I believe all your regular visitors know how things get going when betting on the flop if they raise preflop. Well, I’m your fan and I visit your site regularly as well. But still I don’t totally understand some things regarding betting on the flop if a preflop is raise.

Typically, I play 25$NL, and whenever I bet on the flop, more often than not I get several calls with really high cards. I don’t know why but it takes place oftentimes. At some point, I thought maybe it was because other players are mislead. Maybe they thought it was a just a typical “bet on the flop after raising preflop” strategy.

By the way, if I may say, it’s easy to play if I caught something, but if I haven’t caught something and I have a few callers, etc. it’s already a different story.

I do hope this is sensible as I don’t like to mess up here in your site. And by the way, have you encountered similar situation as the one I’ve shared with you? If yes, how did you do it, survive the challenge and much better take home the pots?

Thanks!

Smith

Smith,

Part of your betting on the flop may have to do with the size of the bets you are making. If you are making a minimum bet, then most players will have odds to call your bet. If there is a potential straight or flush on the board, you may not be betting enough to force them off their draw. You may also have calling stations on board. Also, part of the problem may arise where they are thinking you are just using a continuation bet. Without more specific information, it is hard to tell further.

In a certain no limit tournament, we were down to 5 players from actually 20 players. As far as as I can remember, we were two there who have almost the same number of chips.

Well, I had 85 of clubs back then. Fortunately, I was given the chance to see the flop for free from the big blind before the flop came, which was 4s 5s 6h.

Because I was in first position, I acted first and placed a bet. For some reason, the smaller stack folded and the other chip leader called it as a result. Then the turn came 4s 5s 6h 7d. As a strategy, I placed him on a set. I feel I had the best hand so I placed him all in.

Quite unexpectedly, he called. And then to my surprise, the river came being 4s 5s 6h 7d 7c. In general, do you think I played very aggressively? Or else I was just unlucky?

Personally, I thought it was absurd, that the guy was so confident to call me but then later on, I realized what he did makes sense in a way because of the amount of cards he had back then that eventually could have given him full house.

By the way, do you think, the result could have been much better if I just simply bet it hard again? How about if I’ve taken the risk and then double up, what do you think might have happen?

Your insight/s please?

Thanks a lot.

Denver

Denver,

At the point you moved all-in, you had the best hand. While he had 10 outs to catch his hand, he was only 20% to win the hand. You got unlucky. However, that happens in poker. You played as well as you could given the circumstances.

Just this morning, I played in a MTT online NL tournament. I don’t know much about the players there as I was just moved from another table.

I was on the button w/ 22. UTG when I raised 3 times the blind. Eventually, everyone folded to me. What do you think, how many chips do I need to call the raise? How about 10 times the raise, as the minimum? 15 times? Or else something much higher? What’s your idea about this?

By the way, what if there is a caller in front of me? Or worser, 2 callers? Another thing, about 56 suited, is it as good as the 22 or does the math change eventually?

Thank you.

Bodie

Bodie,

To call a raise with 2-2 preflop in a tournament, you need to pretty much either be calling the raise of a short stack or have a fairly large stack.

If you raise preflop with 2-2 and get two callers, then you need to flop a set. At best you are a coin flip to win.

5-6 suited in a heads up pot is actually slightly ahead of 2-2 preflop. The reason is due to the fact that both cards are overcards and that they are suited. It’s still a coin flip however.

I play no limit poker. Oftentimes, I win. Typically, I just win enough but at least on a regular basis.

In general, I consider myself as an analytical player who is usually bothered psychologically. Over the years, I’ve tried to change this by increasing my skills or the like. I’ve also tried to discuss some related matters over my mind.

At a certain point, I question myself about the reasons why should I call rather than fold or raise post flop. Well, there’s no problem when I am into a full game, most especially in a multi-way pot. But unfortunately, not in short handed games, specifically when there is a heads up confrontation.

Any piece of advice? Do you have any idea about calling a bet on the flop in cases where ordinarily a player would either fold a marginal hand or re-raise with a hand that is more or less ahead?

I’m not sure to say this, and I also don’t want to sound defensive but the thing is short handed poker is the hardest to master for an analytical player like me. Well, I’m not sure but this is what I feel.

Thanks for your time.

Allie

Allie,

Short handed and heads up confrontations are situations where marginal hands and draws tend to pick up value. As far as calling as opposed to raising, I would continue to raise if I were you when you are ahead. Otherwise you are inviting players to outdraw you regularly. In relation to calling as opposed to folding, you will need to probably look into staying in with your marginal hands that connect in some way or with your draws more in a short handed game.

