01-25-05, LearnTexasHoldem:

Betting Post Flop After Missing

Question: Two questions.

First, I am relatively new to the game (No Limit) and try to play tight/aggressive and follow the great guidelines you set forth. (along with similar advice from the poker books)

One mistake I think I make is putting too much value in position. I play much more aggressively when I have position. This works pretty well pre-flop, but after the flop, I think I carry it too far. (assuming I miss the flop) Let's say I'm holding a decent two over cards, but did not hit on the flop. If the table is passive (checks or small bets), should I bet? I get hurt in this situation by betting post-flop, then being tempted again on 4th and 5th. Advice?

Second, I'm having my first home game with 11 others this weekend. One friend doesn't like the rule on not having to show your hand if you can't beat an already declared hand. I understand your logic for it (and prefer it since online is that way), but how many casinos play it one way versus the other? (all callers must show hands after the river)

Thanks!

Rick

Top 3 Beginner Rooms

Answer: In no limit holdem you aren't going to make a huge amount of money by betting when you miss flops. The majority of the money you make is from trapping other people in hands and taking a large portion of their stack in one shot. The reason you sometimes bet your hands after you miss is so that people can't play as well against you. If you always check if you miss and always bet if you hit then obviously it is going to be a problem.

Pay attention to how many people are in on the flop, who they are, what your outs are and how much money is in the pot. If you just have one or two opponents, the chance of a bet winning the hand goes up. I don't like putting money in with the worst hand if there are three or more players, even with position. You may get a free card but it is just as likely you'll get check raised. If I miss and the flop looks ragged, I'll bet more often. If the flop looks really connected then I'll play more weakly.

The same goes for the turn card, I'll bet again if I think I have a good chance to win, otherwise I'll take my free card. Don't take the approach that you have to fire away to the river with every hand you raise with preflop. Aggressive play is useful but if you go overboard it just becomes a weakness. You want to mix up your play so that they don't know what you have and have to pay off your good hands. Any more "mixing up" than necessary is giving money way -- don't forget that.

Now for the question about being forced to show your hand, these are actual texas holdem rules, not just rules online. The rule is that you have to show if people request to see it, otherwise you are free to fold if you don't have the winner. If you do have the winning hand to take the pot you must show both cards, not just one even if it is enough to win on alone. To request to see other people's hands you must request before the hand is over and the person had to call.

You couldn't ask to see a person who folded. Asking to see other people's hands, especially if you weren't even in the hand, is something you don't see very often -- maybe 1 out of 200 hands (if that even). And when you do ask to see someone else's hand it should be for a legitimate reason or it is considered needling them (doing something just to piss them off).

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