Poker Blog

Hello WGW and Happy New Year!!! As many of you know I’m an aspiring semi-pro (aspiring to be full-time) poker player. I have had very good success over my poker career but still have not cut the umbilical cord from my ‘day-job’.

It occurred to me recently that my day job as a sales and marketing consultant involves a lot of planning. I plan with members of my team, we plan with our retail network, we collectively monitor and measure the plan and we reflect on our progress and tweak our game plan as needed to achieve our goal (‘x’ % sales increase).

While this may seem like business 101 it is a great model to apply to your gambling endeavors (poker, ponies, or sports). In fact it is easier to implement a plan for success with a gambling goal since it is typically a solitary challenge (no need to communicate with members of a team, except for the wife/girlfriend of course).

Simply put, here is my plan (a three year plan) to achieve a level of success and financial security which will allow me to ‘cut’ the umbilical cord and kiss my day job good bye.

Goal: To play poker fulltime on a schedule of my own making (i.e. become a true poker entrepreneur and to do so without sacrificing family time).

Step One: Average One bet per hour over at least 3000 hours (I achieved this in the past)

Step Two: DO NOT MAKE withdrawals from poker fund (unless it is a loss at the table, no more tapping the slush fund for a pool or Disney World tickets). This is my biggest challenge!!! I win but spend my winnings thereby forcing me to play lower limits or risk going broke at higher limits. No more treading water!!

Step Three: Only move up in limits when I have 300x’s the new limit big bet (e.g. Do not move to 80/160 until you have $48,000 or 300 x 160)

If I average 20 hours per week under these parameters I will hit my goal (100K playing bankroll and one years worth of expenses in bank) in three years. If I hit my goal I will cut the cord.

I will diligently monitor my progress and encourage all of you to look at your gambling goal(s) and craft a detailed plan to achieve them!!

Until next time - best of luck at the tables and Happy New Year.

Cheers,
RounderJack

Hello Bloggers and welcome back to the WGW poker blog. In our last blog entry we changed gears a bit and discussed the rules for Omaha. In today’s blog I’d like to discuss some things to consider in Omaha Hi as far as starting hands.

Fact: You must use two cards from your hand

Fact: You have four cards to choose from

Fact: A subset of 2, from a group of 4, yields 6 unique 2 card combos (For all of you pony players how much does it cost to do a 4 horse $1 quinella box? 6 bucks, 6 combos of two, same concept)

Fact: Hands that have more ‘working’ combos are more powerful

Question: Would you rather start with AK76 rainbow or JT98 double suited?

Answer: The JT98 double suited holding is a 57/43 favorite and a much better starting hand.

Why? If we dissect the hands into their individual holdings we see the following:

AK76 has the following combos: AK, A7, A6, K7, K6, 76

Since you have no double suits there are no flushes possible and the only two combos with straight potential are AK and 76. Thus you are only using 2 of 6 combos for straights or flushes.

JT98 has the following combos: JT, J9, J8, T9, T8, 98

You can make flushes in two different suits (since you are double suited) and you can utilize ALL six two card combos to make straights.

The AK76 has the best SINGLE two card holding (AK) but the JT98 is the better Omaha holding since ALL six combos are in play for straights and flushes.

In sum, break your Omaha hi holding into it’s 6 unique two card combos and see how many combos ‘work’ as far as flushes and straights

We will discuss a little more Omaha strategy next time before returning to hold’em and as always any questions or comments on the blog content are welcome on the poker forum.

Until next time, best of luck may all of your Omaha hands have 6-way possibilities.

RounderJack

Good morning WGW and welcome back to another edition of the poker blog. In today’s blog I would like to change gears away from Texas hold’em and discuss another community card poker game called Omaha. Don’t panic hold’em fanatics, we will be back to hold’em soon but every now and then I like to mix it up and Omaha is a great game to learn.

Unlike Texas Hold’em you receive four down cards in Omaha, followed by a round of betting. The flop comes down with three exposed cards which all players share (like hold’em), followed by a round of betting. The turn and river are both exposed community cards as well and each followed by a round of betting.

