06.26
Don’t Slow Wager Your Way Out Of Big Pots!
Gradual bet on is really a term used in poker – specially Texas Holdem – for trying to lure your opponents into generating a big bet so that you can trap them and take down an enormous pot.
It can be usually used having a very great pre-flop hand such as pocket Aces on Kings. In place of betting huge, the sluggish gambler will sit back and limp in (call or check) as if he does not have a hand worth betting, hoping that an opponent will have caught a lower pair or a straight draw and will come in with a big wager.
It is a classic poker manouever and one which has won a great deal of money for poker gamblers down by means of the ages, except it has lost it’s effectiveness. The simple reason for this is that everybody is now slow playing their huge hands so it is pretty much expected.
So how do you use this scenario to your advantage?
Should you catch an enormous palm, you have to come out wagering. As an alternative to attempting to tempt your competitors into generating a move so that you just can are available in more than the top, produce the bet yourself. Now most amateur gamblers baulk in the thought of this in case the rest of the table folds and they "waste" their large palm, except in reality you’ll typically generally have a few betting action from somebody.
By wagering your big palm in place of sluggish playing it, you might be performing a double bluff since most people today would gradual wager on it. Your opponents will often assume that you are bluffing and you will obtain a number of wagering action and ultimately win more money.
The other reason you ought to wager is that when you don’t wager, that you are allowing your competitors a free of charge look in the cards and every single time a card is turned over they may very well be converting a losing hands to a succeeding one.
There is only one predicament where it will constantly pay to gradual bet on your hands – whenever you flop an absolute monster that nearly can’t be beaten. For example say that you are dealt Ace, Four of clubs and the flop is Queen, 10, Nine of clubs. You’ve just flopped the nut flush and you’re pretty much unbeatable. OK somebody could have a pair of Queens, Tens or Nines and catch a fourth on the turn or river, or they could be holding the King of clubs and catch the Jack for a straight flush, but the odds of you not winning are now remote.
This is the time to slow play your hand. There are all sorts of hands that somebody else could possibly be holding to make them believe they are in a excellent position here; two other clubs, a straight draw, triples and even just a Queen for the top pair, whatever they’ve got the odds are anyone will think it’s worth wagering. If the flop or river produces a King, Queen Jack, 10 or 9 you may possibly have an enormous raise or even an all-in from somebody.
Now you let them develop the pot up by just calling the bets and take down the pot with your nut flush.