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Razz Advanced Strategy

April 25, 2009

This Razz Advanced Strategy is the final installment in our comprehensive Razz Poker Strategy Guide. Please note that the Razz poker strategies in this advanced addition are recommended for experienced Razz poker players who have already read, practiced and successfully applied our previous Razz poker beginner and intermediate strategies.

The previous Razz poker strategy articles covered a wide range of topics, including beginners strategies like starting hand selection, the value of Door cards and the importance of maintaining patience and discipline at the table. Our intermediate strategy went on to explain proper Street betting techniques, how to read the board, knowing when to up the stakes and how high you should go per level increase.

If you have not yet read these beginner and intermediate Razz poker strategies, we strongly recommend doing so now.

Razz Beginner Strategy
Razz Intermediate Strategy

Our final Razz Advanced Strategy will cover more intricate tactics, easily integrated by veteran poker players. These include using your position to your advantage and psychological aspect of the game; not just reading your opponents, but avoiding being read at the same time.

Razz Advanced Strategy – Player Position

When playing poker, your position at the table has an impressive effect on the strength of your hand. For example, in early position, a strong hand loses worth, while late position bettors can turn marginal holdings into a valuable asset.

The reason the hand value fluctuates is the player’s ability to read his opponents before acting. For example, from early position, you have no clue as to how strong another player’s hand may be. From late position, however, you have the opportunity to watch others act, and react, before making your next move.

At a full table, the last three bettors are all considered late position. Right of the Bring-In is the best position to be in because you have no investment in the pot, aside from your Ante, and are last to act, so you can read everyone.

From late position, when previous players are Folding and limping in (calling the big blind), you can be fairly certain they have a weak to marginal hand at best. If you place a large raise before the flop, you can usually steal the blinds and take down the pot early, even with a junk hand in the Hole. An impressive Door Card, such as an Ace or 2, increases your chance of success monumentally.

It is recommended to have at least a marginally good starting hand so that, if you are called, you have something to fall back on. Also, do not attempt a bluff like this every time you’re in late position or you will get called eventually by players who assume you’re betting based on your position alone. Once you’re labeled a bluffer, it’s a hard label to shake.

Razz Advanced Strategy – Playing the Players

Playing the players is a psychological aspect of any poker game. You don’t need a medical degree, just a lot of experience reading your opponents. You should be keeping a close eye on their betting habbits, determining what type of player they are. If they fold often, they are playing a tight game. If they fold often, but bet high when they do play a hand, they are tight/aggressive. This generally means they have a fairly good hand, and want others to drop out. If a tight player bets conservatively, they are either slow playing a monster hand, or waiting for a good hand to further develop before attacking the pot. Tight players are the easiest to read, so look for these kinds of tendencies and determine what kind of bettors they are.

Loose players are the hardest to read because they rarely fold, playing a wide range of hand strengths. You will have to watch their betting tendencies to see if they bet higher or lower with a great hand as opposed to a marginal hand.

In live Razz poker games, you can of course watch for nervous behavior patterns, like touching the face, sinking in the chair or sitting up straight, staying quiet or becoming chatty, etc. These are often signs that they are either bluffing, or have been dealt a great hand. Note the behavior and the result of the hand to predict their strength in later hands.

These poker tells can be found in online poker as well, though they are more subtle. You need to watch how they bet on each type of hand they are dealt. Do they always bet high in late position? Call to see if they’re habitual bluffers. Will they call a medium bet with a bet hand, but fold to a large bet? This can help you add value to the pot when you know you’ve got them beaten.

Practice reading players at the table. Start with one player, and once you think you’ve got a read on him, try predicting his next move in each hand. Once you can predict him correctly, you know you’ve got him down. As you continue to practice this technique, you’ll discover most poker player fit into categories, making the ability to read a full table of opponents possible within a few hands of Razz.

Razz Advanced Strategy – Be Mysterious

No, we don’t mean wear sunglasses and a black hood and narrow your eyes at your opponents. You can if you wish, but what we’re referring to here is avoiding being read by your opponents. Just as you are trying to read them, you can rest assured, if they have any experience at all, they are doing the same to you.

First, create a table image. Let them think they have you read perfectly. Show yourself to be a tight or loose player, an aggressive or passive bettor. Then suddenly change it up. Never let your game play follow a consistent pattern.

The table image is important, because it can strike fear in the heart of your opponents when managed properly. By changing up your pattern, you can send them mentally reeling, making them guess at your next move rather than accurately predicting your Razz poker game. This opens the door to bluffing, slow playing, check/raising, pot control and just about every other poker strategy known to the pros. When opponents can’t predict you, they can’t take advantage of any weaknesses – you have none!

Razz Advanced Strategy – The End…

We hope you have enjoyed and made use of our in-depth, 3-part Razz Strategy Guide. To review any part of this Razz Strategy, please use the links below. Good luck!

Razz Poker Rules & Starting Hands
Razz Beginner Strategy
Razz Intermediate Strategy
Razz Advanced Strategy

Written by Rob · Filed Under HORSE Poker Strategy 

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