Posts Tagged ‘under the gun’

Rule on Governing Blinds

Hello,

Is there any rule governing blinds in a situation like there are eight players in the final table and one player is knocked out and the player to his left is the big blind and will be the small blind and in next hand the big blind again?

Thank you very much!

Ron Drever
Ron,

In a situation where the player that is the big blind is eliminated in a hand, the next hand there will not be a small blind. If the player would have been under the gun, the big blind would have moved one spot. If he was the small blind, then the button freezes for one hand in the spot it was previously.

Who Should Be the Next Dealer?

Hi,

There were 4 remaining players on the hand in a certain event. Dealer was knocked out first. Supposedly, I’m the next dealer then however one guy claimed that it should be his turn to deal. By the way, blinds were very high then.

Do you think it was my turn to deal or it was actually my turn to be the small blind instead? Another guy came in and said I was big blind alone and the blinds had gone up at that very moment. Anyway, three players were left at the table. Please kindly tell me everything you know about the conditions and rules related to situations where in someone is knocked out at the table. I need your help!

Thank you very much!

Warm regards,
Foster
Foster,

If you would have been in the big blind instead of the small blind, there would have been a dead button and you would have been small blind. If you were under the gun in that hand instead of the small blind, then your friend would have been correct.

About Straddle

Hello,

Honestly, I have an idea on what is a straddle however I don’t know if it’s actually applicable in tournaments. Well, I know it is in ring games.

Also, I want to know if you can actually straddle in any position or you have to be “under the gun”. What do you think?

Thanks a lot!

Regards,
Fleishel
Fleishel,

A straddle is only applicable in cash games. In a tournament, it is counting as a raise from the under the gun player. Most straddles are from the under the gun position in cash games.

Often Into Trouble

Hi,

For about 6 months now, I’ve been playing No Limit Texas Holdem. I believe I’ve been a reasonable player however I’m always into trouble particularly when playing under the gun with big hands. I oftentimes use my knowledge specifically on betting but most of the time I fail to use what I know to my own my advantage. Just like recently, in an online NL poker, out of the small blind with KK. Well, everyone called the BB, however I re-raised to go into the flop. Flop came and was actually disturbing then, A, T, 6. I was the first to act and so I placed a bet twice the pot. One of the players folded, others called. Turn came and was another Ace. I thought of placing another huge raise or if not an all in however I don’t want to throw money once again. On the flip side, I never thought of checking to him or placing a small bet as I don’t want to appear weak and the like.

If you were me, what might have you done? Stay aggressive on the turn and then again on the river and accept that I might be paying the other player off well or just check to him and prepare if he eventually opt to raise?

By the way, your site is so helpful. Keep it up!

Regards,
Witter
Witter,

First, on the flop, I would have bet ¾ of the pot, not 200%. ¾ of the pot looks like a value bet, where 200% makes it look like you have a pair under aces. When you were called, you should have checked the turn. It may look weak, but betting will pay off that player that called you with an ace.

On Various Stack Sizes

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.