Texas Hold 'Em Power Plays: December 2007

One of your best Power Plays is to choose the right game to play. This is especially important at the casino but also has application to private games.

1. Never play in an ultra-low stakes game. This would include the $2-$4 limit games found in casinos and any game with smaller limits than that. Because there is so little money involved in each raise and bet, players play more recklessly than normal. The result is a very loose game where nearly every player is in every pot even if there are pre-flop raises. The result for the Power Player is dangerously close to flipping coins. Who wins each hand has a great deal more to do with the community cards than with the hole cards, player skill, or any of the many other factors that can give the Power Player a bankable advantage. You should avoid these games and, if you are drawn to games of pure chance, try the lottery.

2. No limit games are the best Power Play but the player must have a sufficient bankroll to finance some unfortunate losses. Buy-ins are typically $200 or more and the good player may be pressed to make a decision about the entire $200 at any point. There are several other important cautions. These games often attract stronger players than other games so you should be prepared to bring your A game. The good news is that the weaker players are easier to spot and, in any event, they typically do not stay long. Don't let the small size of the blinds fool you in to thinking this will be a low stakes game. I have often seen the blinds as low as $2-$5. It is still a big game as long as there is no limit.

3. Avoid games where it appears that several of the players are well acqainted and you do not know them. This is a classic example of when you cannot identify the sucker at the table, it is probably you. In private games, some or all of the players are likely to be well acqainted every time. If you are not acqainted with the players, you may still want to play as a social event. In that case, simply even the playing field by staying out of the pot for the first 30 minutes or so. Observe the other players carefully and get to know them. If anyone gives you a hard time about never playing, complain about the lousy cards. When you finally do play a hand, you may not get any callers because they will naturally think you finally have monster cards.

Lingo

Aggressive -- when applied to a poker player, this means one who bets or raises in large amounts. Being aggressive when one sees a chance to win a pot is a Power Play and must not be confused with loose or soft play which is not a Power Play.
Big Blind -- a forced bet that the player must put up before the cards are dealt. The big blind rotates clockwise around the table with each hand. The player with the obligation to post the big blind sits two seats to the left of the player designated as the dealer. The player in the big blind bets last on the first round of betting but bets second on all subsequent rounds.
Call -- match the bet of a previous player or, before the flop, matching the size of the big blind
Chase -- trying to fill in a hand that is not already good by calling bets and hoping that the next community card or cards will complete a straight, flush or other good hand
Check -- declining to bet when given the opportunity -- can be thought of as a bet of zero
Check Raise -- checking on your first opportunity to bet during a betting round and, after another player who bets later makes a bet, raising the other player's bet in the same round of betting
Dark -- taking some type of betting action before seeing the cards
Flop -- the first three community cards turned face-up by the dealer after the first round of betting
Flush -- five cards of the same suit. If more than one player has five cards of the same suit, the player with the highest ranked cards in that suit wins. This is one of the reasons that Aces are so important.
Fold -- decline to participate in a pot by giving your hole cards to the dealer
Hole Cards -- two cards dealt to each player face down at the beginning of the hand
Inside Straight -- an opportunity (?) to draw an additional card to complete a straight when only one card will do. Be careful. This is a sucker bet. For example, your hole cards and the community cards give you 8, 9, J, Q. You have an inside straight draw because you can complete your hand with only a 10. Also called a Gut-Shot Straight Draw.
Loose -- a style of play characterized by players who stay for almost every hand and bet with hands that more conservative players would fold. Loose is also called soft. Loose should not be confused with aggressive.
Open-Ended Straight -- an opportunity to draw an additional card to complete a straight with either of two cards. For example, your hole cards and the community cards give you 8, 9, 10, J. You have an open-ended straight draw because you can complete your hand with either a 7 or a Q.
Raise -- increasing the bet of an opponent or, before the flop, increasing the size of the big blind or a previous bet.
River -- the fifth and final card turned face-up by the dealer after the third round of betting and before the fourth and final round of betting
Set -- three of a kind, also called trips
Slow Play -- having a very strong hand but calling or raising the minimum amount in order to convince the other players that you do not have a strong hand
Small Blind -- a forced bet generally one-half the size of the big blind that the player must put up before the cards are dealt. The small blind rotates clockwise around the table with each hand. The player with the obligation to post the small blind sits on the dealer's left. The player in the small blind bets next to last on the first round of betting and first on each subsequent round.
Turn -- the fourth community card turned face-up by the dealer after the second round of betting -- also called fourth street

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