Josh Arieh: "Biggest mistake amateurs make"

[darom03]

Josh: "The biggest mistake I see amateurs making is playing big pots out of position. No Limit Hold'em is a positional game and I make it a point to have position when a big pot takes place. For example, say I am in the small blind with AK, I will very rarely raise with this kind of hand here, exclusively because of my position . Yes, the hand is good, but the position out weighs the "ranking value" of the hand. Pot-size management is more important than hand selection in No Limit poker. Work on that and you will become a much better player almost overnight"

Should AK really be checked in the small blind if there are a couple of limpers?

Pot-size management... do any of you know a good site that elaborates on that?

[adios]

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Josh: "The biggest mistake I see amateurs making is playing big pots out of position. No Limit Hold'em is a positional game and I make it a point to have position when a big pot takes place. For example, say I am in the small blind with AK, I will very rarely raise with this kind of hand here, exclusively because of my position . Yes, the hand is good, but the position out weighs the "ranking value" of the hand. Pot-size management is more important than hand selection in No Limit poker. Work on that and you will become a much better player almost overnight"

Should AK really be checked in the small blind if there are a couple of limpers?

Pot-size management... do any of you know a good site that elaborates on that?

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Was he reffering to tournaments, money games or both? Harder to control the size of the pot after the flop in first position as opposed to last. FWIW I think it's tougher to play a hand like AK in No Limit as opposed to limit when the stacks are deep. FWIW I do think that one of the things one should consider when playing No Limit, tournament or money games, is the type of pot they want to play be it small, medium or big.

[EJXD2]

RE: AK specifically (or other "high" hands that are vulnerable post flop) I think it depends on the opponents. If a significant raise is likely to win you the limpers' bets, then go ahead and make the raise. I hate a mini raise in this spot because people are getting better odds to call the raise then they did to call the original bet.

If you raise to 5x BB and one player stays and an A or K hits, then you're very likely best. Depending on the limits you player, someone who limped with an ace is not going to get away from his ace if the flop comes an ace. I'd rather raise and make him pay to draw to his kicker for two pair then give him a cheap shot at beating my kicker with two pair.

[ianlippert]

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Work on that and you will become a much better player almost overnight"


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I just started playing NL about 2 months ago after playing limit for about a year. I'd have to say that this statement is 100% true. Once I learnt how to control the pot on my vulnerable hands my win rate shot through the roof. The difference between my game then and my game now is night and day.

[goochpkt2002]

I would respectively have to disagree with Arieh's advice. With big unsuited cards such as AK, I try to isolate my opponets so that it's heads up or three way at worst. Even if you miss the flop, a continuation bet will often take down the pot against a few opponents. When a lot of players limp into the pot, you've got to think your AK is ahead and push your edge while you've got it. AKs plays better in multiway pots, but i don't like the idea of giving limpers the chance to catch two pair or better for free. AK is not a drawing hand. That said, you should be able to lay it down when your continuation bet gets raised.

[MikeLowry]

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AK is not a drawing hand

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Not only is AK a drawing hand it is a drawing hand that is frequently overplayed in a NL format. Top pair hands such as AK and AQ have a lower value in a NL/PL game. Do you feel comfortable playing for your whole stack OOP on the flop with TPTK? I am sure that JA does not follow this everytime but, I think he uses it as a general rule for his game. I agree with the earlier poster when he says that much of this depends on your opponents. If you can win the pot preflop with a big raise then you should raise. The problem is that you are potentially building a large pot OOP giving your opponents great odds to take a small pair and stack you on the flop. Another thing that I notice while playing is that opponents who raise in the blinds behind multiple limpers tend to "tell you" the strength of their hand. They will let you know right away that their hand could be vunerable on the flop. Observant players notice these things and will 1) Get you to commit for all of your money when the flop hits right or 2) Use position against you on the turn when you slow down and steal the pot.

-ML

-I made the assumption that this relates to a ring game. The advice may be different in a tournament where players protect their chips more.

[UATrewqaz]

Harrington says something similiar in HoH (I think volume I), about how with a hand like AK and position on the table you shouldn't commit your whole stack preflop, because your opponent could come over the top all in and that negates your positional advantage. The more streets the play goes the more your position gives you an edge.

[Banks2334]

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AK is not a drawing hand.

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Hahahahahahahahahahahahah

[awarunn]

So is every non-pocket pair a drawing hand?

[Xhad]

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AK is not a drawing hand.

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Hahahahahahahahahahahahah

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It's kind of asinine to respond to a post in this manner.

Especially when you're wrong.