How to play after the flop

1. Strategy: No-Limit How to play after the flop

2. Value maximization: With a strong hand your bets are “for value”. If you have showdown value, take the free showdown if you can. If your opponent only calls a bet on the river when he’s holding a better hand than you are, this bet will not bring in any additional profit for you. Bluffing: You want to get your opponent to fold a better hand. Stick to these five rules when bluffing: Don’t inflate the pot. Have a plan B. Only bluff against players who can and do fold. Don’t bluff against several players. Only bluff when you can represent something and your opponents have rarely hit something. Reasons to bet The player who uses aggression efficiently, wins.

3. Example 1 – Good bluffing opportunity Player 9 Hero Player 8 Player 1 Player 2 Player 7 Player 6 Player 3 Player 5 Player 4 FOLD FOLD BET RAISE FOLD $2.00 $1.00 Pot: $0.35 Pot: $3.00 FOLD CALL CHECK FOLD $1.00 $0.10 $1.00 $0.25 FOLD FOLD CHECK CALL FOLD FOLD

4. Example 2 – Not a good bluffing opportunity Player 9 Hero Player 8 Player 2 Player 1 Player 7 Player 6 Player 3 Player 5 Player 4 FOLD FOLD CHECK RAISE FOLD $1.00 Pot: $3.00 Pot: $0,35 FOLD CALL CHECK $0.10 $1.00 $0.25 $1.00 FOLD CHECK CALL FOLD FOLD

5. Protection: Made hands that would still be vulnerable on upcoming streets need to be protected. The higher the probability that your opponents can get ahead of you, the more strongly you need to protect. Protection means setting a price for the next card that’s too high for your opponent. Reasons to bet • Also watch “The mathematics of poker-odds & outs“

6. Example 3 – Protection Player 9 Hero Player 8 Player 2 Player 1 Player 7 Player 6 Player 3 Player 5 Player 4 FOLD FOLD RAISE BET FOLD $2.50 $1.00 Pot: $0.35 Pot: $3.00 FOLD CALL CHECK $1.00 $0.10 $1.00 $0.25 FOLD CHECK CALL FOLD FOLD

7. Information: Find out where you stand at an early stage, to spare yourself from making expensive decisions later. A “for information” bet has several advantages: Players with a worse hand could call you. Hands that could get ahead of you might give up – you protect your hand. If someone raises your bet you’ll know you’ve been beaten and can fold. Reasons to bet

8. Example 4 - Information Player 9 Hero Player 8 Player 1 Player 2 Player 7 Player 6 Player 3 Player 5 Player 4 FOLD FOLD RAISE FOLD CALL FOLD $0.25 $2.25 Pot: $0.35 Pot: $0.85 FOLD FOLD $0.10 $0.75 $7.30 $0.25 $0.75 $0.25 FOLD BET RERAISE CHECK CALL CALL FOLD FOLD

9. Pot control: Big pots are for big hands, small pots for small hands. You don’t want to let the pot get too big when you’re holding medium strength hands, but want to get to the showdown cheaply. Reasons not to bet

10. Example 5 – Pot control Player 9 Hero Player 8 Player 1 Player 2 Player 7 Player 6 Player 3 Player 5 Player 4 FOLD FOLD BET CHECK RAISE FOLD $1.75 $1.00 Pot: $2.10 Pot: $5.60 Pot: $0.35 FOLD FOLD $0.10 $1.00 $0.25 $1.75 FOLD CALL CHECK CHECK CALL FOLD FOLD

11. Pot control: Big pots are for big hands, small pots for small hands. You don’t want to let the pot get too big when you’re holding medium-strength hands, but want to get to the showdown cheaply. Advantages of a check on the turn: If your opponent has a better hand, you give him less money. If your opponent has a worse hand, you encourage him to invest money on the river again. It is always easier to practise pot control in position than it is out of position. Reasons not to bet

12. Reasons not to bet • Bet flop, check behind turn, call river: • Usually played with pairs, when there are community cards that aren‘t too draw-heavy. • If you think your opponent has either a very weak or a very strong hand, check the turn and call a river bet. • Bet turn for free showdown: • The turn is the last opportunity to get money out of draws. • Additionally you will sometimes get better hands to fold.