The way you make your best five card poker hand in Omaha is quite different from hold’em. In Omaha you must use precisely two cards from your unique four card holding coupled with exactly three cards from the five community cards. Many hold’em players find this rule difficult to follow and frequently misread their hands.

For example,

In hold’em if you hold AA and the exposed community cards read KQJT4 what is your hand? Assuming no flushes you have an Ace high straight – one of your Aces from your hand coupled with the KQJT gives you an Ace high straight which happens to be the nuts (as long as there are not more than two cards of any suit on the board).

In Omaha it is not always as simple as this to read your hand. Say you hold AA22 in Omaha (we will not look at suits for this example, so assume no flushes are possible).

With your 4 unique cards as AA22 and a community board of KQJT4 what is you best hand? Remember, in Omaha you MUST use exactly two cards (out of the four you have down) and couple them with exactly three cards from the exposed board.

As such you do NOT have an Ace high straight. The best Omaha hand you have here is AAKQJ (basically a pair of Aces with a KQJ).

Here’s a question to leave you with for today: On a community board of KQJT4 (assuming there is not three of any suit) which four card hand will make the nuts?

a) AQ22
b) AT33
c) AK56
d) AJ98
e) none of the above
f) all of the above

The answer is actually f) all of the hands make the nuts which in this case is an Ace high straight

a) AQ22 uses the AQ with the KJT on the board
b) AT33 uses the AT with the KQJ on the board
c) AK56 uses the AK with the QJT on the board
d) AJ98 uses the AJ with the KQT on the board

All the hands make the nuts and you would be amazed how many players do not have a firm grasp of the basic skill of reading your hand. If you are new to Omaha I suggest you always turn your hand up as the cards speak and the dealer will call out the best hand.

In closing for today, now that we have described Omaha, how to play it, and how to make your hands we will turn our attention toward a little Omaha strategy in tomorrow’s blog.

Until next time, best of luck calling your Omaha hands and I’ll see you on the forums.

RounderJack

Good morning WGW and welcome back to another edition of the poker blog. In today’s blog I would like to discuss a hand I played yesterday at a 15/30 limit game.

While I have been playing a ton of online poker the last month my true passion is live poker and I was thrilled to get in a little live action with actual chips you can touch and feel. In response to my wife who has actually been reading my blog (Vegas Line was 100 to 1 on that!!) I will attempt to describe things with a little less poker jargon (no LP, EP,MP,EV, UTG, etc.). I have to admit she is correct and especially for those members newer to the game I do not want to speak in a foreign language. If I relapse please feel free to send me an email with a clarification request or to post your question in the Newbie forum and I can address. All questions are welcome!!

Back to the hand I want to discuss from yesterdays session: I was in Late Position (LP) with pocket rockets and it was folded to the player on my immediate right who open raised to $30, I naturally reraised and made it $45 to go. All other players folded behind me and the original raiser called. At this point there is $115 in the pot (my $45, his $45 plus the small blind ($10) and big blind ($15)). The flop comes down KK2 rainbow (i.e. three different suits, no flush draw). He checks, I bet $15, he calls and pot is now $145. The turn card is an off suit rag (4) so the board is now KK24 no flush possible. To my surprise he fires a $30 bet at the pot. I go into think mode and simply call. Pot is now $205. River is another blank (I think it was a 5) and he again bets into me, I call and take down a nice pot of $265. He did not show his hand but I want to explain my thought process on how the hand played out.

Many players would have raised on the turn with AA on a board of KK24. My logic for a smooth call was that I knew I was either way ahead or way behind in the hand.

He raised preflop from MP (middle position) and could have a wide variety of hands to do so. What made me put the brakes on somewhat was his call on the flop. There was no draw present (no flush or straight draw) yet he still called my bet? He either has a K and is waiting to pounce or he has a hand like 88, 77 or maybe even QJ or JT and wants to steal the pot from me (hoping that I have a hand like AQ or AJs).

By calling his turn bet (and not raising) I accomplished two things.

