Playing Poker Against Weak Opponents
One of the biggest challenges for players struggling to improve is losing pots to adversaries who just do not know any better. You have taken the time to learn the right hands to play, but sorry players seem to often defeat you playing weak hands.
Usually they are likely new players too, but you should have the advantage because you read a few books, signed up for a few training sites, watched a few videos and managed your bankroll sensibly well. The problem is that your bankroll is at best, unimpressive. You might in fact analyze your poker bankroll and become sunk at its lack of development.
This is normal, and it’s even more normal to experience some of your biggest beats online due to players who have no hint as to what they are doing. They didn’t read any books, watch any videos, and care little about bankroll management. Thus they will not be playing position, odds, or hole card strength. At least you determined that they don’t recognize what they’re doing, and that’s truly all you require to start getting their money. It’s best to try and avoid these players unless you have a quality hand that you can value that against them. There are definitely strategies to use against these players while not putting your own stack at high risk against them.
Pot size management. It’s critical to not let the size of the pot run away from you until you know you have the best hand, or even the nuts. Weak players will play any two cards so you won’t be able to gauge what they will have, which leaves the burden on you to make sure you are ahead before your chips goes in. That’s when you make the saps pay, otherwise don’t get involved in big pots with players who can beat you holding 83 offsuit.
Folding. You have to be prepared to fold even if you think you may be ahead. You truly want to nullify guessing games with weak players, since they can literally be playing any two cards. Even with an over pair your antagonist could have hit two pair on a ragged flop.
Be patient grashopper. As bad as they play, you may not get the cards to take him down – at least this time. Be certain though, that player is like numerous of others waiting to give you their chips. If not him, patience will grant you with another sorry player that will oblige.
Playing positiion profitably. The idea is to rigorously avoid out of position plays against weak players that often minraise with no forethought, and allow other players to reraise the limpers. You need to see very inexpensive flops against this player and make them pay when you hit good cards.
You cannot bluff a brick wall. Getting fools to fold is utterly daunting and seldom rewarding. If you bet into a player who cannot fold, you better have the best hand. Let them bet and you do the snaring, but playing straight up is lucrative enough against real poker fish.
Trap. The only time you should play a big pot against losers is if you are short stacked in a tournament and think you are way ahead, or you have the best possible hand – trapping them for all of their money. This is why it’s better to play versus weak players in no limit hold’em – they will be happy to give you a lot of money in a very narrow situation.
Playing against weak players can be frustrating, however if you check any stats of these players, you will confirm to yourself that they are not moneymaking players. All you have to determine is if you want to give them chips or take theirs.
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