Thoughts on betting strategies

[ismael9467]

I was giving some thought to my betting strategies in situations where I have the nuts. Here is what I find myself doing. Please offer any comments based on critique of my betting strategy or what you guys do in similar situations.

There are basically only 2 situations that you will find yourself in when you have the nuts. Either you take the aggressive approach and you will either get callers or everyone will fold to you. If you get a re-raisethen even better but I find that that rarely happens for me in my online experience when I am sporting the nuts. Or, someone else will show aggression in the hand.

If no one shows any aggression with a raise or re-raise, I will usually check or call a small bet to see the next card hoping that it will improve someone else's hand. If it does not appear to do so I will raise and just try to take the pot right there knowing that it is unlikely that I will see any action.

However, if I see someone show aggression in the hand, I tend to let them continue with that aggression feigning power all the way through to the end of the hand checking to them. I will usually not come over the top of them with a re-raise when I can sense that they are headed toward going all-in on their own without any help from me re-raising them and forcing the action. I will from time to time re-raise just to show the table that I don't always slow play the nuts.

Should I be more forceful with a re-raise more often or do you feel that this is an effective way to play the nuts? Seems to be working for me right now.

[ryder]

That sounds very similar to how I play and I agree, it seems to work for me right now. It'd be interesting if there were 4 of us at a table playing exactly the same way. Do you play in Vegas a bunch, or do you just make the occassional trip?

Hm...If it works for you then why change it?

On the other hand....I'm a bit of a wimp with raising my bet anywhere. In poker, I tend to check unless I've got that truly great hand. Though, in slots it's go big or go home. So go figure!

[ryder]

Well, playing safe is all well and good...you'll probably rarely win but at least you won't lose as much/fast as others. But when you get to be a better poker player, you notice the game within the game, which is what Ismael was kinda talking about. Noticing people's tendencies, filing them away, and recalling them when decision time comes.

Online kinda takes some of this away as you don't actually see people's "tells" and whatnot, but you can still gauge how they play under certain circumstances. That said, I prefer playing live.

And while it may work okay now, there's probably a better way to play that I'm not aware of/able to do just yet. I can't assume that my way is the best way I can be playing or I'll be stuck in this rut forever ;)