Position is a critical component of every
poker hand you play. Good players
understand and use it to their advantage,
poor players dont.
Even though most times the person with
the best hand will win, there are many
situations where your position will allow you
to win even though you may not have
the best 2 cards in your hand.
Lets define position:
Position is where you sit
in relation to the button/dealer
Lets also define the terms Late, Middle
and Early position for an eight player table.
LATE Position (LP):
The Button and the seat Right of the button
(referred to as the "Cut-Off" position).
MIDDLE Position (MP):
The Three Seats Right of
Late Position Players.
EARLY Position (EP):
The Seats Right of Middle Position Players.
This includes Under-the-gun and
both Blinds after the flop.
The BEST position is the Button
because you will be last to act
in all but the first (preflop) round
of betting. By acting after the
other players at your table,
you gain information about
their hands by what they
have done this betting round.
Some will fold, others may call..
which tells you its unlikely they
have a big hand. If you have a
strong hand and they check/call
(weakness), you will bet. If your
opponent bets, then you will raise
because you have a strong hand.
Either way, you are getting the
maximum about of money into the pot.
Having position on your opponents
allows you to apply pressure
(by betting/bluffing) regardless of
the strength of your hand.
If the flop missed your opponents
and they check it to you in late position,
you have the opportunity to bet and
win the pot without showing your hand.
If you are playing at a strong,
tough table, i recommend rarely
playing anything but a Very Strong
hand out of position.
The WORST position therefore is
one seat left of the button. The earlier
your position, the more likely someone
behind you has a strong hand.
Even when you have a strong hand
in early position, you must still decide
whether the best play is to check-raise
or to bet out your strong hand immediately.
If you check and your opponent checks
behind you, you have lost an opportunity
to bet (build the pot) with what is now likely
the best hand (since he checked) .
If you bet out your strong hand there are
still many players left to act behind you,
any of which could call or raise you which
leaves you with difficult decisions ahead.
When deciding what starting hands you
will play, you must always consider your position.
The Earlier your position, the stronger your
starting hands must be because you will be
required to act before your opponents.
Consequently, the Later your position,
the more you can relax your starting hand
requirements because you will act after
your opponents which will give you information
about their hand.
Remember this little tidbit: "Money at
the poker table flows in a clockwise direction.
The chips generally flow from the blinds
towards players seated in late position." (1.)
Thats how important position is.
1. Phil Gordon's Little Green Book,
Phil Gordon, 2005.
Showing posts with label Fundamental Skills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fundamental Skills. Show all posts
8/15/2007
*FUNDAMENTALS: Pot Odds
POT ODDS are the odds being offered to you
by the pot, compared to how much money
you have to invest into it.
For example, lets say all five community cards
have been dealt and there is $400 in the pot.
Your opponent bets $100.
The pot now has $500 in it.
It will cost you $100 to potentially win $500.
You are getting Pot Odds of 5:1
Pot odds are especially important when
deciding whether to "chase" your draws.
Lets say you have 2 Hearts in your hand
and the flop comes with 2 more Hearts
giving you a flush draw.
The odds of you making your flush
by the river are 2:1 against it,
meaning out of 3 times...
1 time you will hit it, 2 times you will miss.
If you had to call a $100 bet on the flop,
with $500 in the pot, you are getting
pot odds of 5:1.
The odds of making your flush
by the river is 2:1, giving you much
better odds to win than the pot odds to call,
you Must Call.
by the pot, compared to how much money
you have to invest into it.
For example, lets say all five community cards
have been dealt and there is $400 in the pot.
Your opponent bets $100.
The pot now has $500 in it.
It will cost you $100 to potentially win $500.
You are getting Pot Odds of 5:1
Pot odds are especially important when
deciding whether to "chase" your draws.
Lets say you have 2 Hearts in your hand
and the flop comes with 2 more Hearts
giving you a flush draw.
The odds of you making your flush
by the river are 2:1 against it,
meaning out of 3 times...
1 time you will hit it, 2 times you will miss.
If you had to call a $100 bet on the flop,
with $500 in the pot, you are getting
pot odds of 5:1.
The odds of making your flush
by the river is 2:1, giving you much
better odds to win than the pot odds to call,
you Must Call.
*FUNDAMENTALS: Calculating OUTS
OUTS are cards that can come that
will improve your hand, and make it
a winning hand.
Calculating outs in not a perfect science.
In poker, we're always dealing with
incomplete information.
If your opponent is trying to trap you
with a monster hand, what you think
are your outs, are really cards that might
cost you your entire chip stack.
On the other hand, if your opponent
is bluffing, what you think are outs
may be be cards that improve your
hand which is already the best hand
and doesnt need improving.
Having said that, it is still very valuable
to know what cards and how many cards
can come that will improve your hand.
Here are some common situations
and the number of outs you have:
Two Over Cards needing to make
a Pair - 6 Outs
Open-Ended Straight Draw - 8 Outs
Flush Draw -9 Outs
Flush Draw + a Pair (improve to trips)
- 11 Outs
Here's a quick formula using your OUTS
to determine your ODDS. (Rule of 2 and 4)
With the Turn and River to come....
