Changing Gears When Playing Poker

A good poker player is unpredictable and is able to change gears. The way you do this is dependent on your opponents and your table image.

If you have been playing solid poker and were not once caught bluffing, you will have substantial bluff equity. If you have been playing loose and bluffing a lot, you will be in a position to get paid off when you hold a good poker hand. When your opponents are playing tight, you should play looser and, when they are loose, you should tighten up your game. Always try to be one step ahead of your opponents.

It is the ability to balance your game by changing gears at the right moment that makes you unpredictable. This is why you should occasionally advertise plays when you know you will be playing with the same players for a while: show them hands you do not normally play and mix up your play to cash in on those plays later. This is not as important when playing online poker since people usually don't pay as much attention to the game and also because players move around a lot. However, it should still be done under the right circumstances.