NLHTAP - When they say Usually Call ...

[DiamondDog]

The tiny little bit I know about poker has come mainly from 2+2 books or this forum, so thanks to all you guys for the help you’ve given me in the past.

Last Monday I was surprised to discover that I was getting a little bit bored with Limit hold ‘em, so I decided to dip my little toe into the choppy waters that are No-Limit.

The best way I can describe it is like the move from draughts/checkers to chess. It’s a ton more interesting but you’re awfully aware of just how little you know about the new game.

I’m currently donking it up at $0.02/$0.04 trying to get my head around the differences between Limit and No-Limit.

I bought a few books, including NLHTAP and PNL. (I’m on holiday this week, so plenty of time for reading.)

PNL contains a ton of good stuff, I’m sure – I’ve read the first three-quarters - but right now I have other, much simpler things to sort out about my game – a baby needs to crawl before it can walk, let alone try to run the hundred metres, right?

Which brings me nicely onto starting hand charts.

Now, I’m sure a lot of you guys will laugh at a question about starting hand charts, and it is kind of funny, but I found the Pre-Flop Strategy section in NLHTAP particularly useful for trying to get my NoLimit career off the ground.

But I’ve got a question.

In the Pre-Flop Strategy section, I understand what is meant by Usually Fold, Usually Raise, Usually Limp – they’re all perfectly well explained in the text.

But on page 129, when Someone Has Opened for a Raise, No Callers Yet, what do
Sklansky and Miller mean when they say Usually Call?

Do they mean Call 80% and Fold 20% or is it Call 80%, Fold 10% and Raise 10%?

Thanks again for your help.

[Malrick]

Well that is going to depend on the player, how much of a raise they are putting in and position. If a loose player minraises in LP and you are on the button, it is almost always going to be a call. But if a tight player in early position buts in a bigger then normal raise you might want to fold. If a player raises and there is a re-raise you probably want to fold.

You are probably going to find better answers and more strategy threads in either the beginners or Micro Stakes NL forum..

[DiamondDog]

Thanks, Malrick. Much appreciated.

[Nate.]

Diamond--

It sounds like you have a great attitude. Keep it up.

These things depend heavily on the game texture. If I had to pick one for every situation, I'd say 10% raise and 10% fold. But at, say, a shortstacked table, your pocket pairs will go down in value,* so turn most of that 20% into folds.

The payoff comes when these game-specific adjustments become more natural, and the raw percentages go away like training wheels. Good luck.

--Nate

*You can figure this out by noting its easier converse, that pairs increase in value as stacks get deeper. This is because as you play for deeper money, the rock-crushing better-disguised hands dominate the top-pair-ish hands that do the heavy lifting with short and medium stacks. Those rock-crushing hands are often sets (and straights), so pocket pairs are valuable.

[DiamondDog]

Thanks very much, Nate, that makes a lot of sense.

FWIW, as a lurker I used to read quite a few of your posts, so it's cool that you took the trouble to reply to my question.

Thanks again. Much appreciated.