All about Online Classified

I have been playing “proper” serious money and fun money free poker for most of my life but mainly free poker for the last four years. At first it was easy but as time went on I found it harder to win as I got caught up in the world known as the “Easy Play Trap”.

The trap is where you get into the habit of playing every single hand in the belief that it is the only way to win. You post and play every hand praying the flop with give you a hand. The problem with it is that you lose more and even worse anyone with any skill learns how you play really easily which makes things even worse. The problem is most common I find on free texas holdem poker sites where, due to the very low or even no risk nature of the poker games it is easy not to be bothered. OK, if all you want is some fun free texas holdem poker play it’s no problem (though I would say that getting whipped frequently takes the fun away!) , but if you have any sort of ambition to improve and win proper money later, even go pro, then this is a fatal trap to get stuck in.

Then last year I started playing what I call “SMART”. “SMART” players think of the odds of playing each hand based on your starting hand. The two cards in your hand give you an idea of what your chances of winning before the flop.

“SMART” poker means as follows:

Singles – A – K – Q – J

Married – AK – AQ – AJ – A10

Average – 10 10 – 9 9 – 8 8 – 7 7 – 6 6

Rare – AA – KK – QQ – JJ

Terrible – 2 7 – 2 8 – 2 9 – 2 10 – 3 8 – 3 9 – 3 10 -4 9 – 4 10 -5 10

Singles are best used cards from the same suite.

Playing singles with low off suites is generally risky because some times it is the kicker that means a win. Watch the flops to check out how the cards are falling as if there are more small off suites hitting with a single you might want to try.

Married and Rare hands are your better possible starting hands prior to the flop and requires you to think first. Going all in with a Married or Rare hand before the flop is good but may also be a killer. Watch the other players for a time to get an idea of what they play before going up against them.

Average poker hands are good to start with but the flop truly provides a picture of how you will play your hand. On an average a third will fall with the flop when holding a small pair. If not, and there is a small bet, try the turn but never the river as odds are against you.

Terrible are poker hands I try not to play because they normal are losing hands. True you might get lucky but if you do not have any money in the pot why waste the time and money on a chance. High blind and there is no raise, yes play, however low blind, forget it and wait for a better hand.

During a recent live game I was down to 80 in chips with the blinds at 10 – 20. I was not getting a hand and we were down to three players. Being “SMART” I came back and won the money.

Now the important bit, how to learn to play “SMART”: If you are new to poker or are stuck in the trap, get yourself over to a free poker tournament site and practice loads. Be serious about your game and don’t get distracted by all the Easy Play Trap people you’ll come across. The, once you are confident and showing consistent bankroll growth you can move on and up.

Your position in a free poker tournament or Sit ‘n Go is very important. Depending on where you are, there are certain ways to play and optimise your chances.

For example, if the player on my left opens, the next two men call, and the following player raises it, then I can’t come in with that possible straight, for these three reasons: First, if I call that raise, those other players behind me may have limped their good hands. So if I put my checks in to draw at this straight, the next man calls it, and the third man moves in and raise the re-raiser, my straight probably wouldn’t be any good if I make it. (When you put checks in the pot, you’ve got to think you’ll be able to go with your hand).

Additionally I’m not in place- and it comes down to being in a bad position as under the gun- 1st to tattletale your hand. The original raiser could go again with a common amount- I could call them- as at this time I don’t believe my str8 has the potential to win. I will also get some action from 4 other opponents. When this occurs it will leave the pot at five to one I cant make my str8 although the card draw chances are not five to one that I wont. So in this play I could gamble all my checks and this is where the concealed percentages appear. I know that my str8 will take an opponent down.

Besides, by not being able to open, I don’t have a quarter in the pot at this point. There’s no reason for me to risk my check to come in and draw at this “possible.” Even if I do come in and make it, I may go broke. So rather than do all this guessing, I know there’ll be another deal in about forty seconds and I’ll just wait for a new hand.

