Skillful Texas Hold’em players are often known for their ability to hide information effectively.

When a specific betting pattern is adopted by them, it’s seldom that opponents can confidently deduce the right response. You find yourself constantly guessing. The trick, when faced with such international poker pros, is to ensure that your own information is similarly masked and that educated guesses are made. However, for many international poker players, cards are frequently revealed unintentionally before the final bet.

Against these players, a strategy has been devised by me. I often choose to remain passive initially, allowing them to narrate their story first. Applying pressure with large bets before the flop or during the flop isn’t something I prefer. Instead, the action is often passed to the opponent by me, as their hand is frequently revealed by them, after which my decisive move is made.

Here are three ways by which cards are typically given away:

On dangerous boards, premium hands aren’t slow-played by you.

Suppose the board shows J-9-8-2 by the turn.

By most international poker players, hands stronger than the board suggests wouldn’t typically be slow-played. If a check is made by an opponent, a bet would definitely be placed by you. If a bet is made by them, a raise is likely to be made by you. On such boards, the next card is never allowed to be seen by an opponent without a significant bet being paid.

When neither a bet nor raise is made on such boards, your hand can be deduced by me, knowing that slow-playing isn’t your style.

A check-raise bluff on the river isn’t commonly employed by you.

A check-raise bluff on the river is rarely executed by most international poker players. They often fear that if they check, the hand might be checked back by the opponent, leading to a loss at a showdown. A straightforward bluff is usually preferred when they wish to bluff.

The same logic can be applied to value hands. As a result, check-raises on the river are found to be infrequent, and they’re seldom identified as bluffs.

This style is often seen as problematic. A check-raise on the river isn’t necessarily called by me. Moreover, more betting on the river is often done by me, knowing that being raised is no worse than being called.

In multi-way pots, big bluffs aren’t frequently made by you.

Let’s say a pre-flop raise to $25 is made by you, and four Texas Hold’em players call. This creates a pot of $125. The flop shows J-9-8.

Your hand has already been inadvertently revealed.

When stacks are shallow, such information is deemed harmful. But what if there are 1,000 big blinds? Now, an idea of your potential hand is formed me with two cards to come and an 800-big blind stack. If a hand isn’t held by me, folding is chosen. If a hand is held by me, I can proceed, either hoping to hit or potentially setting up a bluff.

The suggested remedy? By you, directions should be mixed up, and occasionally, the big bluff should be tried. Now, sometimes the best hand is folded by me, or an opportunity to bluff you off is missed.

Concluding Thoughts:

By many international poker players, these patterns aren’t often looked for, but by the best ones, they are. When playing live no-limit poker, I rely on these shortcuts and other tells is placed by me.

As a hand progresses longer, it’s more likely that your cards are betrayed by your betting patterns. If a weak hand is inadvertently signaled by you, a bluff can be expected. If strength is indicated by you, payment won’t be received.

Contemplating the ‘automatic’ plays that are frequently made by you is essential. Recognize that too much information is given away when the same approach is always adopted by you in certain situations. The game is seen to be getting harder, and the number of players who can spot and utilize these tells is noted to be on the rise.

If the game is found tough to beat you, the primary reason is often that your hands are consistently being broadcasted. Improvement is likely when different approaches are taken in these situations.