1) I save money if I’m behind (if he has a King or pocket 4’s or 2’s for a boat). If I raise and he three bets me I have to fold and wonder (losing two bets)
2) I win more money if I’m ahead (if he has a hand like AQ, or 88 even he is not going to call my raise on the turn). By smooth calling his turn bet he will now more than likely fire another round with a weak hand (thinking I am weak or that his 88 or AQ is good)

In closing for today always think a step or two ahead in the hand and work the scenario so that you can optimize your win and minimize your lose. Remember that each situation is different and if there was a flush and straight draw present I may have raised him as he more than likely was drawing and I do not want to give him a free card. In this particular case, with no draws present, a smooth call on the turn is the best of both worlds. Winning more when your hand is good and losing less when it is behind. By plugging into the poker matrix and looking at all angles for each and every decision you will be a force at the tables in no time.

Until next time, best of luck and hope to see you on the forums.

RounderJack

Good morning WGW!!! In yesterdays blog we began our quest of conveying some poker principles via some pointed questions. I’d like to continue that effort today with a few more questions on how to play certain hands on the flop and turn.

So put on your thinking cap and let’s get to it.

Question#1: 15/30 Limit – Flop Focus

You have JdTd and limp from MP behind an EP limper (looking to create a multiway pot). The button and SB call and BB checks so we have 5 players to the flop and a pot of $75. The flop is Qd9c3d which gives you two fantastic draws (flush and open end straight). The two blinds and EP limper check to you, you fire a bet and the button raises. Everyone folds to you, what is your play?

Obviously a fold is not even remotely an option. The choice is between calling and raising. A timid player may call here but I strongly recommend a reraise and leading out on the turn regardless of what card falls. By reraising on the flop and firing at the turn you give your opponent every reason to believe that a hand like A9 or QJ might not be good. Even if they decide to call you should realize that you are a favorite against any pair and should be happy to jam the pot with bets. You have at least 15 outs assuming he has a Q (9 diamonds and 6 non diamond straight cards) and may have as many as 21 outs if he is betting a 9 thinking you are drawing (flush, straight plus (3) J’s and (3) T’s). You are in fact drawing but your draw is so strong that you are favored against him and need to get some dough in the pot (of course a fold from him is a nice result as well). The way you make money in poker is by getting it in with the best of it. This is a classic case of having the best of it (positive EV) and hence the reason why reraising here is by far the best option.

Question#2: 30/60 Limit – Turn Focus

You are in LP with KTs and limp after two others limp. The button and SB also limp, BB checks and we have 6 way action to the flop ($180 pot). Flop comes down 973 rainbow and it is checked to you. You survey the table and realize all you have are two over cards and a back door flush draw so you check as well looking for a free card. Alas, the button bets and there are two callers to you. This is a borderline situation between calling and folding. You are getting 9 to 1 ($270 pot for $30 call). You make the call since you do not have to fear a reraise behind you (i.e. you close the betting)and you have the back door flush draw (if players were left to act or you did not have the small back door equity a fold is best). Nevertheless, you make the flop call. The turn card is a K giving you top pair with a J kicker. It is checked to you, you bet. The button raises, the SB calls (two bets cold) and MP player folds to you. What is your best play?

FOLD FOLD FOLD. Did I mention fold? While it is only another Big bet to you and you are getting a decent price (10 to 1) it is not good enough to call as you are WAY behind here.

The Button thought enough of his hand to bet it on the flop into a 6 way contest so we know he has some kind of hand. Now on the turn he raises your bet. He most likely has K9 for two pair (leaving you only 3 outs and almost a 15 to 1 dog) or worse yet a flopped set (no outs for you). Add to this the fact that the SB cold called two big bets and he may have two rag pair himself (K7, K3 almost anything is possible from the SB here in a non-raised preflop multiway pot).

Yes, the pot is now $600. Yes, you are getting 10 to 1 to call. BUT it is not enough as you will likely lose the turn call as well as another big bet on the river. You do not have enough outs to continue profitably and must abandon ship.

Save your money and live to fight another day.

