The Pot Sweetener Effect

joyofpoker · #1 09-05-2007, 02:48 PM

Hello everyone. I guess I'm really on a theory kick these days, trying to give back to the community that helped my game so much. Tonight, I want to show you something that's really misunderstood in NL games. And that's the pot sweetener bet. I tell my students all the time that it's hot to sweeten the pot.

Poker Stars - No Limit Hold'em Cash Game - $1/$2 Blinds - 6 Players - (LegoPoker Hand History Converter)

SB: $224.60
BB: $188.00
UTG: $229.70
MP: $202.80
CO: $341.00
Hero (BTN): $95.50

Reads: Well, as you can see, I've let myself get pretty deep at this table after I doubled up in one of the first hands. The mark of a good player is to not be scared when the stacks get deep. The players are very loose and bad, so it's worth my time to keep playing and not sit out and rebuy normally at another table.

Preflop: Hero is dealt J[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (6 Players)
UTG folds, MP calls $2.00, CO calls $2.00, Hero raises to $4.00, SB folds, BB calls $2.00, MP calls $2.00, CO calls $2.00.

This is the much misunderstood pot sweetener bet. If I had just limped in normally with my small pocket pair, the pot would only be $9. Now, the pot is $17 and our innovative play forced the SB to fold his hand. We have the small disadvantage of not being first to act, but my postflop skills pretty much nullify that. 

Flop: ($17) A[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] Q[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (4 Players)
BB checks, MP checks, CO checks, Hero bets $4.00, BB calls $4.00, MP calls $4.00, CO folds.

This is a pretty good flop for our hand. No one pushed preflop so that means no one has AA, KK or QQ, so our Jacks are the best pocket pair out there. I like a pure value bet here ($4.00 instead of $2.00), because with 3 clubs already on the board, there's not much more to protect against. 

Turn: ($29) 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] (3 Players)
BB checks, MP checks, Hero checks.

Well, that's not the best turn card for us. People like to play pocket twos, even though they don't really beat anything. I don't want to face a check raise here from trips, so in this murky situation it's probably best to check behind for info. 

River: ($29) T[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] (3 Players)
BB checks, MP bets $17.00, Hero bets $87.50 (all-in), BB folds, MP calls $70.50.

BAM, we hit our hand on the end. Alot of inexperienced players will just call here and hope to get a call from the BB too. No, that is incorrect. You shove here for metagame, protection, and RIO. We're beat here only if someone has a club and with 4 clubs already on the board, chances are pretty slim that someone holds one. 

Now, I don't want you guys to be results orientated when I show you who won the pot. MP had J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 9[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img] and took it down with a royal flush. You have to remember that if someone gets a royal flush, you just tip your cap and move on, because nothing beats a royal flush. As long as we played the hand well, we can sleep a peaceful sleep.

That's all for now. Hopefully, the theory wasn't too deep for most of you. We've got some bright apples on this board and it's an honor to teach you a few things.