Poker Strategy For Beginners - Texas Hold em Cash Game Tactics (meta-game) - Lesson 1

"Do not raise, if you aren't able to call a semi bluff."

This is a very simple, yet effective tip that could help you save a lot of money. Not only does explain the basis of poker, which is to win as money as you can when your ahead and to loose the least amount of money when your behind.

Let's say your in a Sit & Go tournament and your 40 big blinds deep. You still have a lot of time to double up and cache out. There is no reason to start making bad decisions nor do you need to loose your cool. Let's examine a situation where you're sure you're ahead, but all the other variables, excluding the cards in your hand, amount to you folding rather then paying someone off.

Ok so you have pocket 7's and you call a fairly small pre flop raise. Everyone folds besides you and another player are heads up You're out of position and have half the stack as you're opponent. The flop comes out, and you see a queen, a 3 and a jack. Your staring you popular down, and he bets the amount of the pot after fiddling with his chips for a few seconds.

You have 3 options, fold, call or raise. Calling would be the gamblers decision. You have to over cards on the flop and you definitely behind. You could out put him on ace king, continue on, but them you would be drawing dead. Raising, or 3 betting would put some fear in his heart. Or at least you hope it would.

At this point hope isn't enough. Playing against the odds of poker will get you no where. He could have paired the jack and/or the queen, making a c-bet or be on a draw and you're keeping your fingers cross for another 7. My point is, there are a lot better positions you could be in, much like his. If your were to raise, are you prepared to call a re-raise?

The best thing to do is fold. Why? Because your going to get Tier 1 cards within the next 10 hands. You're also going to feel like a stronger poker player by winning other pots and you remember folding these 7's.

Let's say you flopped trips. Calling or raising would be the wise decision. But if by the turn, the board pairs or you see 3 to a straight. You would might want to reconsider calling a large raise. Folding is your friend.