When you're playing against people who are just gambling away money, no-limit hold'em cash is a very fun and profitable game, even if you aren't exceptionally skilled. As you progressively increase the skill level of your opponents, the way you adjust to the changing game conditions will decide how much smaller your profits become (if any shrinkage happens in the first place). Once your opponents have a skill level that includes making basic considerations about what sort of hand you might have, then you have the chance to start making some very advanced plays using what's referred to as second level thinking in poker. There are a number of common flop scenarios which illustrate second level thinking in action, and here we're going to look
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Friends get together to play a friendly game and after a few drinks and a few hours everyone is tired and had a good time and congratulates Bill on taking the big money home, again. No one suspects that Bill was cheating and no one knows what to watch for to spot potential cheaters. Well, follow these guidelines and you can feel a little safer at the poker table. Rule 1. Never play with strangers Now I know that this advice has been given out so many times that it makes you feel like pounding your head against a rock every time you hear it, but don't play poker with anyone you don't know, but time after time a cheat slips into a game with just an introduction from a regular player. Remember, just because he is your friend's friend doesn't mean he isn't a cheat. Rule 2. Never let the cards leave the table. Now this one should be obvious. At no point should the cards ever be out of sight. Ever. All it takes is a second for one deck to be switched out for a stacked one. Insist that all players keep their cards above the table in plain view. One way to spot a switched out deck is if the cards feel cooler than they did the last round. The reasoning behind this is that through shuffling and dealing, the cards warm up above room temperature while a stacked deck has not been handled and is still at room temperature. Thus after switching it in, a stacked deck will feel cooler. Rule 3. Insist that players keep their hands on or above the table. Another thing that needs to be said is that players should keep their hands above the table at all times. Once again, all a cheat needs is just a few seconds and if the cheat has cards that he has been holding out, he can switch them in invisibly if he can get his hands below the table for a few seconds before and after the switch. Rule 4. Count the cards and replace the deck. The deck should be counted every few
Friends get together to play a friendly game and after a few drinks and a few hours everyone is tired and had a good time and congratulates Bill on taking the big money home, again. No one suspects that Bill was cheating and no one knows what to watch for to spot potential cheaters. Well, follow these guidelines and you can feel a little safer at the poker table. Rule 1. Never play with strangers Now I know that this advice has been given out so many times that it makes you feel like pounding your head against a rock every time you hear it, but don't play poker with anyone you don't know, but time after time a cheat slips into a game with just an introduction from a regular player. Remember, just because he is your friend's friend doesn't mean he isn't a cheat. Rule 2. Never let the cards leave the table. Now this one should be obvious. At no point should the cards ever be out of sight. Ever. All it takes is a second for one deck to be switched out for a stacked one. Insist that all players keep their cards above the table in plain view. One way to spot a switched out deck is if the cards feel cooler than they did the last round. The reasoning behind this is that through shuffling and dealing, the cards warm up above room temperature while a stacked deck has not been handled and is still at room temperature. Thus after switching it in, a stacked deck will feel cooler. Rule 3. Insist that players keep their hands on or above the table. Another thing that needs to be said is that players should keep their hands above the table at all times. Once again, all a cheat needs is just a few seconds and if the cheat has cards that he has been holding out, he can switch them in invisibly if he can get his hands below the table for a few seconds before and after the switch. Rule 4. Count the cards and replace the deck. The deck should be counted every few