Stack-To-Pot Ratios: Introduction
In the July version of Two Plus Two Internet Magazine, there an excerpt from the highly anticipated book, Professional No Limit Hold'em: Volume 1. It's a pretty good read, and I have some thoughts on it.
Bascially, what the authors are saying is when you first put money into the pot preflop, you should have a plan of how you want the hand to go down. I think this is good advice, and one that many no limit players overlook. Most people seem to follow the mantra of 3-4x the BB+1BB per limper. (Admittedly I sometimes fall back on that too as a default strategy, though I do often size my raises depending on my position, tendencies of my opponents, and my hand). This strategy by the way can also be found in No Limit Hold'em: Theory and Practice (though not expounded upon to the extend PNLH will.
In the example given, we have K
K
in MP in a $2/$5 game with ~$500 stacks. We open for $15, get two calls. and the flop comes down T7
5
. We bet $45 into $47, and the button calls. It's heads up on the turn, which comes a Q. The pot is $137, and we have $450 left. Now what?
The first thing most players would try to do is put their opponent on a range of hands. What could this player have? Since he's loose, he'll probably come in for a lot of hands on the button. Any pair, maybe suited connectors such as 98 or one gappers like 86, or perhaps even offsuited connectors or one gappers. He might also have two high cards, maybe AJ, AQ, KQ, etc. He called a pot sized bet on the flop. He could have a straight draw, maybe a pair of tens, or perhaps a set or two pair. There is also some probability he may be floating with overcards with the intention of taking it away on the turn.
We check, and our fearless opponent bets $125. Now what? As the authors explain, it's a tough spot. If you fold, you are likely folding the best hand. If you call, you might face a big river bet and you give your opponent a chance to bluff you out. If you raise, you could be putting all of your money in drawing slim. You could do some math, figure out your equity against your opponent's range, and make a decision based on that, but you might make a mistake in your assumption for a lot of money.
So instead, the authors formulate a different strategy for the hand. Instead of opening for $15 with the kings, we open for $30. Then we bet the pot on the flop, which is now $92. We now have $380 left and the pot is $272. You can either checkraise your opponent at that point, or lead the turn and get the rest in on the river.
Of course, there are some problems with this strategy (which I imagine will be addressed in the book). What if your opponents won't call a 6BB raise as loosely as a 3BB raise? Or, what if they won't continue after the flop without a hand that can beat one pair?
However, this example involves a hand where you are out of position. If you were on the button, you could play the hand a lot differently (though building a big pot wouldn't be a bad idea if you're opponents are loose and bad). Taking the same hand as an example:
You have KK on the button in a $2/$5 game with $500 stacks. One player in MP limps. Here a raise to $20 would make sense. You want a medium sized pot probably, and $20 gets that done. $15 is probably too small, $25 or $30 is probably too big. So you raise to $20, BB calls, limper calls.
Pot is $60, and the flop comes T75. It's checked to you. Now a c-bet of 2/3 - 3/4 of the pot would make sense. You want to get some value out of your hand. Let's go with $45. BB folds, MP player calls. Let's assume he's a decent player, albeit somewhat loose preflop. Check/calling out of position, you know he had to catch some piece of that flop. Maybe a T, maybe one of two available straight draws, or maybe two pair or a set. The turn is the Q We have , and the pot is $150. We have $435 left. MP checks to us.
We can either bet again or check behind now to keep the pot small. Our opponent could be drawing, or he could have a made hand. Let's assume he will checkraise if he has two pair or a set. If we bet $90, we could fold to a checkraise without being committed. If we check behind, we can preserve our stack, perhaps induce a bluff on the river, or get value out of a T.
There's arguments for both actions here, but the point is when you're in position, you have a lot more control of what's going to happen in the hand. Out of position it's a lot tougher. Also, you'll have a better idea of where you stand, because your opponent has to act first.
