I received an E-mail a while back about a no-limit hold'em tournament problem that I think you will find interesting. The question had several parts to it, but let us set the scene first. There was approximately $550,000 in chips in play, and 30-minute rounds. Play was down to four tables and the blinds were $200-$400 with a $50 ante. Everyone folded to an aggressive player who was one off the button – in the cutoff seat. This player played a wide variety of hands and did not need a big hand to raise from that position. He made it $1,200 to go and had about $8,000 in his stack. The button and small blind folded, and it was up to our E-mailer, who was in the big blind with the 8
7. The first question was, did the raiser make a big enough raise? The big blind didn't think so. The second question was, with $2,250 in the pot and $800 for him to call, was he getting the right price at 2.8-to-1? The $800 was about one-sixth of his stack. What was the most correct play under these circumstances? Fold, which he did, call and hope to get part of the flop and then bet out, or reraise against a player who might not fold a marginal hand?
In answer to the first question, the raiser made a reasonable raise at three times the size of the big blind. Could he have raised more and been correct to do so? Yes. A raise of four or five times the size of the big blind would have increased the pressure on the remaining players, and made it more difficult to play most hands that were even slightly marginal. A bigger raise might have made it more difficult for him to get away from his hand in case a reraise came from one of the remaining players, so his raise was in the right range if he either wanted some action or was prepared to dump his hand in the face of opposition.
Would calling have been a reasonable option? If there were other players in the pot and it would not have been possible to get reraised, calling a small raise would have been OK if it didn't take more than 5 percent of his stack. Calling heads up, out of position, with one-sixth of his remaining chips with only 8 high is not a good play. Another problem is that if he did call in that heads-up situation and caught a piece of the flop, it might have busted him if he moved in and was up against a bigger pair and had only a pair and a draw, or just a draw.
How about the other play, a reraise move in? This might work and I actually like it better than just calling, but if he gets called, he's definitely in an uphill battle. Before I move in, I have to have a good read on the player and figure there is a good chance he will lay down his hand. In conclusion, I think the best play was to fold, as our E-mailer did.
Earlier this year, I got a letter from one of my faithful readers, Jerome Wheeler. He wanted to know about the play of small pairs in the small blind when nobody has called. Jerome plays in a $15-$30 game in Kansas City with a $5 small blind and a $15 big blind. He specifically asked about deuces through fives. His normal strategy is to raise a tight player to try to pick up the blinds, but what about a very aggressive or loose player? He is unsure what to do when he is either called or reraised, sees the flop, and misses the set. Against loose players, he has been just limping in and then betting out, hoping they give up. If they don't, he is prepared to shut down unless he thinks his opponent is on a draw; is this correct? Yes, I think this is a reasonable strategy all the way around. Don't forget that a pair is the favorite against two random overcards heads up, and most of the time his opponent will not pair up on the flop. If his opponent hasn't shown any strength, I believe a bet is in order, and then see what develops. If the set is missed and he thinks his opponent is on a flush or straight draw, he should keep betting unless the draw gets there. I also think this is reasonable if you have made the right read on your opponent.
Jerome also wanted to know if I play deuces any different from fives, and if I even play them in a tournament. The first answer is, I don't play them too differently, but fives are definitely stronger, as they offer better straight possibilities, and can beat hands like A-4 if a 4 flops. In a tournament situation, the answer is that it depends on the type of opponent I'm up against, the stage of the tournament, and the size of my and my opponent's stacks. If I am short-stacked or he is short-stacked, I tend to be aggressive and take a stand with any pair. If I am short- or medium-stacked and just a few spots out of the money, I prefer folding. In the early stages of a tournament, I don't vary my play a whole lot from standard ring-game strategy.
Jerome was also nice enough to tell me my books Tournament Poker and Championship Hold'em have helped him make it to the final table 16 times out of 35 attempts in his local tournament. He has had three wins and six runner-up finishes – pretty outstanding, I would say.
Editor's note: Tom McEvoy is the author of Tournament Poker, the only tournament book to give specific strategies for each game in the World Series of Poker. For more information, visit www.pokerbooks.com.