13. Example 6 – Bet for free showdown Hero Player 10 Player 8 Player 2 Player 1 Player 7 Player 6 Player 3 Player 5 Player 4 RAISE FOLD BET BET FOLD CALL FOLD $2.50 $6.00 $1.00 $1.00 Pot: $0,35 Pot: $3,10 Pot: $8,10 FOLD FOLD $0.10 $2.50 $1.00 $0.25 FOLD CALL CHECK CALL CHECK FOLD FOLD

14. Delayed continuation bet: A continuation bet on the flop is not always wise. Sometimes it’s better to wait for the appropriate turn card and leave the continuation bet for later. Examples of flops that are suitable for a continuation bet: Examples of flops where it is better to leave the continuation bet for later: Reasons not to bet

15. Example 7 – No continuation bet Hero Player 10 Player 8 Player 1 Player 2 Player 7 Player 6 Player 3 Player 5 Player 4 RAISE FOLD CHECK CALL FOLD $1.00 $1.00 Pot: $3.10 Pot: $0.35 FOLD FOLD $0.10 $1.00 $0.25 FOLD CALL CHECK FOLD FOLD

16. Bluff induce: “Bet flop, check turn, call river” is not only a protection play. It can also be used as a bluff induce. You represent a weak hand and let your opponent know that you are giving up the hand. You encourage opponents to bluff on the river with weaker hands. Slowplay: You “under-represent” your hand to give the opponent the opportunity to make mistakes or improve. Slowplay is only feasible when your hand does not need to be protected. Don’t slowplay against many opponents and on draw-heavy boards. Don’t slowplay a weak to medium-strong flush. At low limits slowplay is usually the worse alternative. Reasons not to bet

17. Example 8 - Slowplay Hero Player 10 Player 8 Player 1 Player 2 Player 7 Player 6 Player 3 Player 5 Player 4 CALL FOLD CALL FOLD FOLD $1.00 $2.50 Pot: $3.10 Pot: $0.35 FOLD FOLD $0.10 $1.00 $0.25 $2.50 $1.00 FOLD CALL CHECK RAISE BET FOLD

18. Find the balance after the flop between your objectives to... …get the most out of being ahead. …control the pot to keep the price within boundaries. …make the next community card expensive when you have a vulnerable hand. Summary Value Protection Pot control • Ground rules: • The weaker your hand is, the more important pot control becomes. • The stronger your hand is, the more important value maximization becomes. • The more vulnerable your hand is, the more important protection becomes.

19. If you have the best hand, bet or raise. The more opponents you have, the stronger your hand needs to be. Only slowplay with very strong hands. Find a balance between pot control and protection. How to play made hands

20. Example 9 – Overpair Player 9 Player 10 Player 8 Player 1 Player 2 Hero Player 6 Player 3 Player 5 Player 4 FOLD FOLD RAISE CALL CALL FOLD BET BET RAISE $2.50 $15.00 $1.00 $2.50 $6.50 $1.00 Pot: $8.60 Pot: $0.35 Pot: $3.10 FOLD FOLD $0.10 $0.25 $1.00 FOLD CHECK CALL FOLD FOLD FOLD

21. If nobody has raised pre-flop, you will usually play your draw passively. You can call a moderate bet with a strong draw on the flop. Weak draws are best to simply fold. Don‘t go after draws. A flush draw will appear from the turn to the river in less than 20% of the cases. If you raised pre-flop, you can often continue to play aggressively on the flop. An aggressive draw game is called a semi-bluff. It’s only worth play a draw aggressive if the opponents can also fold. How to play draws

22. Example 10 – Aggressive game with strong draw Hero Player 10 Player 8 Player 1 Player 2 Player 7 Player 6 Player 3 Player 5 Player 4 BET FOLD CALL FOLD FOLD $1.10 $0.25 Pot: $1.25 Pot: $0.35 CALL CALL CHECK FOLD CALL CHECK $0.25 $1.10 $0.25 $0.10 $0.25 $0.25 FOLD CHECK CHECK FOLD CHECK FOLD FOLD CALL

23. Pot control vs. protection: You don’t want to play for big pots when you have a medium-strength hand. You don’t want to give your opponents cheap community cards. If you can go to the showdown for free with a medium-strength hand, then do so. Conclusion • Ground rules for flop, turn, river: • You play tight and avoid marginal situations. • You play aggressively and develop your game actively, instead of just reacting. • You pay attention to having position on your opponents if possible.