Changing Pace At The Poker Table

Today’s Texas Hold’em Strategy is about Changing Pace. While consistency is considered a virtue in life, it is perhaps the most common mistake around the poker table. Most poker players become identified by consistency in their playing, earning a stereotyped title such as a tight player or an aggressive player. Being predictable enough to be defined by your playing style is a bad poker strategy. But one way to throw your opponents off the trail is to mix it up, change your pace. Bet big with an Ace and Jack pre-flop, but don’t repeat the strategy if you see the hand again. If you keep your inconsistency discreet it can add a level of mystery to your play.
So while being unpredictable and unstable is not something that a person would generally strive for, at the poker table it is a sure-fire method for success. Changing pace will surprise your opponent, making him rethink his entire game plan and destroy any early momentum. It will confuse him, preventing counter-attack techniques.
When it comes to experience, you can bet that most poker players will change their pace quite frequently. But how does one go about changing pace without alerting everyone else around the poker table. It must be subtle; make a different move when you are feeling that your opponent expects a specific action. For example, if you get the sense that your opponent is expecting a bluff, a good poker strategy is to do the opposite. Play tight for an hour or so and then loosen up your game later.
You should also consider what type of game is being played at the poker table. Amateur poker players generally find it difficult to catch up once there is a chance of pace at the table. But more experienced players can easily realize this in the early stages, locating a pattern in your play, and match your changed moves. So it is essential to change the pace a few times throughout the game and then maintain this random order. Ultimately, this idea of changing pace shakes up the opposition so that he is more likely to make mistakes while you control the poker table.