CONCLUSIÓN

Let’s move away from raised pots and deal with limped pots, which of course are generally multiway, and less common to the average online player. (Since most pots are raised preflop) Recall last chapter when we reflected the differences in adjustments from raised pots to limped pots.

Before explaining the differences in how to play various draws, I want to extend this chapter to include how to play some made hands in limped pots, too. In limped pots, I’m looking for an excuse to bet anything, namely because people won’t really raise these nothing pots with nothing. And since most of the time people happen to have ~nothing, we can then win when everyone has nothing. What a nice parlay! So, from this point onward, something as “bad” as

bottom pair or a gutshot becomes a possible semibluff, and we’re going to mentally segregate top pair (and above) from all other hands which have a shot of winning the pot.

Anyway, the way to classify draws is a little different in a limped pot. Why? The easy answer is we are RARELY looking to be all in on the flop! When a pot has 4bbs in it, (let’s say SB folded paying the rake) so in a 6handed game 4 of us see a flop, and we all have 100bbs, (25x pot) unless we're a favorite (like OESFD) I just don’t want to play an all in pot. It's that easy;

most draws are slight underdogs or slight favorites, but in a limped pot most of the things that will be all-in with you are big hands. Overplaying a draw in a limped pot is the pits. The general rule I like having is pair + draws in limped pots are worth much less. This is going back to beginning of the previous chapter; where I say try not to overvalue various outs in limped pots. Well, 54h on a Kh 9h 4d board is normally very nice and strong, but in a limped pot it's just

not that strong given your 4 or 5 are easily killed. (As in, K4 or 94 have you in truly bad shape) So, this chapter will focus on:

-Reclassifying how to approach the flop with new categories -How to approach the turn, assuming we get there, with our draws

The Limped Draw Types

1. Hidden draw. We will want to peel light because stacks are deep. This is a carry-over from the passive gambles in raised pots. We would consider any nut gutshot, double belly buster draw, backdoor draws (such as a backdoor nut flush draw) and possibly set outs as hidden.

2. Multiway action draws. This is where you get lots of dead money. It’s such a money maker in a limped pot. Unfortunately the situations are rare – for example, a one card straight draw where you have 2, like QTo on 9 8 7. If a jack hits, you stack a ten. Or the NFD vs. a blind's small suited hand, where if you both hit you will win a nice sum on the river. Those draws in a limped pot are so good, your plan is to make it so cheap any 10 or small flush is guaranteed to stay in the example boards above. In both cases, you never want to make it so expensive that other draws fold. If someone bets, then, your typical plan is to call; hoping people overcall since they're getting "such good pot odds!” In essence, you're going to build the pot, but not make anything fold. Since it's a limped pot, you don’t care too much about winning the pot immediately, as it's not as attractive as the potential earn on turn or river.

3. Heads-up draw. These are draws where you do want heads up action: That WOULD be a pair+ draw, a flush draw w/overcard that's not the nuts, etc. You never want to be behind a bigger made hand AND a bigger draw in these situations. If that happens... it's gross, because you have very low equity, and went hog-wild in a nothing pot.

The play is still the same, though, from a raised pot. Our first task is to discern stack sizes:pot sizes, except your goal is to look how to play the turn rather than the flop. In late

position, I’d probably bet all three types of draws (only checking complete misses or if I opted to slowplay my hand) if checked to me, so I'm going to semibluff the flop in those cases (with #2 types it will be a very weak bet). Your goal however is more so oriented to how you want to handle the turn, as in, if I miss or hit my hand. (Do I continue?)

For all examples below, we’ll classify our hand and then explain what to do in position, out of position, and when we’re faced with a bet. In the examples, we’re playing a ~4bb pot with

~100bb stack, so our ratio is 25:1 (somewhat typical for a limped pot) and the flop is seen 4handed. In position is the latter 2 seats and out of position is more or less the former 2 seats.

Although middle pair and the such is often the best hand on the flop, (so a flop bet will merely be protecting the best hand, rather then semibluffing) we lump it in with other draws.

