Poker Quiz & Answers to Up Your Game

The countdown continues to the WSOP...

1. You have Jd-10d on the button. It is the middle of the tournament. You have $45,000. The blinds are $2,000-$4,000. The player under the gun limps, you limp, and the BB taps the table. There is $14,000 in the pot.

The flop is 9s-6h-3c. The first two players check and you check.

The turn is a 3s. Everyone checks.

The river is a 3d. Everyone checks. At showdown, the pre-flop raiser wins the hand.

Question: What would you have done differently and why?

Answer:
On the flop when both players check after limping in, you can assume they have a typical limping hand and whiffed. It is a rainbow flop, so making a bet will most likely take down the pot. Bet $9,000 and expect a nice win.


2. You have pocket 4's on the button. It is the middle of the tournament. You have $85,000. The blinds are $2,000-$4,000. The player under the gun raises to $10,000. He has $72,000. Everyone folds to you. You call. Only the two of you see the flop.

The flop is Qs-8d-2h. The pre-flop raiser bets $16,000. You fold.

Question: What would you have done differently and why?

Answer:
Folding is ok here, since the raise was from early position. If this was a player who has been raising too often, I may consider a call because he is loose and it is a steal flop. A steal flop is where there are no draws and a player would need a queen or a higher pocket pair to feel comfortable betting on the flop.


3. It is late in the tournament. You have pocket 2's on the button. Everyone folds to the player next to you. When he looks at his cards, he is distracted and pulls back his cards so you see he has pocket Aces. The blinds are $25,000-$50,000. He has $1,500,000, and you have about the same. He raises to $100,000. You fold.

Question: What would you have done differently and why?

Answer:
I always want my opponent to have pocket Aces when I have a small pair, and I'm getting great implied odds and risking a small percentage of my chips. If you hit that deuce you are risking only about 7% of your chips to possibly double up if your opponent is reckless.


4. It is late in the 45 player satellite event. Only the winner gets a seat to the WSOP. No one else gets paid. You have pocket J's on the button. The blinds are $5,000-$10,000. The player under the gun raises to $30,000. Everyone folds to you.
You have $60,000. Your opponent has $155,000. You fold.

Question: What would you have done differently and why?

Answer:
Calling here is a bad play, since you are going to be pot committed and the flop will have a card higher than a Jack over 65% of the time. Moving all-in in this situation is the best move since you only have 6 times the big blind and this may be the best hand you will get. Your opponent will call and you need to get chips to win the satellite. Even if he shows up with Ace's, you can hit your Jack and double up. A fold is a strange play unless you know for sure you will get a better opportunity real soon.


5. You are heads up at the final table of the main event of the WSOP against Daniel Negreanu. Daniel and you both have about $6 million in chips. The blinds are $50,000-$100,000. The first heads up hand has Daniel acting first. He limps. You find Ah-Jd. You will act first from the flop on. You raise to $400,000 and Daniel calls.

The flop is 9s-8s-2d. You make a continuation bet of $500,000, and Daniel calls.

The turn is a 6h. You check. Daniel bets and you fold, losing $900,000 on the first hand.

Question: What would you have done differently and why?

Answer:
This is the WSOP. You want to manage pot size. You want to play position poker. You don't want to grow a pot out of position against a pro.

Daniel will not fold to your pre-flop raise since he is a great player after the flop. Raising with A-J out of position makes the pot bigger when you must act first. Your continuation bet will be bigger and your loss will be bigger. That is what happened in this hand.

A call is a fine play against top players. A good flop could allow you to trap. A bad flop lets you get out of harms way for just your blind.

When is the raise the right play?
a) When your opponent has folded often to your pre-flop when you are out of position. b) When you have this hand and have the better position.

I hope this was a worthwhile quiz for you!