How to effectively trap your opponent

How to effectively trap your opponent is by playing big pairs or having the nuts. What you want to do is get all of the money in the pot and have the best cards. If you have done this then you have effectively set a trap and pounced on your opponent’s money. When you are setting a trap for your opponent a lot of the time it will be by using the check raise. Other times if you can sense that your opponent has a strong hand you can lead out and get raise, which is the ideal situation. A lot of the time if a player makes the nuts on the flop they will check, sometimes this is correct, but other times it isn’t. If you sense your opponent has a big pair or big hand you can lead out at them and get them to raise you. If they have made a stack committing raise you have done your job, and have done it well.

When you are using a check raise in a hand it should be with a big pair or a set. If you are leading out it should be with hands like a flush or a straight. When you do make a check raise in a hand the red flag goes up from your opponent, and if they do have a big hand a lot of the time they will go with it. Another form of trapping your opponent is if you make a hand like four of a kind or an unbeatable hand. Meaning, if a turn card comes there is no chance for your opponent to catch up or make a better hand. Even a hand like a full house would count in this case. In this instance you should check and then call if your opponent bets. You want them to be putting the most of their poker bonus money in the pot, and the only way to do that is to let them hang themselves. If you are playing a pot against an aggressive player a lot of the time it is best to check the board to them. If you choose to lead out or make a check raise you are showing too much strength in a hand where you shouldn’t be. You want them to feel as comfortable that they have the best hand as you feel. If you can check call for two streets then you have set a great trap. You should most of the time bet the river enough where they can make the call. Don’t put a big bet out unless you feel like maybe you are giving them a big cooler. In the sense that you are giving them a big cooler you can even check a third time then raise all-in on the river. They will call off the river close to 100% of the time after firing three shells at the pot. Most players who fire three shells feel like they have the best and will be confident enough to put all their chips in any one pot. If a player is playing very passive and they all of a sudden are firing two shells at you sometimes it is even best to move in on the turn, but not that often. If there is a flush draw or a straight on the board and you have a full house you want to give them every opportunity to bluff at the pot or make their hand. If they do make their hand on the river not many players are good enough to fold the river after making their hand. You want to give your opponent every chance to get their hand there before you spring the trap and get them stuck in it.