Count your outs, multiply them by 4,
and that's roughly the percentage shot
you have of hitting it.
With just the River to come....
Count your outs, multiply them by 2
to get the percentage.
Example: I have AJ of Hearts and
the Flop comes with two Hearts.
13 hearts in the deck minus 2 hearts
on board and 2 hearts in my hand
leaves 9 available hearts.... NINE OUTS.
9 x 4 = 36 ....I have a roughly 36%
or 1 in 3 chance of making my Flush
by the River.
will improve your hand, and make it
a winning hand.
Calculating outs in not a perfect science.
In poker, we're always dealing with
incomplete information.
If your opponent is trying to trap you
with a monster hand, what you think
are your outs, are really cards that might
cost you your entire chip stack.
On the other hand, if your opponent
is bluffing, what you think are outs
may be be cards that improve your
hand which is already the best hand
and doesnt need improving.
Having said that, it is still very valuable
to know what cards and how many cards
can come that will improve your hand.
Here are some common situations
and the number of outs you have:
Two Over Cards needing to make
a Pair - 6 Outs
Open-Ended Straight Draw - 8 Outs
Flush Draw -9 Outs
Flush Draw + a Pair (improve to trips)
- 11 Outs
Here's a quick formula using your OUTS
to determine your ODDS. (Rule of 2 and 4)
With the Turn and River to come....
Count your outs, multiply them by 4,
and that's roughly the percentage shot
you have of hitting it.
With just the River to come....
Count your outs, multiply them by 2
to get the percentage.
Example: I have AJ of Hearts and
the Flop comes with two Hearts.
13 hearts in the deck minus 2 hearts
on board and 2 hearts in my hand
leaves 9 available hearts.... NINE OUTS.
9 x 4 = 36 ....I have a roughly 36%
or 1 in 3 chance of making my Flush
by the River.
*FUNDAMENTALS: Aggression
A key attribute of all good poker players
is Aggression. Some people translate this
into I should Bluff a Lot or I Should try to
Steal Chips from people who are stealing
from me, but that's really a misguided approach.
Aggression has more to do with applying
pressure by putting money into the pot
and forcing your opponents to make
decisions (and hopefully mistakes).
Players who consistantly Bet and Raise
strike fear into their opponents.
Checkers and Callers do not.
When you Check and Call, there is
one way to win... you must show down
the best hand at the end.
When you Bet and Raise, there are
2 ways to win.. your opponent can
Fold - you Win... you show down the
best hand - you Win.
There are other reasons to Bet and Raise:
1. To Gain Information -
You get information about the strength
of your opponents hands by betting.
If he calls he likely has a good hand.
If he reraises you, he likely has a very
good hand. If your opponent folds,
he's obviously very weak and you
win the pot.
2. To Get More $ in the Pot When
You Have the Best Hand -
Raising for Value is a very important
reason to raise. You want to win big pots
when you have big hands. Playing passively
will result in you winning smaller pots and
give opponents chances to outplay or
out draw you. Raising protects your made
hands by chasing away weak hands that
might out draw you. You should always
be striving to get your money into the pot
when you have the best hand.
That is winning poker !
3. Drive Out Other Players When You
Have the Best Hand -
Referred to as Isolation, essentially you
are trying to limit the number of opponents
you have beat by eliminating players
with weaker hands. If you allow them to
stay by not raising, they may improve their
hand enough on the next street that they
will continue with the hand and eventually
beat you with a better hand. It's often said
that "It's Better to Win a Small Pot
than to Lose a Big one".
4. Drive Out Other Players When
You Have the 2nd Best Hand -
Similar to the reason above, you want to
eliminate the weaker players from the hand
so they dont have a chance to out draw you
later. When you are 2nd best, you want to
catch up and make the best hand, but not
allow other opponents the same opportunity.
5. To Bluff/Semi-Bluff Other Players -
Raising to bluff/semi-bluff your opponent
can be useful even if your opponent
doesnt fold. You may still gain valuable
information or get a free card.
Raising to steal the blinds from LP
is a good example of a semi-bluff.
Remember that weak players are more likely
to call your raises with any hand,
so bluff sparingly.
6. To Get a Free (Cheap) Card -
The idea here is to bet now to save later.
Lets say you flop a flush draw in good position
and your opponent bets. ReRaising him NOW
(the flop) might cause him to check when the
turn card comes. Him checking the turn essentially
allows you to check and see the turn and river
cards for Free.
For more detailed explanations,
read The Theory of Poker or
No Limit Holdem Theory and Practice
by David Sklansky
is Aggression. Some people translate this
into I should Bluff a Lot or I Should try to
Steal Chips from people who are stealing
from me, but that's really a misguided approach.
Aggression has more to do with applying
pressure by putting money into the pot
and forcing your opponents to make
decisions (and hopefully mistakes).
Players who consistantly Bet and Raise
strike fear into their opponents.
Checkers and Callers do not.
When you Check and Call, there is
one way to win... you must show down
the best hand at the end.