In closing for today it is very important to be able to access pot odds, calculate outs, and put your opponent on a hand. With two players here it is a clear fold as best case you have 3 outs, worst case zero outs. Most players make this crying call and lose two more big bets. You know enough to fold and save $120!!

Until next time best of luck solving your poker problems at the table and may the quest for positive expectation always guide you on your way to becoming a winner.

RounderJack

Good morning bloggers and happy Columbus Day!! Hopefully many of you have the day off from your 9 to 5 grind and will have an opportunity to put a little cash in action at the poker tables. If so good luck!!

We have covered a variety of topics over the last two months here at the WGW poker blog and I’d like to try and bring together some of the concepts we have discussed through a series of questions. While it has been many years since my liberal arts education I do recall that the Greek philosopher Socrates was famous for his teaching through questioning his pupils. He would lead his students to a higher level understanding of various topics through the art of questioning. This approach was dubbed the ‘Socratic Method’ and is a great way to convey strategic concepts through analyzing actual examples and answering questions.

Without further adieu I give you the poker version of the Socratic Method:

Question#1: Preflop Focus – 30/60 Limit Game

You are in MP with AJ off suit. There are two limpers and the action is to you. What is your play?

Fold is definitely not an option so the choice is between raise and call. In a typical game I would lean toward calling as a raise has zero chance of winning the pot outright (with many players to act, the blinds, and two limpers already in). AJ is way too strong to fold and way too weak in a multiway pot to raise (unless suited to build a big pot in case you flop a flush draw). For me calling is best in this spot with a couple of limpers already in.

Question#2: Flop Focus – 80/160 Limit Game

You raise from the button as the first one in with AQs. SB fold, BB reraises, you call. You take the flop heads-up, with position, and there is $520 in the pot. Flop comes down J96 rainbow leaving you with no pair, no draw and two over cards. The BB bets, what is your move?

As wimpy as it may sound you must fold in this scenario (a small case could be made for bluff raising here in an attempt to get your opponent to laydown AK or an under pair like 77 or 88). I strongly recommend a fold however against most players in this spot.
There is literally no way that your AQ is good here and you should cut your loses and move on to the next hand.

Question#3: Turn Focus – 20/40 Limit Game
You have 9c7c in the BB and get a free ride against 2 limpers and the SB. Four players ($80 in pot) see the flop which comes down Qs3c2c (flush draw for you). SB checks, you bet it, early limper calls, other two players fold (now $120 in the pot) so it’s heads-up to the turn. Turn card pairs the Q (no flush), what is you best move?

This is a situation where if you were behind on the flop (i.e. he had a Q) you are still behind. The Q is actually a much better card than an A,K,J, or T since it does not help him with hands like KJ and AT. You must grit your teeth and fire another bet here. If he has a Q you will get raised and can call with proper odds to hit your flush. If you check here you are basically turning your cards over and literally announcing to your lone opponent that you are on a draw and giving him a license to steal. Bet as a semibluff as many hands he might hold that have you beat can not call this bet. Against a single opponent a bet is mandatory here and will add big time to your bottom line.

In closing for today we have looked at some examples from different points of a typical hold’em hand (preflop, flop, turn). Hopefully the examples were enlightening and Socrates is not rolling over in his grave at my attempt to do his teaching model justice in the poker arena. I think that posing mock questions really serves to stimulate critical thought and hopefully move our knowledge base forward. Always think critically about poker even when away from the tables – that is the key to becoming world class.

Please provide any feedback on the blog and today’s questions in the poker forum under the blog thread.

Until next time best of luck and I hope you found the Socratic Poker Method beneficial.

RounderJack

Good morning WGW and welcome back to another round of ranting with Rounder J. In today’s blog I’d like to discuss the concept of poker outs. As you know, poker can be viewed as a battle between a made hand and a drawing hand. If you are on the drawing side of the battle it is to your benefit to learn this information stone cold so that you can freely recall it during the heat of battle.

What is an ‘out’? Simply put, it is a card (or cards) that will catapult your draw into the lead and hopefully win the hand. For example, say you get a free ride in the BB with 5d6d and the flop comes down AdJd7c. You have flopped a flush draw and have 9 outs to make your flush (13 total diamonds minus the 4 diamonds that are visible leaves 9 diamonds left in the deck to complete your flush).

