Selective aggression is the key to effective poker play, and Limit Texas Hold'Em is no exception. Playing an attacking style is much more effective than a defensive one, allowing you to win much more often than the cards will allow you to. However, playing a wild, jackal style can also be your downfall, so there are some guidelines to keep in mind as you reach for your chips. It is recommended that you have a basic knowledge of competitive play before proceeding.
- Did you raise pre-flop? Against one opponent, it's often a good idea to go ahead and bet the flop, almost regardless of what hit. By consistently being aggressive, your opponents are forced to either have a hand or re-raise and bluff at you. Keeping strong pressure is important. Remember, two out of three times a single opponent will have missed the flop. Use that statistic to your advantage. Against multiple opponents, where someone is more likely to have made a hand, you should be more resistant to betting without hitting the flop. When you're bluffing, you rarely want to be re-raised and forced to fold.
- Do you have top pair? If you do, you should usually bet with or without a good kicker. This allows you to gather information. Did you opponents all call you? They probably have draws, middle-pairs they hope to improve, or top-pair with a junk kicker. As the hand progresses, keep in mind possible draws your opponents have. If they make their draws, bet, but plan to release if raised. If no draws were hit, keep on betting, you probably have the best hand. Were you raised? Re-assess. With a strong kicker, consider re-raising to gather more information. If the betting is capped you can't be thrilled with only top pair, and you should re-assess again on the turn.
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Author: Alvin Lau