Hidden Draw: Out of position, we’re going to check any hidden draw. If we end the action facing a reasonable bet, we’ll probably peel once. However, if we don’t end the action (as in, checked to the button, and they bet, and we’re in the BB) then we just muck it. In position – say we overlimped KJs and the flop is T 9 4r, we’re going to fire a normal sized bet there. (On this flop, a simple 2bb does the trick) if we get checkraised, unless we’re getting direct odds to continue (as in, against a minraise) we’re going to throw away our hand. The exception to that is where you strongly believe you can break opponent if you hit, so in position you’ll be able to stack them in a limped pot if you hit. If you recall from the 2^nd chapter, though, most people tend

to overestimate their implied odds, so try not falling into this trap. If a blind leads out, we could consider peeling, even with others to act behind. (Really, we’re hoping other marginal draws overcall, thus applying the concept of schooling, making your initial call not so bad directly). For the turn, generally if we played the hand in a passive fashion, (the caller in or out of position) if we don’t improve we’re mucking to further action, unless directly priced in. (As in faced a minbet) If we are allowed to take a freecard, generally we will. If we hit the nuts, we’re either going to checkraise out of position, or obviously bet or raise in position – we will never slowplay if we hit a hidden draw.

Multiway Action Draw: A multiway action draw is any draw in which we’d prefer to leave people in the pot rather than making them fold. Generally, this is the run of the mill open ended straight draw, flush draw, or possible nut scenario. So, out of position, we’re likely going to lead out for a small bet with the hopes of enticing loose calls (build a pot basically, our intention is to not win it on the flop) or check so that a loose position player can bet (and we can call, allowing the field to call behind us). Typically opt to lead out and set your own price, though. In position, we can somewhat divide the nut scenarios which are “weak” draws (like T9o on a 8 6 5r board) and then non nut scenarios (such as 8 6 5r with A7s) and bet the non nut normally (now we’re gunning for folds) and check the nut draws. (Since ideally we’re able to put 25x the pot in when opponent has only ~8% equity to split, which we have a solid chance of doing if the right card lands on the turn). If we get checkraised, and we face a HU pot, we’ll typically have to consider our effective odds, how useful position will be, and if we should turn our hand into an aggressive gamble situation. (Where we’re going to 3bet the flop) Typically though, as with most limped pot scenarios, we’re going to show initial strength and really back down to any kind of counter

aggression, unless we have a very hidden draw, very strong draw, or fairly strong made hand.

For the turn, if the pot is still multiway and we miss, both in position and out of position we’re aiming at keeping it multiway; this is where we can make disproportionately small bets to

“price” everyone in. Or simply check. If we hit our draw, this is where we’re going to turn up the heat, and clearly not slowplay. Also, it is some note that with a hidden draw we may be correct in calling with direct odds, but often not so much with a multiway action draw which has suddenly gotten heads up.

Heads-Up Draw: These are the draws that are simple pairs, pair + straight draws, or pair + flush draws. Our goal is to either win the pot, of course, or face either a made hand which we have our draw to fall back on or a draw which we have a hand that can win in showdown without

improving. If we end up multiway, we’re typically facing a reverse implied odds scenario, where our draw may break us rather than opponent. (In a limped pot, this applies mainly to non nut draws, which pair+ draws will never be, aside from something such as top pair + the nut flush draw, which is a multiway action draw for obvious reasons). Out of position, we do not want to lead at the pot. If we lead, you may find loose calls which then “school” the rest of the limpers, building a pot for the exact opposite purposes that we want. So, we’re going to check, and for the most part checkraise or fold if we face a bet. The exception is if the person acting immediately

after you bets, and everyone folds to you, you can consider just calling. The reason we’re checkraising a bet is we would rather face the original bettor, and do not want to give a good price to anyone acting after us. If we feel checkraising is too strong for our weak to marginal draw (for example, bottom pair with no extra outs) I’d rather just fold. In position, if someone bets, and there are players to act after us, we’re either raising or folding, obviously for the same

reasons as above. If it’s checked to us, we’re going to make a bet, and generally make a bet that seems slightly larger then we’d typically make in a raised pot scenario. For example, in the 4bb pot, we’re never going to bet 2bb; typically we’ll fire out the full pot, 4bb. If we get checkraised, we can muck if we feel opponent’s checkraise in a limped pot is a lot of strength, but typically I’ll peel there. On the turn, if you raised and got cold called or whatnot, (basically take the turn in a bloated pot multiway) we’re going to try to put as little money in as possible, unless you have a strong read that you should bet. (For protection purposes) If we are heads up, and we don’t improve, I’ll go with my read as to whether I think I have the best hand or not… If I do, I bet for value (or protection, depending on the board) otherwise I’ll typically check call or check behind, as to get to showdown or give myself a chance to draw out.