With the turn and river still to come you are 1.9 to 1 to make your hand. It should be intuitive to you that the more outs you have the better your draw and the more aggressively you can play your draw especially against a lone opponent. In fact some semi-bluffs are actually statistical favorites against made hands (15 outs or more is the threshold). The following chart is attached for your convenience:

ODDS OF HITTING YOUR HAND

#OUTS TURN RIVER TURN OR RIVER TYPE OF DRAW
Odds:1
2 22.5 22 10.9 Pair into Trips
3 14.7 14.3 7.0
4 10.8 10.5 5.1 Gutshot Straight, Two Pair into Full House
5 8.4 8.2 3.9 Pair into Two Pair or Better (AK vs. Two Pair)
6 6.8 6.7 3.1 Two Overcards to Flop (AK)
7 5.7 5.6 2.6
8 4.9 4.8 2.2 Open Ended Straight
9 4.2 4.1 1.9 Flush
10 3.7 3.6 1.6
11 3.3 3.2 1.4
12 2.9 2.8 1.2 Gutshot Straight Flush
13 2.6 2.5 1.1
14 2.4 2.3 1.0 ****** ****************************************
15 2.1 2.1 0.8 Open Ended Straight Flush
16 1.9 1.9 0.8
17 1.8 1.7 0.7
18 1.6 1.6 0.6
19 1.5 1.4 0.5
20 1.4 1.3 0.5
21 1.2 1.2 0.4 Open ended straight flush with 2 overcards

This chart is something that you should literally commit to memory as flush draws, straight draws, and various other draws are commonplace and must be thoroughly understood to be a winning player on the oval felt.

Please note that with 14 outs and two draws (turn and river) you are basically even money against a made hand. This makes pushing all-in here a very desirable option especially if you have your opponent easily covered. It is money in the bank because he will fold quite often (and you win). Also, those times that he does call you have a 50% chance to bust him. The combo of these results is a hugely positive EV with this move.

Please note that this blog is our entry level look into outs and hopefully will motivate you to do a little self study. I’m in the process of developing an entire Level for the WGW Poker Classroom which will be intense high level stuff specific to the topic of ‘outs’.

For now just realize the odds of making your hand as a function of the type of draw you have and the corresponding number of outs. Also be cautious, especially in multiway pots, when you are drawing to non-nut flushes and straights. There is no worse feeling in poker than when you hit a card you think is an ‘out’ but it costs you a ton of money by making you a second best hand.

In closing, please study the chart as this will serve as the base of knowledge from which we will draw when we cover outs in even more detail in the classroom (coming soon).

Until next time, best of luck and I hope all of your draws get home.

RounderJack

Good morning WGW and welcome back to another round of ranting with Rounder J. In response to a couple of recent requests in the poker forums I would like to discuss a little tourney strategy in today’s blog. Specifically I’d like to look at what I term the ‘Bubble Effect’

Here’s the scenario: You make the final table of a mid limit tourney and they only pay the top 8 spots. It is down to the final nine and next one out has the dubious honor of being the bubble boy (a.k.a the guy who just misses the money).

Most players play extremely tight with the money being so close and it is a solid player (like yourself) that is more concerned with knocking down a top 3 prize that takes advantage of this unique situation. If you truly need the money and have a mid sized stack there is certainly nothing wrong with waiting for the guaranteed pay day and playing passively until you make the money. However, if you are an ultra competitive freak like me and want a big pay day I suggest the opposite approach.

Let’s say you have one of the larger chip stacks along with the player in the one seat. Six other players have about one-third your chips and one player is hanging on for dear life. The situation looks like this:

9 players left (top 8 get paid)

Blinds are 200/400

Chips are:
You: 25K
One Player: 25K
Six Players: 8K each
One Player: 3K

This is a dream scenario for you and you should be aggressively targeting the six players with mid sized stacks as they are all sitting around waiting for the little stack to bust (so that they make the money). It is even better if you have position on the co-chip leader and can avoid him when he is in the pot. Every time he folds you should be taking aggressive aim at the mid stacks and exploiting their ultra tight play to your gain. You can build a huge amount of chips under this scenario and it may even be worth your while to fold a good hand against the small stack JUST TO KEEP HIM AROUND so that the table dynamics don’t change.

