4 intermediate Poker Strategies to Learn

Poker is one of the most widely played table games in a casino. It involves a lot of deception and experience to excel. Most players use a variety of strategies to achieve the best possible hand according to the table dynamics. With many strategies out there, it can be quite confusing to know the best ones for intermediate players.

Here are 4 intermediate poker strategies to learn that can level up your poker games:

The Semi-Bluff

Unlike pure bluffs, a semi-bluff is a tactic where a player makes a bet or raises with a hand that is not the best at the time of betting but has a chance of improving in later rounds. A semi-bluff is usually done to either make your opponents fold or to build the pot until you draw.

To successfully execute a semi-bluff, there must be:

• A good hand such as a straight flush or a flush draw.

• A moderate amount in the total pot.

It’s best to avoid betting against loose players who are likely to call any bet, as this reduces the likelihood of you succeeding. 

The Check-Raise

One of the most popular intimidation strategies in a casino is the check-raise. A check-raise is a strategy where a player checks early in a betting round, hoping that the opponent might start with a bet. Then, the one who checked will raise in the same round, making the round more aggressive.

This tactic is used to deceive your opponent about your hand and to make them commit more chips to the pool. A few considerations when committing a check-raise are:

• You must be sure that your opponent might bet.

• There are aggressive players who frequently raise the pot.

• Know your position to ensure you’ll get a free hand based on your opponent’s betting tendencies.

• You have a strong hand that can benefit from the increased pool size.

Positional Awareness

Your position is the best in deciding what your next action plan is. If you’re in a “late position,” you have more information about what your opponents are doing before you make a decision. So, you can play a wide variety of hands and loosen up your plays to gather more information.

If you’re in an early position, it’s best to play tight or strong hands such as high pairs and high suits to avoid tricky situations. It all comes down to where you’re positioned and the table dynamics you have, so make use of the best within a round and predict what your opponent’s moves are going to be.

Floating the Flop

Floating the flop is a bluffing technique where you call a bet on the flop to bluff in later rounds. Here’s how it works: 

If you’re in a good position and your opponent bets after the first three community cards are shown (the flop), you call their bet and take over the leadership in later betting rounds. The goal is to take away the pot on the next card or the last card by betting or raising to suggest you have a good hand, but in reality, you don’t.