In face to face poker room games it is easier to read your opponents than is the case online. In online play there is no way to see the many physical tells but don’t worry, online poker has a whole load of tells you can spot when you know what to look for and this free poker online guide is all about ‘em.

Speed of Play
In online poker games there is a time limit on making moves or else the players hand is auto moved all-in or folded. Due to this player speed of action is often a good Tell.

A lot of the time if a player makes a fast bet it is a sign of weakness, slow speed though often indicates strength because the player is busy figuring how best to play their good hand. Note how long opponents take to act and if you get to see their cards at showdown, see if you can determine what they were fast and slow with, that can help a lot next time round.

Do you give away speed tells? Ideally aim to take time for each play unless you can be a real master and mix speed no matter what type of hand you have.

Check Boxes and Auto Plays
A lot of poker rooms online have check boxes to allow players to set automated fold, raise any or call any instructions.

You can tell when a player has used a check box, because actions are immediate. If a player has checked “raise any” it indicates a strong hand. If it is “check” then it is likely weak. If it is “call any”, then the chance is good that it is a draw hand that is not completed but definitely not ready to fold.

While not 100% definite tells, over time you can draw some good conclusions from check box use especially with regular opponents.

Opponents Fold and Flop Percentage
This percentage can’t be exact but over several games you will be able to get a feel if some players fold a lot of hands or if they stick it in most pots.

A lot of folds equates normally to a good player but the player who stays in most pots is not good and can be hammered when you have a good hand.

Chat Box
Generally, if a player chatty player suddenly goes quiet he may well have got good cards.

Alternatively when a player is betting and gets antagonistic in chat it may well be a show of bluffing as the player hopes the show of “confidence” will bluff you off the table.

The chat classic is the “Tilt” player who is whining a lot. Tilted players can’t play good poker until they calm down so it’s a great time for you to push them into making errors.

Waiting for the Big Blind
You will often have the option to wait for the big blind to get to you when you join a table, or you can choose to post a matching big blind so you can get into play right away.

If a player is not patient enough to wait on the big blind to come around, it may indicate an overall lack of patience. Impatient players are loose players and loose players make mistakes.

On the other side players who wait are showing patience or maybe that they are tight fisted with their money, both are good qualities so note who waits and take care with them.

Novice Tells
Free online poker, micro and low stakes games will exhibit a lot of these.

The first is betting with a weak hand and feigning weakness with a strong hand. If you have pocket aces, don’t slow play them. A lot of novices will slow play such pockets and find themselves getting beaten on the flop, turn or river by players who make straights and trips.

Another beginners tell is when they wait one card after he has paired before betting. For example, the player gets a King on the flop and checks. The Turn shows a 2 yet the player starts betting hard. No way would he bet like that on a pair of 2′s so you can be pretty sure he paired the Kings on the flop. If you can beat it bet it.

Seeing Tells and acting on them takes practice, so start of by testing yourself and learning and play free online poker games at NoPayPOKER.com or the lowest stakes possible at PartyPoker before you start to risk real money.

Poker Ups and Downs By Shadowsee

You can’t win them all. Heard that all my life and know it to be true in every aspect of life. People who take fewer chances suffer fewer losses, but also they tend to miss out on opportunities. I have a cousin who married his first girlfriend, so you might say he went all in first hand. It looks like he won, great kids and still married 25 years later. Of course that’s just how it looks, never know whether he or his wife ever wonder if they missed anything.

What’s that got to do with poker? Well, if you don’t bet u don’t lose, you win one hand and call it good you are a winner, so to speak, with a 100% winning average, but man it’s going to be dull from then on. To get the full, rich experience of a veteran player, you have to take some risks.

Having said all of that, and there’s no charge for it by the way, I need to inform you that there is a down side to taking risks. Sometimes you lose. Oh, I know, you’re thinking “duh”. It’s funny though how upset we get sometimes even when we know that losing is always a possibility. People get so mad at times they don’t speak to anyone, or even worse they do, and the things being said just aren’t nice.

That’s the main purpose behind this article really, to point out that the rewards of winning are sweeter for the pain of losing, and that you have to take the good with the bad, even better if you can do it gracefully.

Not only will you have more fun that way, but you will be more fun to play with. You may have friends here, friends who will be with you through all the ups and downs, in poker and in life.

