Pre-flop involves making decisions before the flop, depending on all the variables involved. Your choice should be right and reliable enough as it sets a tone on how to play the rest of the hand. This strategy means that you make excellent plays at the start of the game.
After dealing with your cards pre-flop, make sure that you evaluate different variables involved and not just decisions on the playing cards you’re holding. Your position, opponent, and exact starting hand requirements should be of consideration according to the poker pros at score88poker. Therefore, correct pre-flop approach decisions should be carefully thought before every flop to set the tone for a valuable hand.
Pre-Flop Position Strategy
Your position is one of the vital aspects to consider in every hand. As a general rule of this approach, too many players to act after you make it tighter unless you hold a premium hand. Therefore, you should take caution when playing in the blinds or first positions.
A player’s position plays a significant role in a profitable betting round than the strength of the card a player holds. With that in mind, you should keep an upper hand with the right combination of premium holds and a good position.
- In a first position, you should tighten your starting hand pick.
- The following are top tips on pre-flop position strategies:
- Know your position in the round.
- Duck from presenting too many hands in the blinds.
- Loosen up starting hand requirements in the following positions.
- Avoid playing out of position unless you hold premium cards.
Pre-Flop Betting Tips
You face a hard decision to fold, call, or raise when you have to act before the flop. Calling the big blind pre-flop to add to the pot is called Limping-In. Generally, this action is not a good play as you will be entering the slot with a sub-standard hand or a weakly playing a premium hand.
Limping adds to the pot; hence, it draws away your winning opportunity and makes it easy for your opponents to call and play in more influential positions than you. With that, you should avoid limping in, especially in the prime spots, instead ‘pump it’ or ‘dump it.’
The following are top strategy tips on pre-flop betting:
Don’t be afraid to ‘pump it’ or ‘dump it.’
Avoid limping
Rise your raise size if opponents have limped or are calling
Limp only if opponents have faltered before or you have a possibly steady hand
When entering a new pot make a sturdy 3 or 4 BB raise
Top 4 Mistakes to Avoid In Pre-Flop Poker Strategy
- Limping.
- Lack of positional awareness.
- Passively playing against raise.
- Tight Big Blind plays.