I have a bunch of questions to ask. But before I start, I would like first to commend you and thank you for this nice, very helpful site. It has been a great help to me. It has been providing me very useful info, tips, etc. Thank you very much!

Now, here are my questions:

1. At the table, is there any action or mannerism you keep record of?
2. While in a hand, is there any specific question you ask yourself?
3. Say bottom pair BB check or bet instead?
4. In tourney, when should one go all in or not with short stack?
5. What’s the best or most effective way to spot bluff?
6. Say small pocket pair middle position with or without raise before to your seat, what will you do?
7. In the event you’re leading in terms of chips, see many pots several pots?

I’ll be glad to hear from you in no time.

Thanks again for the site!

Cheers,
Jack
Jack,

1. I keep track of betting patterns of my opponents. I also take not of the physical way they bet different hands. I look for body language, listen to them talk, and what they say or don’t say during hands. I also pay attention to what they do while they are in a hand and see if it changes during situations such as bluffs, monster hands, etc.
2. What are the potential hands that my opponent may have right now. How does my opponent view me right now. Should I check or bet this flop. What is his stack size compared to mine. What are the odds for this hand improving?
3. If you flop bottom pair and you are in the big blind, you will usually want to check unless you were the aggressor preflop. Then you want to make a continuation bet.
4. With a short stack, try and find a reasonable hand that you can push your stack with. You really want to try to be the aggressor to allow yourself the best option to win. A pair, big ace, two big cards, or any reasonable ace are good hands to move in with. If the blinds and antes are about to go up, wait a little bit and move in after the level changes to try and pick up some extra money, especially if you have antes.
5. The most effective way to catch a bluff is to learn your opponents betting patterns. Also watch how they bet when they show hand that are the nuts and when they show bluffs. Try and notice differences in body language and the way they bet.
6. You want to try and limp in with small pocket pairs in middle position. If you are facing a raise, if the raise isn’t huge and if you have at least one other caller, take a look at the flop and try and hit a set.
7. You can open up your hand ranges some, but be careful of tangling with big stacks. You want to use your chips to bully other players.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

I’ve been into local free rolls in my area. Well, I play two or three times a week. Most of the time, I face bunch of players with different approaches.

Majority of the players I come to face are loose type making it hard for me to steal pots even with a preflop raise and a continuation bet. On the better side, I still can make it to the final table in just almost half the time. There’s just one situation I can never forget.

In early position back then, I had a decent hand, AKs, AK, AQs, AQ. For approximately three times the BB I raised and then got several callers. Flop came but of no help. Later, turn came but of also no help to me, I haven’t made a hand still. At such point, I was in doubts if placing another bet will be a good move.

If you were me, will you place another bet? Well, personally I want to place another one to obtain more info. Also, if I was back in position, how would the situation change? Do you think for free card, I should just check it down to the river and then wait and see if other player place a bet on the river? What do you think?

Your help will be much appreciated.

Thanks!

John
John,

If you raised preflop, you need to make a continuation bet on the flop. If you get called, then you must make a decision to either fire a bluff on the turn or check. The same goes for if the hand is in position except for the fact that on the turn, you will want to almost automatically fire a second bet into the pot to play your position.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

I am now into sit and go tournaments online and I badly want to win. Do you have any advice?

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
Quinonez
Quinonez,

In the early part of the tournament, play a solid, tight aggressive style. In the middle part to the bubble, you will want to steal more blinds in position and try and see flops cheap if you can. If you are short stacked, find a hand to make a stand with to try and double up. Once you have made the money, now is the time to try and go for the win. Push your big hands, and open up your holdings to try and pick up more pots. Play small pot poker preflop and push your hands when you flop strong.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Recently, I was in a multi table fixed limit tournament. I was seriously troubled then as just about more than an hour after the tournament started, entries were gone, stakes went 50/100. I was in a new table with approximately 700 chips. Well, I was somehow behind in terms of chips but at least I was not the lowest.

