How Do You Control The Poker Pot?

First of all you should know that controlling the pot is simply playing for a big pot when you have the right cards in your hand or going for a smaller pot when someone else at the table is holding on to those cards. The key is making a right presumption on out how your cards are measuring up to your opponents’, so you can take the appropriate action.

It sounds easy, but not so much and the situation even becomes critical in deep-stack poker. It’s actually another level of risk, as you are taking a chance on your own intuitions of competitors’ hands and if you guess wrong you might wind up always playing for small pots. It is, however, a skill that all players must acquire to reach higher levels. Of course there are other skills you should learn as well in order to become a professional player and the first step you should make to achieve that is to download the William Hill Poker School software that has proven to be incredibly helpful for both novice and advanced players.

When Is the Right Time?

In deep stack poker it’s all about wagering for value or controlling how large that pot becomes. You can accomplish this in two ways, which is all on how you size up your opponents cards and how your opponent plays his hand. It sounds like a cinch but is much harder in reality, but a rule of thumb is the more relaxed your opponent appears to be that is when you wager for value, and when you appear to be as honest as they come, that’s when you go for controlling the pot.

Being In the Right Spot

Something we didn’t mention but definitely should now is the fact that pot is easiest to control when you are in position, but it’s also possible to influence the pot when you are out of position. The two most common ways to accomplish this are check-calling plays and blocking bets, but it’s important to remember these are defensive methods and if the other players are worth their salt, they will not allow you get away with this without a pitched battle.

On the Flip Side

Controlling the pot is not always a win-win situation because if you don’t play hard-nosed enough you are almost always going to miss out on value. You always have to keep in mind everything relies on your opponent’s cards and the scenario you are in. It’s a tough call as to when you play for value or control the pot, but the better you become at poker and reading other people, the easier it will become. It is a skill like any other that develops the more hands you play.