Pax's Pre-Flop Bible

[Paxosmotic]

This is in response to an illfated thread of a similar nomenclature which shall not be named. Also, I'm not slamming Bryce, I just think it's important to get a little information straightened out.

In this thread I'm going to cover some of the truths I've learned after 17,904 posts on 2+2 along with 54,691,303 hands logged in Poker Tracker. Give or take. No intro, nothing witty, here we go:

1) Position is everything that matters, except for the other things that matter. - A relatively weak hand such as J9s isn't safe to limp up front in a standard small stakes game, but can be safely limped for profit in late position if others have voluntarily entered the pot. This is because the other "players" in the pot will add more "money", thereby increasing your "pot odds". This is covered in more detail in every poker book ever written. Except maybe Mike Sexton's. I don't know, I'm still not past the cover.

2) First in almost unilaterally means raise. - If you're in middle position or later and you're open limping, you are wrong sir. Wrong. As you get closer to the button, you can open with progressively weaker hands such as A4o, QJo, and Alpha-Gamma offsuit. You are more likely to steal the blinds or earn the button the later your position. This will put you in a good position post flop.

3) Know whether you're an idiot or a wuss. - Others are observant, and table dynamics are just that. Be aware of how you're currently viewed by the others are the table. Have you stolen every time it's folded to your cutoff over the last ten minutes? Take a pass on opening with K4o. Have you been folding everything for about 5 weeks? Find two cards and open on the button.

4) Pot odds, more like... not... flods. STFU, you make a pun with that one. - If you're playing at the tightest table available, you might not want to limp that 33 upfront. If the table is consistently 4-5 to the flop and your limp is likely to encourage action, come on in the water's fine. Be aware of possible postflop action. Pocket pairs are going to love action post flop, your 87s may not.

A few examples and then I'm done.

Let’s say you’re against a tight and somewhat weak player who opens from one of the last two positions and you are in the SB. A hand like 86s should go in the muck. A hand like A2o should probably be three-bet. The showdown value of the eight is worth very little, if anything, and you'll pay through the nose to chase any flopped draw. As the attacking player, you will win in this situation when you either, one, make a hand, or two, your opponent misses the flop and folds. You will be putting money in with the better hand when you hold an ace when your opponent misses.

In another example you are in the small blind with a small pocket pair or small ace against a player in the big who plays very aggressively post-flop and almost never folds his blind. You should almost unilaterally raise his blind as you'll be far ahead of his range. If you raise pre-flop and become the attacking player you will often pick up the pot on a dry or dangerous looking flop. If the opponent has quite loose peeling standards you will often pick up an extra bet or two as he chases his six outer. Against a loose player you will frequently be able to bet a small pair or unimproved ace for value on the fourth street. So once again, should you choose to become the attacking player out of position, you will win the hand by either forcing your opponent to fold, or by making a better hand.

Last example. You open with AK from two or three positions off the button, and a solid player three-bets out of the blinds. You should cap. If you cap and bet when checked to post flop, one of three things will likely happen: your opponent will fold, or peel and fold with a hand you had dominated, or your opponent will check-raise you with a better hand on the flop (which you will usually have outs to pass), as well as some semi-bluffs. If you call you will use your knowledge of pot odds, counting outs, and your opponent's style to decide whether to continue.

A witty ending should go here but I sold my jokes for an offsuited ace-rag.

[Marlowe]

I think the last paragraph needs some editing.

[Paxosmotic]

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Last example. You open with AK from two or three positions off the button, and a solid player three-bets out of the blinds. You should cap. If you cap and bet when checked to post flop, one of three things will likely happen: your opponent will fold, you will add another of your opponent's chips to the pot, or your opponent will check-raise you with a better hand. If you call you will use your knowledge of pot odds, counting outs, and your opponent's style to decide whether to continue.


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FMP. Was trying to stay as close to Bryce's as possible.

[BenA]

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[ QUOTE ]
Last example. You open with AK from two or three positions off the button, and a solid player three-bets out of the blinds. You should cap. If you cap and bet when checked to post flop, one of three things will likely happen: your opponent will fold, you will add another of your opponent's chips to the pot, or your opponent will check-raise you with a better hand. If you call you will use your knowledge of pot odds, counting outs, and your opponent's style to decide whether to continue.


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FMP. Was trying to stay as close to Bryce's as possible.

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Thank you. I just responded to Bryce about this. Both of your 'Bibles' are more along the lines of 'proverbs.' [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] But I am happy that yours is fully in line with equity. NP

[Darrone]

wow, so, 54million hands, thats like 4k hands a day for 33 years. thats pretty amazing.

[Gazzbut]

Exactly. Its obviously worth paying attention to this guy!

[HoneyBadger]

17k posts is actually not that much for any self respecting BBVer [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[BobJoeJim]

I am SO flopping the nut five of a kind with my alpha-gamma offsuit!!!