Poker strategy is one of the most divisive and hotly contested talking points in the entirety of the casino gaming industry. For many players, it is split into two distinct categories of online and land-based poker.
However, for some, you can splice it even further, with video poker, cryptocurrency, and other types of virtual poker ideas becoming more prevalent in the market.
Crypto’s presence in the market is growing, we have seen it become an extremely popular form of payment across the industry, and coupled with the rise of poker variants such as Three Card Rummy and Oasis Poker, SlotsLV have married all of these elements together to help thrust poker into the eyes and ears of a modern audience.
Even though all of these new ideas have caught wind online, unpredictability still plays an enormous role in modern strategy, whether it is online or in a land-based setting.
Unpredictable When Necessary
Today, we’re going to look at how leveraging unpredictability in poker can be an invaluable tool when it is used correctly.
Some think that unpredictability applies only to conventional, land-based poker, but if the emergence of alternative, digital casino games over the last decade and a half has shown anything, it’s that old ideas can be adapted and morphed to suit a contemporary audience.
The same applies to poker. Not only has it been able to switch from land-based to the early days of video poker, and then to the later online version, but it has also been able to flourish across multiple modern fronts, including mobile devices and blockchain technology, which has defied the broader market over the last 18 months.
All the while, unpredictability and strategy remain key elements of poker, even in light of these technological advances.
If you play a predictable, consistent pattern, an unpredictable move can throw your opponents off their game. Only when used sporadically and when you’re in the ascendency, though, you don’t want it to become a gimmick or for people to read what you are about to do next.
Big Bets to Small Bets
Depending on your bankroll size, one of the most impactful ways to be unpredictable with your poker strategy is to range your bets between large amounts, increasing the raise when you know you’ve got a strong hand, and throwing in little river bets to keep people guessing.
Bankroll management is crucial for any longevity in poker, and given that some games can go on for hours at a time, knowing when to put your foot on the gas and when to step back is arguably even more important than knowing when to leverage unpredictability.
Some sites allow players to use the HUD software to track player stats, so this can be a good strategy to implement. Not all sites allow players to use these stats to profile player strategies and techniques, but unpredictability can muddy the waters and make it harder for other players to track your stats and playing style.
Bluffing In an Online Game – Is It As Effective?
It depends on the player you ask, but from a personal perspective, bluffing in an online game can be just as effective; you just need to go about it in a slightly different manner.
Those who pride themselves on their unpredictability in their strategy can leverage online technology, but instead of sitting around and reading body language, online unpredictability can come from sending ambiguous strategic or goading messages in the in-game chat, self-reflective comments about when you have overplayed your hand.
Or, you could opt for radio silence, so those in the live game do not have inkling about what you have lined up next.
As in conventional poker, reading bluffing and unpredictability often stems from experience. Some of the top players we have seen at the WSOP over the last few years often play online to refine their skills.
If there wasn’t any merit to refining your skills online, then the professionals simply wouldn’t do it, and with so many options available in the modern market, there are definitely benefits there for those players who decide to hone their unpredictability for online poker.
As more of the casino gaming industry increasingly moves online, there’s definitely going to be a market for online poker players who are able to adapt to the adjustments we’ve seen to the modern game.
Final Thoughts
Tweaking certain angles of your game will help you develop a style that yields the best results. Of course, though, this is much further down the pecking order of responsibility.
The main goal is to understand the game, know how other players operate, stick to your means, and shop around for bonuses and promotions that can help you enjoy the game safely and responsibly.
Once you have a good grasp of these elements, you can refine other facets of your strategy, such as unpredictability, to further develop your skills and experience.
