The best rule of thumb regarding playing strong opponents in no limit  Texas Hold em  is: don't. Unless you are of unlimited financial resources, your interest in playing poker (other than having fun) should be to win money, not to prove you are the best player. $5000 won from a table of amateurs spends just as well as $5000 won from a table of top pros, even though the pros' money is substantially harder to get. In this day and age however, with Internet players gaining years of experience in a matter of months and more books on how to get better at Texas Hold em than anyone could ever read, you will probably find yourself sitting with skilled players from time to time, especially when you move up in limits. Here's how to handle these games.

Bluff more

This may seem counterintuitive. One might expect that stronger players are better at sniffing out bluffs than weak ones. This may be true. However, strong players are much more capable of laying down big hands than weak ones are. Bluffs often fail against weak players because they do not understand what they represent, or because they are only paying attention to their own hand. A stronger player does not call big bets without careful consideration, and this fact can make bluffs more effective.

Use all of your weapons

Plays such as advertising and false tells, which will not work against weaker players who are not paying attention, can be very effective against strong players. All tricky plays should be used judiciously and you should vary the ways in which you use them, but you should bring all of your poker tactics to bear against strong opponents.

Don't be intimidated

Although pros often like to cultivate an image that they can look right through you and see what your cards are, this is not really the case. Although strong players are often good at reading opponents, their real strength usually comes in understanding different  poker  situations and what they mean. If you are a strong player, play your best game, and get a little lucky, there's no reason you shouldn't be able to beat any opponent.

Don't let your ego play

At the same time, strong players are considered strong for a reason. Targeting known strong players in order to prove your mettle is not a positive expectation play. Focus on the weakest player at the table, the one you have the most control over or the best read on. When pros play together, they usually do it to attract a “live one,” and would much rather go against that player than butt heads with each other.

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