Minding the Trends
online poker tactics continually evolve, and what was once considered weak play can be used to disguise strength and visa versa. For instance, under-betting the pot from early position was always seen as a weak move, and aggressive pokerplayers typically would exploit that with a raise. But during the 2009 World Series, it was not uncommon to see the early under-bet unchallenged because there could be a strong hand behind it looking for the raise, with the intention of re-raising. This tactic builds a bigger pot than a check-raise since your opponent has already put in a raise to your small bet, and being pot committed, may call your raise so there are several bets in the pot. Checking has also come to be seen as a deceptive online poker play, often used to obscure a player’s hand and intention. Many players are now declining the opportunity to bet behind, but instead checking it down too for free cards. Traditionally, a check, especially on the turn card, provokes bets and raises. However, the trend is to be more cautious these days and more selective about aggression. There are too many smart players who have read the books and watched the videos, and know not to play on auto-pilot based on appearances.
