Poker Tip
Phil Gordon - June 6, 2005
Everyone makes mistakes. The thing is, a good player will learn from
them while a bad player will make the same mistake over
and over again. And poker players that can exploit these
mistakes through this poker guide will win.
Here is a poker guide to some of the most common mistakes that bad
players make and my usual methods for exploiting them:
A player doesn't bluff enough. When these
players bet or raise, I usually give them credit for a
good hand. When they check, I will usually bet to try
and take the pot.
A player overvalues top pair. The "average"
winning hand in Hold 'em is two pair. Yet many players
are willing to take tremendous risks with top pair. When
I have a hand that can beat a player who overvalues his
top pair, I will over-bet the pot and put them into a
position to make a big mistake. I go out of my way to
play small pocket pairs against these players because I
know that if I flop a set, I'm likely to get paid off in
a huge way.
A player under-bets the pot. It is incredibly
important, especially in No Limit Hold 'em, to make bets
large enough to punish opponents for their draws. When a
player under-bets the pot and I have a draw, I take
advantage of their mistake by just calling the small
bet. When I think I have him beat, I'll make a raise.
A player calls too much. I will very rarely
bluff against a "calling station." I will, however, make
value bets throughout the hand.
A player tightens up under pressure. Most bad
players "squeeze" too much in the middle stages of a
tournament, or when they're on the bubble. They tighten
up and wait for a huge hand. Against these players, I
will play a lot looser, looking to steal a larger share
of the blinds and antes.
A player telegraphs the strength of his hand with
"tells." I am always observing these players,
whether I am in the hand or not.
Playing perfect poker may be nearly impossible for
most players but, by recognizing your own tendencies -
and those of your opponents - you're much more likely to
limit your mistakes and capitalize on the weaknesses of
others at the table.
This lesson is from Phil Gordon's Little Green
Book of No Limit Hold'em Poker Guide Simon Spotlight
Entertainment, Sept 2005.
Phil Gordon
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