September 26, 2011

How to Improve Your Redline?

Now that you know what causes your downward-sloping redline, we can take a look at what you can actually do to improve things.
Pick your c-betting spots with more care. If you’re faced with a calling station, you should probably cut back quite drastically on your c-betting. A board that helps your range on the other hand, is a sign that should encourage your c-betting. Also, you should feel more comfortable firing out that continuation bet if you know that you intend to fire that second barrel too. The one and done approach is something you should do away with completely. If you know you’re not comfortable firing that second and possibly third barrel, don’t get into c-betting at all.

Getting more aggressive with your draws. One of the most common mistakes that rookies make is that they play their draws passively, only to fold when it becomes obvious they won’t make a hand. That’s not the way to go. In one of articles posted on this site we’ve talked about what a good bluff looks like: besides being able to represent the hand that you want to represent well, you should also leave yourself a way out, a plan B. Consider your draw to be that plan B and launch your plan A: bluff aggressively because even if you do get called, you’ll get a chance to take down a potentially even bigger pot. That’s fold equity in action right there.

Playing in position is a throwback to the ABCs of poker. When you’re in position, you have control and you have to guess less. By having more information at your disposal, you can afford to get more aggressive because at the end of the day, being more aggressive is the cure for your redline woes.

Bluffing more and semi-bluffing more should also be part of your increased aggression. By doing that, you will find players who play fit or fold poker and you will punish them heavily. Basically, you’ll be taking advantage of a player’s downward-sloping redline to cure your own redline problems.
The bottom line is that you have to be a goal-oriented player aware of his moves and his resulting expectations. You have to know what you do and why you do it, what you hope to accomplish by placing a certain bet. Everything you do at the table has to be focused on achieving something. If you can do that, your redline will show immediate signs of revival.

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