When you Bet and Raise, there are
2 ways to win.. your opponent can
Fold - you Win... you show down the
best hand - you Win.
There are other reasons to Bet and Raise:
1. To Gain Information -
You get information about the strength
of your opponents hands by betting.
If he calls he likely has a good hand.
If he reraises you, he likely has a very
good hand. If your opponent folds,
he's obviously very weak and you
win the pot.
2. To Get More $ in the Pot When
You Have the Best Hand -
Raising for Value is a very important
reason to raise. You want to win big pots
when you have big hands. Playing passively
will result in you winning smaller pots and
give opponents chances to outplay or
out draw you. Raising protects your made
hands by chasing away weak hands that
might out draw you. You should always
be striving to get your money into the pot
when you have the best hand.
That is winning poker !
3. Drive Out Other Players When You
Have the Best Hand -
Referred to as Isolation, essentially you
are trying to limit the number of opponents
you have beat by eliminating players
with weaker hands. If you allow them to
stay by not raising, they may improve their
hand enough on the next street that they
will continue with the hand and eventually
beat you with a better hand. It's often said
that "It's Better to Win a Small Pot
than to Lose a Big one".
4. Drive Out Other Players When
You Have the 2nd Best Hand -
Similar to the reason above, you want to
eliminate the weaker players from the hand
so they dont have a chance to out draw you
later. When you are 2nd best, you want to
catch up and make the best hand, but not
allow other opponents the same opportunity.
5. To Bluff/Semi-Bluff Other Players -
Raising to bluff/semi-bluff your opponent
can be useful even if your opponent
doesnt fold. You may still gain valuable
information or get a free card.
Raising to steal the blinds from LP
is a good example of a semi-bluff.
Remember that weak players are more likely
to call your raises with any hand,
so bluff sparingly.
6. To Get a Free (Cheap) Card -
The idea here is to bet now to save later.
Lets say you flop a flush draw in good position
and your opponent bets. ReRaising him NOW
(the flop) might cause him to check when the
turn card comes. Him checking the turn essentially
allows you to check and see the turn and river
cards for Free.
For more detailed explanations,
read The Theory of Poker or
No Limit Holdem Theory and Practice
by David Sklansky
*FUNDAMENTALS: Heads Up Play
The one area of the average players game
that needs the most work is Heads-Up.
The reason is simple.... lack of experience.
People tend to play with 6+ people
all the time. The only time they get practice
is when they happen to make it to the
last 2 people in a tournament...
and thats not much practice.
Usually the pressure is on, they feel
totally lost and they're not really sure
what to do.
Let me give you some pointers.
First off... in heads-up play, sometimes
it's all about the cards. In a Premier Poker Tour
style event, the blinds are often so high
relative to the chip stacks that there isnt
much opportunity to wait for premium hands.
A player who gets dealt a streak of better than
average hands will likely win.
Nothing you can do about that.
Most times though, both players will be
dealt weak hands. This is where strong
heads up players shine. They use Position
and reading their opponents to steal.
The number one mistake I see players making
heads-up is not using position/the button
to their advantage.
Heads-up, the Button is the Small Blind (SB)
who is First to act preflop...but is Last to act
after the flop. This is a HUGE advantage.
"Good heads-up stategy requires playing as
many hands as possible when in position and
pushing marginal hands as hard as possible
when out of positon" (1.)
Heads up, what would be weak hands at
a full table becomes a playable hand heads up.
7 out of 8 times both players will be dealt
non-paired cards. So when you are dealt a pair,
it is a strong hand and you should bet it
aggressively. Lets look at what constitutes
a strong hand in heads-up situations.
These stats are from Harrington on Holdem Vol. 2.
The top 20% of hands Heads Up
(58% or better to win)
Pairs : AA-55
Suited Non-Pairs: AK-A3, KQ-K8, QJ-QT
UnSuited Non-Pairs: AK-A7, KQ-KT, QJ
The top 50% of hands Heads-Up
(50% or better to win)
All of the above plus....
Pairs: 44-22
Suited Non-Pairs: A2, K7-K2,
Q9-Q2,JT-J5,T9-T7, 9-8
UnSuited Non-Pairs: A6-A2,
K9-K2, QT-Q5, JT-J8, T9
Dont bother trying to memorize the list,
its not necessary. I put it in here for you
to get a broad idea of what a good starting
hand is heads-up. K8 is a junk hand at a
full table, but heads-up its actually quite strong.
Lets look at combining hand selection
with position. When you are the Small Blind (SB)
you are always getting correct pot odds to
atleast call with any two cards.
The exception being if your opponents has
been aggresively raising you from the BB
when you limp. If thats the case, fold your very
weak hands (92, 84, 53, etc). Most times
you want to be raising from the Button.
Even if your opponent calls, you have
the advantage of acting after him on
every street.
When you are the Big Blind (BB),
you are out of position for the entire hand
so your objective is to end the hand quickly
if possible. If your stacks are relatively
small compared to the blinds and you have
a strong hand, move all in. Checking to see
a flop and either trying to outplay your
opponent later or folding if he bets
strong is likely the next best option.
