You're sitting at a poker table. You get your hole cards, and you wait for the flop to determine the fate of your hand. Is there anything more exciting and nerve-wracking than that?
Right before the flop most players look at their individual cards, wishing and hoping they will get a powerful hand. A four-of-a-kind or even a straight flush will do the trick. But too often, when players get low-valued cards, they allow their hope to dwindle. And when you no longer believe in your hand, you might lose out on an opportunity to bluff your way to the top, which is a shame.
Yes, from time to time, you should fold when getting handed a bad hand. But giving up on low-valued cards at an early stage can be a mistake! Sometimes, you've got to take a risk to take your poker play to the next level and taking a chance on an undervalued hand is the perfect opportunity to do so.
In this Everygame poker guide, we'll provide you with some useful tips on how to make the most of a seemingly bad hand. And who knows? Maybe they will help you win the big bucks in the long run!
5 Tips on How to Turn a Weak Hand into a Great Opportunity
- Don't get discouraged straight off the bat – Your initial reaction to getting low hole cards will probably be disappointment. Yes, your chances of getting a strong hand like a straight flush are not stellar. But that doesn't mean they don't exist! Don't give up on your hand too early, as you might miss out on a great win. If possible, check at the pre-flop stage, and wait for the cards reveal before making any further decisions.
- Take notice of your opponent's actions – While your hand is not as strong as you want it to be, it doesn't mean it's the weakest either. Maybe, the other players at the table also got low-valued cards, in which case, your chances of winning rise exponentially. To determine whether you have a chance of winning or not, observe your opponent's actions. Are they raising too aggressively? Do you think they are bluffing? Or do they genuinely seem to have the perfect hand?
- Show some confidence – If you've decided to stay in the game, you have to be able to bluff properly. To be able to deceive strong opponents, you have to show complete faith in your hand, and that requires a lot of confidence. Leave all your doubts outside the poker room and focus on showing the competition that you came to win.
- Stick to your guns as long as possible – Once you've created the impression that your hand is stronger than it really is, you have to make your bluff believable. If you fold too soon, people will catch you in a lie, and they will expect you to bluff again later on. Therefore, you might not be able to use this helpful tool even if the situation calls for it. So, try to remain calm and positive, show your opponents that you're invested in the game, and only fold when the stakes exceed the limit you're comfortable with.
- Remember to have some fun – Like we always say, poker is supposed to be fun and enjoyable. If you get too stressed by the prospect of pursuing this poker tactic, it's not worth the effort.
In Conclusion
In online poker, even the weakest hand can turn into a powerful one by the end of the game. The only question that remains is whether you're willing to take a risk and find out if you can turn lemons into lemonade.