No-Limit Holdem Cash Game : Playing MonstersPoker isn't just
about getting good cards - it's also about how you play those cards.
Just because you've picked up a monster hand, doesn't mean you
should abandon all strategy knowing you're going to win anyway. How
you play your hand can make the difference between taking down a big
pot or getting slim winnings for your good cards. There are
many different philosophies on playing made hands. Some say slow
play, others say bet out. I say there's really no set way that you
should play a made hand every time because it all depends on the
situation. What you want to keep in mind is that your goal is to get
your opponent pot-committed. That way, you'll have the best chance
of getting his all-in by the river and taking down a huge pot with
your monster hand. When to Slow Play
The best time to slow play your monster hand is when you're up
against an aggressive opponent who has an early position. There's
nothing better than flopping a set on a raise and having him bet
into you over and over - "feeding the monster" as we like to call
it. The only time I slow play a made hand is when I hit big
against an aggressive opponent who likes to steal pots. If I figure
he's made a top pair on the flop, I'll re-raise him on the turn to
get him pot-committed before I put him all-in on the river.
The turn is the best time to get someone pot-committed. If he's
betting into you, just double or triple his bet on the turn and
he'll follow you all-in on the river.
When to BetI love betting into solid players because it
immediately lets me know if they have a hand or not. If they call my
bet, I know they hit top pair on the flop and I'll be able to
pot-commit them by the river. As with slow playing, the turn is
where you want to pot-commit your opponent and set him up for an
all-in at the river. The only time you want to all-in the turn is if
there's a draw that can beat you and you've got a lot of chips in
the pot. For example, here's how I usually bet when I've
flopped a set. Say my opponent and I are both sitting with $600, and
I call a raise of $30 pre-flop with 5 -5 .
The flop comes K -5 -2
rainbow. I'm first to act so I bet $48 and he calls which means he's
most likely holding A-K or something with a king pre-flop. Now it's
time to pot-commit him. On the turn, if I check, he bets and I
re-raise, he may fold. Instead of scaring him off like that, I bet
out $120 on the turn, and if he re-raises, then I can go all-in with
him. If he just calls, I can get him all-in at the river. This
is the beauty of pot-committing opponents. | 