*** And if losing money is too much of a risk then that’s what NopayPOKER is here for. Play free online poker for fun with your only risk being your time NOT money (and you can win some real money too)

In this free online poker coaching lesson learn how to play low pocket pairs. 2/2 through to 9/9 are what we define as low pocket pairs and they will, believe it or not (and you will believe by the end of this article) win you more money long term than any other pocket cards.

More than pocket A/A, pocket K/K, pocket Q/Q? How is that possible you shout! It is. They will.

And they’re good against all skill levels of players too and especially good for taking out “know it all” donks and maniacs.

Why Are Low Pockets So Good?

First lets look at some base facts and rules of pockets pairs and low pockets in particular.

1. You have about a 6% chance of being dealt a pocket pair of any type.
2. This equates to approx. every 16 or 17 hands.
3. With a pocket pair you have about a 1 in 8 chance to get a set at the flop (3 of a kind).
4. So 6% followed by 1 in 8 comes to you having a post set flop once per 133 hands.
5. At a 10 player table that equates to once every 13 small/big blind bets you deposit on.

 

Low pocket pairs are playable from all table positions however ONLY:

1. At a cost that does not exceed the big blind from Early Position.
2. Over 2x the big blind from Middle Position
3. 3x big blind from Late Position.
4. Plus, the low pocket pairs are never a pre-flop cause for raising the big blind.

Should you limp in from Early Position, or if you have called a 2x BB from Middle Position, and there has been a raise to 3x the BB, and there are five plus players left in the hand,then you should call 3x the BB bet from Early and Middle position.

Why?

When there are five plus players left there is a higher probability the flop will show 2 or 3 low cards. This is true primarily because it’s logical to assume that the 5 or more players currently in the hand each hold one or more paint cards.

Now, the one set we end up with becomes a powerful weapon. This is especially so if it is a 2-9 set. Yes, Aces down to Tens are serious weapons too, but the chance to put a big hit on the opposition lies more in the lower pocket pairs, rather than the higher pocket pairs.

That’s because a lot of players don’t fear lower cards in the flop, now do you see where we are going with this?

This example hand illustrates the point.

1. You’re seated Late Position with pocket 5c/5h.
2. There is a ‘bad’ player with Jh/7c and a ‘good’ player with Ad/Qd.
3. Our better player raises 3x the big blind and the poorer one calls, you also call, everyone else folds.
4. The flop shows Ah/Jd/5s; you have made a set of 5′s.
5. The ‘good’ player, again bets 3x the big blind.
6. The ‘bad’ player, raises by a factor of three; crazy as he’s holding the middle pair, and the ‘good’ player has betted into the flopped Ace.
7. You call and so does the good player.
8. Now it is the Turn and the card is a 7d.
9. It gives the ‘good’ player a nut flush draw (Ad/Qd/Jd/7d), and he holds the high board pair (Ad/Ah).
10. It gives the ‘bad’ player two pairs (Jacks over Sevens).
11. You have your set of 5c,5h,5s.

At this point you may be concerned that the River will bring a card to fill the flush or a J or a 7.

But do not be.

1. Left in the deck are 9 flush maker cards and 4 full house maker, 13 in all minus the last 5.
2. It’s a flush-maker but will also give you quad Fives.
3. So there are 12 cards left that can be dealt that will make you lose and 34 that will win it for you.
4. You’re about a 3 to 1 favorite to win.

The river card is one of the 34 so is no use to the others. The ‘bad’ player moves all in and you call and take a large pot.

So how was it that this pocket 5 situation was so good?

It’s because the set of Fives was hidden; as will always be the case when pocket 2/2, 3/3, 4/4, 5/5, 6/6, 7/7, 8/8, and 9/9 are turned into sets by the flop (1 in 133; although that includes sets of Tens, Jacks, Queens, Kings, and Aces).

Plus the fact that no one could have read the cards. You almost always slow-play it such that opponents, ‘bad’ or ‘good’, cannot identify the powerful set the flop created.

The power of low pockets is not very well known but is used by all pro players. After all low pocket pairs win more money at a poker table than any other two cards so why shout about it!

So add these rules to your playable pockets reference card (see Playable Pockets Tutorial or Building Bankroll part 2) now and start practicing hard and play free online poker games at NoPayPOKER.com!

In this free online poker lesson we are looking at one of the areas of poker that most players want to learn about most. Namely pocket cards, what ones to play and from which position on the table.

Fact – To win good money in lower stakes poker you don’t need to be a professional. Free, micro and lower stakes tables have a constant inflow of new players who are very bad at playing poker and lose their cash fast. They lose all their cash to players who know this fact and are there waiting to pounce, these players aren’t pros but they do have good poker skills.

