cardcounter0
Well-Known Member
Consider the 95o hand in the big blind posted about before.
Except now you are playing $30/$60.
Typical Play:
It folds around to the cutoff, who raises (he has been very aggressive lately stealing the blinds, could have a wide range of hands).
Button and small blind fold.
You call.
Flop comes K 7 5.
You bet. CO raises. You 3-bet. CO sheepishly shows AQo and folds.
You collect $130 in profit. This would not be that unusual here, but you would never see it at $4/$8.
Winning 3 BigBets/hour at $4/8 = $24. Winning 1/6 as much at $30/60 due to the better players and more aggressive play = .5 BigBets/hour = $30. You are better off playing the higher limits, if you have the skills to do so.
Low Limits is Level 1 thinking game "What do I have" with a little Level 2 thrown in "What do I think the other guy has".
Higher Limits is Level 3 "What does the other guy thinks I have" and Level 4 "What does the other guy think I think he has" ...
Hand Analysis:
The really only bad move would be calling the raise with 95o preflop, although meta-game that move isn't bad. Blind stealing is a big factor in these games, and sometimes you have to call a raise to show you can't be picked off that easy every time.
In order for a player to determine his hand range to use to steal blinds, he factors in the % of time the blinds will fold to a raise and the raiser wins out right. By calling and defending, you serve notice your BB is not easy pickings, so in future rounds that player might tighten up his range and you don't find yourself facing a raise in the BB every round.
Heads up, you flopped a pair, you are actually better off than you think. Now if you check, the raiser is naturally going to continuation bet, you have no idea if you are good. So you bet, which says you hit the flop. The original raiser re-raises to see where he is at, this all pretty much standard.
Now the 3-bet. Time for the 3-level thinking. With the K on the flop, the hands you are really worried about are AA, AK, KK, KQ. Baysian probabilities make KK the most unlikely. You are actually in pretty good position, you have 5 outs against AA, AK, KQ -- if not the best hand. So the 3-bet is more of a semi-bluff. You are representing the King. Notice you can get better hands like QQ, JJ, TT, 99 to lay down a good portion of the time. AQ, AJ, AT has to think (as in this case) that their outs have just been cut in half. If you have the King they have to hit an Ace, their other 3 outs are dead. By 3-betting they are looking at having to pay on future streets to try to hit.
If they have also hit, you will probably be able to tell by future aggression and can lay down or go into check/call mode, but the point of be more careful trying to steal my blind has been made. Either way, you have taken control of the hand.
Thoughts from any one who plays bigger than $10/$20???
Except now you are playing $30/$60.
Typical Play:
It folds around to the cutoff, who raises (he has been very aggressive lately stealing the blinds, could have a wide range of hands).
Button and small blind fold.
You call.
Flop comes K 7 5.
You bet. CO raises. You 3-bet. CO sheepishly shows AQo and folds.
You collect $130 in profit. This would not be that unusual here, but you would never see it at $4/$8.
Winning 3 BigBets/hour at $4/8 = $24. Winning 1/6 as much at $30/60 due to the better players and more aggressive play = .5 BigBets/hour = $30. You are better off playing the higher limits, if you have the skills to do so.
Low Limits is Level 1 thinking game "What do I have" with a little Level 2 thrown in "What do I think the other guy has".
Higher Limits is Level 3 "What does the other guy thinks I have" and Level 4 "What does the other guy think I think he has" ...
Hand Analysis:
The really only bad move would be calling the raise with 95o preflop, although meta-game that move isn't bad. Blind stealing is a big factor in these games, and sometimes you have to call a raise to show you can't be picked off that easy every time.
In order for a player to determine his hand range to use to steal blinds, he factors in the % of time the blinds will fold to a raise and the raiser wins out right. By calling and defending, you serve notice your BB is not easy pickings, so in future rounds that player might tighten up his range and you don't find yourself facing a raise in the BB every round.
Heads up, you flopped a pair, you are actually better off than you think. Now if you check, the raiser is naturally going to continuation bet, you have no idea if you are good. So you bet, which says you hit the flop. The original raiser re-raises to see where he is at, this all pretty much standard.
Now the 3-bet. Time for the 3-level thinking. With the K on the flop, the hands you are really worried about are AA, AK, KK, KQ. Baysian probabilities make KK the most unlikely. You are actually in pretty good position, you have 5 outs against AA, AK, KQ -- if not the best hand. So the 3-bet is more of a semi-bluff. You are representing the King. Notice you can get better hands like QQ, JJ, TT, 99 to lay down a good portion of the time. AQ, AJ, AT has to think (as in this case) that their outs have just been cut in half. If you have the King they have to hit an Ace, their other 3 outs are dead. By 3-betting they are looking at having to pay on future streets to try to hit.
If they have also hit, you will probably be able to tell by future aggression and can lay down or go into check/call mode, but the point of be more careful trying to steal my blind has been made. Either way, you have taken control of the hand.
Thoughts from any one who plays bigger than $10/$20???