If I remember it right, there were nine players at the table. Luckily, I got a number of decent starting hands however flops were empty therefore I bailed. Next thing that happened, I was down to approximately 465 chips then was UTG with the blinds coming and stakes moving up rapidly. My hole cards were Jh, Js. Then I called. Quite to my surprise, no raises followed. I believe there were 5 or 6 players in. Flop came and brought Jc, Qc, Th. Consequently, I either had called or led the betting. Again, no raises followed however at such point there were only 3 or 4 players in. Turn came and was 8h. I then led the betting while two others called. River came into the scene and brought 3h. I then bet while one folded. The other player raised. I then went all in while he called and then won the pot with his Ah and 9h.

Do you think I’ve played well? Another thing, if you were me back then, how would you play when you have just moved in a new table and was actually in a multi tournament?

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
Stark
Stark,

You played this hand poorly. You should have raised pre-flop, especially if you were short stacked like you were. In fact, since a standard raise would have been to 350, I would have just moved all in preflop. When you are that short, you need to start picking up pots. Push your advantages. If I didn’t push preflop, I would have definitely done so on the flop.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Along with several friends, I play no limit tournaments regularly. Typically, we have around 8 players and with a $5 buy in are low stakes. Honestly, I’m now not troubled of anything really serious as I believe I’m a decent player and have read several poker books. I was also able to take home the pot a number of times. However, I don’t know how to play when the table finally gets down to 3-4 players. Is there any adjustments I need to consider when playing against fewer players? And how many hands playable there could be in a table with just a number of players? Any idea? I believe you have.

I’ll be glad to hear from you soon.

Thanks!
Moore
Moore,

When you get down to 3 or 4 players, you can open up your hand ranges a bit. Big cards, any ace, and any pair are good hands to play. I would also try and see cheap flops with other holdings to try and flop lucky. When you get your big hands, you need to push your advantages.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

I believe in most of my holdem tournament plays that were all in fest, I did well particularly when I got to see the flop. However when at times I just depend on chance and wait and be tight, I became behind in terms of chips therefore I just have to move all in or let big stacks bully me.

Now, how should I handle all in games?

Thanks in advance!

Regards,
Larson
Larson,

I would see a few more reasonable hands and try and hit the flop. Don’t stick to big hands only. Don’t get too liberal with playing them. You might also want to play your position as well against players.

All-in fests tend to be luck heavy early on and then even out the later you get into the event.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

I want to ask something related to heads up play. Recently, I luckily made it to the final two players. I had pocket 8’s. Later part, I chased for an 8 on the flop and luckily I got what I wanted and had 3 of a kind, however straight draw was possible then. I felt confident thinking he won’t have anything. I slow played. Unfortunately, my opponent had the straight and won.

Do you think in such situation, I just thought of myself, milk the pot and had the most I can out of my opponent? Also, did he folded as I raised high?

Another thing, in the event there is no straight draw, is it a wise move to milk the pot with 3 of a kind and then when a straight draw is already visible, just bet strong? What do you think?

Thanks!

Kind regards,
Freeman
Freeman,

If this was a full table, I would say bet out your set to chase out the draws. Since you were heads up, the odds of him having the draw were much longer. I personally would have probably tried to slow play the set in the situation too.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

The other day, I was in a no limit tournament with a $35 buy in by which everyone had $1500 worth of chips. I was two seats removed from the button when the blinds were still $25/$50. I remember I had Kh-Qh then. Few minutes passed and four players limped in.

Eventually, I raised to $300 while big blind and one limper decided to call. Flop as expected came and was Jh, 7d, 4c. Afterwards, it was checked to me and I placed another bet, once again it was $300. Big blind finally went all in while I called. My call was actually based on two over cards, a back door flush, and back door straight draw.

In the end, I lost to a AK off suit. I believe I didn’t survived that long because of the wrong moves which made me short stacked. Do you think it was just a bad luck or there was really something wrong with how I played?

Thank you very much.