If you can pound the mid stacks and steal their blinds and pick-up hands on the flop with small bets you are going to build your chips very quickly and should be in no rush to see the small stack get busted.

Call me insane but I would go so far as to say that if the small stack went all in and everyone folded to me I would fold almost any hand. Not because I’m afraid of losing a measly 3k in chips but because I do not want the ‘candy store’ situation before me to change. By keeping the short stack in business I’m allowing the ‘Bubble Effect’ to continue and as long as I’m exploiting it to its full potential I’m better off not busting the small stack. Follow?

This is a good example of how sometimes proper tourney strategy is vastly different from cash game strategy.

In closing for today be on the look out for the ‘Bubble Effect’ the next time you make it deep into a tourney and use the other players ultra tight bubble boy avoidance mentality against them for huge gains. If you play this block of time effectively you will build your chips and position yourself well for a top 3 finish which is where the real dough is!!

Until next time, best of luck exploiting the bubble effect in your next tourney.

RounderJack

Hello members and guests and welcome back to another edition of RounderJack’s WGW poker blog. . In today’s blog I’d like to continue our series on how I like to play particular hands in limit Hold’em. I will focus on preflop considerations with pocket Jacks for today and move on to other specific hands over the next few blogs.

Early Position Preflop: JJ

If first to act folding would never be correct even in the most aggressive of games.

However, in a 9 handed game a raise is not necessarily automatic with JJ(6-handed I raise virtually every time here). If your raise will weed the number of players down and make it a heads-up or three way pot it is great (a typical game).

If your raise will not succeed in getting it short handed (loose aggressive) a limp may be better as you will need to flop a set to get it home against 5 or 6 random hands against most flops.

From Middle Position: JJ

If nobody has opened to you then a raise as the first one in from MP is automatic. You have a strong hand and should be happy to force weaker hands to call two bets. Also, you have a high probability of stealing the blinds or playing heads-up against the BB with position and much the best hand.

If you have a limper or two I still prefer to raise but with three or more limpers I like a smooth call in this spot (again, you’ll need to flop a set and JJ here is almost the same as 66,77,88 against a likely family style pot)

If it has been raised to you then you have a decision. An early position raise is usually a sign of strength. If it is two bets cold to you vs. such a raise you must ask yourself who the raiser is? If it is an ultra-tight rock with dust collecting on his chips then a fold is a serious option (I would limp to see the flop for 2 bets). If it is a loosey goosey guy with a couple of vodka martinis in him a three bet is the best option. If it is a typical player I would still lean toward a three bet (90%) and smooth call (10%). Never fold here. The three bet should make it a heads-up pot and if you do the math you are a favorite over hands like AK,AQ,TT,99. You are a dog against AA,KK,and QQ. There are 44 hands (16 ways to make AK, 16 ways to make AQ and 6 ways to make pairs) you are good against and 18 hands (3 pairs x 6 combos) you are not good against. With the 44 to 18 in your favor as well as the dead blind money increasing your overlay it is a clear raise against all but the tightest of players.

Late Position: JJ

Pocket Jacks from LP are very profitable indeed. If it is three bets to you simply fold knowing you are crushed. If it is two bets and 5 players you can smooth call or raise. I lean toward smooth calling with my big pairs here (and raising with my smaller pairs to build a bigger pot). If it is a single raise and one opponent to you always 3 bet a LP raiser who will raise on a wide range of hands. If the raise came from EP then regress back to our MP guidelines and consider the source and their playing style before deciding between a smooth call and a raise (a raise is most likely the best option unless they are a rock). If it is an unopened pot in a limit game it is automatic to raise here from LP. You may even get three bet by one of the blinds that thinks you are raising light trying to steal (three bet them here and regain control of the hand). By seizing control and being in position you force them to hit a flop to continue (good for you).