When you or your opponent are short stacked
compared to the blinds (your stack is less than
10 BB), usually your only moves should be all in
or fold. The power of ALL IN is it puts your
opponent to a decision. If he has a weak hand
he will fold, if he has a marginal hand it will be
a tough call and might still fold. If he has a
strong hand and calls, you get to see all 5 cards
and you are still rarely worse than a 2:1 underdog
(most times will be closer to 50/50 or 60/40).
This is a great move when you are in the
Big Blind and out of position.
1. Harrington on Hold'em Vol. 2 -
Dan Harrington, Bill Robertie, 2005.
Recommended Reading (Advanced)
SAGE System (Heads-Up) by Lee Jones
http://www.cardplayer.com/magazine/article/15250
that needs the most work is Heads-Up.
The reason is simple.... lack of experience.
People tend to play with 6+ people
all the time. The only time they get practice
is when they happen to make it to the
last 2 people in a tournament...
and thats not much practice.
Usually the pressure is on, they feel
totally lost and they're not really sure
what to do.
Let me give you some pointers.
First off... in heads-up play, sometimes
it's all about the cards. In a Premier Poker Tour
style event, the blinds are often so high
relative to the chip stacks that there isnt
much opportunity to wait for premium hands.
A player who gets dealt a streak of better than
average hands will likely win.
Nothing you can do about that.
Most times though, both players will be
dealt weak hands. This is where strong
heads up players shine. They use Position
and reading their opponents to steal.
The number one mistake I see players making
heads-up is not using position/the button
to their advantage.
Heads-up, the Button is the Small Blind (SB)
who is First to act preflop...but is Last to act
after the flop. This is a HUGE advantage.
"Good heads-up stategy requires playing as
many hands as possible when in position and
pushing marginal hands as hard as possible
when out of positon" (1.)
Heads up, what would be weak hands at
a full table becomes a playable hand heads up.
7 out of 8 times both players will be dealt
non-paired cards. So when you are dealt a pair,
it is a strong hand and you should bet it
aggressively. Lets look at what constitutes
a strong hand in heads-up situations.
These stats are from Harrington on Holdem Vol. 2.
The top 20% of hands Heads Up
(58% or better to win)
Pairs : AA-55
Suited Non-Pairs: AK-A3, KQ-K8, QJ-QT
UnSuited Non-Pairs: AK-A7, KQ-KT, QJ
The top 50% of hands Heads-Up
(50% or better to win)
All of the above plus....
Pairs: 44-22
Suited Non-Pairs: A2, K7-K2,
Q9-Q2,JT-J5,T9-T7, 9-8
UnSuited Non-Pairs: A6-A2,
K9-K2, QT-Q5, JT-J8, T9
Dont bother trying to memorize the list,
its not necessary. I put it in here for you
to get a broad idea of what a good starting
hand is heads-up. K8 is a junk hand at a
full table, but heads-up its actually quite strong.
Lets look at combining hand selection
with position. When you are the Small Blind (SB)
you are always getting correct pot odds to
atleast call with any two cards.
The exception being if your opponents has
been aggresively raising you from the BB
when you limp. If thats the case, fold your very
weak hands (92, 84, 53, etc). Most times
you want to be raising from the Button.
Even if your opponent calls, you have
the advantage of acting after him on
every street.
When you are the Big Blind (BB),
you are out of position for the entire hand
so your objective is to end the hand quickly
if possible. If your stacks are relatively
small compared to the blinds and you have
a strong hand, move all in. Checking to see
a flop and either trying to outplay your
opponent later or folding if he bets
strong is likely the next best option.
When you or your opponent are short stacked
compared to the blinds (your stack is less than
10 BB), usually your only moves should be all in
or fold. The power of ALL IN is it puts your
opponent to a decision. If he has a weak hand
he will fold, if he has a marginal hand it will be
a tough call and might still fold. If he has a
strong hand and calls, you get to see all 5 cards
and you are still rarely worse than a 2:1 underdog
(most times will be closer to 50/50 or 60/40).
This is a great move when you are in the
Big Blind and out of position.
1. Harrington on Hold'em Vol. 2 -
Dan Harrington, Bill Robertie, 2005.
Recommended Reading (Advanced)
SAGE System (Heads-Up) by Lee Jones
http://www.cardplayer.com/magazine/article/15250
5/15/2007
*FUNDAMENTALS: Implied Odds
Implied Odds are the pot odds adjusted for future betting.
Lets say you flop a flush draw. There is $500 in the pot and your opponent bets $500. It costs you $500 to potentially win $1000, or Pot Odds of 2:1. You do not have proper Pot Odds to make the call.
But when you consider the Implied Odds, how much you will likely win from your opponent if you make your flush (and it is the best hand) it may be worth calling his bet. Keep in mind that if you are out of position with players to act behind you, a bet from one of them will make your implied odds calculation incorrect.
