Bad Beats – How To Handle Bad Poker Players

• Author: Billy Kernow
• Filed under: Casinos
• Date: Jan 28,2010

So you might be new yourself at poker, but you don\’t view yourself to be an sorry player. Maybe you aren\’t special but you\’re heading towards good and the biggest problem you face is losing to awful players who simply do not comprehend the game.

Playing against such weak players you might feel entitled to their cash because of their frequent misplays. If you\’ve taken the time to learn the game from the numerous resources available to you, then you can see how many errors they make, but are also puzzled at how they are winning at the table, and your bankroll is not. This is normal, and it\’s even more normal to experience some of your biggest beats online due to players who have no hint as to what they are doing. They didn\’t read any books, watch any videos, and care little about bankroll management. Thus they will not be playing position, odds, or hole card strength.

You might as well try and get used players like this because that\’s what online poker is all about. These types of players normally lose their money because they do not realize the games\’ fundamentals, even though they might be up for the moment.It\’s rather improbable that you\’re going to figure out why they are playing to win and are, and in fact since they probably don\’t know either, this isn\’t worth your time. You simply need to trap players like this with choice hands and more than a reasonable prospect of a lucrative outcome. Now there\’s a few ways you want to be doing that so as to preserve your stack at the same time.

Pot size management. It\’s critical to not let the size of the pot run away from you until you know you have the best hand, or even the nuts. Weak players will play any two cards so you won\’t be able to gauge what they will have, which leaves the burden on you to make sure you are ahead before your chips goes in. That\’s when you make the saps pay, otherwise don\’t get involved in big pots with players who can beat you holding 83 offsuit.

Mucking your cards pre-flop. This is even more important if you\’re out of position to the antagonist, but even with medium strength hands you\’re still going to be arbitrarily guessing what he has. That can be a problem playing post flop with an freakish player.

Add the patience factor to your game. When you do this, he will certainly give it back to you – but wait, it may NOT in fact be him, but another loser just like him. That is why you want players like this at your table so you can use your skills against them.

Table position. You don\’t want to get caught in front of these players with \”potential\” hands. Your blinds will get burned away and cause you to make irriational plays because of a dwindling, discouraging game. See low-priced flops against slow maniacal players.

Don\’t bluff them a story. They cannot read the \”poker story\” you are trying to communicate. The board may have numerous overcards to their pocket 6\’s and they will still call you. Save yourself some grief and coin, do NOT bluff poker suckers.

Trap. The only time you should play a big pot against losers is if you are short stacked in a tournament and think you are way ahead, or you have the best possible hand – trapping them for all of their money. This is why it\’s better to play versus weak players in no limit hold\’em – they will be happy to give you a lot of money in a very narrow situation.

Losing pots to clueless players can be aggravating, but the fact is you DO KNOW they are losers even if they are winning right now. If they don\’t give it back soon, they will give it back sooner or later, all you have to do is wait for your situation.

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