[Matt Flynn]

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Taking some strategy and viewpoints from PNL...

We can look at this hand in terms of Stack-to-Pot-Ratio, or SPR. SPR is the amount of $$ that's in the flop as a ratio of the smallest stack in play. So, in this case, the flop is ~$200 and the smallest stack in play after the preflop action is about ~$600, giving an SPR of ~3.

Generally, with overpairs/TPTK type of hands, it is "okay" to commit all your chips when your SPR is 4.5ish, and still be +EV. So, with an SPR of 3 in this RR pot, you should not be looking to "minimize my losses", but rather, to get all the chips in some way or another. By betting flop, then pushing turn, it accomplishes that well.

I've been following this guideline, but I'm not exactly too sure of how true the +EV statement is just yet.

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here's how I'd use SPR on these hands. same outcome as many posters. worst hands you want to fight against are bigger pair >> pair >> others b/c they have the most equity against you ("expectation" if you have difficulty using "equity" as a forward term). in both your hands, a bigger reraise preflop, which is still well within bounds of the game's raise sizes, would make it impossible for any hand weaker than yours to draw profitably. for example:

Hand 1: $24 raiser has a $696 starting stack. If you reraise pot to $81 and he calls, there's $169 in the pot and $616 behind. That's about SPR of 3.6. You've already won some Sklansky bucks. Opponent cannot draw with any hand for $80 with $616 behind. So that's a compelling reason to pot it. If he folds a lot to pot-sized bets, make more of them. (It's very close for him to draw with a pair even for your $56 reraise, and you do NOT have to force a mistake with every bet.)

Once you hit the flop, you can improve on "blind" commitment. Play poker. If you think the guy's got you beat more often than the implied odds justify, fold. Provided you're right, you make more money.


Same in the second hand. because you knew you'd very likely be up against one "short" stack if you saw the flop, a pot-sized reraise strengthens your position. you don't have to go broke postflop, but if you blindly committed with an overpair you would still have positive expectation.


another benefit of the pot-sized reraise: when your opponents won't steal a lot of pots from you, every dollar that goes in preflop with weaker hands than yours earns you money. here you will commit often, so you definitely like getting more money in preflop.

also, if your bets get no action, randomize in some suited connectors and AK. you LOVE taking down the preflop pot with those. if they'll fold most of the time that bet alone makes money. you freeroll on hitting your hand. plus you aggravate people with your aggression, which can work to your favor whenever you have a good hand. once they start playing back at you, tighten up. a lot of this requires "feel," but it works.