There’s nothing better than making a big pre-flop raise with pocket Aces. The chips are in the middle, and you look down to see if you’ve got the best hand. Of course, you can’t see your opponents’ cards, but if you know what you’re doing, you’ll probably make a lot of money out of this.
But what to do when you make that pre-flop raise with Aces? If you’ve been patient enough to learn the holding techniques, you’ll have a somewhat solid hand, at the least. But if you’re not getting the raises you want, and you sense that the other players at the table want you to call, then it’s time to mix it up a bit.
One way to hold back a big hand, particularly in Limit Hold ‘Em, is to limp in with small raises. If you make a small raise pre-flop with aces, and your opponents don’t really care, you can get a lot of money in the pot without making a significant raise. Of course, if you do get raised, you’ll have to make a decision: either fold, making a difficult decision for yourself, or play smart and take a stab at the pot.
This is a situation where you can’t make the easiest of decisions: you have to call, or at least not call immediately, and see the flop. If you’re not getting any action, and your opponents aren’t Value Bets (raising just for the opportunity to get more money in the pot), then it’s time to look elsewhere for a way to build a bit of confidence in your hand.
This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t call a raise; because of the benefits of calling (after all, you’re paying to see the flop, too), you should consider limping in yourself. This move won’t necessarily triple your stack; but if you’re at a table where everyone folds, every little limp can add up to some big money.
Calling can also be a good idea late in a tournament, when your stack is low and you’re sure there won’t be any biting rounds against you. Here, you can make a large bet to steal the blinds with any two cards, hoping that your opponents have nothing and call you (and thereby give you more money).
Finally, there’s the famous late-position trap. With the button and blinds at your control, you can do one of two things: commit a large sum to the pot, or slow play and let the blinds and button catch up. Either way, the aim is to set up the next big pot.
Suited cards, high pairs, and flushes are worth a bet; two-pair and straight draws are worth a raise; a three-of-a-kind is worth a check; a straight and flush draw is worth a semi-bluff; and a hand withesterongs is worth a bet.
Razz is a mix of low-limit hold ’em and pot-limit draw-heavy strategies, with a heavy focus on big hands. It’s not an easy game, but with a few pointers and practices, it’s quite a rewarding one.
Find a quiet spot far away from the action. With a paste filter equipped, you’ll be able to catch only the truly important handsicateof action.
Don’t be afraid to see flops. Since razz is a drawing game, you’ll often have a hand after the flop.
Don’t call the big all-ins. At lower limits, there’s often a cheap way to commit your entire stack for the hand; it’s often called a “depo 20 bonus 20.”
Only call raises with premium hands. Once you’ve committed chips with a raise, there’s no reason to add more.
Never fold when you can take the pot. Folding is a precise means of saving your money.
Know when to bluff. Sometimes it’s worth taking the pot with a bluff.
Don’t bluff too often. This is a strategy that’ll get old fast as you’re likely to discover.
It’s fine to make a semi-bluff, even if you’re called. Once you’ve established the fact that your hand is strong, you’ll need to bait your opponents or fall back on your bet.