11/01/2006
TOURNAMENTS: Survival vs. Accumulating Chips
There is a mind-set shared by all great
No-Limit Hold'em Tournament Players.
It is the polar opposite of most beginner
tournament players.
Tournament poker is about Accumulating Chips
NOT about Survival.
But I know you're saying ... "but the person who
survives the longest wins the tournament".
True enough... but in order to win the tournament
you must eventually accumulate ALL the chips into your stack.
You can't do this by playing survival poker. No one ever
folds their way to the final table.
At best, playing poker with a survivors mindset will get you
to the final table when you get a run of better than average
cards or you are playing against opponents with considerably
less skill than you. You may even make your share of final tables.
But when you do, you will be short stacked and praying for cards
that you can double up with.
Survivors dont want to risk their entire tournament on one hand.
The fear of being eliminated causes them to fold and miss
opportunities to accumulate chips. The truth is, there is little value
in remaining in a tournament. Bubble boy earns the same as
the very first person eliminated.
Dont get me wrong... Chip Accumulators dont have to play
wild and crazy trying to win every pot. They look for any edge.
They put their chips in the pot with the best hand or a situation
with a positive long term outcome. (EV or Expected Value).
You can play a Tight/Aggressive (TAG)
style and be a chip accumulator, but you must
Emphasize the Aggression and be willing to be
Less Tight when opportunities to win big pots arise.
The bottom line is....
Survivors will have marginal success, but rarely win tournaments.
Chip Accumulators may bust out early some times, but they are
the ones who win tournaments
No-Limit Hold'em Tournament Players.
It is the polar opposite of most beginner
tournament players.
Tournament poker is about Accumulating Chips
NOT about Survival.
But I know you're saying ... "but the person who
survives the longest wins the tournament".
True enough... but in order to win the tournament
you must eventually accumulate ALL the chips into your stack.
You can't do this by playing survival poker. No one ever
folds their way to the final table.
At best, playing poker with a survivors mindset will get you
to the final table when you get a run of better than average
cards or you are playing against opponents with considerably
less skill than you. You may even make your share of final tables.
But when you do, you will be short stacked and praying for cards
that you can double up with.
Survivors dont want to risk their entire tournament on one hand.
The fear of being eliminated causes them to fold and miss
opportunities to accumulate chips. The truth is, there is little value
in remaining in a tournament. Bubble boy earns the same as
the very first person eliminated.
Dont get me wrong... Chip Accumulators dont have to play
wild and crazy trying to win every pot. They look for any edge.
They put their chips in the pot with the best hand or a situation
with a positive long term outcome. (EV or Expected Value).
You can play a Tight/Aggressive (TAG)
style and be a chip accumulator, but you must
Emphasize the Aggression and be willing to be
Less Tight when opportunities to win big pots arise.
The bottom line is....
Survivors will have marginal success, but rarely win tournaments.
Chip Accumulators may bust out early some times, but they are
the ones who win tournaments
Fundamental Theorem of Poker
Poker is a game of incomplete information.
You rarely ever know the exact 2 cards your
opponent holds until the cards are flipped over.
This theorem from David Sklansky is one
you should keep in mind whenever you're
faced with a decision at the poker table.
It may seem overly simple, but that's the beauty of it.
Applying it on the other hand, is not always so simple.
The Fundamental Theorem of Poker
"Every time you play a hand differently from the way
you would have played it if you could see all your
opponents' cards, they gain; and every time you play
your hand the same way you would have played it if
you could see all their cards, they lose.
Conversely, every time opponents play their hands
differently from the way they would have if they could see
all your cards, you gain; and every time they play their
hands the same way they would have played if they
could see all your cards, you lose. " (1.)
As your play improves, you should be constantly trying
to make your opponents play in a way that would be wrong
if they knew what you had.
This is accomplished by reading your opponents
and their hands accurately, and by playing deceptively.
1. The Theory of Poker by David Sklansky, 1987
You rarely ever know the exact 2 cards your
opponent holds until the cards are flipped over.
This theorem from David Sklansky is one
you should keep in mind whenever you're
faced with a decision at the poker table.
It may seem overly simple, but that's the beauty of it.
Applying it on the other hand, is not always so simple.
The Fundamental Theorem of Poker
"Every time you play a hand differently from the way
you would have played it if you could see all your
opponents' cards, they gain; and every time you play
your hand the same way you would have played it if
you could see all their cards, they lose.
Conversely, every time opponents play their hands
differently from the way they would have if they could see
all your cards, you gain; and every time they play their
hands the same way they would have played if they
could see all your cards, you lose. " (1.)
As your play improves, you should be constantly trying
to make your opponents play in a way that would be wrong
if they knew what you had.
This is accomplished by reading your opponents
and their hands accurately, and by playing deceptively.
1. The Theory of Poker by David Sklansky, 1987
10/31/2006
POKER SKILLS: Limping Late with Small Pocket Pairs
Limping In With Small Pocket Pairs (22-88)
by Scott Paterson
This is one of my favourite plays.
You won’t flop your set often, but when you do
you’ll double up a great deal of the time.