Hand below illustrates a hand played between two fairly solid players; one misplayed his hand in the limped pot, the other did not:

Full Tilt Poker Game #2109687211: Table Harris (6 max) - $2/$4 - No Limit Hold'em - 16:19:35 ET - 2007/03/31 Seat 1: If You Build lt ($400)

Seat 2: profEERNIE ($557.50), is sitting out Seat 3: Toine_baby ($678.70)

Seat 4: TonyChoi ($249.80) Seat 5: DirtyAppleSlim ($790.90) Seat 6: x_volta ($766.70) x_volta posts the small blind of $2 If You Build lt is sitting out

If You Build lt has 5 seconds left to act Toine_baby posts the big blind of $4 The button is in seat #5

*** HOLE CARDS ***

Dealt to Toine_baby [Jh 9d]

TonyChoi calls $4

x_volta raises to $726.70, and is all in Toine_baby calls $542.70, and is all in DirtyAppleSlim folds

x_volta shows [9s 8s]

Toine_baby shows [Jh 9d]

Uncalled bet of $88 returned to x_volta

*** RIVER *** [8h 7d 6h Tc] [Jd]

x_volta shows a straight, Jack high Toine_baby shows a straight, Jack high

x_volta ties for the pot ($749.70) with a straight, Jack high Toine_baby ties for the pot ($749.70) with a straight, Jack high

*** SUMMARY ***

Total pot $1,501.40 | Rake $2

We have a flop 5 way out of 5 for the minraise (so ~40 in there). Toine baby's stack, the effective stack, is 670, or ~17x the pot size. Xorbie covers. Interestingly, if this was a raised pot,

it would JUST be the outer fringe (and ~correct) to bet 3bet all in, if Hero had an aggressive draw or situational dependent that they felt was best played fast. Although, this is a type 2 flop, so I probably would not be potting, (2/3 pot likely) and I'd expect villain to not pot raise/fold to all in. But that would "probably" be the line. In a raised pot I'd classify Hero's hand (2 weak overs, OESD+1 of the oesd to the lock nuts) as a marginal passive gamble. Xorbies hand (top pair + weak 1 card oesd) is a CLEAR aggressive gamble. In a raised pot he's trying to jam on the flop because neither his draw is hidden (the straight) nor is 2pair going to be paid off (in fact, often reverse equity there). Furthermore, he benefits from (if they ever do, which they may!) making Q9+ fold. (Some ppl will raise/fold those) Especially OOP, (and this could get checked around since 5way it may not get bet by pfr!) I'd lead here in his shoes.

HOWEVER, this is a limped pot dichotomy! We need to step back, because the pot IS small relative to effective stacks. Now we get to reclassify the draws... Toine_baby, with J9, has a multiway action draw; true, his overs could be good, but in this type of pot we never believe they are. Also, a ten will break any 9 (as happened) so we need to make sure it's cheap/good "pot odds" for them. His play will be, and it’s clear, check call, and if someone bets in front of him (like Xorbie did) clear call and hope for overcalls. There is no other way to play it. Xorbie however has a heads up draw. He really never wants multiple callers, and a raise is pretty ~meh.

Leading out is OK in his spot, (if it was raised pot a little more, then B3B is fine when he can expect "better" hands in there more often) however, if he thinks his lead will be called in more than 1 spot (as was the case) I don’t like his play, because.. Then you don’t think you have the best hand or draw, which is truly a nightmare scenario.

So, if he thinks someone from LP will bet, I'd probably c/r half pot to thin everyone up vs them. If i get 3bet there I'll evaluate my odds and probably fold. If called (depends on stacks) it’s probably a bet/call, and rarely, a check fold. (But we could worry about that on dif turn cards) As played, I like toine_baby's play. Obviously it’s hard to play the turned nuts wrong, I like his turn bet size too. I’d bet enough so that a set (which prolly isnt in there, unless xorbie didnt repop 88 or whatnot/he could have bottom set i guess) will call, but incorrectly. (he did) i have no idea what the overcaller on the flop + called toine's turn bet had, but that is just dead money which is WONDERFUL. How is xorbie's push? hard to play any other way, and running into the nuts sucks. I probably wouldnt give up the lead though - he semibluffed the flop (sometimes with the best made hand too) and hit his card, a freebie to 2pair or whatnot (which def wont bet) would suck.