Sard1010's Official Thread of Questions
Hey guys, hope you don't mind another thread, but it's become very evident to me that I have many other "miscellaneous" poker questions that can in no way form one cohesive thread unless I just literally make it a thread in which I can ask my questions one by one in the hopes that some kind gentlemen of poker can come around and help me out... I may visit this thread in the coming weeks and months and continue to make posts of relevant questions I have.
If it helps for context, I am a pretty inexperienced poker player who is looking to start spending more time at the 1/2 No-Limit tables at Casino Niagara. As I've mentioned in my other thread, right now I buy in for the min. of $60.
Questions So Far...
1) Identifying Straight Draws: Not sure if this is an issue for other new players, but sometimes it seems identifying straight draws can be more of a challenge than say noticing flush draws. Wonder if anyone has any tips or tricks in this area and how to make a decision that your opponent(s) either did or didn't make the straight.
2) Identifying the Nuts: I could also lump in what I would call reading the board to this area. How important is it to look at a board - whatever stage it might be at (flop, turn or river) - and know what the absolute nuts are or more importantly all of the hands that could be beating you at any given time and evaluating the likelihood that your opponent has or doesn't have a hand that could beat you. As a newer players I find I never think in terms of "What is the absolute nuts here?" I'm more often just thinking top pair is good if you know what I mean lol. Leads to my next q...
3) Folding Top Pair: I made a thread already last year or so of the same name and you guys helped me a great deal in it and I've read it over a bunch. I must say though - I still fear that situation... I make top pair with a strong kicker (if not top kicker) and my opponent flops a set. Pot control is great advice for this, but is there any other useful tidbits about avoiding going broke in compromising sitations such as the sneaky pocket pair making a set. Some general behaviours that could indicate I'm up against a monster with a measly one pair? Or even just how to sometimes fold a great hand to a better one? Or when top pair is more than enough and I should be betting hard and aggresively...
4) Making A Play: Can I make a nifty bluff or raise at the casino? Is it better - as discussed in my other thread - to just play ABC poker? Make a solid hand and bet. I find people will pay you at the casino in those situations. I think compuease doubted this, but players at the casino like to call. Maybe they're chasing a flush or straight. If I bet top pair strong it could be very profitable. It seems more often than not you're navigating a slew of three to five players post-flop and it's hard to really do much of anything other than have a strong hand.
5) Tips For Bluffing: Some players have the infamously used word heart to bluff and succeed at it. To be viciously general, what does it take to succeed at a bluff, especially thinking in the context of the 1/2 NL scene at Casino Niagara. I'm concerned that finesse such as bluffing or even three-betting etc. is all much harder to pull off successfully. Sort of how when I play basketball at my local rec centre it lacks the organization and pretty'ness of college or NBA ball. I can't necessarily watch all of that great Main Event coverage or pro coverage on YouTube and use that at the casino. It takes a different approach.
If anyone is willing to tackle one or more of these I'd as always really appreciate it. And I hope I don't fire faster than you guys can keep up, but I do anticipate thinking up more questions to post down below in the future. Welcome to:
sard
:10h:10d's Official Thread of Questions!
"cheers:
If it helps for context, I am a pretty inexperienced poker player who is looking to start spending more time at the 1/2 No-Limit tables at Casino Niagara. As I've mentioned in my other thread, right now I buy in for the min. of $60.
Questions So Far...
1) Identifying Straight Draws: Not sure if this is an issue for other new players, but sometimes it seems identifying straight draws can be more of a challenge than say noticing flush draws. Wonder if anyone has any tips or tricks in this area and how to make a decision that your opponent(s) either did or didn't make the straight.
2) Identifying the Nuts: I could also lump in what I would call reading the board to this area. How important is it to look at a board - whatever stage it might be at (flop, turn or river) - and know what the absolute nuts are or more importantly all of the hands that could be beating you at any given time and evaluating the likelihood that your opponent has or doesn't have a hand that could beat you. As a newer players I find I never think in terms of "What is the absolute nuts here?" I'm more often just thinking top pair is good if you know what I mean lol. Leads to my next q...
3) Folding Top Pair: I made a thread already last year or so of the same name and you guys helped me a great deal in it and I've read it over a bunch. I must say though - I still fear that situation... I make top pair with a strong kicker (if not top kicker) and my opponent flops a set. Pot control is great advice for this, but is there any other useful tidbits about avoiding going broke in compromising sitations such as the sneaky pocket pair making a set. Some general behaviours that could indicate I'm up against a monster with a measly one pair? Or even just how to sometimes fold a great hand to a better one? Or when top pair is more than enough and I should be betting hard and aggresively...
4) Making A Play: Can I make a nifty bluff or raise at the casino? Is it better - as discussed in my other thread - to just play ABC poker? Make a solid hand and bet. I find people will pay you at the casino in those situations. I think compuease doubted this, but players at the casino like to call. Maybe they're chasing a flush or straight. If I bet top pair strong it could be very profitable. It seems more often than not you're navigating a slew of three to five players post-flop and it's hard to really do much of anything other than have a strong hand.
5) Tips For Bluffing: Some players have the infamously used word heart to bluff and succeed at it. To be viciously general, what does it take to succeed at a bluff, especially thinking in the context of the 1/2 NL scene at Casino Niagara. I'm concerned that finesse such as bluffing or even three-betting etc. is all much harder to pull off successfully. Sort of how when I play basketball at my local rec centre it lacks the organization and pretty'ness of college or NBA ball. I can't necessarily watch all of that great Main Event coverage or pro coverage on YouTube and use that at the casino. It takes a different approach.
If anyone is willing to tackle one or more of these I'd as always really appreciate it. And I hope I don't fire faster than you guys can keep up, but I do anticipate thinking up more questions to post down below in the future. Welcome to:
sard
:10h:10d's Official Thread of Questions!
"cheers:
Comments
FYI I'm at Niagara a couple of times per month at least lately and would be glad to meet up if our schedules align... FYI I think the wife and I are going down Thursday afternoon and staying until Friday sometime.. Comped hotel room.
I'm a pretty spur of the moment guy in terms of when I'd show up at the casino, but perhaps Sunday (or Wednesday) may turn out to be a regular day for me to go since that's when those great Casino Vacations buses run to Casino Niagara. This Sunday may not turn out with the Thanksgiving weekend, and I don't anticipate being there Thursday or Friday this week. I appreciate the offer to meet up, I'd love to sponge off your poker experiences in person. Might see you one time at one of moose's cash games?, I might plan on attending one of those...
In terms of this thread, I thought I'd throw out to any potential repliers that I appreciate any good advice, feedback, experiences, bad beats, etc etc etc. If it's poker-related chances are I won't mind hearing it. Take my five questions above and just whatever comes to your head let me have it, some of the questions were very specific concerns and some of them were just made in the hopes of stimulating good discussion for me to learn from.
One joke question: Should I try to learn to talk to my opponents like Will Kassouf? Actually, it's a decent question to bring up in terms of how to interact with opponents while in or even out of a hand. What can be said and what might be against the rules or what might compromise the integrity of the hand?