You should take risk and gamble when you play Poker, but you must know when. Naturally, you can take risk and gamble when probabilities or odds are on your side. You can also take risk and gamble if you are up for some big hands. And you can also take risk and gamble when happenings at the table are great.
Well, in case probabilities or odds are on your side, there’s no problem with you taking risk and gambling. But you must check very well these probabilities or odds. Even just a little mistake in understanding these probabilities or odds can cause you big bucks.
For big hands, well, they are worth the risk and the gamble. Go and gamble for some hands that will improve or strengthen your bankroll. Gamble for hands like backdoor flush draws, gutshot draws, two pair or set. They can give you the pot.
When the happenings at the poker table are good, then you can also take risk and gamble. Say it seems like your opponents are getting bad cards and you are up for some good hands, you can take risk and gamble. Also, when one of your great rivals is going on tilt, you can take risk and gamble. Players on tilt can’t make good and sound decisions and clouded with so many things and filled with so many emotions. Hence, you can take advantage of the situation and eventually make it big. But of course, still, you must be careful. Although happenings are good, they can easily turn bad most especially if you make some bad moves or decisions. Before your take risk and gamble, plan out very well how you should behave at the poker table. Consider everything most especially the odds and probabilities. They really matter in the game Poker.
Hello,
I believe you once presented a modified set of hand groupings. I’m wondering if how do you recommend that these are played from different positions?
Thanks in advance!
Best regards,
Jansen
Jansen,
Hand values you can open the pot for change the later in position you become. In later position you can call with a wider range of hands. The earlier you are, the stronger the holdings should become.
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 was in a Pot Limit Holdem online the other day. Blinds then were $0.5/$1 and bets were $1/$2. At first, I was just observing but later I joined other players. Another guy joined in after me.
At certain point, I was dealt a pair of two’s and was UTG. I checked and then decided to fold in case someone raise. Following player placed $1 bet, everyone else called or checked. Then I raised to $10. Two others folded and everyone else then called, flop came and brought 2 5 T rainbow. Small and big blind then folded while I raised to $90. Four players then folded. Suddenly, three callers appeared. At such point, pot was $450. Turn came and brought Ad. I stopped for a while to think and then just decided to once again raise the bet to the size of the pot, $450. Two players folded while I called. River came and brought 7h. Once again I placed a bet while last player called. In the end, I won with a set.
Well, I know I should be happy but I don’t understand my feelings and my thinking. Why players back then are fond of calling? Maybe the reason has something to do with the time I joined the table, I joined quite late.
Any thoughts?
Best regards,
Zowe
Zowe,
Chances are players were overvaluing their pair’s. Also, it may have had something to do with the lateness of the day. Sometimes players will chase their losses later in the day and will call bets that they shouldn’t. You played the hand well. The only way you were losing is if someone had a pocket pair that connected with that board or if someone had 3-4. You would have been raised if either were the case. Nice hand sir.
Hello,
I played poker yesterday. Early position, I had AK off suit and then raised it preflop. No raises appeared but for the flop 4 players stayed. Flop came but not that significant, 10-9-3 rainbow. At such point I had 25% chance for a top pair top kicker by the river. However I was not sure then if possible top pair top kicker can make it till the end.
After a while, bet appeared right in front of me. I then had to choose whether I’ll call, raise or fold. Well, I can call however I can only obtain additional infos about player’s hand if somebody else raises. Folding was the worst choice then as I only have a 25% chance to win and so I just raised. Two players then folded and opener called my bet. Table then was up for a heads up play.
Later, he didn’t raise pre-flop and didn’t raise me back after the flop. I then I figured out it was impossible he had flopped a set. He might be holding then either a 10 or a 9, probably with a bad kicker but not necessarily.
Turn came and I had K. He then checked and then called my bet. Well, he doesn’t have K 9 and so I won with a pair of Kings. He had pair of Tens with crap kicker.
Do you believe that raising pre and or post flop when it is cheap can really give you lots of information about other people’s hands?
Thank you in advance.
Best regards,
Lowell
Lowell,
Raising in your situation can give you information on your opponents hand. Like you, when he didn’t reraise, I would have put him on a pair. Personally, I would have bet out on the flop since I was the preflop raiser. The player with the pair of tens would have probably only called the bet thinking that you may have an overpair.
Hello,
First I would like to commend you for this nice site. Keep up the good work.
Well, I’m actually here to ask you something. I’m just a newbie and have actually tried playing small pocket pairs recently. The experience was really intriguing.
