Poker Kiwi

www.pkr.com – In terms of your thought processes whilst playing poker, you can never predict what card will be turned over next, which goes without saying. But that does not mean that you cannot be completely ready to make a great move when the action gets round to you. When it comes to making such plans in the heat of the moment, you have to be prepared for what an opponent is about to do.

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Quickly considering your response to possible scenarios before the action gets to you, can be key to a bluff working or failing. An example of this would be a hand in which I was involved a few weeks ago in a live tournament. Three of us went to the flop which came down (3,5,9) or something similar. I was in second position having not connected in any way with the flop. The first player checked, and (knowing the third player to act loved putting out tester bets to try and pick up pots) I immediately thought ‘If I check too, I know the last player to act will raise in order to pick up the pot’ so I checked, and right on cue, the raise came in. Player one folded, and I moved all in, causing my opponent to instantly fold his hand face up. So of course I had to show him his high card was leading, and needless to say, didn’t find myself being bluffed for a while after.

But the only reason that play worked so well, was because I already knew what my opponent was going to do, perhaps even before he did.

Always try and read the game and the hands you are involved in, and be ready to react to what you expect your opponents are likely to do.

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