You can also force out your opponent if they are holding a middle pair.
- Can induce steals – If you have successfully worked out the pot odds, then overbetting with monsters can force your opponents into simple mistakes, which in turn, will allow you to collect more chips come the big blind.
Cons
- Doesn’t conceal any obvious weaknesses – For those looking to hide any weak spots in Texas Hold’Em, overbetting from the small blind won’t prevent this. If anything, it will serve to show you are weak and that you are looking to get yourself out of a jam in the hope that you will be paid something. There are tons of players who will just wait before overturning any pair you might have.
- Can be easy to read – Some beginners will be happy to throw caution to the wind and go all in during Texas Hold’Em with their chips, however, overbetting can be easy for those who play more regularly to detect how the board is shaping up. It can be an easy trap to fall into.
- Not good for negative blockers – If you are overbet bluffing, you will wait and keep your fingers crossed that your opponents fold as often as possible. But these players involved that are negative blockers will put themselves in a worse position when they overbet in Texas Hold’Em.
How to defend against it?
If there are two aces on the board, for example, you will need to have a solid read. The chances are that if there are aces, then your opponent will be bluffing, so you could restructure your bet to throw them off with their bet. Naturally, stack sizes are crucial, and generally speaking, those playing won’t like to call off half of their remaining chips in Texas Hold’Em. You will therefore need to be forceful with any calls made while raising.
The isolation play
The isolation play explanation
In certain situations when you are playing Texas Hold’Em, you won’t want to get involved in a multi-way pot, and by isolating a player, you will give yourself a better chance of making the best hand with your bet. An isolation play involves raising and re raising to push other players on the board out of the pot. You will therefore be isolating the only player for whom you wish to play against.
When to use the isolation play
Like most other poker moves, the isolation play will be effective when you are in position. The closer we are to the dealer button, the more likely you can be looser and aggressive. Also, your Texas Hold’Em skill level will determine how much you wish to bet, but always be aware of the betting limit.
Pros
- Position advantage – The isolation play will enable players to play and bet with greater ranges especially if your stack is strong, such as holding a pocket pair or a two pair.
- Important tool – In Texas Hold’Em, it can be effective to use against much weaker players, who aren’t so assured of themselves.
Cons
- Can get chaotic – Things can quickly spiral out of control if you don’t position yourself well or take a superficial approach to things.
- Players can over-inflate their worth – Unless you are well versed in isolation play tactics, some players can over exaggerate their worth and make a bet and go all in, and so it isn’t something that should be undertaken lightly.
How to defend against it?
There are a few different ways to isolate players, but those who are good at reducing the variables in hand will be able to counter its effectiveness. It is best to use it when there are fewer players involved.