Hello,

I remember in the movie Mavrick, James Coburn at some point said something to the effect of “I only have two pair, Aces and Aces”. Do you think what he said has some negative effects?

By the way, your site is so great. Keep up the good work!

All the best,
Wesley
Wesley,

Actually, Coburn said, “I have two small pair. Eights, and Eights.” I love Maverick. It’s a fun move and involves my favorite game, Five Card Draw. Coburn didn’t do anyone a disservice by calling his hand like this. In most casinos, cards speak. What this means is that the dealer determines the winner of the hand by identifying the winning hand. You don’t have to know your exact hand to win, although you should.

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Hi,

Just recently, I was burned five times in a row. All instances has something to do with me flopping two pair on the board. Well, at some instances I flopped bottom pair with no ace and no suits and have slow played.

Now, if its a rainbow flop and you are in front or middle position, how do you go about playing two pair? I badly need to hear your answer/opinion on this.

Many thanks,
Alexander
Alexander,

It depends on the flop and the players. You may want to slow play to extract more money, and you may want to bet out to accomplish the same effect. Also, if there is an overcard to your pair, you may want to be out to avoid someone calling with one pair and pairing the board to counterfeit your two pair.

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Hi,

I want to ask something. It’s about raising on the flop with a flush draw to obtain a free card. I’m wondering if you know what’s the logical and sound way to make this play in the event there’s action on the turn. Any thoughts?

Another thing, is the act of raising the flop to obtain a free card the best move when playing against 1 opponent with a made hand? And if a call and a bet appear, what do you think will happen?

Well, in limits things seem clear, but I’m clueless about the things to happen in case you miss on the turn. Is it worth calling a bet on the turn? But how about if they bet with a reasonable amount on the flop?

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Many thanks!

Warm regards,
Leo
Leo,

Raising to get a free card is best to do with one or two opponents only. If they call, they may check on the turn to you. If they don’t, this gives you a better idea of the hand they have. But another thing is that if they call the raise, they may be laying you better odds to draw on the turn to you flush.

On the turn, you have to go by pot odds to determine to draw or not. If you have the proper odds, then call the bet. If you don’t, then fold.

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Hello,

I have two questions to ask. Hope you have time.

The first one is about how one can tell a bad player has actually made a strong hand. Almost all loose-passive I know call all the way without considering if they have bottom pair or top set. In my case, I usually bet hand like top pair and keep still being aggressive.

If I may add, before facing such opponents, do you have to wait for the absolute nuts or can you go on playing big pairs and top pair with a good kicker with positive outlook?

The second one on the other hand is about the correct amount to value bet against the opponents above. Is it just to bet two times the size of the pot with the nuts say it’s okay for them to call any of your bets?

I hope to hear from you soon.

Many thanks,
Lutherford
Lutherford,

In regards to playing bad players, I would continue to play solid hands and push my advantage. Yes, they will suck out on you, but over time, you will triumph. As far as determining if they have strong hands, sometimes you can’t. If they continue to bet and call the same way throughout, you won’t be able to put them on hands. However, if they start changing their bet sizes out of the ordinary, then there is a chance they have hit a hand. Also, if they are always betting out or calling and start doing the opposite action, then that is another sign.

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Hello,

One time you said you’d prefer to play with 6,7 than pocket aces. Honestly, I can’t believe you you’d prefer playing with 6,7. Maybe you are into something. Maybe you want others to be worse in playing poker so you can destroy them. Well, if your intention was somewhat like that congratulations as you succeeded. Some players now believe calling a big bet pre-flop is okay with 6,7.

I’m sorry but I don’t mean to offend you or what. I know what you mean by saying you would rather play 6,7 however not everyone will understand what you are trying to imply. Also there’s a great possibility that some players will really choose 6, 7 than poker aces though it will lead them to horrible calls and cost them a lot of money.

Any thoughts?

Regards,
Beeler
Beeler,

I’m wondering if this is being taken out of context with something else. However, I wouldn’t call a big raise with 6-7. Some will in order to try and crack aces. If you are trying to crack aces, 9-10 is a much better ace cracking hand due to the array of straights it can make.

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Hello,

I play well in NL $200 with blinds $1-$2. I’m actually a shorthanded player. I used to play aggressively, but of course at times I’m also watchful and see it to it that I’m still on my limits.

Once, I was standing on $750 and was dealt KK in late position. A player who just came in with around $200 raised to $6 in early position. I then made it $15 to go and he called. Flop came and brought 9s 5s 2s. Afterwards, such guy went all in with $33 in the pot. I believe this was grossly over bet as a player with a made flush would call. If he had the nut flush or smaller suited connecting spades, there’ll be no sense at all. However I was bothered as if he doesn’t have a flush yet, what else could he have? Perhaps an over pair which I strongly believe I could beat. If not, a small pair hitting a set, or else just two over cards with one spade or a bad bluff.

What do you think was his hand then? Will it be worth calling if in case? And am I right with my conclusions?

Thanks!

Warm regards,
Clark Davis
Clark,

I would put him on a flush draw or a pair such as J-J or Q-Q or even A-K with a spade. I would have probably called here. If you folded her due to the pot laying such a high price, I can understand that. Calling $185 to win $218 is a bit of a stretch. With only having $15 invested, I can understand if you waited for a better spot.

