Recognizing a Check-Raise Bluff

By launchpoker Recognizing a Check-Raise Bluff

When you're stomping around in a jungle, it would probably be a good survival skill to be able to tell the difference between a cobra's hood in full display, and the one the frilled lizard tries to drive away danger with. This same paradigm applies to a check-raise that is done in order to scare you off, and one that is done to kill you. If a player in the early position holds their fire before the flop, only doing the bear minimum, and for the rest of the betting rounds only reacts to what the other players do, but springs a check-raise on the river, you can probably safely assume they believe they are holding the winning hand. Read More

Texas Holdem

Bluffing the Calling Station

By launchpoker Bluffing the Calling Station

The title "Calling Station" seems like it should be the name of an 80's new wave band. In reality, this is what we call a player who regularly calls bets when the cards and anything that resembles common sense is telling them to fold. While most competent players will only see 20% to 25% of the flops, calling stations seem to make it their mission in life to see just about all of them. It's almost as if the cards are an epic mini-series and they are afraid to miss an episode. Read More

Be Wary of Going All In

By launchpoker Be Wary of Going All In

The all in bet has been a staple of big poker tournaments ever since the ESPN cameras became part of the sport's reality. There are a number of reasons for this that can be explained from a tactical point of view, but the reality is that the all in bet is exciting: it's the "Home Run" of the sport of poker, and makes for good viewing. Newer players have been watching this on television for years, and it has become an accepted part of the game. In older days these types of all or nothing gambits were less frequent. Read More