Improve Your Online Poker Game Through Post-Flop Play

When you make a big win at the poker table, whether you earn a straight flush or pick up a monster, usually the first thing that comes to mind is that you got lucky and beat all of your opponents. This is a natural human reaction, and it’s easy to say that a poker pro makes money with blessed hands, and bad players simply luck out.
However, poker is not a game of luck. True, the cards you are dealt with are not in your control, but you still get to decide how to play those cards. In addition, you get a chance to use your skills to have a better hand than everyone else. All three of these factors combine to make your post-flop decision very important.
It’s natural for a bad player to try to keep the game going when they have a hand that needs a lot of work. They are, after all, only human, and no poker professional wins every hand. A good player will recognize that the hand they were dealt was not a good one, and rarely will they try to hang in for an indicator that they know they’ll lose.
The tricky part about post-flop play in a cash game is that you, as a player, have no control over how long the game will last. All you can do is dictate how the game will end. Here’s an example: You are dealt AK in a Texas Hold ’em game. The flop, turn and river all suit a card higher than yours. You bet out with a vig after seeing your two pairs on the flop. The BB raises you by two bets, and you have to call, which means there’s a lot of action and chips in the pot. On the turn, the same BB checks, and you check behind. A flush draw seems likely since the board has two cards of the same suit – one of which is surely higher than your ace.
Now you are holding QJ, if you check behind, you will never know if the BB will bet again. Perhaps the best thing to do is to bet out on the flop and slow play the turn. That way, if you make your flush on the river, you will at least have time to call the bet down.
Anticipate raises, and don’t be afraid to call them. A raise is predictable; a call is not. Don’t let opponents get into an expression of receipts or anything similar. Often, opponents will take the gamble of raising the action with weak hands against your big raise. Don’t let it get to you.
Now you have a bit more material knowledge on how to play poker online. There are two paramount rules of thumb that you will want to stick to whenever possible. One: Don’t slow play big hands. Two: If you have a monster, raise. Even a shove is known as a big raise.
You can stop periodically and let other players get a read on what you’re holding. But you’re not raising to steal the pot. You’re raising action in general. Whether you raise or call is up to your strategy, but you’re usually representing three bets: an aggressive loose-aggressive game. When you play a hand likeAA, many opponents will automatically assume you hold either a high pair or AA. Never fall into a set pattern. You can afford to mix it up occasionally; it will still be profitable versus most opponents, especially if you pick up a few big hands along the way.
Holdem psychology is a key differentiating feature that makes top poker players tick more often. Then why is it simple: If your opponent thinks you will call or raise with a hand like QQ when you actually have the made hand, your opponent will not bet because he knows you will raise and want to get value out of him for his money? This is bad because you will win a big pot if you raise with QQ and catch the third barrel. Your opponent does not know you have three bets behind you, and you are risking the chance that he hasn’t a pair. For this reason, QQ is not always a good hand to play–you have to be careful to lay your traps properly.
A good way to make weak players think you have a better hand than you actually do is to bet very aggressively when you have a perfect hand. This is mainly a sure-fire way to win pre-flop raises. It’s a high-risk play when you have a hand like AA mixed up with some other aggressive bets, but it will pay off when you get an aAA on the flop.
Remember, poker is art. You aren’t really playing the cards. You’re playing the other players. Don’t let opponents read you. You’re not a very good player who can only win by reading opponents.