One nice side benefit of teaching is that forces the teacher to crystallize his own knowledge and learn concepts more thoroughly in the process. In my recent Big Bluffs seminar I talked about how people will usually bet a flush draw on the flop if they have one, which means that if the flop checks around and the turn is a flush card it’s a good time to make a healthy stab at the pot. I’d made similar plays before, but the seminar forced me to articulate the reasoning more precisely and in a way that could be applied in new situations. Consequently, I found this spot to steal the pot in today’s Saturday $300 tournament on PokerStars:
PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, 320 Tournament, 300/600 Blinds 60 Ante (9 handed) – PokerStars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com
UTG (t18593)
UTG+1 (t57136)
MP1 (t20999)
MP2 (t33621)
MP3 (t39979)
CO (t23378)
Button (t20626)
Hero (SB) (t31712)
BB (t17235)
Hero’s M: 22.02
Preflop: Hero is SB with 3♣, A♣
3 folds, MP2 calls t600, MP3 calls t600, 2 folds, Hero calls t300, BB checks
Flop: (t2940) 8♠, 5♦, 9♦ (4 players)
Hero checks, BB checks, MP2 checks, MP3 checks
Turn: (t2940) Q♦ (4 players)
Hero bets t2805, 3 folds
Total pot: t2940
Results:
Hero didn’t show 3♣, A♣.
Outcome: Hero won t2940
Of course this principle has implications when you’re on the other side of the equation as well:
PokerStars No-Limit Hold’em, $4.00 BB (6 handed) – PokerStars Converter Tool from FlopTurnRiver.com
Hero (Button) ($444.85)
SB ($400)
BB ($390.60)
UTG ($742.60)
MP ($557.25)
CO ($791.90)
Preflop: Hero is Button with 10♦, A♦
2 folds, CO calls $4, Hero bets $16, SB calls $14, 2 folds
Flop: ($40) 8♠, 2♣, 6♣ (2 players)
SB checks, Hero checks
Turn: ($40) A♣ (2 players)
SB checks, Hero bets $24.50, SB raises to $82, Hero calls $57.50
River: ($204) 8♦ (2 players)
SB bets $151, Hero calls $151
Total pot: $506 | Rake: $3
Results:
Hero had 10♦, A♦ (two pair, Aces and eights).
SB had 5♥, 5♦ (two pair, eights and fives).
Outcome: Hero won $503
Want to learn cool tricks like this? Sign up for the next Thinking Poker seminar, which addresses the always difficult Playing Out of Position.
Hey Andrew how come you bet so big on the first hand? isn’t it standard for bets to be less than 1/2pot, maybe 1/3pot in multiway situations?
I do not have idea myself.
But maybe Andrew main edge in 2/4 is abusing standards.
Maybe 2/4 is too much static and habitual space where players with his expierience take advantage of such properties.
I do not have idea about Tournament space.
“Standard” isn’t a reason to do anything. I’m trying to rep a flush and get people to fold hands as good as top pair. I need to show some strength to do that.
Right, but what I mean when I say standard is that another player could bet a flush in the same spot for like around 2100 right? Like no matter what the bet size, as long as its over half pot, is huge strength in a 4 way pot isn’t it? So isn’t it a case of betting only as much as you need to?
I don’t think it’s huge enough strength to make someone lay down a good pair. Not everyone reads hands well enough or is disciplined enough to fold top pair for half pot because it seems likely an unlikely time to bluff.
It is clear to me what you want accomplish.
I “100 FFP tournament fish” will do the same to give them cognitive eease to fold.
I had impresssion from Drew comment that in 300$ tounament is standard and “proficient” to represent flush on turn with 1/2,1/3 bet pot size.
What’s your plan for the river in the first hand? I think both MP players could easily have a Q in that hand and then the question is whether they can fold it or not. I think you should probably be prepared to follow through on almost any river that’s not a Q or a diamond.
I think you answered your own question!
Haha I guess I did:)