Poker Bullets
What do you do when you have a monster hand pre-flop? I’m talking specifically about bullets. You pull up the corners of your cards and see those two familiar A’s staring back at you. Once you’ve allowed your emotions to settle, you have a decision to make. Do you press the betting right away? A lot of players will take this opportunity to move all-in, which is great if you drag somebody else along for the ride. Unfortunately, few players are going to gamble a possible straight, flush or high card unless they have a chance to limp into the flop.
That is, though, precisely what you’re trying to avoid. Especially since folding that PartyPoker monster hand is one of the hardest things you’ll have to do. If you’re good enough to really read your opponents, and you do allow them to limp in, then sense the flop made their hand (be it trips or a straight, etc..), folding Aces is exactly what you’ll have to do. So we want to avoid this outcome at all costs. Going all-in is definitely one way to accomplish this, but it doesn’t make you very much money.
Checking is a huge gamble in and of itself. You wisely resist the temptation at any stage of the betting to put someone to a decision for all their chips, but you open the door to everyone else checking, as well. If nobody has any strength to their hand, that’s exactly what they’ll do. Then the flop will come, and you’ll have your work cut out for you trying to read everyone at the table. The benefit here is that someone tries to buy the pot, or makes a modest raise on a decent hand, and you catch them in a trap. Then you can push back all-in, and if they fold you’ll at least doubled your money by waiting one turn.
Limping in, meaning just calling a bet, is the worst option. You’ll not playing much strategy, you’re giving other players who don’t deserve the chance an opportunity to improve their hands, and hurting yourself in the process. Like I said, if you’re going to play Aces weak, at least be prepared to come back strong given the opportunity, but just calling and limping in doesn’t make any sense. You’re liable to get hurt on the Poker flop, get frustrated with yourself, and allow that emotion to cloud your judgment when you otherwise would know you’re now beat. Then you’ll end up losing money instead of taking down a pot.