Let's talk about Way Ahead/Way Behind (rather long)

[Bullet_Dodger]

Most people know the description of being Way ahead/ Way behind. For the few that dont, the concept is quite simple. Playing a hand way ahead/way behind means playing it soft in order to get more value from hands that are drawing to very few outs, and lose the least from hands that have you dominated.

For example, say you call a raise from EP on the Button with A [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 3 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]. A common line to use against an aggressive or passive player is to check/call all the way down, or to check/call the first two streets and bet/fold the last.

This is more commonly discussed in Limit Holdem, but rarley discussed in NL Holdem MTT's. The main reason for this is because the stacks are usually shallow, and the right line is to often bet, bet, bet and get it all-in. However, I still think there are many situations where implying a way ahead/ way behind strategy will prove most profitable. Such situations occur when the stacks are deep compared to the blinds, and Hero is up against a certain type of opponent.

For example, a hand came up about a week ago in the same MTT i posted with the 75o hand. The blinds were 25/50, with ~350 players left of the ~500 that started. It was 9-handed, with effective stacks being 5k. Hero raised to 150 in MP, and CO flat calls. It is folded around. CO was a rather tight-passive player, who had managed to build up a decent stack through nut-peddling. However, he still seemed capable of making thin value bets when it was needed. Hero gave Villain's hand range at 55+, and all High broadways. Hero does not believe Villain would call a 3x bb raise with a really small pair.

The flop came Q [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] 7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] 6 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

Hero bets 250, Villain Calls 250.

This call was rather odd. I discounted KQ/QJ slightly, because I thought he would raise with such a hand. I also knew that given Villains description and the texture of the board, (no draws) Hero was either way ahead or way behind. He is way ahead of 88-JJ, KQ/KJ in order of most likley. He is also way behind 33/44, QQ, KK, and AA. I did not put Villain on 89 or 54 here, ever, I just dont think he'd make that call preflop.

The turn was the Q [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

Hero checks, Villain bets 500, Hero calls.

Now to many this turn card makes it seems like we've hit the jackpot. We've hit teh ultimate trips!!11 In reality, after the bet by Villain, we have if anything only narrowed the amount of hands we're ahead here. I've now discounted 88 and 99 slightly, as I feel hed check behind with those more often. All other hands remain about the same.

River: 8 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

Hero checks, Villain bets 1,000, Hero calls.

Once again, Hero plays this hand passivley feeling hes way ahead/way behind. Many people will question why I did not raise here, but I still feel it was the right play. Villin is calling a raise here, which will be a push, with any hands that we have beat. When he calls, he has us. Almost every time. We of course are also never folding out a better hand, as that means a Full House or Quads.

Villian ended up showing T [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] T [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], and Hero rakes in a near 4,000 pot. I'm all up for opinions. Discuss.