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RAISE IT UP BABY! TIPS ABOUT RAISES IN LOOSE GAMES
All fresh poker players will typically start out in loose, low limit games. While most fully fledged card players choose the kind of loose-passive play present at a low limit table, others may have trouble playing versus adversaries who repeatedly "suck out" and win with trash hands and speculative plays.
A common complaint among low limit players is that opponents will not always fold to appropriate raises, and from time to time, average low limit players will make erroneous raises. Knowing when to raise, and how to translate an opponent’s raise is covered below. The coming info assumes that you have made an appropriate table selection, and are not playing at a table that is overly aggressive or tight.
If you have got a great starting hand, especially a high pair (JJ or higher), initiate a raising war before the flop.
Well known Tip
One of the more common complaints among low-limit players is that opponents often suck out with inferior hands against a solid hand such as AA. The most effective way to bring home the bacon with these hands is to play them fast and aggressively. Do not try to slowplay them, raise to protect your pocket cards instead!
Raise before the flop (at least 3-6x the BB), and continue betting after the flop - at least half of the pot.
Unless the game is ridiculously loose (and your opponents are ridiculously bad), virtually all of your opposers will fold to your aggressive betting. You won't always win with AA or KK, but if you play them aggressively, the majority of the time you will. If you connect on the flop value bet the loose calling stations to death.
Once again, the research bears witness that high-pressure play will drive down the number of players in the hand and increment your odds of winning. Since numerous low limit poker players will play falsely and call bets and raises with just about any half-decent hand, you need to make certain that you are raising when you believe you have the trump hand.
If you do have what you consider is the best hand at that point, then you need to raise to drive everbody out, who may draw out on you with a garbage hand or let them at least pay a high price for staying until the turn or river. If you are repeatedly delivering the goods and showing down the best hands, then other players will start to honor your raises and head for cover if you fire another broadside.
Whenever you have flopped a decent hand (top pair with good kicker, two pair, etc.) and are wagering on it, do not be frightened off if someone raises it to two bets. Although you could very well be beaten, experience indicates that bad players will occasionally raise with any decent pair, a draw or even overcards.
Call the bet, and be prepared to call to the river unless the board looks scary or the action gets too intense. If you fold every time you get raised with a decent hand, then you'll lose out on some pots that you would have won, had you shown the hand down.
Utilize pot odds to determine whether the payoff is big enough to justify putting in more bets. Then observe opponent play to see if the raise is valid.
Professional Tip
Conversly, if an antagonist re-raises it to three bets, be very attentive. In general, bad low limit players won't re-raise unless they hide a monster in their pocket. Take clock time to analyse the board to find out what your opponent might have.
You might be tempted to follow the preceding advice and call him to the river, hoping that he is trying to bluff. But time and again, they will turn up a superior hand. Do not re-raise unless you have the nuts, and if you don't have the absolute nuts, be prepared to call to the river.
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