A few justifications and considerations are:
Implied odds
The pot will usually not be giving you the right price
to make this play (unless there have been more than
eight limpers in front of you), but if one or more of your
opponents have a considerable amount of chips in front
of them your implied odds are excellent.
You’re an 8:1 underdog to flop a set from paired hole cards,
so technically the pot should be more than eight times
the size of the amount you must call. However, if loose players
that have decent sized stacks have limped in front of you,
or are left to act behind you, the pot will likely end up being
more than eight times the size of the amount you had to call.
Just imagine if two people who must act before you after the flop
have connected! Your chances of taking down a huge pot
are pretty good.
Deceit
The reason this play is so effective is because loose players
won’t see it coming. First, they probably raise with low pockets.
They won’t be expecting you to have a low pocket pair if you
didn’t raise before the flop. Second, they’re loose. Loose players
always overestimate the strength of their hands. If the flop
connected with them in anyway it’s all over but the crying.
Position
Position is an important consideration when making
this play because:
a) If you limp with low pockets in early position and
someone behind you raises, or a small stack moves in
you’re not sure exactly where you stand (do they have
overcards or a higher pocket pair). You might even feel
obligated to call their raise (depending on your stack size
and the pot odds) knowing you’re beat.
b) If a few people call your raise and overcards come
on the flop you must act first, and someone behind you
could have easily connected. In fact, considering they
called your raise before the flop you’re likely beat if there
are face cards on board.
c) After the flop you want to be in late position so that
everyone that has caught a piece bets in front of you.
It’s a great feeling when you flop a set and people in
front of you start betting!
Read the board carefully
Look at the texture of the flop. Could there be a straight
or flush out there? Could there be straight or flush draws
out there (if so watch the turn card carefully) ? Is it possible
that someone limped in front of you with a higher pocket pair,
and now has a higher set?
Slowplaying sets
I wouldn’t advise slowplaying bottom or middle set.
Someone that has a flush draw, straight draw, two pair,
or has even flopped top pair can easily beat you
on the turn or river.
by Scott Paterson
This is one of my favourite plays.
You won’t flop your set often, but when you do
you’ll double up a great deal of the time.
A few justifications and considerations are:
Implied odds
The pot will usually not be giving you the right price
to make this play (unless there have been more than
eight limpers in front of you), but if one or more of your
opponents have a considerable amount of chips in front
of them your implied odds are excellent.
You’re an 8:1 underdog to flop a set from paired hole cards,
so technically the pot should be more than eight times
the size of the amount you must call. However, if loose players
that have decent sized stacks have limped in front of you,
or are left to act behind you, the pot will likely end up being
more than eight times the size of the amount you had to call.
Just imagine if two people who must act before you after the flop
have connected! Your chances of taking down a huge pot
are pretty good.
Deceit
The reason this play is so effective is because loose players
won’t see it coming. First, they probably raise with low pockets.
They won’t be expecting you to have a low pocket pair if you
didn’t raise before the flop. Second, they’re loose. Loose players
always overestimate the strength of their hands. If the flop
connected with them in anyway it’s all over but the crying.
Position
Position is an important consideration when making
this play because:
a) If you limp with low pockets in early position and
someone behind you raises, or a small stack moves in
you’re not sure exactly where you stand (do they have
overcards or a higher pocket pair). You might even feel
obligated to call their raise (depending on your stack size
and the pot odds) knowing you’re beat.
b) If a few people call your raise and overcards come
on the flop you must act first, and someone behind you
could have easily connected. In fact, considering they
called your raise before the flop you’re likely beat if there
are face cards on board.
c) After the flop you want to be in late position so that
everyone that has caught a piece bets in front of you.
It’s a great feeling when you flop a set and people in
front of you start betting!
Read the board carefully
Look at the texture of the flop. Could there be a straight
or flush out there? Could there be straight or flush draws
out there (if so watch the turn card carefully) ? Is it possible
that someone limped in front of you with a higher pocket pair,
and now has a higher set?
Slowplaying sets
I wouldn’t advise slowplaying bottom or middle set.
Someone that has a flush draw, straight draw, two pair,
or has even flopped top pair can easily beat you
on the turn or river.
10/21/2006
POKER SKILLS: STEALING BLINDS
Multi Table Tournament Blind Stealing
by Scott Paterson
First, let me clarify what I mean by blind stealing.
I’m talking about a pure steal. Raising someone’s
blind with a marginal hand, or any two cards hoping
they’ll fold and confrontation can be avoided.
Certain criteria must be met in order to successfully pull this off:
1. You should only be doing this in the middle/late stages
of the tournament when the blinds are higher. Blind stealing
is pointless early on because the starting pot is so small.
The negative consequences of "getting caught" and losing
a chunk of your stack early on far outweigh the positive effects
of winning a small pot early on. In the middle stages of the
tournament you’ll want a decent hand to back you up.
In the late stages of the tournament, or if you’re short stacked
you may need to make this move with any two cards.
Also, a great time to steal blinds is right before the final table
as players tighten up hoping to survive and avoid being eliminated
or losing a bunch of chips.
