SPR's and committment

knockonwood · #1 09-27-2007, 04:50 AM

I've been reading PNLH and its good. Whats confusing me though is the SPR/committment thing. Getting the right SPR so you are not facing a tough committment decision (by ensuring you are already committed), isn't making sense to me.

Pg 168, 10 handed 2-5 game, hero has KK in MP and raises to 6BB's, everyone has $500. The button and BB call. Pot is $92, everyone has $470 left. Flop is Th,7c,5s. Hero bets $90, button calls, BB folds, pot is $272. Hero has $380 left. Turn is Qh.

Book advocates committing as there is to much in the pot to fold. (which is fair enough). What i'm not understanding correctly, is why put yourself in a position where you are committed, for the sake of being committed and not having to make a difficult decision? I'm sure I've explained this pretty poorly, but I hope you sort of know what i'm getting at.

gregorio · #2 09-27-2007, 10:10 AM

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Book advocates committing as there is to much in the pot to fold. (which is fair enough). What i'm not understanding correctly, is why put yourself in a position where you are committed, for the sake of being committed and not having to make a difficult decision? I'm sure I've explained this pretty poorly, but I hope you sort of know what i'm getting at.

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Because then you can't be bluffed out of a pot since it is almost always wrong to fold unless a huge scare card comes and it is obvious you must be beat. It turns playing a full stack into having the same decisions you would get playing a short stack, and short stacks are easier to play.

TimM · #3 10-02-2007, 01:13 PM

[ QUOTE ]
What i'm not understanding correctly, is why put yourself in a position where you are committed, for the sake of being committed and not having to make a difficult decision?

[/ QUOTE ]

Making yourself committed this way puts most of the money in early, when you have a greater chance of being ahead with a hand like KK. You've limited the amount that drawing hands can win from you on later streets if they hit, thus cutting their implied odds. At the same time you've also cut the folding equity they can get from you when they miss and try to bluff.