Poker Veteran of 50 Years: Do You Have What It Takes?

Taking Poker to the Extreme!

Poker champion Doyle Brunson has often claimed: “No-Limit hold-em is the Cadillac of Poker.”

The difference between limit and no-limit is like the difference between a lightning bug and lightning. The distinctions are profound and enormous.

I’m gonna focus on no-limit hold-em, considered by many to be one of the most exciting games in all of poker -- a game that demands more focus and understanding than its limit counterpart. In no-limit, all your money and chips are always in play, so you cannot afford to make any mistakes and still hope to win. 

Many say it is a game of skill or even a game of luck.  

I call No-limit poker a game of guts and courage. A game that, at its very heart, will test your mettle and challenge you to your core. It will expose your weaknesses and at times hang you out to dry.

I‘m not going to go over which cards to play or how to navigate hands in this segment but instead will share the strategy needed to get all your opponents’ chips, when they least expect it. How to put them to the test over and over, in order to come away the winner.

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If, when playing No-limit hold-em you have any fear about what to do or when to do it, you may be playing the wrong game. 

Poker, when played right, is by its very nature a game of aggression. You want to instill fear and confusion no matter what hand you’re playing. You want to make bets that clearly show you mean business. You want to get your opponents off their big draws, their mid to small pairs, or make them feel like every encounter is their make-or-break moment.

Putting your chips and your game at stake is more than a statement; it is a declaration.  After all, fear is the reaction you want and courage is the decision you make.

Yes, it’s called the game of poker, but at its heart, it’s really a game of chicken. Playing chicken is not a theory and it is not a threat. It's the ultimate test of courage, a challenge to see who will back down first. 

Remember the thrilling car race scene in the 1955 film classic “Rebel Without a Cause” starring James Dean, where two rivals challenged each other to a “Chickie Run.” Two cars would drag race side by side to see who would be first to bail —playing chicken — before going over the cliff?  

Well, that in a nutshell is No-limit poker.

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Every table has an aggressor who leads out with bets more often than you think they should. A table bully so to speak. One of the most effective strategies or techniques to stifle this action is what I call an “Extreme Bet.” A statement bet that puts your opponents’ stack at risk — a reaction I’m sure wasn’t intended in their initial bet. This triggers what I call the “Dirty Harry effect”: It makes the original bettor ask themselves if they really want to play for their entire stack.  As Dirty Harry asked: 'Do you feel lucky?' Well, do ya, punk?” This Extreme Bet doesn’t necessarily require a good hand to back it up, as it generally results in your opponents folding. It requires planning and courage.

You’ll want to apply variations of this strategy at select moments throughout the game, as this will solidify your position at the table. Picking your spots to basically keep the aggressor off guard. What's more, you never want to let up on that gas pedal.

Everyone who plays and wants to win is both protective of their chip stack and leery of getting in over their skis. If playing against you means putting all your money at risk, over and over, they might just choose other players to challenge. Aggression is always the best defense; however, keep in mind that every once in a while even the aggressor may wake up with a hand.