Posts Tagged ‘no-limit hold ‘em strategy’

There’s a $600 cap at this table, which is why there’s not betting after the flop.

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold’em, $20.00 BB (5 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Button ($1591)
SB ($1561)
BB ($3733)
UTG ($5231.95)
Hero (MP) ($4163)

Preflop: Hero is MP with K, A
1 fold, Hero bets $40, 1 fold, SB calls $30, BB calls $20

Flop: ($120) 4, 10, Q (3 players)
SB checks, BB bets $80, Hero raises to $188, SB calls $188, BB raises to $560, Hero calls $372, SB calls $372

Turn: ($1800) Q (3 players)

River: ($1800) 7 (3 players)

Total pot: $1800 | Rake: $3

Results:
SB had 7, 5 (flush, Queen high).
BB had J, K (one pair, Queens).
Hero had K, A (flush, Ace high).
Outcome: Hero won $1797

A comment on a recent post about the squeeze play observed that a pretty intense dynamic can arise in situations where more than one player recognizes a good squeezing opportunity. I think this is a good example:

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold’em, $10.00 BB (9 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

UTG ($901.50)
UTG+1 ($1660.05)
MP1 ($1289.50)
MP2 ($1987)
MP3 ($5354)
CO ($1020.35)
Hero (Button) ($3507)
SB ($1016.75)
BB ($4832.55)

Preflop: Hero is Button with Q, A
5 folds, CO bets $33, Hero calls $33, 1 fold, BB raises to $160, CO calls $127, Hero raises to $480, 1 fold, CO calls $320

Flop: ($1138.50) J, 8, 7 (2 players)
CO checks, Hero bets $3025.50 (All-In), 1 fold

Total pot: $1138.50 | Rake: $3

Results:
Hero didn’t show Q, A (nothing).
Outcome: Hero won $1135.50  Read the complete post...

…because sometimes, you aren’t bluffing:

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold’em, $20.00 BB (2 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

BB ($14268.50)
Hero (SB) ($4179.50)

Preflop: Hero is SB with 7, Q
Hero bets $60, BB calls $40

Flop: ($120) K, J, J (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $77, BB calls $77

Turn: ($274) 8 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero checks

River: ($274) 2 (2 players)
BB bets $210, Hero calls $210

Total pot: $694 | Rake: $0.50

Results:
Hero had 7, Q (one pair, Jacks).
BB had Q, 9 (one pair, Jacks).
Outcome: BB won $693.50  Read the complete post...

This isn’t going to work against a lot of opponents, but against very tough opponents, it’s essential:
Full Tilt No-Limit Hold’em, $20.00 BB (6 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Hero (MP) ($4429.50)
CO ($7120)
Button ($2587)
SB ($4449.30)
BB ($4169)
UTG ($712.40)

Preflop: Hero is MP with 4, 4
UTG calls $20, Hero bets $90, 1 fold, Button calls $90, 2 folds, UTG calls $70

Flop: ($300) 3, 4, 6 (3 players)
UTG checks, Hero bets $187, Button calls $187, 1 fold

Turn: ($674) J (2 players)
Hero bets $444, Button calls $444

River: ($1562) Q (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $1225, Hero calls $1225

Total pot: $4012 | Rake: $3

Results:
Button had 6, 7 (one pair, sixes).
Hero had 4, 4 (three of a kind, fours).
Outcome: Hero won $4009  Read the complete post...

$5/$10 NLHE 6-handed game. Villains have about $1000 each, I cover. MP opens to $35, BTN calls, I call 9h 7h in the BB.

Flop Ks 6h 2d. I check, MP bets $70 into $105 pot, BTN calls, I raise to $190, both fold. Why?

The logic here is very similar to the pre-flop squeeze play, particularly at the time that Harrington was writing his first book (ie before most people knew what a squeeze play was). The original better has a very wide range, and consequently so does the caller, especially since he didn’t 3-bet preflop. My raise into both of them represents strength in a spot where they don’t commonly see a bluff, not to mention that there is extra pressure on the original better since he still has someone left to act behind him.  Read the complete post...

Edit: Made a mistake in the original post. Villain did not have two pair, he had Aces with a kicker that didn’t play.

$5/$10 NLHE, $1100 effective stacks. Action folds to a decent TAG regular in the SB, he opens to $30, I make it $90 with AJo, he makes it $200, I call. Flop is AJ4 rainbow. He bets about $200, I call. Turn is an off-suit 6 7. He checks, I check. River is a 9, he checks, I shove something like $650 into the $800 pot, and he calls with A6s.

There are two major disadvantages to slowplaying that I think I can pretty well avoid in this situation:

1. Losing the Pot. Giving a free card risks improving your opponent to a better hand or letting a scare card fall that enables your opponent to bluff you out of the pot.  Read the complete post...

Full Tilt No-Limit Hold’em, $10.00 BB (5 handed) - Full-Tilt Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

SB ($3829.50)
BB ($1000)
Hero (UTG) ($4795.55)
MP ($1490)
Button ($2152.50)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with Q, Q
Hero bets $40, MP raises to $120, 3 folds, Hero calls $80

Flop: ($262.50) 5, J, Q (2 players)
Hero checks, MP bets $140, Hero calls $140

Turn: ($542.50) 3 (2 players)
Hero checks, MP bets $330, Hero calls $330

River: ($1202.50) K (2 players)
Hero checks, MP checks

Total pot: $1202.50 | Rake: $3

Results:
Hero had Q, Q (three of a kind, Queens).
MP had K, A (one pair, Kings).
Outcome: Hero won $1199.50  Read the complete post...

The last two weeks have been pretty hectic (more on that soon), and I’ve barely played at all. Here’s the most interesting hand I could find without much effort from my “archives”:

No-Limit Hold’em, $10.00 BB (5 handed) - Hold’em Manager Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com

Button ($3183.65)
SB ($1679.40)
BB ($2204)
Hero (UTG) ($3188.50)
MP ($1998.50)

Preflop: Hero is UTG with K, 10
Hero bets $42.50, 2 folds, SB calls $37.50, BB calls $32.50

Flop: ($127.50) 9, Q, 4 (3 players)
SB checks, BB checks, Hero bets $99, 1 fold, BB calls $99

Turn: ($325.50) 6 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $255, BB calls $255

River: ($835.50) 6 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets $690, 1 fold

Total pot: $835.50

Results:
Hero had K, 10 (one pair, sixes).
Outcome: Hero won $1530  Read the complete post...