By Lucy Roberts
September 23rd, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
It takes more than this to win a hand – but it it certainly a good start.
Intermediate means you know a thing or two about poker, and to know a thing or two about poker is an achievement. It’s a strategy game that will drain the life from you if you find yourself in one that’s intense enough. To outsider non-poker players, poker is one of the most complex games. All the chips, cards, bluffing, and generally not having a clue what to do.
But if you know how to play, you should consider intermediate poker strategies worth trying. Read on to find out more.
Play Position Aggressively
Position in the game of poker is essential. Especially when in a later position, like on the button or in close range, a player has more information than the players that have already acted. An intermediate player should play to the restriction of their position and try to get as much out of it as they can.
For example, if you happen to be in the back seat of the action and notice that most players have folded, now is the time to make your move. You are less likely to be called when you throw in a raise because you can make this play with a broader range. The late position also allows you to see everyone’s reaction before you make a move. It is tactically better to be aggressive when in this position.
Semi-Bluffing
Semi-bluffing is an intermediate tactic. Semi-bluffing is when there’s a settlement that is still untenable and may happen with a bet or raise in the possibility of the hand developing. It’s a calculated gamble because it is not only the outcome this time that depends on luck.
Is there a bluff taking place? Poker is a game of strategy and tremendous skill.
As an illustration, assume you have suited 8 and 9 together with a flop that presents an opportunity for the formation of the straight. This hand doesn’t look the best, but several cards can enhance it and make it stronger. By betting or raising here, it becomes easy to make the opponent sacrifice some of the weaker hands to play along with you to allow you to make the draw.
Semi-bluffing causes a lot of confusion for your opponents.
The Continuation Bet (C-Bet)
A continuation Bet (C-bet) is a tactic in which you make a pot bet on the flop despite the board being static because you have already raised before the flop.
This is a tactic that advanced players like to use, and getting a grasp of it helps intermediate-level players have the upper hand.
Once you have decided to raise the pre-flop, you can presume your opponents are already of the view that your hand is probably strong. So once there is a C-bet on the turn, it makes sense for the opponent who called the bet at the flop to think that the board has helped the player to improve the hand, even though this was not the case. Naturally, it becomes very difficult for the opponents, especially when they don’t connect on the flop.
It seems complicated, but you’re an intermediate, now.
Hand Reading and Player Profiling
What is behind those cards – and what is behind those eyes ?
Hand reading and player profiling belong more to the advanced stages of play and involve estimating the range that your opponents hold based on their visible actions in the same throne as their actions before that.
If you are profiling a player, pay attention to the statistics regarding the frequency of bets raised or folds made in a particular situation. Are they loose or tight? Do they bluff a lot, or are they more of a straightforward player? This kind of consideration will let you tell the strength of your opponent’s hand, whether strong or weak.
Hand reading involves a lot of extra details, and the player has to be very keen on the betting patterns and the board.
Playing Poker at Canadian Online Casinos
Playing poker at online casinos is so much fun – you’ll find so many live poker games at online casinos in Canada. There are different types of poker available in Canadian online casinos, including Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and 7-Card Stud, so every player will find at least one they like. These casinos are licensed to operate, which means there’s decent accountability in terms of security and fair play, ideal for players who enjoy poker.
Canadian online casinos that include poker in their offerings also play tournaments with several buy-ins ranging from the low-end to the upper-high-model tournaments.
Do you think you’re ready to be an intermediate poker player? There’s so much strategy involved, whether you’re a good player or not. The trick is what strategy to use and when to apply it. Fear not, that’s something you’ll learn as you go along and get used to the different playing styles. Most of the time, it depends on who you’re playing against and how good they are. Sometimes, you don’t need to use intermediate tactics.
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