At a certain table, I had 22 with a similar flop of 2 6 T rainbow. Unfortunately, because other players who called preflop had 66, I didn’t win such hand. Also he called post flop. I thought I then bet the river but later on discovered things went differently, also called post flop.
After the flop I was really troubled. I was thinking what if someone started with starting hands like 55, TT, 52s, T5s and even T2s that was being slow played and could eventually beat me with a draw on the turn or else on the river.
Now, is it the nature of the betting scenario that creates the confidence to play small pairs or is it an odds or probability scenario? Any thoughts? By the way, any specific way I should play small pocket pairs? Most of the time, I play limit holdem tournament style.
Thanks and more power!
Regards,
Phillip
Phillip,
Small pairs in limit are usually playable, sometimes to a raise in later position. You still want to hit the flop hard with them. When you do flop your set, bet your hand aggressively. The odds of a player flopping a set is around 11% so don’t worry about another player flopping a set too. It happens and when they flop a bigger set, you will lose usually, but that is just part of the game. Most of the time, you will win a nice pot with your set.
Hello,
It’s really hard for me to win and I don’t exactly understand why. I’m a decent player who’s actually learning how to play well. Oftentimes I can make it to the pay out level or if not to the final two.
Just last night, I made it to the final two once again. Game actually started with 10 players. I remember I was getting decent card then and was playing aggressively. At some point I got my first bad hand, a straight on the river with 3 hearts and a spade. On the flop he didn’t placed any bet but only called. I then placed a big bet, $2400, about half of my chips. I thought he was only up for a flush draw. Then he called and hit his flush. On the flop, I hit a straight 10-9-8-7-6. I was then all in for $3000. After a while, with A8 he called. Turn and river came, 2-J, which meant we gonna have to chop the pot then. Next hand, I had J7s hearts while he had K2o. Flop was J-7h-2h. I went all in at some point while he called with nothing. Much later he hit one of two Kings on the river so it was finally the end.
Do you think I was just unlucky or I actually just folded winners? By the way, if I have two pair, what are the chances another player has a set against me? Any idea? How about tips?
Your help will be much appreciated.
Many thanks,
Zedrick
Zedrick,
It sounds like your opponent got lucky in most of those cases. Of course, in a tournament, you sometimes have to get lucky to win. A player is 11% to hit a set on the flop. If I am heads up and flop two pair, I am push the hand in most scenarios.
It sounds like you are playing well. Eventually the streak of luck your opponent is on will end and you should take down a few winners.
Hello,
I was in a certain event last night. In middle or late position I had AA. Then there were two or three callers. After a while I raised and player behind me raised. Other player called and so I raised once again. Both of them called therefore three of us were in to see the flop. Then it came and brought 5d 8d 10s or something similar. I then raised and player behind me did the same thing. Consequently we re-raised and then raised again till the limit. Other player folded. Turn came but brought nothing therefore we started to raise each other to the limit again. River came yet nothing significant and so I raised and he raised me. I finally called only to lose to 555.
How do you find my play? I know I made a mistake at some point.
Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Caden
Caden,
You did not make a mistake. You had pocket Aces and no legitimate reason to fold your hand. I may have slowed down a bit and maybe put an opponent on a set or a couple of pair, but I would not have folded either. A player only flops a set 11% of the time. Aces are a big favorite to fives. You did what you should and got outdrawn. That is poker.
Hi,
How do you play when you get dealt low pairs? Usually whenever I’m dealt low pairs I don’t know what exactly to do and what’s worst play badly. I badly need to hear your thoughts.
Thank you very much in advance.
Regards,
Jansen White
Jansen,
With most low pairs, I try and limp in or call a small raise and try to hit a set on the flop. Otherwise, I get rid of my low pairs to big raises.
Hello,
In a certain game, there was a preflop raise. I played right after the raiser with either AK or mid pair. I then called though I was not so sure. Raiser then placed a bet on the flop. For a while I paused and pondered on what I should do next. I consider what if he has a pair, well he’ll be way ahead but if he doesn’t then I’ll be the one to be way ahead. I guess I should just guess what he has, specifically if he has an over pair or not. Unfortunately, some players have placed a bet on the flop after a raise probably 90% of the time so it’s then quite hard to ascertain what’s behind him. I need clarity.
Glad to hear from you soon.
Thank you very much!
All the best,
Collin
Collin,
You need to work on being able to put your player on a hand range. Something like a middle pair is a hand that you should be trying to flop a set with. A-K is a hand that is really just a glorified drawing hand. Usually someone raising in early position has a good hand. They may be raising with ace high and making a continuation bet, but do you really want to risk that with Ace high or a low pair?