However, I would play this hand altogether differently in a limit game. I’d go ahead and call this raise and re-raise, knowing there is a limit on what I could lose. And if I did make it, I’d sure as hell bet that I could, because I don’t draw to any hand that I won’t bet. If you draw at something, make it, and check it, then you’re defeating yourself.

These are specific tactics for both Hold ‘em poker tournaments and Sit and Go poker games. As with so many things you need to practice your approach as much as possible, the ideal place to do so is a free poker tournament site where you can lose without losing real money.

Weighing up and calculating the percentages will give you an idea on the chances of earning some cash. For instance I’m taking part in a free poker game with twenty nine other opponents and ten of us getting waged. The percentages are quite easy to work out: one in three, and for this I would play quite mild for the majority of the game. Don’t be fooled into thinking I’m not going to be the front runner come the end of the night- but most of the time the cards dealt in the first forty five minutes will determine this.

I’m going to share and explain some of my better card play strategies. Remember this is not a beginning spot and is a long way off the real game. 77 I flat call and receive two times back and call. Flop comes 6D, 3H, 4H- 1st person to make a play all in on a one hundred and sixty five dollar, with a pot of three grand. I fold as they probably had better pockets or a nut flush draw/straight. Even though I had a fair chance of holding the best hand its way too soon to go for such a crazy move.

99 I flat call and the same opponent as previously shoved all in on flop 8D, 8S, 8H; I’m now wondering if I was incorrect on the previous play but I still fold regardless. He shows a Jtwo so I’m deciding I was right before. KJ off I flat call only due to the fact the pot is higher due to another player calling prior to me. We’re around fifteen mins in and I hold two thousand nine hundred of my initial three thousand dollars.

AJ I slow play A,6,9 flop and a player bets $350 the pot at this point was only $115 and the blinds $20/$40 so I fold. This player gave to much away with the size of his bet, if it were only me and him I would have reconsidered but I would like to think he wouldn’t try that with more players in the hand. I put him on a higher kicker, A6 suited or A9. Just in case I mention that he “should start showing a few to make it more believable.”

This way if he is doing something fishy hopefully my comment will make him think I am on to him. Even if this isn’t the case now I have him thinking that I do in fact think he is bluffing and that I may call him if he keeps it up. When in fact as you all know I am just saying it to keep him in line.

About 20 minutes later I catch him pushing with K8 on a K66 flop while I had A6. Needless to say I double up and get some valuable information. He does have hands when he does these silly bets but the hands he is doing it with are easily beatable. He is relying to much on his odds because the table is short handed at the moment.

I will now employ a method of waiting for this player to make his next error. A different opponent to my right gambles before the flop- who seems to be on the same wave length as me, however playing it completely off the mark. The problem is he’s forceful with his cards and not stupid. I continue with the six grand double up here at first break 1hr into the game. At this point there’s still twenty two players at the table.

One hr and forty odd mins gone and I grasp the same opponent again slow playing a AK for an even 9 grand making my full sum twelve grand with seven opponents left and sitting in a modest third. Although this opponent had managed to pull together around eighteen grand in chips with an attacking style his final place is eighth while the low stack at the prior table is now playing for first spot. Looking for a mark and staying with it will work out in the lengthy game however you need to ensure you have another plan to bring in money to ensure you’re at the table long enough for the big dollars.

AA I bet the minimum and have no action. Hour two is now in the books and I am in last. 4th place with 6k left so I’m all in on my next blind no matter what. The next closest player has 16k and blinds are 600/1200. 55 and flop comes Q510… a little luck never hurt anyone! I lay down AQ off to a bet that would put me all in. I didn’t feel like losing my newly found chips so fast. Went out in 3rd place with A4 suited vs K10 off. Not bad for a free poker tournament where I won some money too, shame it wasn’t an WSOP top table!

I look forward to playing you in a free poker tournament soon!