Occasionally one of the bad players wins an all in when playing a terrible hand like 4,7 unsuited but this really is exceptional, to them it proves their theory that poker is luck, you know of course that it’s simply the bad thin end of probability.

Overall, statistics prove that when you play only certain pocket cards from certain table positions you win over the long term.

Pocket cards – Quick definition
The 2 cards you start the game with that only you see.

The Evidence
UCLA (the University of Chicago) mainframe computers played over 2 trillion hands of 10 handed Texas Hold Em poker games assessing all 2,652 possible combinations of two pocket cards (52 x 51 = 2,652). The results statistically defined pocket cards with both Positive Expected Value (+EV) that win in the long haul and Negative Expected Value (-EV) that lose.

That’s great you say, just play +EV cards then, ah, sorry, there is a small complication which relates to your Table Position.

Table Position is critical
Early, Middle, Late are the 3 areas on a poker table. You seat position is fundamentally important to card EV as you will see.

1) Early Positions are Small Blind, Big Blind and Under the Gun (UTG), UTG is the player on the left of the Big Blind.

2) Middle. Count left from the UTG player; Middle 1, Middle 2, Middle 3, and Middle 4.

3) Last, are the Late Table positions: Late 1, Late 2, and the Dealer Button.

For fast reference it is a good idea to code positions by 2 character codes: SB, BB, UG, M1, M2, M3, M4, L1, L2, and DB.

The thing to know is that pockets become playable or not depending on where you are sat.

Early Position. The pockets with Positive EV are:

1. AA
2. KK
3. QQ
4. AK suited
5. AQ suited
6. AK unsuited
7. Low pockets: 22 through to 99

All other pockets in Early are -EV, fold.

Middle: M1-4

Pockets with +EV are:

The same as early, plus:

1. AJ suited
2. AT suited
3. JJ
4. TT
5. AQ unsuited
6. AJ unsuited
7. AT unsuited
8. Any suited picture cards, 10,J,Q,K.

All other combinations are negative, fold them.

Late Position

Pockets with +EV are:

The same as early and middle, plus:

1. A5 suited
2. A4 suited
3. A3 suited
4. A2 suited
5. A9 suited
6. Any unsuited picture cards.

Every other possible pocket in Late position has a Negative EV.

Other considerations
With the exception of AA and KK, only play them if the cost to get to the flop is not over 3x the Big Blind bet. The Low Pockets, 22-99 have some further play rules in this regard but that is another whole article, look for that later.

To remember the playable pockets make a reference card to keep by your PC. Split it into 3 sections. Early Position, middle and late position, with the associated playable pockets.

So create your reference card now and start practicing hard on some free online poker games at NoPayPOKER.com!

This article is a cut down version of the DM Vadnais Building a Bankroll lesson 2, check that one out for expanded details on the points in this article.

In this free online poker instruction and tips lesson we’re looking at the use and application of value betting by use of a pro game real life hand example. Read through to find out who won and how.

In a board which is one off a Straight, such as 7-8-9-2-J, what will you do if you had the 9-8? If your opponent checks, would you also check? Most of us may, because your opponent may have, say, A-10 and hung on the Turn only to try to trap on the river. 

But once you have determined that he is more likely not to have the Ten in this case than to have it, we can get some additional chips from him by value-betting. Here is an example of a similar hand:

This hand was shown on the Turn. (Pot about 250k)

Both players checked on the Flop.

Both checked, maybe, because their hands were too weak for a Board which presented Straight and Flush possibilities. One may be on a draw, and someone may not be willing to continue strongly with just one Pair.

TURN: 9d-6d-10s-9s

A has ??-??, checks

B has ??-??, bets 200k

Now maybe B has a gutshot or a Flush draw, so he wants no more trouble with A. What does A do?

A raises to 600k

B calls 400k (Pot now 1.45m)

Now A’s check-raise may reinforce B’s belief that A has a made hand, like 9-x or a high Pair, but B may be on a draw, so B calls. Additionally, the pot is large already, so B can afford a call (400,000 in a 1.05m pot) if he has a Straight or a Flush draw, or even an overpair (which I suspect), or a Pair with a draw, even if he believes that A has a Nine (B may also have the remaining Nine with a Flush draw).

RIVER: 9d-6d-10s-9s-8c

A bets 1m

Even on a dangerous Board with a Straight draw (but without any more Flush possibilities), A bets. Now this is not a board where A can afford to push B all in; however, this is quite right for a value bet.

