If you want to increase your poker skills and learn to crush the games, check out Jonathan Little’s elite training site at PokerCoaching.com.
I was recently told about a hand from a $1-$3 live, no-limit cash game that illustrates a few mistakes many recreational poker players make on a regular basis.
A player in third position limped with a $450 effective stack at a nine-handed table, as did our Hero in the cutoff with K♠J♥.
Our Hero told me that he limped with K-J instead of raising because he thought the initial limper had a tight range and likely had him dominated. If that is the case, K-J should be easily folded.
If you are somewhat confident your opponent has a premium range, you should not get involved with hands that are easily dominated, such as A-8 and K-J.
An unknown player on the button raised to $15. The initial limper called.
At this point, Hero has to put in $12 more into a pot that will be $49 (minus the rake) after he calls. It is reasonable to think Hero will realize about 25% equity, so calling is probably fine (assuming he does not think he is horribly dominated).
That said, Hero is certain to find himself in difficult post-flop situations, especially when he flops a pair and faces a bet on all three streets. So again, folding is likely best.
Hero instead called. The flop came Q♣9♦2♣. The initial limper and Hero checked to the preflop raiser, who bet $25 into the $49 pot. The initial limper folded.
Hero again has an easy fold. A gutshot on a board with a flush draw is nothing to be proud of. If the opponent bet smaller, perhaps $18 or less, calling (or raising) may become reasonable due to the excellent pot odds. But against larger bets, folding is almost certainly the best play because in order to bet into two opponents, the bettor must have something reasonable, like a decent pair or draw.
Hero instead called. The turn was the 3♣ and Hero led for $40 into the $99 pot.
I actually don’t mind Hero’s decision to bluff some portion of the time (even though his specific hand is not an excellent bluffing candidate). When you check-call the flop, (also referred to as floating) you should actively look for spots to take away the pot on the turn, either by leading or check-raising.
Given stacks are still quite deep and there is now a flush available, I would have check-folded, but check-raising may be fine if Hero expects the opponent to continue bluffing with many of his unpaired hands, or if he thinks the opponent will fold strong hands like A-A. I would have been more patient when choosing my bluff spot, waiting for hands containing one club, giving me some additional outs when I happen to get called.
The opponent called. The river was the 10♥, giving Hero a straight. Hero bet $75 into the $179 pot and his opponent raised all-in for $370 total.
At this point, Hero has to call $295 more into a pot that will be $919 after Hero calls, meaning he needs to win about 30% of the time or more to justify calling.
While a straight is quite high up the hand ranking chart, I would be surprised if a generic player in a $1-$3 game is bluffing all-in anywhere near 30% of the time. Hero also does not have any clubs in his hand, making it a bit more likely for the opponent to have a flush (including the probable nut flush).
If the opponent was known to bluff in spots like these where Hero could easily have a flush, then calling may make sense, but against almost everyone, Hero has an easy fold. When you represent extreme strength by leading on a scary turn and then continue betting on the river, if you get raised, you can be confident that you are against the flush the vast majority of the time.
Hero called and lost to the nuts, A♣5♣. As Hero told me, he got what he deserved.
If you want to avoid making the most common mistakes I see my students make, I put together a course called The 25 Biggest Leaks and How to Fix Them. This course is completely free inside Card Player Poker School!
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Jonathan Little is a WSOP bracelet winner, two-time WPT winner, and the 2024 PokerGO Cup champion with nearly $9 million million in live tournament earnings, best-selling author of 15 educational poker books, and 2019 GPI Poker Personality of the Year. If you want to increase your poker skills and learn to crush the games, check out his training site at PokerCoaching.com/cardplayer.