I can't wait until this book comes out. I should have it by the end of the month at the latest. I expect that it will fill in the gaps where NLHTAP didn't (i.e. more explanation and examples).
Bascially, what the authors are saying is when you first put money into the pot preflop, you should have a plan of how you want the hand to go down. I think this is good advice, and one that many no limit players overlook. Most people seem to follow the mantra of 3-4x the BB+1BB per limper. (Admittedly I sometimes fall back on that too as a default strategy, though I do often size my raises depending on my position, tendencies of my opponents, and my hand). This strategy by the way can also be found in No Limit Hold'em: Theory and Practice (though not expounded upon to the extend PNLH will.
In the example given, we have K
K in MP in a $2/$5 game with ~$500 stacks. We open for $15, get two calls. and the flop comes down T75. We bet $45 into $47, and the button calls. It's heads up on the turn, which comes a Q. The pot is $137, and we have $450 left. Now what?The first thing most players would try to do is put their opponent on a range of hands. What could this player have? Since he's loose, he'll probably come in for a lot of hands on the button. Any pair, maybe suited connectors such as 9
8 or one gappers like 86, or perhaps even offsuited connectors or one gappers. He might also have two high cards, maybe AJ, AQ, KQ, etc. He called a pot sized bet on the flop. He could have a straight draw, maybe a pair of tens, or perhaps a set or two pair. There is also some probability he may be floating with overcards with the intention of taking it away on the turn.We check, and our fearless opponent bets $125. Now what? As the authors explain, it's a tough spot. If you fold, you are likely folding the best hand. If you call, you might face a big river bet and you give your opponent a chance to bluff you out. If you raise, you could be putting all of your money in drawing slim. You could do some math, figure out your equity against your opponent's range, and make a decision based on that, but you might make a mistake in your assumption for a lot of money.
So instead, the authors formulate a different strategy for the hand. Instead of opening for $15 with the kings, we open for $30. Then we bet the pot on the flop, which is now $92. We now have $380 left and the pot is $272. You can either checkraise your opponent at that point, or lead the turn and get the rest in on the river.
Of course, there are some problems with this strategy (which I imagine will be addressed in the book). What if your opponents won't call a 6BB raise as loosely as a 3BB raise? Or, what if they won't continue after the flop without a hand that can beat one pair?
However, this example involves a hand where you are out of position. If you were on the button, you could play the hand a lot differently (though building a big pot wouldn't be a bad idea if you're opponents are loose and bad). Taking the same hand as an example:
You have K
K on the button in a $2/$5 game with $500 stacks. One player in MP limps. Here a raise to $20 would make sense. You want a medium sized pot probably, and $20 gets that done. $15 is probably too small, $25 or $30 is probably too big. So you raise to $20, BB calls, limper calls.Pot is $60, and the flop comes T
75. It's checked to you. Now a c-bet of 2/3 - 3/4 of the pot would make sense. You want to get some value out of your hand. Let's go with $45. BB folds, MP player calls. Let's assume he's a decent player, albeit somewhat loose preflop. Check/calling out of position, you know he had to catch some piece of that flop. Maybe a T, maybe one of two available straight draws, or maybe two pair or a set. The turn is the Q We have , and the pot is $150. We have $435 left. MP checks to us.We can either bet again or check behind now to keep the pot small. Our opponent could be drawing, or he could have a made hand. Let's assume he will checkraise if he has two pair or a set. If we bet $90, we could fold to a checkraise without being committed. If we check behind, we can preserve our stack, perhaps induce a bluff on the river, or get value out of a T.
There's arguments for both actions here, but the point is when you're in position, you have a lot more control of what's going to happen in the hand. Out of position it's a lot tougher. Also, you'll have a better idea of where you stand, because your opponent has to act first.
I can't wait until this book comes out. I should have it by the end of the month at the latest. I expect that it will fill in the gaps where NLHTAP didn't (i.e. more explanation and examples).
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