I’ll start by sharing that I love playing 5/10 and 10/20 NL holdem online. I regularly play those kinds, and I actually earn lots of money. But just recently, I’ve read something which I know will not make money whatsoever.

It’s actually something written by Doyle and something that discusses the trouble one can be into whenever he or she call raises with hands like AJ, AQ, KJ, KQ, etc. due to the pots.

With confidence, Doyle recommends calling with hands that are speculative, let’s say for an instance 65s or 79s. Sometimes a raise and a call for re-raise is also advised.

In my case, once I tried to call with hands like AJ. But there’s a problem. Doyle was actually playing at tables by which people have stacks by which 200+ times the size of the big blind. While online at a 10/20 NL table, the max buy in is 75 big blinds, and 50 big blinds is the average stack. So if in case I follow Doyle’s advice, there’s nothing much to gain I guess.

So now I’m wondering, if calling a raise with AQ, AJ, KQ, KJ, etc. is bad and calling with 65s will not lead you to proper odds, then what do you think should you call raises with? Personally, what do you think? Please help me.

Thanks!

Bryan

Bryan,

You also have to remember that Doyle Brunson has been playing at the largest stakes cash games for decades. The skills and reads that he has developed are far beyond your current training. Doyle’s tips are actually very valid and can win money, but they also come with large swings. If you have a winning style already, work on improving your winning style. Super System is not the only way to learn to play poker.

For an instance, in a $5/10 NL ring game you are holding 99,TT, JJ in Middle position and in early position facing three times raise from a tight aggressive player, would you call and eventually consider pair as a “set catcher” or just re-raise and treat it as a premium hand instead?

By the way, besides from likely holdings, are there some other factors to consider?

Thank you.

Steve

Steve,

I would consider nines and tens as set catchers. Jacks I would lean towards a set catcher. The TAG could be also raising with a hand such as A-K suited as well.

Other factors to consider are how long it has been since this player has played a hand, and what they are capable of showing.

Well, I just cashed in a tournament at this casino and decided I would take my winnings to a cash game and see what will happen. At an instance, I’ve only played online micro limit cash games, however, I realized that my game was solid enough to give it a try. As a result, for $180, I bought in for $180 into a 100min/200max NL game with blinds of $2/$5.

I was able to adjust later on. With the BB being $5 and the max buy in being $200, everything seemed quite fine.

However, just within the first half hour, I already lost about a third of my buy-in so I realized that things were not that smooth sailing after all. There was this one player who would literally limp in on each hand and then call any raise without hesitation.

As a sort of defense, I then tried to make good sized raise. A couple of rounds followed and things weren’t that good anymore, so I decided to eventually quit. But before that, I first limped in, and observed the actions behind me.

The guy to my left then raised to $20 and the calling station called the $20 but later on it folded back to me. I then called and the flop came AA9. Afterwards, I checked and then the preflop raiser came in for $50 or $60. Eventually, the calling station, called.

To make the long story short, we end up splitting the other guy’s $120. I guess this was because none of the tighter players at the table has given any action. What’s your thoughts on this?

Thank you.

Barry

Barry,

You seemed to have a table of players trying to take advantage of the calling station at your table. It seems to me that you picked a bad game to play in. Your last statement clued me in to this when you said none of the tight players were giving action. When you sit down at a table that is not giving action, it is time to find another table. Playing solid at a solid table is going to make for a long day.

Recently, I played with some friends. It was a fun game actually, but I’m bothered. I don’t know if I played the Ace Jack suited right. Well, instead of the typical raise that most people would put in with this hand pre-flop, I called the big blind with this hand. I called because I believe such hand doesn’t play well after the flop. If I also raise pre-flop and will be then re-raised, I’ll be forced to do some mucking stuff and will only mean a lot of wasted valuable chips. Same thing, if I just call the flop comes Ace Ace Jack or I make the nut flush or nut straight, my hand will be very well kept.

In your opinion, with AJ suited, is it wise to call or just raise?

Thank you in advance. Nice site by the way.

Lee

Lee,

It depends a lot on your position. If you are in late position to no raise, this is a raising hand. If you are early to middle position, this is a limping hand. Limping in late position with this hand is not a bad idea as A-J is easily dominated.

I love poker. But just recently, I’m starting to get bothered because of a certain hand that took place in one of my NL, .10/.25 online games.

