Poker, as most avid players would know, is largely based on the understanding of another players hand and predictability. One of the worst mistakes a poker player can make is to be predictable at a table. This is where most amateur players fail. Almost any good poker player is always trying to read the signs in your betting and calling patterns. So if you settle with one style, you’re most certainly bound to fail. Changing gears involves changing your style of play to throw off your opponents who are continually trying to assess how you are playing.
What is changing gears in poker
Changing gears is simply changing the way you play your hand. Just as you would drive a car in different gears depending on the traffic condition, changing gears is an important strategy to stay ahead of your opponents in the game. For example, if you stay aggressive on a few hands and your opponents start to notice this pattern and change play accordingly, it is time to stop the aggression and play a little tight fisted.
Sometimes even the size of your chip stack can influence a change in your game-play. You may for example need to play more tightly if your stack is smaller.
The importance of changing gears in poker
The most important use of changing gears in poker is to keep your opponents from finding a pattern in your game play. Simply put – Stop being predictable. If you become predictable, chances are you are going to lose even before you see your hand. A good opponent is always assessing his hand against yours. If he can easily sense that you have a good hand he is definitely going to fold and if he senses some loose playing, may re-raise you and force you to bring in more to the pot. A seasoned poker player can even read body language to assess how you play.
Another important reason to change gears, as we mentioned earlier, is to play according to your chip stack (as compared to your opponents). If you have a large chip stack, you may have more freedom to see the flops and call a few bets. But be wise, this does not mean that you stick by your hand even if you know you have been squarely beaten. It is also important to know when to let go. This comes from learning how to read your opponents’ hands, just as they are reading yours.
Timing your gear changes
The timing of your gear changes is very important in poker. A sharp poker player will know when to change gears instinctively and will almost always pick the right players to do it against. For example, if you find your aggression matched by a few tight players, you may want to tone down the aggression and maybe even play a really good pre-flop conservatively.
There are of course many more scenarios in a game that may call for a change in gears. Most of these involve a change in the table dynamics. For example, if the players on your tables have changed and newer players have come in, it may be time to change gears while you are assessing your newer opponents’ style of playing. In many cases you may have to even change gears while dealing with different opponents on the same table.
Suppose you have a large stack (maybe the second or third highest on the table), you may want to play differently against the opponents who are better than you as compared to the ones with comparatively smaller chip stacks. But also remember that the ones with the smaller stacks have less to lose and may play more freely or change gears more often. Being able to assess when such players are changing gears can be vital to your game plan.
Another important scenario that calls for gear changes is towards the end of tournaments. Many players tend to play more tightly to try stay in the money during these times. Changing gears to an aggressive front can help you pick up the lose pots and change your stack size as you progress further into the tournament. In most tournaments, players who have mastered the ability to change gears at this juncture are the ones who have come out on top.
Evaluate your gear changes
Remember that while playing consistently can also get you in the money slowly but eventually, the aim of every hand should not be to just win, but to win more. Evaluating the table and changing gears can help you pick up the extra money on more profitable plays. For example if you have a good pre-flop (say a high pair), you may choose to raise really high on a small pot and force everyone to fold, but changing gears at this point and betting low can help you get more out of your opponents than just a pot of blinds.
Keep practicing
Changing gears has been an important strategy with all the world’s best players. Keeping your opponents guessing and at the same time assessing their hands can take some time and practice. But once you master the timing of your gear shifts, and assess the same for your opponent, you are on your way to bigger wins. Remember that just because you have the ability to change gears does not mean you do it all the time. Like a good driver, a good player learns to change gears only when necessary and to suit the right terrain.