Change Gears Frequently

Did you ever wonder why you seem to get called all the time when you are bluffing a pot? Usually there are two reasons for this. The first reason is because you simply have run into a hand that is much stronger than your own. The second and most prominent reason is because you have become predictable. Yes predictable! In order to win poker tournaments or cash games you have to change gears in order to become unpredictable. Otherwise, your chances of winning are slim to none.

How do you change gears?

You change gears by playing hands differently and from different positions relative to your chip stack and how your opponents are playing against you at that time. For instance: If you happen to be playing at a passive table you may decide to raise from early position with small pairs and suited connectors knowing that it is unlikely you will face a re-raise. However, you will still raise your large premium pairs from that same position. You may continue to do things like this from various positions until you have to showdown a hand.

Once you do showdown a hand you may then begin limping with a big hand from early position and raising with small pairs from late position. It all depends on how the play at that table is going at the time. There are not set rules on how to do things but you must change your colors if you expect to be successful. Poker strategy comes in many different shapes, sizes and implementations. You have to find the poker strategy that works for you.