CrustyFace
11-24-2006, 11:30 AM
As requested by 55555 in my previous General Theory thread here (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=8159061&an=0&page=0#Post 8159061), i thought i'd elaborate on what i have learned preflop and on the flop.
<u>Come In For A Raise Most Of The Time</u>
My style of poker at the micros is to take down lots and lots of small pots preflop and on the flop. The way i do this is by raising, raising and more raising. The advantages of this style is that you make the donks believe that you have a better hand than them and you don't get raked alot because you don't see alot of huge pots.
I always raise to 4BB, unless it has been raised already in which case i come in for around 3 times his raise. I will only do this with very strong hands unless it is a pathetic raise (less than 4BB).
What about position? Well, as with all this information, it is scenario and position dependant. I won't play like this against a manic table, but most tables i can take control of and get them to be tight. I also won't play stupidly out of position. I make most of my moves in the last 3 positions but i also open up in earlier and earlier positions depending on the people after me. I will raise with AJo from UTG+2 for example if i think that i won't get raised.
If i do get re/raised and i am out out of position i will often shut down, but at these limits people don't like my 4BB raise and i often won't even get called. In position i will reraise with alot of solid hands and raise the blinds with even more.
I have numerous HHs for hands taken down either on or before the flop, the better examples have been where i have raised into 5 limpers in position and they have all folded. It just leaves me wondering what the hell they are limping with. My old style of play would have meant i call those limpers and probably get tangled up in some nasty family pot. I don't know about you but i dont want to do that without having an extremely good draw or made hand. I don't have that most of the time, so i'll have the limps.
<u>Continuation Betting</u>
This means that i am going to continuation bet the flop 95% of the time regardless of what i hold and what is on the board when i have been the last raiser. For example, from last night:
|--------------------------------
Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
8 players
Converter (http://www.neildewhurst.com/hand-converter)
Stack sizes:
UTG: $27.70
UTG+1: $28.60
Crustyface: $42.05
MP2: $26.30
CO: $20.90
Button: $26.30
SB: $22.45
BB: $4.75
Pre-flop: (8 players) Crustyface is MP1 with K/images/graemlins/spade.gif A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif
2 folds, <font color="#cc0000">Crustyface raises to $1</font>, MP2 folds, CO calls, Button folds, SB calls, BB folds.
Flop: Q/images/graemlins/club.gif 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif 2/images/graemlins/heart.gif ($3.25, 3 players)
SB checks, <font color="#cc0000">Crustyface bets $2</font>, 2 folds.
Uncalled bets: $2 returned to Crustyface.
Results:
Final pot: $3.25
|--------------------------------
Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
9 players
Converter (http://www.neildewhurst.com/hand-converter)
Stack sizes:
UTG: $44.10
Crustyface: $53.90
MP1: $14.95
MP2: $27
MP3: $25
CO: $5.10
Button: $19.50
SB: $28.15
BB: $20.60
Pre-flop: (9 players) Crustyface is UTG+1 with A/images/graemlins/club.gif J/images/graemlins/spade.gif
UTG folds, <font color="#cc0000">Crustyface raises to $1</font>, 4 folds, Button calls, 2 folds.
Flop: 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif K/images/graemlins/club.gif ($2.35, 2 players)
<font color="#cc0000">Crustyface bets $1.5</font>, Button folds.
Uncalled bets: $1.5 returned to Crustyface.
Results:
Final pot: $2.35
|--------------------------------
Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
9 players
Converter (http://www.neildewhurst.com/hand-converter)
Stack sizes:
UTG: $51.85
UTG+1: $24.50
MP1: $13.25
MP2: $26.65
MP3: $2.95
CO: $24.20
Crustyface: $36.40
SB: $26.25
BB: $13.05
Pre-flop: (9 players) Crustyface is Button with J/images/graemlins/club.gif A/images/graemlins/heart.gif
2 folds, <font color="#cc0000">MP1 raises to $0.5</font>, 3 folds, <font color="#cc0000">Crustyface raises to $1</font>, SB calls, BB folds, MP1 calls.
Flop: 3/images/graemlins/spade.gif 6/images/graemlins/club.gif 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif ($3.25, 3 players)
SB checks, MP1 checks, <font color="#cc0000">Crustyface bets $2</font>, 2 folds.
Uncalled bets: $2 returned to Crustyface.
Results:
Final pot: $3.25
|--------------------------------
I find that betting around 2/3 or 3/4 the pot on the flop is the right amount to discover where you are at. I find that i take down alot of pots with that amount. I will continuation bet into a raise some of the time, it depends whether i think the board helped my opponent.
