Poker Betting Patterns: Break the Mold

In Texas Hold'em, as well as any game that has betting, patterns may emerge from time to time. Players can't help it sometimes; a game becomes relaxed and rhythm develops. Your bets come in like clockwork and not necessarily in a good way.

Using patterns to beat games has been a concept used for years. Even computer games have patterns, outs for many players to beat otherwise impossible games.

Some players have the unfortunate pattern of check, bet, bet, check, the last check occurring at the river in Texas Hold'em. Often that last check appears if the river doesn't cooperate. Check your own poker playing - unless you are a playing professional and sometimes even if you are, you'll catch yourself with this pattern. Contrary to the most exciting scripted moments in movie poker, for the most part it is never intelligent to bet on what could possibly come out. It is usually unwise to bet on the flop, turn and river as no possible amount of observation can determine the future.

For the most part, the river card will not change everything. If your opponents are passively checking while your chips keep bringing out theirs, chances are they're waiting for a better look at the board. If you're betting first and a flush starts threatening the spread, a flush you don't have, be safe and just check. However, if you happen to be acting last and everyone checks, chances are they don't have anything to begin with and are waiting for something better.

Chances are, if you have the best hand at the flop and the turn, you're still going to have it at the river. Anyone who has anything good at those two points will come betting, as bluffing with a check is a questionable tactic. Of course the averages roll out in Texas Hold'em and in all poker games - sometimes the river will rush down and save the day and the other guy will win. Don't worry about it. There's still an element of luck in the game, after all and these tactics merely reduce the potential impact it has on your win ratio. Essentially, change the pattern. Remove that last check - slide in a brave bet instead. If you're acting first, it certainly looks like you have something if you keep betting throughout the rounds. Checking at the last round after two bets implies that you didn't quite get what you what. This is barring a bluff of course, that went horribly wrong. In that case, if you have nothing, bite the bullet and throw in your cards. Texas Hold'em is won with intelligent tactics and strategies, not forcing the issue when you're out of luck.

Keep your head in the game and on your cards. If you keep attentive and pay attention to the way you throw your chips in Texas Hold'em, you should avoid the pitfall of a bad betting pattern.