Here are the reasons:

1. A bets because if B has a hand and if B bets, then A will be put on a decision. A doesn’t want that to happen. He has shown strength on the Turn when he check-raised; therefore he wishes to be consistent. He wants to put B on a decision. He wants B to think if he has the Eight than give his opponent the opportunity of making him do the hard thinking.

2. Furthermore, A bets because check-calling has the same effect as betting and then getting called. But the second alternative, betting and getting called, is more aggressive.

3. A wants to get additional value for his Trip Nines. As long as he believes that B has a decent hand but not a strong one, he will bet to get chips from B, who has played passively from Flop up to now (checking after he checked on the Flop, betting small then calling a raise on the Turn). If B folds, he hasn’t a hand, and A wins the pot. If B calls and A’s estimate of his hand strength is right, then he will obtain more chips than he would if he checked and B just checked (which is what a passive player will do).

4. Now, let us add that A is a very strong player. He may be bluffing, but he doesn’t want it to be obvious. Therefore he dresses the bluff in the form of a value bet. He hopes that B will be fooled, especially in a Board in which a bluff may work well against marginal hands (paired Board and one off a Straight).

B calls 1m

B calls. B may have a decent hand which is good enough for showdown. A’s value bet gives him about 2.5-to-1 on a call (1m more to win a 2.45m pot) which B may consider to be sufficient enough for a pay-off with, say, A-10 or even a small Pair. So what are the two hands each are holding?

A reveals Jh-9h

A correctly rounded off the respective hand strengths of his and B’s hands; this gave him sufficient confidence for a value bet. A more passive player will just check-fold or check-check.

B mucks

So what was B holding, and what could he have made? He may have K-K, Q-Q, or A-10, and just slowed down when he saw a Board conducive for a Straight and Flush development, as well as a Pair. B may also have a small Pair, where he thought was the best hand, and just decided to pay off.

Whatever it is, it is a made hand, and maybe he couldn’t help wondering what A was holding; who was this A? That’s right; it’s Phil Ivey. Maybe B assumed the check-raise on the Turn and the bet on the river were bluffs; it was just Phil Ivey playing aggressively and reading hands.

So get practicing your poker value betting and learn how to bet better in poker games by applying the ideas in this free online poker training article. And if you’re not already playing free poker practice games at NoPayPOKER get started today, it’s utterly free and risk free and is US player legal even by the latest 2011 definitions!

My new free poker online coaching lesson looks at how to make cunning use of small bets to get big wins. So how can a series of small bets add up to a very sneaky play? And why will do good players switch from conventional big bet thinking to small?

Here is a hand example that shows the idea:

BLINDS 6k/12k

PREFLOP:

A comes from small blind, has got 9d-4d, raises to 35k
B from big blind, has got As-3s, calls 23k (Pot 88k)

Both plays are simply standard plays. A may be trying to steal the big blind with a raise from the small blind. B calls since he’s got a good hand for the upcoming Flop.

FLOP: Js-Jh-10h

A bets 25k (Pot 123k)
B calls 25k (Pot 138k)

Here A’s bet is just small, because he has nothing, but he wants to take away the pot by representing a Jack on a paired board, or a draw. On a flop with Straight and Flush possibilities presenting, B might well put A on a draw and wait to see if A slows later. Also, with a call he gets 5-1 odds.

TURN: Js-Jh-10h-Kc

A bets 25k (Pot 163k)
B calls 25k (Pot 188k)

A bets again! Might A possess the Jack or 10? Now, what B is thinking is that he is getting about 6.5-to-1 on a call to hit an Ace (where if A also has an Ace, they may split the pot) or a Queen (for a Straight). So he calls.

RIVER: Js-Jh-10h-Kc-8h

A bets 30k (Pot 218k)

Still A bets again! Now with a blank river card which hardly fill any possible Flush or Straight (maybe 9-7 or Q-9, but I don’t think both of them think the other one has it) why did A fire three times! And not just that, they were small bets. It might be a value bet where A has a J and trapped B for 2 further bet rounds.

It may also be a value bet where A had A-Q. B might consider: “A might know I’ve got nothing, but if uses big bets he’ll make me fold. So he bets small, hoping to extract more chips from me. I’m getting 8.5-to-1 on a call, but no matter. I’m not going to fall again.” B shakes his head and folds.

A shows a bluff!

