Making Moves
It is a play that we have seen made time, and time again on TV. A guy bets the flop and gets called by a player in position holding two rags. Some people watching at home, including some beginning and intermediate Poker players will be scratching their heads, saying “What the hell is he doing???” Then something happens — the Turn card is dealt, and the player who had bet the flop Checks.
The guy who called on the flop with the two rags bets, and what happens?
He WINS THE POT
To some, the flop caller may look like a madman. In reality the play works a good percentage of the time if it is done in situations where most, if not all of the following factors are present:
- It is a big enough buy-in tournament
- It is the right stages of the tournament
- I am not going to start making plays like this until the pots really mean something. I am not even thinking about doing this before the antes kick in
- The stacks are reasonably deep
- You don’t want to be making this play in a spot where if you get check-raised on the turn, you have left yourself with an average or below average stack
- It is done against the right player
- This is extremely important. I really DO NOT want to make this play against a tricky, unpredictable player. The ideal player is a guy you have seen make a continuation bet on the flop, and then check the turn in the past (The past could be 10 mins ago or 2 hours ago, Observation of Players is a key to playing Winning Poker). Find these players who will bet the flop and check the turn–they run rampant in the lower limit MTT’s online and in the Guaranteed Tournaments
- The board texture
- If the flop texture looks like it could fit into your opponent’s hand, the play is not likely to work. Say if he raises preflop, and bets at a 942 flop and you call his bet. If the Turn is another low card and he checks, there is a good chance he has 2 big cards in the hole, because if he had an overpair he would have probably bet again instead of giving you a free river card by allowing you to check behind him
- You are extremely careful when executing this play
- This is not a beginner or intermediate play, it is advanced, and it is normally viewed as high-risk. There is always the chance you will be wrong, and your opponent will call or even check-raise you on the turn. You should also be reasonably sure you aren’t against a player who plays too passively as he may just be calling you down with a real hand. A lot of passive players will play top pair very very weakly throughout a hand.
If you are at a level in your Poker game that you can trust your reads and know your opponents tendencies, this play (when used sparingly) is a good way to chip up in the middle to late stages of a Multi-table Poker Tournament.
The keys to the success of this play are good timing, proper execution, and a good table image. Like any other move, this should not be overused so try and pick the best situation you can if you decide to try it out. Make sure most, if not all the factors above are present, and use your best judgment. Once you master this play you won’t think the guys on TV are quite so crazy anymore. Good Luck at the tables.
Other Great Gambling Sites:Play Blackjack at www.eBlackjack.com - Everything Blackjack
Play the lottery online! www.OnlineLotteries.com - Online Lotteries
Play craps online at www.CrapsOnline.com Craps Online
Play online casino games, and read casino reviews and get casino news at www.OnlineCasino.co.in - Online Casino
Get the best online blackjack reviews, tips, and more at www.BestBlackjack.com - Best Blackjack
