Posted Tue Aug 01, 2006 2:42 pm GMT by Altec05
I'm kind of new to poker but I had a basic question about how you would play this.
Say you're in a No Limit game with $100 buy in, $0.50 small blind/$1 big blind, and you're dealt A-K on the flop. You're in middle position, first player calls big blind, you raise to 5 dollars and are called by the player in last position and the one before you.
The flop comes down something like 3-7-J. Something that doesn't really help you at all. No flush or straight draw.
How do you play it from there in the different scenarios:
First position checks
First position bets (say $2? I don't really know)
Would you bet strongly or fold if they do? I can't really provide too many specifics about the scenarios. Just wondering in general what should be done there.
Also, is there any general advice about what and how to raise/call/fold certain hands preflop? Like how is smart for A-K or K-K.
I know these questions may require additional information (how those players have been playing, etc.) but any help would be appreciated.
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Posted Tue Aug 01, 2006 2:52 pm GMT by mooseontheloose
Well, if a board like that comes and you've got overcards, you'll likely want to make a play at the pot. Of course, this depends on what your opponent does but if he checks to you, you will need to decide if he's slowplaying you or if it's time to bet and take the pot. If you get re-raised, you know you're behind and can drop it. If the person bets into you, you'll need to again decide where you stand.
Preflop, you shouldn't be calling or folding w/ AKs, AA, KK, QQ under most circumstances (if you raise and get a huge reraise from a solid player, you'll likely want to drop QQ for example). You don't want to let people in the pot with you as these big hands (especially QQ-AA) play best heads up.
Hope that helps, others will likely chime in and add more.
Posted Thu Aug 03, 2006 2:32 am GMT by MrDarling
if I'm first to act, or no one has raised I'll almost always continues bet if I raised preflop. usually , it takes the hand down right there.
if my bet is called, I'll need to consider another bet on the turn.The thing is, if you do, it needs to be a large one. I often do it. Again, chances are you'd take the pot here. It also depends how many callers I get on the flop. More then 1, I might just slow down and relax.
If you get called, and the river is still a blank , it time to make a big decision : bet or check/fold. If you bet, it have to be big enough to kick someone of their TP - if you check, you probably lost the pot. Problem is, especially online, a lot of player will call with TP no kicker even if you make it very unattractive to call.
However, if someone before me bet, it really depends on the size of the bet , and any reads I have.
Posted Thu Aug 03, 2006 7:39 am GMT by crack
Continuation bet continuation bet.
That's the way to go. A lot of players will give up the pot here and now if they missed the flop too.
Things can get tricky, I mean, people can put you on overs and raise you or bet into you, and you have a tough decision to make. Do you make a move and raise them representing the overpair or do you give it up?
What if 4 people called preflop?
What if someone bets into you for the pot?
Questions like these all depend on the game itself and the players you are against. Sometimes I will make the bet if I know my opponents do not go to showdown often, if a Tight player bets into me I will likely give it up etc.
I would say general advice is if the pot is 3 handed and you have raised PF, then bet it on the flop for 1/2 the pot and upwards if you feel you can take it down enough times there and then. If someone bets that small $2 then they are looking for you to raise and shut out the opponent who has yet to act, so be careful if you decide to raise here.
I think that's about the best I can do withouyt going into specifics.
Hope this helps.
Posted Thu Aug 03, 2006 9:42 am GMT by shorn7
| Quote: | | Questions like these all depend on the game itself and the players you are against. Sometimes I will make the bet if I know my opponents do not go to showdown often, if a Tight player bets into me I will likely give it up etc. |
This hits it right on the nose. It all depends upon the players in the hand. There are plenty of times when a continuation bet IS NOT the best thing to do simplay because the other players in the hand are very weak and will call with any pair. If this is the case, then the continuation bet is throwing $$ down the drain (especially if you get more than one caller preflop).
But, as a general rule, given no specific reads on players, that is a flop you have to move at with an unimproved AK that you raised with preflop. There aren't any big draws, so if no one has a J and they are normal players, your bet should win at least 50% of the time.
One thing to be careful of though (especially out of position) is that many good players will call you with nothing on the flop assuming you have AK and if a blank comes on the turn and you check, they will steal the pot from you. So, if you DO make a continuation bet on a flop like this, you need to fire again on the turn sometimes (as you would with an overpair) so that these players don't get a "bet pattern" read on you. This is very important. In conjunction with this, you need to check-raise the turn with your overpairs sometimes as well to again mix up your play so that your continuation bets with AK work well and aren't always called (also check/calling the flop or check-raising the flop with an overpair against good, observant players is another tactic to use to mix it up).
Bottom line, don't fall into any specific pattern with unimproved AK hands. Mix it up and you will find that your continuation bets are more respected.
Posted Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:13 pm GMT by Ryan_j37
| shorn7 wrote: | | Quote: | | Questions like these all depend on the game itself and the players you are against. Sometimes I will make the bet if I know my opponents do not go to showdown often, if a Tight player bets into me I will likely give it up etc. |
This hits it right on the nose. It all depends upon the players in the hand. There are plenty of times when a continuation bet IS NOT the best thing to do simplay because the other players in the hand are very weak and will call with any pair. If this is the case, then the continuation bet is throwing $$ down the drain (especially if you get more than one caller preflop).
But, as a general rule, given no specific reads on players, that is a flop you have to move at with an unimproved AK that you raised with preflop. There aren't any big draws, so if no one has a J and they are normal players, your bet should win at least 50% of the time.
One thing to be careful of though (especially out of position) is that many good players will call you with nothing on the flop assuming you have AK and if a blank comes on the turn and you check, they will steal the pot from you. So, if you DO make a continuation bet on a flop like this, you need to fire again on the turn sometimes (as you would with an overpair) so that these players don't get a "bet pattern" read on you. This is very important. In conjunction with this, you need to check-raise the turn with your overpairs sometimes as well to again mix up your play so that your continuation bets with AK work well and aren't always called (also check/calling the flop or check-raising the flop with an overpair against good, observant players is another tactic to use to mix it up).
Bottom line, don't fall into any specific pattern with unimproved AK hands. Mix it up and you will find that your continuation bets are more respected. |
Nice. That helps me a lot because im probably to predictable with my continuation betting and lack thereof
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