No-Limit Holdem Situations

by Jim Woods

The more holdem you play, the more you tend to notice recurring scenarios. If you think them through in advance, you will be able to decide what to do, quicker. That way, if it is to your advantage to "insta-call" or "insta-push," you will be ready to fire. Of course, if it is better for you to appear to be struggling with strategy, you'll enjoy the time thinking of your favorite movie or golf course, or what to order the next time the waitress appears. Here are just three common situations. I'm sure you can think of more on your own.

Scenario #1:

You are in late position with a medium pair, let's say 88, and you are the only player who called a medium preflop raise. The flop contains two rags and a high card, but not an ace or king; Q-5-3 for example. The raiser bets, again a moderate amount. What do you do? (I deliberately excluded A-high and K-high flops, since that answer is too easy...SO many players have a hard time folding any ace or king preflop. Your snowmen are dead on one of those flops--- bury them and wait for the next hand.)

The answer, like the answer to most of life's questions, is "It depends." Hopefully you have played against your opponent long enough to figure him out to some degree. Before the flop was dealt, you should have been studying him, looking for clues and comparing any new information to your mental file on him. Is he the type who almost always makes a continuation bet? Is he sitting closer to the table or more upright now, which may indicate that he feels good about his hand? Did he thump his chips onto the table as he bet, or announce how much he bet in a louder-than-normal voice, which are often covers for insecurity about his chances? (Suppose he has JJ, TT, or 99. He's likely to fold if you raise, even though he actually has you dominated.) Did he utter not a word and place his chips on the felt with a shaking hand, which may indicate that he has a monster?

If you don't have enough information from tells, think about history. Has he recently been the victim of a vicious suckout or three? If so, he may have you dominated with AQ, KQ, QJ, AA, KK, or a set, and he doesn't care if he makes you fold without milking you for all he can. He's tired of losing and at this point he'd rather win a small pot than take a chance of another expensive loss. Oblige him and let your underpair go. On the other hand, has he been raising or reraising frequently and not being called, trying to rule your table without anyone knowing what he has? If so, perhaps it's time for a raise to let him know you won't be pushed off a good hand easily.

This is a more straightforward situation than many others you will face. It is highly unlikely that your opponent has two pairs. Either your pair is in the lead, in which case you should raise, or you are dominated and you should fold. A mere call is probably not the best move here.

Scenario #2:

You are the unraised big blind and are seeing the flop with at least three others. You flop middle or bottom pair (not KK) with no straight or flush draw, and the flop contains either connectors, two of one suit, or an ace or king. The small blind checks, or folded preflop, so all eyes are on you. What do you do?

Some would say you don't have enough information, that it makes a difference whether you have bottom or middle pair, etc... Don't listen to them. Check and hope everyone checks behind you. If anyone bets, throw your hand away. This is a classic example of a very expensive loss waiting to happen. You have NO IDEA where you are in this hand, since there was no preflop raise, but you do know that you are out of position (and more importantly, so do your opponents). Even if it's a check-around on the flop, do not bet the turn unless it gives you at least two pairs. The flop checks could mask an opponent's set or higher two pairs. If you choose to bet, bet small and hope the other players interpret that as a value bet. If you're lucky, they'll give you credit for two pairs or a set and you'll win a small pot, but this is hardly the time for you to go to war.

Scenario #3:

After calling a reasonable preflop raise, you flop top pair with a decent kicker in late position. However, it's a one-suited flop and neither of your cards is in that suit. For example, you hold J T and the flop is J 7 3. You are third to act and, after a check, the preflop raiser makes a small bet. What now?

This is another common trap. The bettor probably doesn't already have a flush, because he'd be more likely to check and hope for action behind him. In fact, if he raised with a big ace of clubs and now has the lock flush, he may check the turn as well, unless it pairs the board. He probably doesn't have a set, either, because someone who flopped a set in a one-suit flop will usually make it expensive for others to draw to the flush. It's more likely that the preflop raiser (a) is making a continuation bet to see how many clubs he's facing, or (b) has a pair and a club draw. The player who was first to act may have the flush, and if so it's likely to be a monster (remember that he called a preflop raise in early position). He may be slowplaying, or simply planning to check-fold. You have little information to go on at this point.

It may seem strange, and I know it's counter to what you see people do at poker tables all the time, but I recommend a fold whether or not there is a fourth player in the hand. You need a runner-runner miracle to beat a flush. Even assuming that no other jacks, tens, sevens, or threes are out, you'll make that hand less than three times out of a hundred. If your jacks are ahead on the flop, you'll have a hard time getting anyone with the A or K to give up his draw. You don't even know if your jacks are ahead, since the preflop raiser or any other opponent could have AA, KK, QQ, JJ, 77, 33, AJ, KJ, or QJ. The last thing you want to do is call in the hope of seeing no more clubs, get your wish, and still lose!

This article was published at an earlier date on PokerPages.com and is being rerun due to popular demand.

About the Author:
Jim Woods is a middle-aged attorney (but please don't hold that against him) that loves fishing and poker. He has an undergraduate degree... that comes in handy in poker, less so in poker. His one favorite poker fantasy? Using Cling Eastwood's famous line on Phil Hellmuth while having him dominated in a hand: "I know what you're thinking... But what you gotta as yourself is: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well... do ya, punk?