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Hi,

Assume that I called a raise preflop three times the blinds with 4 callers and with 26 suited hearts in a certain game. Flop was Ah 2s 4h. Then a player placed a bet on flop and so I re-raised twice his raise. I got 2 callers. Turn was 8h. Eventually, I was able to hit my flush draw however 2 callers seemed to be present. River came and was 6s. I then placed a bet approximately 200% of the pot so that I’ll look like as if I’ll be stealing the pot. First player then re-raised all in while I called thus making the pot a very big pot. Other player then called.

In the end, first player showed AQ while the other one, QJ suited hearts. The latter one won the pot.

Now, do you think it was a good thing that I called his re-raise all in or I should have just folded when I felt there was something wrong? Any thoughts?

Thank you.

Regards,
Freeman
Freeman,

You should have folded preflop.

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Hello,

I have some questions to ask. They are actually related to some stuff I’ve come to discover without any intentions.

In some discussion sections, I’ve come to hear about No Limit Texas Holdem being something related to Deep Stack No Limit or extreme short stack No Limit. In the first one, you can actually play a wide variety of starting hands as the implied odds are excellent. The post flop play is also much complex as bluffing is much more helpful and useful. In the second one, position is very vital as a hand like ATo may be an allin hand right after several limpers in the event you are on the button, however in the event you are under the gun, an easy fold. In connection with this, say in a game, suited connectors seem like of no worth as you will never hit your hand enough while pocket pairs are valuable due to their value. Post flop play on the other hand is more on all-ins and folding.

Now, what hands become more or less playable in no limit games with medium stack? Say in a 1/2 game with effective stacks of $100, I’ll call $10 raises heads up with medium and low pocket pairs to try have a set. In case there no callers would appear, I might call a not so high raise but if in case I’m up against a good player I might fold a PP to a raise to avoid a beat. Then say suited connectors’ value is seriously dependent on the aggressiveness of the game and your position as well, earlier, you will most likely fold but later I’ll limp in when there’s a cheap multi-way flop.

On the other hand, high card hands like AK are where my stress level goes up. More or less in deep stack events on a K98 flop, I’ll fold my AK when things get worst. However in short stack events, it would be a different story. In medium stack events, I’ll be right on the fence.

Oftentimes, when I raise $10 preflop, I’ll get one caller and then flop would appear K98. I’ll then bet about $20 and they’ll push their 90$ stack in. In the end, I’ll get irritated. At times, I’ll be tempted to lay down all as I seem to fold more pretty good hands compared to my opponents at the table.

Now, here are my questions:

1. Is there anything I need to adjust when it comes to my pre-flop raising, limping and raise-calling requirements? And because such games tend to be aggressive post flop particularly online, do you think hands as suited connectors go down in terms of value due to lack of odds to draw? Do I need to call generously in late position or else it should be a no-set-no-bet level of tightness? What do you think?

2. In such games, how should I play marginal hands? I believe in deep stack no limit you don’t want to bet your stack but in short stack you will do everything to have your chips in the middle. How about in medium stack?

3. Say somebody is putting pressure on your head as he has something that could beat you or else just know you are playing tight, how would you play? What will be your defense?

4. When you are in position, what are the moves you should use?

   
   

5. Do you think there is a reason for you to semi-bluff with your primary draw in games where everyone overvalues their hands? Or else just stick to calling in the event you have implied odds or the like?

Thanks for your time.

Regards,
Nickerson
Nickerson,

1. As far as your preflop play, I would stick with trying to see flops cheap with a wide array of reasonable hands. Obviously you want to raise with strong hands, but otherwise, try to see a cheap flop and hope to hit it hard. As far as calling a raise, I would tend to stick with stronger hands to call raises, unless there is a lot of action. Then you can widen the range some, but not get too crazy.

   Hands such as suited connectors do go down in value when the betting is very aggressive post flop. If you play suited connectors, make sure that they are on the higher side to give you better odds of hitting top pair or two pair. In late position after the flop, what you call depends on what you are holding and the number of players and the opponent you are playing. Sometimes playing super tight is right. Sometimes it’s right to call. Poker is situational. It depends on what is going on at the time.

2. With marginal hands, I would try and see cheap flops for the ones that I do play. This is a form of small ball poker. Get in cheap and then punish your opponents when you do hit well.

3. One of two things can be done here. Switch to playing small ball and punish him when your hands hit the flop well or play tight and punish him when your big hands hit. Don’t go crazy and randomly raise or play hands that have no value. This will just bleed your stack.

4. In position, I would bet out on the flop when checked to me a little more often. Semi-bluffing is obviously one tool you should use as well. Raising when you have no hand is something I would reserve for players that I deem that are just trying to steal the pot.

5. When players overvalue their hands, I would stick with calling in the event you miss your draw. When you semi-bluff, you still must hit in order to win. If players overvalue their hands, a bluff will not force them off their hands.

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Hello there!

I’m curious, what NL games do you play most of the time? And if you would compare such games to lower limit games, is there any difference?

By the way, “higher limits” for me means above $2.5-$5 NL.

Thank you for your time.

Regards,
Jons
Jons,

Games at lower limits will be losers and there isn’t as much bluffing involved. You also tend to see more of the crazy moves such as calling all in with 7-3 offsuit. The higher limit players will tend to have all the skills to be a strong player. If you are still working on any part of your game, stick to lower limits while you learn.

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