Day 57 the Countdown Continues
A Simple Quiz
I am playing at the Oaks Card Club, and it is down to the final three tables. The blinds are $400-$800. I have $24,000 and I am on the button. A very tight player raises under the gun for $2,400. Everyone folds to me. I look down and find pocket 4's. What should I do?
The answer: You can't answer yet. You need to know how many chips he has left. My opponent has $21,000. Now, what should I do?
I am not going to raise my opponent because he would not make this play without pocket Aces, Kings, Queen, or A-K. More than likely, I am a big dog, so should I fold?
No! Please don't even think about folding.
The correct play is to call, and see the flop. I am risking just 10% of stack with the potential to win the rest of his stack. The risk-reward scenario is favorable. In poker terms, the implied odds is that I am risking $2,400 to win $21,000.
What happened?
The flop came 8-4-2 rainbow. My opponent lost all his chips to me since I hit the set. To this day, he still doesn't understand how I could make that call.
Implied Odds Before the Flop
Most people think about implied odds as a concept after the flop. In the WSOP this year, players will need to think about the implied odds before the flop.
In the event I am entering, with blinds being low at the start, and starting chips at $4,500, I should be looking at playing hands that can bust my opponent.
These are the small and medium pocket pairs, as well as the suited connectors. Besides the above example, take a look at what can happen with suited connectors:
A tight player raises the $50-$100 blind to $300 under the gun. I am sitting on the button with 7-5 suited. Should I call? Well, if my opponent and I have $4,500, I am getting great implied odds. I am hoping that he has pocket Aces so I can bust him with the right flop.
Conclusion
If you are playing in a tournament, and you are getting the right implied odds pre-flop take the risk with pairs and suited connectors. You never know what may hit the flop. And if it works out right, you will increase your chip stack substantially. Take the risk, when the implied odds tell you it's the best play.
Showing posts with label implied odds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label implied odds. Show all posts
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Friday, October 10, 2008
How to take advantage of poker odds to win big pots
You probably know what pot odds and implied odds are in poker, but do you know how to take full advantage of this knowledge in a no limit poker tournament?
As a reminder, pot odds are the ratio of the size of the pot to the size of the bet. If the pot has $400 in it, and your opponent bets $400, the pot is $800. Since you need to call with $400, the pot odds are $800 to $400 or 2-1.
Implied odds are based on the amount you believe you may win at the end of the hand, if you make your hand and win.
For example, the pot has $1,000 after your opponent bets $500 on the flop. You have a straight draw, and the pot odds are $1,000 to $500 or 2-1. Which is not favorable for drawing to a straight.
However, if you hit your straight on the next card, you believe that you may end up winning $4,000. Therefore, your estimate of your implied odds is $4,000 to $500 or 8-1 and you can call the bet.
While it's important to know these odds, it's even more important to know how to take advantage of the odds. Here's an example:
You are in a no limit poker tournament. It is the first hand with the blinds $25-$50. Everyone starts with $4,000 You are in the big blind.
The player under the gun raises to $150. Everyone folds to you. You have the pot odds of $100 to call the bet. Your pot odds are $225 to $100, or slightly over 2-1.
You look down at your cards and you have 8-7 suited. What should you do?
The correct play in this situation is to call the bet since you are getting excellent implied odds. If your opponent has a big hand like pocket Kings, and you hit your hand, you could win a much bigger pot.
What happens in this situation is that right before you call the raise, your opponent picks up his cards to look at them. By accident he flashes his cards to you. He has pocket Aces! Now what should you do? Does this change your original decision?
Not at all. Call the bet.
As a general rule, when you are in the big blind consider calling a bet if you are getting 2-1 pot odds or better, have much bigger implied odds (due to deep stacks) and have a drawing hand or better.
As a reminder, pot odds are the ratio of the size of the pot to the size of the bet. If the pot has $400 in it, and your opponent bets $400, the pot is $800. Since you need to call with $400, the pot odds are $800 to $400 or 2-1.
Implied odds are based on the amount you believe you may win at the end of the hand, if you make your hand and win.
For example, the pot has $1,000 after your opponent bets $500 on the flop. You have a straight draw, and the pot odds are $1,000 to $500 or 2-1. Which is not favorable for drawing to a straight.
However, if you hit your straight on the next card, you believe that you may end up winning $4,000. Therefore, your estimate of your implied odds is $4,000 to $500 or 8-1 and you can call the bet.
While it's important to know these odds, it's even more important to know how to take advantage of the odds. Here's an example:
You are in a no limit poker tournament. It is the first hand with the blinds $25-$50. Everyone starts with $4,000 You are in the big blind.
The player under the gun raises to $150. Everyone folds to you. You have the pot odds of $100 to call the bet. Your pot odds are $225 to $100, or slightly over 2-1.
You look down at your cards and you have 8-7 suited. What should you do?
The correct play in this situation is to call the bet since you are getting excellent implied odds. If your opponent has a big hand like pocket Kings, and you hit your hand, you could win a much bigger pot.
What happens in this situation is that right before you call the raise, your opponent picks up his cards to look at them. By accident he flashes his cards to you. He has pocket Aces! Now what should you do? Does this change your original decision?
Not at all. Call the bet.
As a general rule, when you are in the big blind consider calling a bet if you are getting 2-1 pot odds or better, have much bigger implied odds (due to deep stacks) and have a drawing hand or better.
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