Floating
Floating is a technique in poker that helps players to help weed out bluffs with minimal risk. A float means that you are calling another player’s bet with the intention of taking away the pot on a later street. Floating is not done when you are holding a strong or made hand, the float aspect of it is derived from the fact that you have a weak hand.
The reason for calling is not because you feel that your hand is the best, but simply because you are sure that the other player is weak. This will allow you to make a bet on a later street if they check to you or raise them if they again bet out. Floats are most effective when done in position because an out of position float will require a player to check call. Check calling is indicative of much more weakness than a call in position.
Floating should never be done against over aggressive players who are incapable of slowing down. While it would definitely be profitable to float an over aggressive player who is able to put on the brakes, floating one who isn’t will often leave you stuck. If you do float an over aggressive player who never slows down you will often be forced to put in a raise on a later street in order to take away the pot.
This is why floating these types of players is largely ineffective, it defeats the entire purpose of a float in that it is not cost effective. Passive players who like to make continuation bets would be the perfect target for a float. These players will make frequent continuation bets that can be floated (and are often quite small) but will also check the turn a large percentage of the time.
Floating is not only done on the flop, however. Some players will actually float multiple streets in an attempt to take away the pot on the river. This move is very risky, however, because the more money that you invest into floating the more money that you can potentially lose.
Planning Ahead
You should never be involved in a hand where you are floating if you have no solidified plans for the future streets. For example, if you float a player on the flop you should know exactly what you are going to do if they check or bet on the turn. If you don’t know how you will react to their next move it would be a good idea to abandon the float entirely.
It is even more important that you know what you are going to do on the river if you float the turn. The river will of course be your last shot to take away the pot if you float the turn so you will be wasting your money if you float the turn with no intention of taking away the pot on the river. The easiest way for a float to fail is if the framework is laid but nothing is built upon the foundation. Knowing that your opponent is weak does no good if you do not act on it when you get the chance.
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