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Isolating a Weak Player

• 09.06.2025 8:19 am
• headhunter
• 0 Comments

When you sit down at a table, the first couple of hands should be used to identify the players of the game. You want to know who the strong players are and try to stay out of their way. You definitely want to know who the weak players are because this is going to be your money source.

You don't need a table full of weak ones, just two or three will do. Your goal is to get the money from these players. Learn their tendencies and see what kind of hands they like to raise with. Many times weak players will overvalue face cards and raise, or limp with hands such as A-3 or K-8. If you sense weakness and are going after the player, you want to isolate so that the two of you will play heads up. You have a better shot at winning the hand if it's just the two of you in a pot.

You isolate by raising or reraising the weak player. Most of the time this will be too much money for anyone else to call. However, it's often small enough for the original raiser to call. Or at least they think it is because they aren't very good. You are going to win the bulk of your chips from the bad players at the table. It's easier to win when you are heads up because you are going against multiway action and multiple draws. Try to isolate as much as you can to make the hand easier.

If you get other callers after your reraise beware of their hands. They are probably strong to be calling a reraise, but they might be trying to pick off the weak player with a marginal hand such as medium pocket pair. The better players should generally stay out of each other's way and let each other take their shots at the bad players. This isn't always the case, so just be careful.

The isolation play usually works pre-flop, although, it could happen after the flop. If you hit a good flop and the weak players bets out and is habitually known to bet top pair with bad kicker or middle pair, you can raise the bettor and isolate.

When playing the hand, evaluate what your opponent has because even though he isn't a good player, doesn't mean he doesn't have a good hand. Anyone can wake up with a monster hand, it doesn't take skill to get lucky. If at any point during the hand, you realize that you are dominated, fold the hand and pick another spot. Players like this will give you ample opportunity to win your chips back.