All the best,
Praml
Praml,

You played bad in this hand. With all those limpers, you either fold K-Q or just limp in yourself. You may have been raising your position, but as you saw, this only knocked out two players.

Since you raised, the continuation bet on the flop was not a bad idea, but calling the all in was. Never call an all in based on backdoor draws and overcards to the board. As it turned out, you had 3 legitimate outs to win, and that was 3 queens. You had 12% to hit your hand at this point.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Just recently, I was invited to be in a certain tournament. It was actually a six player no-limit winner-take-all tournament.

Back then, my opponents were five young men and the play was extremely loose and quick, just as what I have expected actually. Well, I tried to play a bit tighter than the table, however I have remained looser than usual. Unfortunately, earlier part I lost some hands, betting or bluffing on pocket cards that were questionable.

There was one player who had actually a great night. He was the player to my left. He played loosely and had pulled out flush draws and had eliminated shot straights on the turn. At some point, he had KK which actually had beaten AA with a K on the river.

I had one significant hand back then, pocket fives which turned into a set on the flop, and fives full of deuces on the turn. Fortunately, my hand had beaten two players on a big pot. Later, the table was down to three players, me, the maniac on my left, and the short stack.

I was expecting at certain point but later I felt the opposite over AJ off suit. Short stack eventually checked and I placed a bet to put him all in and the like. Maniac then called. Short stack followed and pushed in the last of his chips. Flop came and brought Ad, Jc, 7d. The bet was on me then while I flopped a very strong top two pair beforehand. I believe the maniac has nothing left anymore.

Later part, I went all in thinking he had nothing to beat me. He then called in an instant. Afterwards, he showed Qd, 3d. On the other side, short-stack flipped his own two diamonds Td 8d over. I was then happy as about a 70% to 75% chance that I could take all the chips was then very possible. However turn came and brought 6d. I felt very degraded right after knowing what the turn card was. Unfortunately, I was a terrible dog then. My only chance I believe was A or J on the river however none of the two came and therefore I lost.

As of now, when I recall, I still feel good about how I played though I lost. However, I’m now curious if what will you do in the event you are asked to call a bet of any amount already called by 5 other players and you’re guaranteed to be a 70% favorite. Would you certainly call? Will this be every time you are asked to do so?

Thanks in advance!

Moors
Moors,

If I know that I am a huge favorite to win a hand, I am going to call the all-in bets of other players. Being a 70% winner means that every 7 out of 10 hands you will win. Of course, you will lose the 3 other times. Getting sucked out on is a part of the game. When you play well, you will get sucked out on. Take pride in the fact you made a great decision. Don’t worry about the fact you got unlucky.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

At certain point, I was okay though I was not the chip leader. I was hoping so hard then as I was close to being one and many was already busted out.

It was mid part when I realized that player on my left was playing too aggressive. He was low in chips. Eventually, I got pocket Queens and then placed a bet by which I believed then was unreasonable bet as I was not in good position and I can actually bully a little.

Later, flop came and was not helpful at all. Afterwards, I placed a $2,000 bet instead of checking. He then thought I had an Ace. While he had a King. I wondered then why kept on saying,”You have an Ace, you have to have an ace.” Very intriguing actually. Eventually, he folded and so I won.

Well now as I look back, I believe he was just playing conservatively as the tournament had higher stakes and second place seemed to be as good as the first. But I’m curious, do you think what I did was really a bold play? And that something that I can save for the future or else risking $2,000 in chips?

By the way, I’m now referring to your site and Doyle’s book for guidance. I owe you and Doyle a treat. Many thanks to both of you!

Keep up the excellent work on this site!

Regards,
Holdenn
Holdenn,

I don’t know why your player just assumed you had a bare ace. He might have been trying to get a read on your hand. He may have been holding something like K-Q, K-J, or maybe a weaker ace. I think he was just trying to put you on a hand and didn’t have anything.

If the flop did not come with an overcard, betting out with queens is a good move. It’s not any sort of special move. Your opponent was just overacting I think.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.