Many people make the mistake of building large pots with one pair of hands in the game of poker only to eventually fold when the pot begins to get big. As an alternative strategy I will show you how to keep the pots small in poker when you have a hand that is weak and also on how to build big pots with the big hands so you can avoid some hands.

In poker when you flop a big hands you want to win the stack of your opponent. The big hand in this context of poker is not easily designed. I define a big hand as one that you are willing to play for stacks against a certain opponent in this game of poker. This is also a sliding scale. Against one loose player it may be quite correct to play the big pot with one pair in poker. Against another tighter opponent it may be a huge mistake. The only way you can tell in this game of poker is to know your opponents. Your stack is a tool in poker. You have to use it to win the chips of the other person. You cannot win their stack without putting yours on the line. You can also decide to put your stack on the line in poker. It is up to you to decide when you put stack on the line. So it is good only if you risk your stack if you have a big hand in poker. You seldom should find yourself in a big pot having to fold.

Now that I have helped you define a big hand pin pointing a small hand is easy in poker. It is a hand that you do not want to play a big pot with. Also as a general rule you should not play for stacks with a pair type hands. If you are called you are normally left behind in poker. So when you have a hand like the top pair you should exercise pot control. Remember you are in charge of the hands you play. You build big pots when you have big hands and when you have smaller hands you now actively control the size of the pot so that you do not need to put a tough decision. I always make sure I am in control of the pots I am in.