How do poker odds calculators like the holdem inspector work i.e how do they intercept your cards and follow the bets, game play etc? Why are they only compatible with some sites? Please advise. thanks
In order to improve your chances of making money playing poker, you must be able to capitalize on the money lying in the pots after the flop comes down. While stealing the blinds pre-flop is an important part of any poker game, post flop play will typically yield the biggest pots.
Post-flop play stems from 3 basic scenarios that are a result of the pre-flop action. Those scenarios are:
* No action - This scenario is a result of everyone at the table folding to the pre-flop raiser or re-raiser, or of everyone folding to the Big Blind.
* Heads up action - When only 2 players see the flop, the resulting action will be heads up.
* Multi-way action - When 3 or more players see the flop, this results in multi-way post flop action, or a “multi-way pot.”
No Action
No action - Nothing much to explore here. No post-flop action is the result of pre-flop play where all but one player folds. In this case, no flop is dealt, and therefor there is no post-flop action. Congratulations, you just saved some chips!
Heads Up Action
Heads up action - When there is post-flop action, this type of action is the preferred scenario of any professional or serious poker player. Heads up action is simply easier to play. Bluffs and semi-bluffs are successful a higher percentage of the time than in multi-way pots. It is easier to get a read on your opponent’s hand strength. Often in heads up action, pots can be won with low to middle pairs or even high-card hands.
The keys to successful post-flop play include position and aggression. Successful post-flop play will depend largely in part on your pre-flop choices. You will win more pots playing from position than you will out of position. You will win more pots when you are the aggressor (the bettor or raiser) than you will by checking and calling. Therefor, one of the most effective improvements you can make to your post-flop play may be an adjustment to your pre-flop stratgey. Open with aggressive raises from superior position to improve your post-flop winning percentage. By coming out aggressively pre-flop and playing from position, a multitude of different ways that you can win the pot will open up to you.
The most important tool you will have at your disposal will be the continuation bet. This is when a player raises pre-flop, and then fires another bet into the pot after the flop, whether or not the flop improved the raiser’s hand. When you enter into a heads up pot with a preflop raise, you should follow through with a continuation bet 75%-90% of the time, regardless of what flopped. Your opponent will completely miss the flop roughly 70% of the time, and your continuation bet will win you the pot the in most cases.
Another tool that a pre-flop raise from postion will give you is the semi-bluff. This is when you flop a draw, such as a straight or flush draw, and bet or even raise as though you have a made hand. If you get called and then hit on the turn, you are likely to get paid off in a big way! Even if you miss on the turn, you’ll still have a free shot at the draw most of the time. Your opponent usually will not bet on the turn because either (a) he will be afraid of facing another big raise, or (b) will have the best hand, and will be anticipating (and probably hoping for) another bet from you on the turn. Take advantage of this oppotunity to see a free river by checking the turn if it’s a blank.
You can also utilize “feeler bets,” which are bets or raises to determine the strength of your opponent’s hand or the strength of your hand in relation to theirs. While you are spending some chips in this situation, try to avoid thinking to much about your “lost chips” when facing an opponent who is giving you clues to the fact that they have you beat. The reason you are putting out small feeler bets is to save yourself large amounts of chips if you’re hand is beat.
Multi-way Action
Multi-way action - Multi-way pots are typically the most difficult to play, and should be avoided in most situations whenever possible, especially if playing from out of position. Multi-way pots can be good to play in, however, with drawing hands or small to medium pocket pairs. The reason is that if you flop a monster with a disguised hand, you’re more likely to get paid off as someone in the hand is likely to have a hand that is strong enough to call you with, even if it is 2nd best. If you were to flop a set with a small pair or a a flush or a straight with a suited connector, you’ll have plenty of players in the hand who might have top-pair-top-kicker, 2 pair, or a draw that may be willing to pay you off even if you fire a huge bet.
If you do flop a draw in a multi-way pot, tricky plays aren’t as likely to work. Stick to good pot odds to chase a draw. If the price isn’t right, throw the hand away. You will find good pot odds often enough in multi-way pots to make it worth throwing away a few draws when the odds are against you.
If you intend to win money when playing poker, you need to learn how to calculate the pot odds in every hand. This is an essential poker playing strategy, yet it is one that beginning players often fail to do, which leads them to make mistakes. It refers to calculating the ratio of the size of the current pot to the cost of playing the hand. When you disregard the odds, you find that you are losing most of the hands and paying away your chips to the other players at the table with you. The simplest method of calculating the odds is to compare the number of unknown cards left in the deck with the number of outs you have remaining. Then all you have to do is perform simple division to find the odds.
This doesn mean that you need a calculator with you at the table because there are many tips and shortcuts that can help you do this quickly and easily. One easy method is to add up your total outs and multiply this number by 2. Then you add 2 to the total to find the approximate percentage of the chances you have of making the hand.
When playing online, you can have a cheat sheet by your side which makes it much easier to calculate the odds when you are playing multiple tables. You wouldn take such a sheet with you if you are playing at a table in a casino though. The sheet gives you the odds of making a hand with outs from 1 to 21 and is based on two cards left to play and one card left to play. When you reach this stage of the game, you need to know your odds so that you have some idea of whether you should increase your bet or just hold steady.
Although it may seem like a nuisance, as you learn the game, you will need to take the time to make the calculations. As you become more experienced, you will be able to do the calculations in your head more quickly. It will tell you whether or not you should hold on to the cards that are likely to bring you down or whether you should fold.
After the flop in Texas Hold em, you will likely be in one of three positions. The cards you hold in your hand may be worthless in comparison with the three cards on the table and in this case you should fold. The second situation could be that one or more of your cards could well make a winning hand with the community cards, in which case you should bet or raise. If you have a drawing hand after the flop, you don necessarily have a strong hand, but you could make a good hand with the two remaining cards left to be turned over. This is where you would have to calculate the odds to find the chances of these cards being the ones you need. It will help you determine how much you should place as a bet.
Me and my buddy are pretty solid poker players (amateur, but better than the tourists who only watch on TV), and we are going to visit Atlantic City on either Friday afternoon or Saturday during the day (maybe both). I was just wondering if anyone has any opinions for the best casino?
Which casino has the best limit games, any tournaments on Friday night or Saturday morning, and finally, the best buffet (since we’ll be getting lunch or dinner in AC at some point). Thanks!
I watch texas hold em all the time and the pros are always playing for big money, and I wonder. What do you have to do to become a pro. Also, do you have to pay to get in tournaments. I like poker a lot and I was wondering what the chances of me are of becoming a pro. I am 16 by the way. I don’t have a gambling problem and I usually play online and sometimes with friends.
I am thinking of downloading Texas Calculatem pro by depositing $50 onto Full Tilt. When I deposit, texas calculatem will send me a license code. If I download it, can I use it on Full Tilt as well as Poker Stars?
What kind of cash game strategy do you use? Do you play tight and only play good cards? Do you have more chaces of winning if you play with a 6 player table or a 9?
