Jan 11
5
When it comes to playing hands after the flop, a lot of your decisions will be made depending on your perception of the other players active in the hand. Sometimes, you will want to win the hand right away after the flop, especially if you have a premium hand that does hit. A prime example of this would be a pair of pocket kings when three lower cards are on the board and it is possible that your opponent can draw to a better hand.
But your betting strategy will largely depend upon your perception of the other players in the hand. Do they have cards that will pose as a threat to your hand? If they have a four card flush draw possibility you will want to raise the hand enough to eliminate the proper pot odds that they would need to call the hand. If they are an exceptionally loose player, you might raise only to find that they immediately call or reraise as they have made a good hand such as two low pair or a straight draw. In these instances, you might need to fold against a reraise. Again, the strategy that you adopt is determined primarily by the style of play of your opponents.
This means that you need to be able to have a read on each and every player you are against. The better you know your opponents, the better you will be able to play against them. If your opponents are tight, loosen up your game to exploit the marginal hands that they are throwing away in these situations. If your opponents are loose, tighten up so you are only playing premium hands that have a high probability of winning.