What I can remember is that I had pocket 5’s under the gun and I limped in with some of the players. Then, a player who is in 5th position raised about 4 times the big blind and so a result got a call from the player in 8th position. Right after, it was folded around to me, I called.

Finally, the flop came 5-6-7, 2 spades. Well, I hit my set back then, however, drawing potential was still very prevalent even for me. I then bet out about 80% of the pot, because I was thinking that I’d have at least one caller from two players behind me.

Afterwards, the person in 5th position re-raised me, the amount was really big. Because of that re-raise, I got into conclusion that he is keeping a very large hand or was trying to bet me out of the pot. For some reasons, the person in 8th position called that large raise, so somehow I was relieved from delight.

To be honest, I’m not sure of what I had back then. There was a chance for a straight and flush draw, but somebody at the table might be holding 7-7 or 8-8 so the way to winning wasn’t that sure yet for me. As a result, I went all-in.

In just seconds, both my opponents folded. Well, I’ve taken home the pot, and I was so happy then. But still at some point, I still feel I’ve messed up at the table. I don’t know if I was able to maximize everything, the hand, chance,etc. What do you think? Do you have any comments or advice for me?

By the way, I’m very open to suggestions and even for bad comments so you can say everything. You don’t have to worry.

Thanks!

David

David,

I’m going to go with the assumption you had the set of fives for this scenario. You bet 80% of the pot, was raised and another player called before action returned to you. I would say that there is a good chance that you were against a large pair such as Aces and maybe a draw. I am surprised that both players folded to your bet. My only guess is that they maybe thought you had flopped a straight.

After betting out 80% of the pot, I would have been concerned with a big raise and a call ahead of me. I would have at least put one of them on the straight, even if it seemed unlikely. With that being said, you still had a 40% chance to make a full house even if you were unlucky enough to run into a straight.

Moving all-in did seem like a bit of an overbet, but if I were you, I would be very happy with both players folding. If they were on a draw, you prevented them from outdrawing you.

I am a recovering successful poker player. Why have I said this? Well, it’s because I’m patching things up in the literature of middle limit NL holdem games.

Before, the tight aggressive strategy at the table is effective and in fact I win effortlessly because of the said strategy. But lately, in the modern middle limit NL holdem games, things have been a little different. I noticed that players usually play using the same strategy and for that beat me in the end.

Hoping to find clarity unto what’s going on, I tried to search for some articles about poker particularly about middle limit NL holdem games. I stumbled on so many sites but it is your site I find really interesting. From your site, if I’ve absorbed things right, I’ve learned that players now have to play more raggedy looking hands such as 64s and A2s by limping in preflop and hoping for a good flop and trying to break someone with TPTK or a high pocket pair.

However, one idea bothered me. Is it true that if possible players have to see flops cheaply with suited connectors or gappers? What’s your idea on this.

How about in these situations for an instance:

1. You are seated at a table and everyone else has tightened up. With 75s, you are in middle position and no limpers to be found. What will you do? Are you going to limp or raise and why? And if you limped on then the guy on the button raised to about five times the big blind, will you call or fold? Say you feel he has AA or something close to it and both of you are sitting on about 100 Big blinds.

How about the 75s, will it hit enough?

2. You are seated at a table and almost all others seated were playing tight. Then several guys raised four to six times the big blind preflop with a majority of their hands. But later on they just check fold if they can’t hit or make a continuation bet. If they encounter action, they give up.

Say you then have 75s and was actually seated in MP. Suddenly, a guy raised 5 times in EP, what will you do? Call, fold or re-raise?

3. I’ve tried to call a raise with a rag hand or the like. Have you also tried doing so? If so, what are the things you’ve considered before doing it?

At some point, I’ve tried to limp in and call raises only when I have reason to believe they have a big pair in the hole and are breakable actually. But things for me seemed out of the track. Any idea to share with me?

William

William,

I’m going to address your questions one at a time.

1. 7-5 is a hand that can hit big but also can lose you a lot of money due to the weakness of the straights and flushes it hits. Lets say you have 7-5 and the flop comes 6-8-9. You have flopped a straight. What about when the turn fall a 10? You now have a sucker straight. If you flop or turn a flush, its going to be the weakest type of flush you can make. You have to play these hands carefully. You really want to limp in with these hands. Calling big raises is not a smart play.
   
2. The player raised in early position. This is not a good time to play your rags.
   
3. When I consider calling a raise with a rag hand, the first thing I consider is how many people are in the pot? If I am getting good odds on my money, I will call. If they are particularly weak-tight, then I might consider the call. Obviously, I want position on this player.