Allgamer.com

Hello,

You once said that it’s hard to play with pocket queens and jacks. Well, I agree with you on that but I believe it’s even harder to play pocket 9s. Such hand has become overrated in Low Limit games. In heads up play it’s actually a good hand but not in Low Limit. Not to mention that it ranked as a top 20 and often top 15 starting hand.

When you flop a set during the 12% of the time you suppose to have a great chance of winning big however the problem is, I find it hard to let it go most especially when there’s only one overcard on the flop. On the better side, if the board comes with an Ace I can dump it easily as I know nobody folds an Ace in Low Limit, however when the board comes Q 7 2 or J 8 5, I find it hard to let it go again. Later part, I just end up losing although normally just a small one.

Now, do you think pocket 9s should be treated essentially the same as pocket 2-6? Basically if you don’t flop a set, check or fold the hand? Another thing, with 9s, does position matter significantly?

Hope to hear from you in no time.

Many thanks,
Andrew
Andrew,

Position matters with all hands. 9’s are a raising hand in late position. Personally, unless there are multiple overcards or I am against an opponent that I know flopped an overpair, I am going to probably call down to the river when only single bets are fired. Usually it is wrong to let go of a pair such as that when there is a lot of bets in the pot. Of course if there is only a bet or two in the pot, Ill probably let go of nines if there is even one overcard on the board since the pot isn’t laying the odds to call.

Hello,

I’m here again as I want to know your thoughts about paying to see the cards of someone in Low Limit. Say you flop a two pair and actually on the button. Then player in front of you checked, you placed a bet and they decided to call. Turn came and yet nothing has changed so once again player who checked called and river came. The player in front of you placed a bet for a possible flush, will you then fold or else just pay to call and keep them sincere?

By the way, my apologies if somebody has already asked the same question. I don’t have much time to read everything here on your site.

Many thanks,
Alson
Alson,

If this is Limit Holdem, I am calling the bet. You are getting the right price to make the call in this case. It doesn’t matter if you think you are beat. There is so much money in the pot, it would be wrong to fold to one bet in Limit Holdem.

Hello,

I hope you don’t mind but I want to know if what are your thoughts about exposing your cards when a bluff works. Do you normally do this if you have planned to play tighter later on or else this is a bit evident particularly for usual Low Limit games? On the flip side, what if you have planned to play looser later on, will you show a big hand or you will let others pay for them to see what you have?

Thank you.

Best regards,
Adley
Adley,

If I want to mess with players heads or if I plan to play tighter later, I may show a bluff to throw them off and maybe convince them to call me down later. Otherwise, I don’t show my bluffs.

Hello,

A certain player asked you once about losing or barely breaking even at low limit where no one ever folds and you told him that he has to loosen up a little to adjust with skill or self control matters and then later on be able to play more hands and think about post flop instead of preflop odds.

Recently, I was involved in a particular situation that has something to do with the concern above of a certain player. Well, I’ve seen flop rates of 80-90%. At least half the time, 9 out of 10 players have called or raised the flop. I then concluded that it was a bit impossible for them to later hit a gut shot straight or back door flush however when 9 appears on every hand, maybe just at least one of them might hit any moment.

At the table back then, I was the 10th and was actually bothered of players playing J3 off suit, not folding to my raises while I was on pocket kings, seeing 5 or more go to the river on every hand that comes long and a gut shot straight pulling down the pot itself. Almost everyone were playing baldy then and so no one seemed to lose or win. I badly want to win the pots but it seemed so hard for me as some players had taken down the pots with 38 off in moments when I have raised with my trips.

I’m actually really curious now, I believe I played very tight then however loosened up a little later, how come I lost with a lot of chases to the flop and the like? Maybe instead of loosening up a little, I should have just played more tighter, what do you think?

Well, because a straight or better seems to win every hand, I believe I need to stop playing for pairs, even top ones. Not playing anything less than KTs sounds sensible to me. Maybe I’ll just call any pair to the flop and fold if I don’t hit a trip. Also call suited connectors to the flop and get out if I don’t hit.

What do you think of my plan? Please I need to hear from you.

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Anthony
Anthony,

In games that you are in, you need to loosen up your requirements. In hand in which you can see flops cheap, any pair, any suited ace, any two big cards 10 and up. Most suited connectors and gapers from 7-8 and up, and even unsuited connectors 8-9 and up are playable. If you flop or connect with a pair, you are usually staying in to the end as you are getting the right price. The same is true of open ended straight and flush draws. Don’t chase gutshots too much as you don’t have but 4 outs to hit your hand. If you hit a big hand, push the hand and get more money in the pot to win bigger pots when you hit.