2. You should only be stealing from players you’ve identified
as tighter players. Prime candidates are people that play
one or two hands per table revolution, and players that
don’t defend their blinds against raises. Pay close attention
to the three people seated on your left (these are your potential
victims because you’ll be in late position when these people
are in the blinds). Who is folding a lot of hands?
Who isn’t defending their blinds against raises?
You’ll want to lean on these people hard.
3. You should usually only try this from late position
when everyone has folded to you, or a limited number
of people have limped in front of you.
First, if you raise the blinds from late position and
one of the blinds call your raise you may have the
opportunity to steal the pot after the flop because
you have position on them.
Second, if you try this from early/middle position
someone behind you could easily pick up a hand
and reraise, a short stack could move all in, or a big stack
with a speculative hand could call your raise with the
intention of stealing the pot from you after the flop.
Finally, the ideal time to try this move is when everyone
has folded to you, or there have been a limited number of
callers in front of you. As the number of callers in front of
you increases the chance you will get backraised increases
(someone in front of you might have limped in with a very
strong hand counting on you to raise behind them).
The "usually" stems from the fact that if you are shortstacked,
or it’s late in the tournament (the blinds are very high and
they come around very quickly) you might want to try this
from any position.
by Scott Paterson
First, let me clarify what I mean by blind stealing.
I’m talking about a pure steal. Raising someone’s
blind with a marginal hand, or any two cards hoping
they’ll fold and confrontation can be avoided.
Certain criteria must be met in order to successfully pull this off:
1. You should only be doing this in the middle/late stages
of the tournament when the blinds are higher. Blind stealing
is pointless early on because the starting pot is so small.
The negative consequences of "getting caught" and losing
a chunk of your stack early on far outweigh the positive effects
of winning a small pot early on. In the middle stages of the
tournament you’ll want a decent hand to back you up.
In the late stages of the tournament, or if you’re short stacked
you may need to make this move with any two cards.
Also, a great time to steal blinds is right before the final table
as players tighten up hoping to survive and avoid being eliminated
or losing a bunch of chips.
2. You should only be stealing from players you’ve identified
as tighter players. Prime candidates are people that play
one or two hands per table revolution, and players that
don’t defend their blinds against raises. Pay close attention
to the three people seated on your left (these are your potential
victims because you’ll be in late position when these people
are in the blinds). Who is folding a lot of hands?
Who isn’t defending their blinds against raises?
You’ll want to lean on these people hard.
3. You should usually only try this from late position
when everyone has folded to you, or a limited number
of people have limped in front of you.
First, if you raise the blinds from late position and
one of the blinds call your raise you may have the
opportunity to steal the pot after the flop because
you have position on them.
Second, if you try this from early/middle position
someone behind you could easily pick up a hand
and reraise, a short stack could move all in, or a big stack
with a speculative hand could call your raise with the
intention of stealing the pot from you after the flop.
Finally, the ideal time to try this move is when everyone
has folded to you, or there have been a limited number of
callers in front of you. As the number of callers in front of
you increases the chance you will get backraised increases
(someone in front of you might have limped in with a very
strong hand counting on you to raise behind them).
The "usually" stems from the fact that if you are shortstacked,
or it’s late in the tournament (the blinds are very high and
they come around very quickly) you might want to try this
from any position.
POKER SKILLS: TELLS
by Scott Paterson
A tell is anything that your opponent(s) do
to give away the strength of their hand.
Tells can be verbal or physical, and they can be instinctive
(unintentional) or designed to mislead (intentional).
Instinctive tells are more reliable, whereas tells designed to
mislead are much harder to decipher.
When you spot what you think is a tell the first thing you should
ask yourself is whether or not the tell you’ve spotted is instinctive
or put on (hint: instinctive tells are more common among average
players, tells designed to mislead are more common among strong
players). Then watch your opponent(s) closely over the course of
a few hands, and see if you can spot a pattern.
Some of the more common tells include:
Betting patterns (instinctive)
Betting patterns are easily the most common and most
reliable tell. They’re common because everyone must bet
at some point during the game. They’re reliable because it’s
human nature to make the best play we think possible.
Oftentimes that means creating patterns.
Does your opponent check or bet their draws?
Does your opponent slow play or bet their strong hands?
What does a minimum bet/raise from your opponent mean?
Does your opponent overbet the pot in an effort to protect weak hands?
All of these things create a pattern which you can use to help
determine the strength of your opponents hand.
General body language (instinctive)
This tell is fairly common and fairly reliable. Your opponent’s
posture will often give away the strength of their hand. Was your
opponent sitting back before looking at their hole cards or the flop,
and is now sitting up looking interested? Something what I like to do
is watch an opponent who has bet out and is awaiting a call.
Watch them closely as the person behind them acts. They’ll often
let you know how they feel about a potential call or raise
(particularly if the person behind them begins to count out chips).
Hand motions can also give away the strength of your opponent’s
hand. Watch how they put their chips in the pot. Players wanting
a call will often place their chips in the pot inconspicuously
(they don’t want to intimidate potential callers).