<u>The Blinds</u>
I am very tight from the blinds, simple as that. I rarely complete in the SB just to see a flop and when i do i promise myself that unless the situation is really good, i will fold and not get tempted to play. A big weakness of a typical player at alot of levels is to call the SB and it costs so much money. People say that it's only a half bet, but i bet they don't consider the times they get involved in a pot and it costs them a few $$.
I will only call a raise from the BB when it is from very late position, this often indicates a steal attempt and if i think my hand is likely better i will call, or maybe even raise. It is not unlikely that a steal attempt from the Button will close down if you reraise and then cbet. I do think you have to have AQs or better to make this move though.
<u>The Turn and Onwards</u>
As the title suggests this article won't cover this area of the game, but i would like to say that if you feel you have control of the betting you can sometimes make this play:
Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
9 players
Converter (http://www.neildewhurst.com/hand-converter)
Stack sizes:
UTG: $16.95
UTG+1: $24.15
Crustyface: $30.85
MP2: $15.15
MP3: $41.25
CO: $11.30
Button: $12.80
SB: $24.40
BB: $11.90
Pre-flop: (9 players) Crustyface is MP1 with A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif
2 folds, <font color="#cc0000">Crustyface raises to $1</font>, MP2 calls, 5 folds.
Flop: 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif K/images/graemlins/spade.gif ($2.35, 2 players)
<font color="#cc0000">Crustyface bets $1.75</font>, MP2 calls.
Turn: 4/images/graemlins/club.gif ($5.85, 2 players)
<font color="#cc0000">Crustyface bets $4</font>, MP2 calls.
River: K/images/graemlins/heart.gif ($13.85, 2 players)
<font color="#cc0000">Crustyface is all-in $24.1</font>, MP2 folds.
Uncalled bets: $24.1 returned to Crustyface.
Results:
Final pot: $13.85
The reason i made this play was based solely on the fact that he was hesitant at calling my flop and turn bets, so i know he didnt have the K, but ofcourse "i did".
I hope this little article is useful to some of you,
Cheers,
CrustyFace
Caveat: This has worked solidly for me at 25NL and 50NL on Full Tilt Poker. It may not work elsewhere depending on opponent strength.
<u>Come In For A Raise Most Of The Time</u>
My style of poker at the micros is to take down lots and lots of small pots preflop and on the flop. The way i do this is by raising, raising and more raising. The advantages of this style is that you make the donks believe that you have a better hand than them and you don't get raked alot because you don't see alot of huge pots.
I always raise to 4BB, unless it has been raised already in which case i come in for around 3 times his raise. I will only do this with very strong hands unless it is a pathetic raise (less than 4BB).
What about position? Well, as with all this information, it is scenario and position dependant. I won't play like this against a manic table, but most tables i can take control of and get them to be tight. I also won't play stupidly out of position. I make most of my moves in the last 3 positions but i also open up in earlier and earlier positions depending on the people after me. I will raise with AJo from UTG+2 for example if i think that i won't get raised.
If i do get re/raised and i am out out of position i will often shut down, but at these limits people don't like my 4BB raise and i often won't even get called. In position i will reraise with alot of solid hands and raise the blinds with even more.
I have numerous HHs for hands taken down either on or before the flop, the better examples have been where i have raised into 5 limpers in position and they have all folded. It just leaves me wondering what the hell they are limping with. My old style of play would have meant i call those limpers and probably get tangled up in some nasty family pot. I don't know about you but i dont want to do that without having an extremely good draw or made hand. I don't have that most of the time, so i'll have the limps.
<u>Continuation Betting</u>
This means that i am going to continuation bet the flop 95% of the time regardless of what i hold and what is on the board when i have been the last raiser. For example, from last night:
|--------------------------------
Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
8 players
Converter (http://www.neildewhurst.com/hand-converter)
Stack sizes:
UTG: $27.70
UTG+1: $28.60
Crustyface: $42.05
MP2: $26.30
CO: $20.90
Button: $26.30
SB: $22.45
BB: $4.75
Pre-flop: (8 players) Crustyface is MP1 with K/images/graemlins/spade.gif A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif
2 folds, <font color="#cc0000">Crustyface raises to $1</font>, MP2 folds, CO calls, Button folds, SB calls, BB folds.
Flop: Q/images/graemlins/club.gif 7/images/graemlins/diamond.gif 2/images/graemlins/heart.gif ($3.25, 3 players)
SB checks, <font color="#cc0000">Crustyface bets $2</font>, 2 folds.
