Poker is the ultimate game of strategy and skill, but like anything, even if you’re at the top of your game, there is always room for improvement. Whether you’re a poker newb or you’ve done your fair share of time at sit-and-go tournaments, if you’re looking to elevate your wins and shrink your losses, then you need The Triple Threat. The Triple Threat will have you out of the red and into the green in no time.
What is The Triple Threat?
Position, aggression, and card selection. This is the edge you’ve been looking for to raise your game from good to legendary. So brush up on these key concepts and get ready for mad money.
Position
One of the greatest revolving advantages is your position in relation to the button. When you’re first to play, you’re ‘out of position’, and this under the gun placement puts you at an immediate disadvantage. In poker, position is everything, you don’t want to be the first, you want to be the last player soaking in all the post-flop action before you make your big move.
Why? When you’re last to play you can make the most informed decisions as you’ve had extra time to strategize and assess your odds, you also have better bluff equity and can control the pot size. In a nutshell, in position plays give you an edge over your opponents, so make the most of it.
When you examine the statistics, you’ll notice more sizable pots are won ‘in position’, as compared to ‘out of position’, where you’re more likely to lose. If you’re wanting to maximize your profits, don’t discount the value of your position. Even if you’re new to poker, you can increase your wins against more experienced players when you play aggressively during in-position hands.
Aggression
You’re not going to be increasing your bankroll if you don’t play with confidence, and in poker, that means you need to play aggressively. You won’t be driving up the pot size for a chance at a higher prize if you play a tight, conservative, check or call game. One of the best pieces of poker advice is to play ‘loose’ and lead with aggression by always betting or raising – no matter your hand. Upping the ante intimidates tight players and makes it harder for your opponents to get a read on whether you’re bluffing or not. Aggression subsequently increases the chances of folds; the perfect outcome. Fewer players (thanks to folds) vying for the pot means you’re that much closer to winning it.
Selection
Simple logic: the more hands you play, the better your odds of winning. Easy enough. By mixing it up and playing a good selection of starting hands – the good and the bad – you’re favored to win more pots. It’s the law of averages at play; you win some on the flop, and you lose some; just so long as you play more hands than your opponents, you’re almost guaranteed to push ahead in points won. So push yourself and play not only the exceptional cards but the mediocre as well.
Just don’t be too selective, because it’s like the lottery, you can’t win the big pot if you don’t play.