If A bet big B may also think that A is just sustaining a three-round bluff, and may call it. And recall B is a good player, and can detect sneaky stuff like this. (B by the way is Elky Grospellier. And A is Jeff Shulman.) But A was betting small and good players think good players think smaller bets are value bets, as a result good players indulging in reverse psychology are able to bluff other good players with small bets that resemble value bets.

Try your hand at small bet techniques by practicing your poker on a free online poker site like NoPayPOKER.com where you can do lot of riskless free poker online training.

Some handy free online poker tips on mental approaches to winning poker games and some ways to deal with problems.

“I’m fine … I’m wrong … In the dark, pushing a button that calls me … Do it!!!… … Don’t stop. Remember our old happiness … of glory. Do it: My name is ‘all in’ and now I am your angel… and your devil … ”

I think in “fight club” and I imagine a poker table … with my cards … my chips … … my opponents, there … with odds outs and calculating in my head … How i can pay this project, if it really means to pay me a hand lose more than win … Here is the short stack supertight just making me all in the small blind. There’s the super freak loose bigstack making mischief when we’re in bubble time… I account, watch their expressions … I am a machine to annihilate opponents from probabilities.

But I am … there. Eager to get the maniacal bigstack. In this tournament I play my life but I can win. AK vs 23. The 3 of diamonds on the river and the process is complete. I am out

I could talk about playing a tournament in the initial stage, I could talk about which cards are suitable for push or fold, maybe I could talk about the Independent Chip Model (ICM) in each call to determine the balance between gains and losses that may generate a decision. But after a long time in online poker I most of all feel the need to delve into what for me is the most important and most difficult part of this game: self-control.

You can win $ 10000 for three months with a perfect game plan. Suddenly, your limit of 10,002 dollars is not met, leaving in 9996 … Stretch out your level to gain a few dollars, now are 100 to be recovered … A few seconds more and again you’re out … to zero.

I agree with the theory that as a poker player you should not drive like a maniac stock market intra day trader monitoring actions every 5 seconds; but rather you should be a successful time unit player aiming for a safe zone. Don’t micro evaluate the numbers … You evaluate your overall game theme, sure you lost a tournament, a few dollars on a free table or a heads up on the river – but did you play well? That is the key. Good play over a long time will equate to being up as long as you play at the right level. 

The important thing about this game is to understand your units of play. For example, the loss of 2000 FreeD in a game is not serious when you have averaged winnings of 10,000 a week long term. Ultimately if handled as a unit you will be successful in the long term. Thus:

a) Do not play under the pressure of getting to zero. Play with the idea of  improving your game. So it is essential to have sufficient reserves. In my opinion you need no less than 50 Big Blinds for Sit & go and cash games

b) Play the types of game you are best at. If you’re good at Sit & go don’t play with any more than fun money on other types of game you’re not so comfortable with.

c) The tilt is perfectly manageable. Stop pressing your mouse and relax by watching TV, reading a book or chatting to your girlfriend/boyfriend/both/neighbor/cat/dog etc.

d) When you see a mortal enemy on the table … get out of there. Emotion/revenge = losing 

e) A stumble is not failure. Low points are opportunities to sit down and think about mistakes and how to avoid them in future.

Now go practice your poker skills with some free poker online at NoPay!

This was the winner of the NoPayPOKER.com April 2010 free online poker article writing contest. Member Buried_Child got $1000 FreeD. The thrust of this article is twofold: Recognising weak player traits so that 1) If you’re strong learn to spot them and take advantage or 2) You see yourself here and can do something about it.

Even in the most basic free poker games both strong and weak players know that A-A or K-K are very powerful hands, and so are Q-Q and J-J. So is A-K, with some qualifications. But having a strong hand does not usually strengthen the player. Why?

Consider the case of K-K. (The following discussion also applies to Q-Q and J-J, with slight modifications.) If a strong player is dealt K-K and the flop comes A-9-7, for example, he will slow down. His K-K is still a strong hand, but has considerably weakened. Therefore he will be careful with his next plays, e.g. he will just call up to the end if the bets are small; he might try one stab at the pot at the flop and then see the next move; but unless he reads his opponent perfectly or intends to represent the Ace, he won’t attempt any crazy moves with K-K. He might even fold.