Uncalled bets: $2 returned to Crustyface.
Results:
Final pot: $3.25
|--------------------------------
Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
9 players
Converter (http://www.neildewhurst.com/hand-converter)
Stack sizes:
UTG: $44.10
Crustyface: $53.90
MP1: $14.95
MP2: $27
MP3: $25
CO: $5.10
Button: $19.50
SB: $28.15
BB: $20.60
Pre-flop: (9 players) Crustyface is UTG+1 with A/images/graemlins/club.gif J/images/graemlins/spade.gif
UTG folds, <font color="#cc0000">Crustyface raises to $1</font>, 4 folds, Button calls, 2 folds.
Flop: 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif K/images/graemlins/club.gif ($2.35, 2 players)
<font color="#cc0000">Crustyface bets $1.5</font>, Button folds.
Uncalled bets: $1.5 returned to Crustyface.
Results:
Final pot: $2.35
|--------------------------------
Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
9 players
Converter (http://www.neildewhurst.com/hand-converter)
Stack sizes:
UTG: $51.85
UTG+1: $24.50
MP1: $13.25
MP2: $26.65
MP3: $2.95
CO: $24.20
Crustyface: $36.40
SB: $26.25
BB: $13.05
Pre-flop: (9 players) Crustyface is Button with J/images/graemlins/club.gif A/images/graemlins/heart.gif
2 folds, <font color="#cc0000">MP1 raises to $0.5</font>, 3 folds, <font color="#cc0000">Crustyface raises to $1</font>, SB calls, BB folds, MP1 calls.
Flop: 3/images/graemlins/spade.gif 6/images/graemlins/club.gif 6/images/graemlins/heart.gif ($3.25, 3 players)
SB checks, MP1 checks, <font color="#cc0000">Crustyface bets $2</font>, 2 folds.
Uncalled bets: $2 returned to Crustyface.
Results:
Final pot: $3.25
|--------------------------------
I find that betting around 2/3 or 3/4 the pot on the flop is the right amount to discover where you are at. I find that i take down alot of pots with that amount. I will continuation bet into a raise some of the time, it depends whether i think the board helped my opponent.
<u>The Blinds</u>
I am very tight from the blinds, simple as that. I rarely complete in the SB just to see a flop and when i do i promise myself that unless the situation is really good, i will fold and not get tempted to play. A big weakness of a typical player at alot of levels is to call the SB and it costs so much money. People say that it's only a half bet, but i bet they don't consider the times they get involved in a pot and it costs them a few $$.
I will only call a raise from the BB when it is from very late position, this often indicates a steal attempt and if i think my hand is likely better i will call, or maybe even raise. It is not unlikely that a steal attempt from the Button will close down if you reraise and then cbet. I do think you have to have AQs or better to make this move though.
<u>The Turn and Onwards</u>
As the title suggests this article won't cover this area of the game, but i would like to say that if you feel you have control of the betting you can sometimes make this play:
Full Tilt Poker
No Limit Holdem Ring game
Blinds: $0.10/$0.25
9 players
Converter (http://www.neildewhurst.com/hand-converter)
Stack sizes:
UTG: $16.95
UTG+1: $24.15
Crustyface: $30.85
MP2: $15.15
MP3: $41.25
CO: $11.30
Button: $12.80
SB: $24.40
BB: $11.90
Pre-flop: (9 players) Crustyface is MP1 with A/images/graemlins/diamond.gif Q/images/graemlins/spade.gif
2 folds, <font color="#cc0000">Crustyface raises to $1</font>, MP2 calls, 5 folds.
Flop: 3/images/graemlins/diamond.gif 2/images/graemlins/spade.gif K/images/graemlins/spade.gif ($2.35, 2 players)
<font color="#cc0000">Crustyface bets $1.75</font>, MP2 calls.
Turn: 4/images/graemlins/club.gif ($5.85, 2 players)
<font color="#cc0000">Crustyface bets $4</font>, MP2 calls.
River: K/images/graemlins/heart.gif ($13.85, 2 players)
<font color="#cc0000">Crustyface is all-in $24.1</font>, MP2 folds.
Uncalled bets: $24.1 returned to Crustyface.
Results:
Final pot: $13.85
The reason i made this play was based solely on the fact that he was hesitant at calling my flop and turn bets, so i know he didnt have the K, but ofcourse "i did".
I hope this little article is useful to some of you,
Cheers,
CrustyFace
Caveat: This has worked solidly for me at 25NL and 50NL on Full Tilt Poker. It may not work elsewhere depending on opponent strength.