10-22-04, LearnTexasHoldem:
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Do you I check or bet? In a limit game, I would probably bet to pay for the information because in, for example, a $10-$20 game its just $10 more to obtain valuable information about a $60 or $80 pot. If there's a raise, I'm out. Do you agree?
In a no limit game, if I make a bet and its too small I will almost certainly get raised. If I make a significant bet, I am risking quite a bit in the face of a decent probabilty of an A. So, I think I should place a medium sized bet. Do you agree? Although I tend to wuss out and check.
Answer: Checking in both situations is probably your worst move unless you are prepared to give up the hand if someone bets. The problem with checking is that you basically say to the other opponents, "I don't have an Ace, please bet me out." On the other hand if you do go ahead and bet then you'll have a pretty good idea of where they are at based on their play. If they raise you then you can easily fold. If only one person calls then you may be good still.
Just remember that you will do much better in poker if you are the aggressor -- even in marginal hands. If you are considering calling with the hand, it is almost always better to bet since you can win immediately in addition to showing down the best hand. Also, you need to take into account the number of opponents. I think three opponents is pushing it -- two is fine, one is ideal. You might not still check into all of them but the idea is that the more opponents, the more likely that your underpair isn't going to hold up.
There are some differences between limit and no limit play in these situations but the general ideas are the same. For no limit what I do in situations like this is to bet a good amount, but not a huge amount. It is kind of like a protective bet. My goal with the bet is to let them fold now if they don't have anything and keep them from bluffing since I've shown weakness. Consider what you would do if you called a raise preflop in no limit and the flop was Ace high and the preflop raiser bet into you. That puts you in a bad spot unless you have a very good hand.
On the other hand if I just checked to you, you could capitalize on my weakness and bet with anything and now I would be put to the test. In no limit holdem cash games, when I have a hand like a pair of Jacks or Queens, I am very careful not to create a marginal situation post flop where I have tough decisions. I like to raise enough preflop to make sure I only get one or max two opponents; otherwise you are just asking for trouble.
Lastly, you mentioned that if you bet a small amount then you would be surely raised because they sensed weakness. If they can read you that well in your no limit cash game then you need to mix up your betting more. I intentionally bet varying amounts to keep my opponents guessing. Deception is key in no limit holdem so your opponents have to make tough choices (which leaves them vulnerable). You'll make more money in the long run if you can keep them off balance and confused.
No limit holdem is about setting up your opponent and much of what you do in a hand isn't just for that hand but for future hands. Let me give you an example that just happened last night to me. I was playing a no limit holdem tourney with 3 other people whom I don't play often. In the first hand I had Q9off. I raised from the button and only the big blind called. The flop came back all low. 7-5-2 Unless my opponent hit their kicker with an Ace then it would be hard for them to call if I bet since they assume I have a good hand.
So I bet a good amount. The opponent called. The turn card was another low card. The person checked to me and I thought about it for a while and concluded that they probably had an Ace high hand like AJ, AT, etc and it would be very hard for them to call a second bet from me so I bet again. The person folded and I quickly turned over my Q9off. Three hands later I had top pair and check raised the same opponent. This time I bet more every round and the person called. I won a huge pot and almost busted him.
Notice the setup. With one hand I shaped the way the person played all the rest of their hands against me. So in your specific case, varying betting sizes when you do have a great hand on the flop will protect you from when you don't. For example, sometimes bet a smaller amount then normal when you have AK and flop an Ace or a King. If someone raises, then you can reraise.
By mixing it up you create a wall of confusing that they can't break through unless they are more aggressive then you (and that is very hard without crossing over into reckless play).
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