Chip loading (instinctive)
This tell is common and fairly reliable. Players that are dealt strong
starting hands, or that connect on flops often immediately glance at
their chips. I’m not talking about players that look at their chips
when the action is on them. I’m talking about an immediate and
very brief glance at their chips after they look at their hole cards,
or the flop comes out. Sometimes players don’t even move their heads,
Just their eyes. Preflop, I like to watch my opponent(s) look at their
hole cards, and then look at mine as the action approaches me.
I also like to watch my opponent(s) as the flop comes out, and then
look at the flop as the action approaches me.
Staring (attempt to mislead)
This tell is fairly common, but a little less reliable because
it is an attempt to mislead. There are actually three
manifestations of this tell, but they all mean basically
the same thing. Players that stare at their hole cards,
stare at flops, or stare down opponents are usually weak.
All are thinly veiled attempts to intimidate. Players stare
at their hole cards to make their opponents think that they
possess a powerful hand. They’ll stare at flops for the
same reason. After they bet, they’ll often stare down potential
callers to intimidate them. Since this tell is less reliable
you’ll really have to watch for a pattern to develop.
Gaining information
There are two things I like to do in order to elicit tells from
my opponent(s):
Reach for chips as an opponent is betting
If my opponent hesitates, looks back at his cards, or completes
his bet with added emphasis he/she is likely weak. If he/she
completes their bet in a smooth manner their likely strong.
Count out chips & make it look like I’m going to call
If my opponent stares at me or looks back at their cards
he/she is likely weak. If my opponent smiles at me genuinely
or appears uninterested he/she is likely strong.
REMEMBER: Tells become more reliable as patterns develop.
A tell is anything that your opponent(s) do
to give away the strength of their hand.
Tells can be verbal or physical, and they can be instinctive
(unintentional) or designed to mislead (intentional).
Instinctive tells are more reliable, whereas tells designed to
mislead are much harder to decipher.
When you spot what you think is a tell the first thing you should
ask yourself is whether or not the tell you’ve spotted is instinctive
or put on (hint: instinctive tells are more common among average
players, tells designed to mislead are more common among strong
players). Then watch your opponent(s) closely over the course of
a few hands, and see if you can spot a pattern.
Some of the more common tells include:
Betting patterns (instinctive)
Betting patterns are easily the most common and most
reliable tell. They’re common because everyone must bet
at some point during the game. They’re reliable because it’s
human nature to make the best play we think possible.
Oftentimes that means creating patterns.
Does your opponent check or bet their draws?
Does your opponent slow play or bet their strong hands?
What does a minimum bet/raise from your opponent mean?
Does your opponent overbet the pot in an effort to protect weak hands?
All of these things create a pattern which you can use to help
determine the strength of your opponents hand.
General body language (instinctive)
This tell is fairly common and fairly reliable. Your opponent’s
posture will often give away the strength of their hand. Was your
opponent sitting back before looking at their hole cards or the flop,
and is now sitting up looking interested? Something what I like to do
is watch an opponent who has bet out and is awaiting a call.
Watch them closely as the person behind them acts. They’ll often
let you know how they feel about a potential call or raise
(particularly if the person behind them begins to count out chips).
Hand motions can also give away the strength of your opponent’s
hand. Watch how they put their chips in the pot. Players wanting
a call will often place their chips in the pot inconspicuously
(they don’t want to intimidate potential callers).
Chip loading (instinctive)
This tell is common and fairly reliable. Players that are dealt strong
starting hands, or that connect on flops often immediately glance at
their chips. I’m not talking about players that look at their chips
when the action is on them. I’m talking about an immediate and
very brief glance at their chips after they look at their hole cards,
or the flop comes out. Sometimes players don’t even move their heads,
Just their eyes. Preflop, I like to watch my opponent(s) look at their
hole cards, and then look at mine as the action approaches me.
I also like to watch my opponent(s) as the flop comes out, and then
look at the flop as the action approaches me.
Staring (attempt to mislead)
This tell is fairly common, but a little less reliable because
it is an attempt to mislead. There are actually three
manifestations of this tell, but they all mean basically
the same thing. Players that stare at their hole cards,
stare at flops, or stare down opponents are usually weak.
All are thinly veiled attempts to intimidate. Players stare
at their hole cards to make their opponents think that they
possess a powerful hand. They’ll stare at flops for the
same reason. After they bet, they’ll often stare down potential
callers to intimidate them. Since this tell is less reliable
you’ll really have to watch for a pattern to develop.
Gaining information
There are two things I like to do in order to elicit tells from
my opponent(s):
Reach for chips as an opponent is betting
If my opponent hesitates, looks back at his cards, or completes
his bet with added emphasis he/she is likely weak. If he/she
completes their bet in a smooth manner their likely strong.
Count out chips & make it look like I’m going to call
If my opponent stares at me or looks back at their cards
he/she is likely weak. If my opponent smiles at me genuinely
or appears uninterested he/she is likely strong.
REMEMBER: Tells become more reliable as patterns develop.
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