Don’t Bait The Sharks
Posted on March 25, 2009
Filed Under General
Play enough poker and you’ll run into players who just seem to outflop and outplay you every step of the way. Unfortunately, many of us can only take so much of this abuse and will try to constantly attack and take chips away from these opponents, only to find that more often than not we just end up losing more chips. If you have a maniac at the table that’s just playing terribly, you need to just pick the right opportunity to strike. However, if you’ve identified legitimately skilled players sitting in your game, you need to develop the mindset to stay away from them and get involved in pots with the weaker opponents at the table.
Thinking about playing this way and actually doing it, however, can be difficult. No one wants to be taken advantage of at the table, but if you really break down the components of what’s happening, you’re just getting a taste of your own medicine. Any good poker players knows that you attack the weaker players at the table far more often than you do the experienced ones. This doesn’t mean you should fold premium hands to the best player at the table, but it also doesn’t mean you should be reraising him constantly just to get him to lay down a pot.
The most important thing to remember is that at its core, poker is about making money. None of the players at the end of the night are going to remember if someone got the better of you in every hand, all they’re going to think about is the money they personally won and lost. The point is, don’t put too much thought into having to look tough or like someone who will defend their cards til they go broke, you will not be admired for such play.
Ideally, you’ll want to avoid the sharks at your table unless the situation is heavily in your favor, such as when you flop a set or a comparative monster hand. Use these occasional moments to take a few pots off the best opponents at the table, and then go back to pressuring the weakest ones. Your stress level will lower, your profits will rise, and you’ll have a better overall experience.
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