Usually, most players really get their betting wheels turning once they've seen the flop and are in a better position to consider the projected course of the game. Of course, hand development is never a secure and safe thing in poker, for a hand that is the nuts in one round could quite soon be struggling in the next. It's one of the cardinal things that makes poker so exciting. A weak hand can easily become strong, and a strong hand easily weak in just a single extra round.
When considering your pre-flop betting strategy, consider the following variables:
1. Remaining Bankroll
If you have thousands of dollars in betting reserves, then by all means go big in the pre-flop round if you suspect that your two hole cards could prove to provide a worthy combination for winning the pot. But if you only have a few dollars left, it's senseless to bet with any kind of false bravado unless you're planning to bluff you way through the round. Bear in mind, though, that other players will have already preempted this kind of strategy and will be on alert for any kind of compensation mechanisms on your part.
2. How many players are still at the table
The more players there are remaining at the table, the less likely your chances of having the best combination. This is a simple matter of variable numbers. We would recommend not betting to lavishly unless the table is down to only a few members.
3. The temperaments of the players still at the table
One of the most important skills that one learns in poker (and true professionals have honed this ability over many years) is learning to read your opponents, and by extension learning to deceive them. Many of the more amateur players confuse aggression with professionalism. Let these guys play as aggressively as they like - it doesn't mean they'll win the game. In fact, aggressive play that is too frequent and too forceful is often a sign of compensating for a bad hand. By controlling your own temperament and the clues you potentially give away to others, you will be in a better position to assess your opponents more objectively and therefore play a more successful game.
4. The size of the pot
Remember that in poker a player cannot win more than he has wagered. If a player goes all in with $100, it doesn't mean he is eligible to win a pot of $100,000. If you suspect you're in for a profitable round and the pot is looking sizable enough, and you're willing to potentially stake your remaining bankroll into the pot, it can absolutely be worth your while to be aggressive in your pre-flop bet. But take caution with this approach, and do it only when you consider all the factors above
When considering your pre-flop betting strategy, consider the following variables:
1. Remaining Bankroll
If you have thousands of dollars in betting reserves, then by all means go big in the pre-flop round if you suspect that your two hole cards could prove to provide a worthy combination for winning the pot. But if you only have a few dollars left, it's senseless to bet with any kind of false bravado unless you're planning to bluff you way through the round. Bear in mind, though, that other players will have already preempted this kind of strategy and will be on alert for any kind of compensation mechanisms on your part.
2. How many players are still at the table
The more players there are remaining at the table, the less likely your chances of having the best combination. This is a simple matter of variable numbers. We would recommend not betting to lavishly unless the table is down to only a few members.
3. The temperaments of the players still at the table
One of the most important skills that one learns in poker (and true professionals have honed this ability over many years) is learning to read your opponents, and by extension learning to deceive them. Many of the more amateur players confuse aggression with professionalism. Let these guys play as aggressively as they like - it doesn't mean they'll win the game. In fact, aggressive play that is too frequent and too forceful is often a sign of compensating for a bad hand. By controlling your own temperament and the clues you potentially give away to others, you will be in a better position to assess your opponents more objectively and therefore play a more successful game.
4. The size of the pot
Remember that in poker a player cannot win more than he has wagered. If a player goes all in with $100, it doesn't mean he is eligible to win a pot of $100,000. If you suspect you're in for a profitable round and the pot is looking sizable enough, and you're willing to potentially stake your remaining bankroll into the pot, it can absolutely be worth your while to be aggressive in your pre-flop bet. But take caution with this approach, and do it only when you consider all the factors above
