The most common mistake most holdem players make

[goopxx]

Not taking advantage of their position. Which is the smarter move. Raising with Ace-king in the blind or raising with pocket tens one away from the button or on the button. Although the ace-king is a slight favorite, heads up, in the real world the tens will win more money. When the ace-king gets a favorable flop he will win a small pot, but 3/4 of the time he be forced to bluff or check and is really at the mercy of the players following him. The pocket tens on the other hand can bet or bluff depending on the nature of the hand. Even when an over card flops you bet knowing your opposition puts you on a better hand. When the betting makes it is obvious that you are beaten, muck em. Calling that last bet, when you are beaten is futile and expensive. Stay tuned, more tips on the fine art of holdem will be forthcoming..

I play mainly No-Limit tourneys, and even with a full table you'll often get into a position where you're heads up with a showdown pre-flop. In these situations you've got to know the power of a small pair.

If you're getting short stacked and need to double up, a small pair is often the time to take your chances.

If you can get heads up with your small pair then your only fear is a bigger pair, against everything else you're either a small fav or a big fav. You're dream opponent will be a big stack trying to take you out and calling with something like A5s, if you've got 66 in your hand you'll be a 2-1 fav

You're actual point at the start of this thread about AK vs TT and the position of play when your on a full table is a lot more complicated. Is it a tourney or cash game? Is it limit, pot or NL holdem? If it's a tourney then what stage are you at, what's the blinds and what's the stack sizes of the players? Are your opponents tight, aggressive, lose etc?

Even with a lot more info about the hand you'll often still get the answer 'it depends' and that's what makes poker such a great game.

[dominique]

Interesting.

I am an idiot at times and blow it here:

Calling that last bet, when you are beaten is futile and expensive

and you say:

Even with a lot more info about the hand you'll often still get the answer 'it depends' and that's what makes poker such a great game.

Agreed. There are the cards, and then there are the people. Endless possibilities.

[Dyno Don]

The problem I have found when playing a live table, is knowing when to quit when the cards or the players are playing to your advantage. What I mean by this is, you win several hands because the cards just seam to be coming out to match what you have in your hand. I find myself betting or raising a bet and winning two or more hands in a row.

That's where the bluffing comes into play.

I know my opponent has a pair by the uneasiness in his body language, and then an AJ or KQ show up on the flop. He bets, I raise, and he ends up folding because he knows I haven't been bluffing the whole time.

I get away with this for two or three hands, but there is a time to just stop. Don't get carried away with your bluffing.

I get a TJ and raise pre flop trying to tell others I have something more, or just trying to steal another pot. A different opponent this time, raises behind me. There, is where I should have stopped and folded. But I couldn't resist and pushed all in to try to chase him off. That didn't work. He called and my game was over.

The opponent that took me out had KK. On the river I needed an 8 to stay in the game with a strait to Jack, and a 6 showed up, game over.

Always keep in the back of your mind; although you have won four or more pots in a row, you can lose it all in the next hand. Do not let yourself believe that someone is just trying to take a pot after so long in waiting. Because my friends, he or she just may have what it takes to take you out of the game.