Aggression

Hearing the term ‘controlled aggression’ has always struck me an oxymoronic term that doesn’t really mean anything. How can a poker player use both control and aggression and are the two actually intertwined in any way?

Firstly, those paying more attention to Scratch Cards Online should note how playing aggressively does not mean betting and raising every hand. That’s just idiocy. Aggressive poker works when you are betting and raising, knowing you have an advantage over your opponent, be that a strategic advantage or simply position. Aggression is only a good strategy when you pick the right spots to make the plays.

Aggression can be used to ‘buy position’. Buying position is a term used for when you are in middle position and wish to stop the players after you from coming into the hand pre-flop. That way, you are last to act in the subsequent rounds of betting, and therefore have position on the table.

By playing a constantly aggressive style, you will find that your pay-offs will be more frequent and bigger. Opponents will give you less respect when you are strong and pay you off with weak hands, thinking you are weaker or even bluffing. If you play correct aggressive poker, you will make it expensive for your opponents to draw to their hands. By pricing them out of hands where they are chasing flushes or straights, you make them play bad mathematical poker and you will make money. It’s bad luck if they chase and hit their flushes and straights, but you need players like these in the game because they are bad players.  Aggressive no limit Hold’em almost always trumps passive play.