In closing, pocket Jacks are a strong hand but much weaker than most realize (especially against ultra tight EP raisers). From position they are huge money makers but never call more than 2 bets cold and do not get overly aggressive with them preflop in multiway pots.

Until next time may the flop be with you and best of luck getting your pocket Jacks home.

RounderJack

Hello Bloggers and welcome back for another round of ranting from your guru of gut shots RounderJack. In today’s blog I’d like to start a series on how I like to play particular hands in limit Hold’em (we’ll cover NL next week). I will focus on KQ for today and move on to other specific hands over the next few blogs.

In Hold’em it is very helpful to have ‘general’ guidelines as it relates to hand selection and a high level strategic understanding of what ‘type’ of hands you should play and from what position they are profitable. As your game evolves and you become adept at plugging into the subtleties of various conditions we are exposed to as poker players this general knowledge is molded into‘hand specific’ knowledge. In today’s blog we will look at the real deal ‘specifics’ as it relates to playing KQ in Limit Hold’em.

Preflop Position: KQ

From early position in a full game (9 players) my approach depends on the game dynamics. If it is a strong game with many solid players behind me and a lot of three bets with heads-up pots I have a clear fold from early position. KQ is not a hand I want to play out of position against an aggressive, solid opponent who is going to apply pressure and make for a hard decision if we happen to catch a flop.

If the game is loose passive folding is clearly wrong. I like to limp if suited about 60% of the time (from early position) and encourage a mutlitway pot and possibly milk a raise from a LP player and see the flop for 10 bets (5 players x 2 bets). KQs is a great multiway hand due to the straight and flush possibilities and in a passive game you are not going to get bet off your draw so you have positive EV on any flop with a draw. KQ off suit I limp 30%, raise 70% in this type of game. Without suited value I prefer fewer opponents (that’s just me).

From Middle position with KQ it again depends on the table dynamics as well as the action before you. If it has been raised and it is now 2 bets to you I recommend tightening up considerably and folding most of the time (especially offsuit). If the EP player is solid you must fold. If they are loose and payoff too much consider playing. Be more inclined if playing KQ off to 3 bet the EP player and try and get it heads-up with position. If he had any pair below Q’s or any suited connector (other then AK) you are in great shape and have position on him and the dead blind money (assuming they fold) as your overlay. Aggressive limit hold’em is winning limit hold’em.

If you are suited and a lot of players behind you are prone to calling 2 bets and creating mutliway pots a smooth call could be justified. Look into the future and ask yourself what your action will create behind you. With KQs a mutliway pot for 2 bets is not exactly a death sentence against a loose passive crowd.

From LP KQ is even easier to play (as are most hands). Since you have seen the entire table’s action before you it is a very informed choice you can now make. If it is folded to you in LP it is an automatic raise first in from LP. I don’t care if Phil Ivey is in the SB if you have KQ on the button in limit hold’em and it has been folded to you pop it. If you can’t pull the trigger here you are giving away too much EV and should quit the game and play lotto.

If you have 3 or 4 limpers in front it is a decision between calling and raising. I would lean toward raising suited (90%) and limping offsuit (60%). Notice very few decisions are 100% since you will want to vary your game somewhat (not too much) even in limit hold’em. In NL varying your pay has much more value (as well see next week). If it has been raised to you a lot depends on what position the raise came from and the quality of that opponent as well as the number of players.

If it’s 2 bets to you from LP and raise was from a very good EP player and no one else has called you should fold. If it came from a decent player and 3 players called it you can profitably call (especially suited). If it is capped to you run for the hills. If it is raised on your immediate right (by another LP player) go ahead and run the 3 bet isolation move as you likely have this raiser beat (as he does not need a good hand to raise from LP in a blind steal attempt).

In closing for today KQ plays quite differently preflop as a function of table dynamics, position, number of opponents, the action to you, the likely action after you, and quality of your opponents. Always keep all these concepts in mind as you pay KQ and look for profit potential. If it is not there then muck it.

Until next time, best of luck getting your KQ home in your limit game.

RounderJack