But once a weak player holds K-K at this flop, it’s different. That weak player might have held A-A before in a K-10-8 flop, and then beats an unsuspecting A-K until showdown. Whooooooooa! He is ecstatic after that win, and remembers it until he gets K-K in an A-9-7 flop. He might try to remember what he did with the A-A before: slow-play, for example, until the board comes A-9-7-J-2 and the opponent reveals 10-8! Or he might move all-in with K-K with the same flop, then the opponent reveals A-Q or A-J.

The weak player will wonder why in the universe will K-K (or Q-Q or J-J) be destroyed. The strong player knows why, and will do his best to avoid it.

But K-K, or even A-A, can be destroyed in another way which is much more obvious, but much more psychologically taxing.

Here’s why:

1. You decide to call with A-A and the flop comes 6-7-9.
2. You bet pot-sized, other player calls.
3. Turn card comes an 8 and other player suddenly bets large, maybe an all-in, which puts a large fraction of your chips at risk.
4. If you are a strong player, you can immediately determine what hands the other player is holding.
5. You might think, “Why did he move all in with a 6-7-9-8 Board?
6. A call on the Flop might indicate that his cards fit into the community cards.
7. It may be A-10, J-10, or even Two-Pair with 7-6. Or even a top pair which evolved into Two-Pair with 9-8.
8. Whatever it is, A-A’s not gonna beat it.”

But if you’re not a strong poker player who’s willing to wait for a safer board, then you will call immediately, even with your poker tournament life. “Heck, it’s A-A, why am I going to waste this chance?” (Unless you’re a strong player with an absolutely GOOD read on your opponent.)

Another fad of weak free poker players is treating wired pairs 10-10 or less as if they were A-A. Of course, it is OK to move all-in with 8-8 or 7-7, especially in a poker tournament when running low on chips. Against Ace-paint, the usual caller, the small pair is a slight favorite (usually 55-45).

But suppose a weak player, X, decides to raise 8-8 in early position, then another one, Y, from middle position reraises, then another one after Y, Z, reraises again, enough to put X all-in. What is X to do? There are two raises in front of him, and one of them might be A-A or A-K (especially C’s, because he reraised a reraise). Then A thinks he’s trapped both of them, and he gratefully calls, until he realizes he’s buried in rubble against what may be A-K, A-A, Q-Q, etc. etc.

A strong player would have moved all-in at that point if he has a small stack. With his all-in, he is signaling that he has a good enough hand to risk all his chips for, so those with A-K or A-Q will think twice (and even conservative players with J-J or 10-10). If that strong player had a big stack, he will just raise, but will not call any reraises.

But since a weak player thought 8-8 as strong as A-A, he thinks it’s good for trapping. It’s not.

Suppose this player X has one caller instead, and the flop comes A-J-9.

1. Three overcards, with straight possibilities.
2. X bets, then the other player bets enough to put X all-in.

A strong poker player will do this analysis: “The other player, having called, should have a good enough hand to call a raise. It might be A-K or A-any. Or if not J-9, then 10-9 or Q-10. Of course, I’m not going to take 8-8 into this flop and wait for a Q and a 10 to fall, because in that case I have a tail-ender straight which is not so good. In case he’s bluffing and he has K-Q, he’s still has an approximately 40% chance to win, because he has a gutshot and two overcards. Maybe I’ll just wait for another hand.”

The weak free poker player will think a little, but he still thinks. It’s like this: “My 8-8 is a pair. It’s strong. It’s just like A-A or K-K. Now my bet works and he pushes me. I’ve trapped him. He’s dead.” Really?

Some other players do more egregiously. They call all-ins with 7-7-4-4-A boards with 2-2. They can’t even beat the Board! They think their hand is “Two-Pair, Sevens over Twos.” Wrong. Is it “Three Pair?” Wrong again! It’s “Two Pair, Sevens over Fours” and their 2-2 is just as if it didn’t exist. Someone with a spare Ace, or one Seven or Four can skewer them to the bones.

Let us consider a last one.

• It is OK to move all-in with small pairs, but what about 8-7?
• If a player has a small stack, then he might as well do it.
• But I’ve watched players with comfortable-sized stacks move all-in with hands like 8-7 or 7-6 after one raise behind them.
• Are they trying to steal?

Well, maybe, but a weak player has other reasons. “I can form a Straight with this! It’s 8-7! 6-7-8-9-10! Straight! Yipee! Or even Flush! They’re Spades!!”

Don’t count your chips till the cards are down!

This article is a little more technical but I hope you’ve taken some ideas from it. Keep an eye open, there are plenty more cracking free poker articles like this in the pipeline from NoPayPOKER.