Another strategy that can work well in online poker is creating and manipulating your table image. This is especially effective to more observant players. The purpose is to allow your opponents to create a schema in their minds of how you play. If you’re constantly showing down good cards at the showdown and taking down a lot of pots, they’re going to learn to be more careful when they deal with you. They’ll start to believe that a raise from you means that you’ve got a good hand. This is a great way to completely fool your opponents and mix it up.

Once you’ve established your tight table image, you can start to be more aggressive and pick up some extra pots. You can try this on a total bluff, but it’s usually better if you have a decent hand or some chance of improving your hand. This works best when you’ve raised the pot preflop and your opponents check to you. They will believe that you’re still holding strong cards and that they’re probably beaten. This will allow you to at least pick up enough money to cover the blinds. Be careful about doing this at a very active table, however, as someone will probably stick with you.

While you still have that tight table image, it’s a great idea to play suited connectors. They can hit a monster flop, and when 3 rags fall on the flop and you’ve made two pair or a straight, you can be sure that you’ll get plenty of action when your opponent thinks that you’re bluffing with your A-K. Since you’ve been picking up some pots without contest, expect your opponents to try the bluff check-raise. This is a weak play on their part, and they’ll usually think they can throw you off the pot by just doubling your bet. Be sure to make them pay with a reraise if you’ve got a hand.

On the converse, you can also try to portray a very loose table image. You can showdown a couple of mediocre hands for cheap, or raise often on lots of hands. Your opponents will probably start to respect your raises less and less after they believe they’ve pegged you as a maniac. This is when you put on the brakes and start to play your premium cards. The best situation is for you to get dealt pocket Aces right after you’ve been playing pretty wild. You’re almost guaranteed to get action on your hand, which of course, you’ll welcome with open arms.

Continue....

Back to Online Poker Guide Menu