Tuesday, January 23. 2007
Limit Hold'em: How to Control the Pot
You surely know by now playing Texas Holdem well involves a lot more than knowing the Texas Holdem rules or waiting to have the best hand and betting a lot of money.
Not necessarily a bad idea sometimes, but you know there's a lot more that goes into the game than just that. And you know there are a lot of reasons for making a bet: In Texas Hold em poker, we bet to build a pot we think we've got the best of, or to make someone fold if we're afraid they have us beat, just to name two.
Certainly not the least of those many reasons to bet is to control the pot, because if you're not in control of it, someone else will be. And that's not the best case scenario for you to come out on top.
What it is
Controlling the pot should be a vital part of your Texas Holdem strategy. Essentially, it means managing its size to make it more or less desirable for players to try and win it. In other words, if the pot is really big, opponents will likely call bets with weaker hands because of the larger possible payoff. If the pot is small, it's easier for players to get away from a hand that may be beaten.
How do you do it?
The only way to control the pot is with your betting. This is much, much more difficult in Limit Texas Hold'em than in No-Limit, simply because of the fixed bets. But, however, there are still ways to work the pot in a Limit Hold'em game:
Keeping the Pot Small
If you have a big hand not likely to improve, you may want to keep the pot small to protect yourself if things go bad.
For instance: you get pocket queens in early position. You raise and get one caller. The flop is Ah Ts 9s. In a No-Limit game, you might be tempted to put in a continuation bet to see where you stand. In a Limit game, though, your bet will often be called by a player with a flush draw, straight draw, or any pair. If you bet and are raised, you're going to have to throw your hand away. Or, call and risk being strung along for more bets on the turn or river, which will be particularly difficult if a spade or a straight card comes.
If you check, you leave yourself more options. If your opponent bets, you can call and see a turn card for only one bet. Once that card comes you can determine where you stand in the hand, and if you decide to fold, you'll have forfeited a relatively small pot. If your opponent checks, you can bet on the turn and still have only lost a fairly small pot if you are check-raised. If you're not check-raised, you should be able to get to a showdown with a hand that will often win, but wouldn't hold up to the kind of heavy betting that would go on if the pot got large quickly.
Building a Big Pot
If you want to build a big pot in Limit Texas Holdem, you've got to make sure multiple bets get in the pot on each street, all the way to the river. For example: You have Js Ts in middle position. You limp in, the next player raises, and the button, small blind, and big blind all call. The flop comes 3s 9s Qh.
This is a great drawing flop for you, and you'll likely be tempted to bet when the action gets to you. Instead, this could be a good time to build a big pot. If you bet right away, the player who raised initially may raise again. This will make it two bets to the other three players, meaning they'll be getting 6.5-to-1 (two bets to win 13) for the first caller, and slightly more for the second and third callers.
These are good odds. But if anybody folds, subsequent players may decide their odds are not good enough. If they all fold, you'll be heads-up against one player who clearly has a better hand than you right now. And that's the last thing you want. On the other hand, say you check in this situation instead. Now if the pre-flop raiser bets, each player will be getting at least 11-to-1. These odds may be too good to resist. Once the action gets back to you, you can now raise. Even if the pre-flop raiser raises again, the other players will be hard pressed to throw away a chance at 18 or more bets in the pot for only two more bets.
If the pre-flop raiser gets scared of you and just calls, subsequent players will be almost forced to call at 17-to-1. Now you've built the perfect pot. Even if a spade or a straight card comes, multiple players will probably feel compelled to pay you off for a shot at the 20 or more bets in the pot.
And there you have it: you've worked a big pot in Limit Texas Hold'em.
Not necessarily a bad idea sometimes, but you know there's a lot more that goes into the game than just that. And you know there are a lot of reasons for making a bet: In Texas Hold em poker, we bet to build a pot we think we've got the best of, or to make someone fold if we're afraid they have us beat, just to name two.
Certainly not the least of those many reasons to bet is to control the pot, because if you're not in control of it, someone else will be. And that's not the best case scenario for you to come out on top.
What it is
Controlling the pot should be a vital part of your Texas Holdem strategy. Essentially, it means managing its size to make it more or less desirable for players to try and win it. In other words, if the pot is really big, opponents will likely call bets with weaker hands because of the larger possible payoff. If the pot is small, it's easier for players to get away from a hand that may be beaten.
How do you do it?
The only way to control the pot is with your betting. This is much, much more difficult in Limit Texas Hold'em than in No-Limit, simply because of the fixed bets. But, however, there are still ways to work the pot in a Limit Hold'em game:
Keeping the Pot Small
If you have a big hand not likely to improve, you may want to keep the pot small to protect yourself if things go bad.
For instance: you get pocket queens in early position. You raise and get one caller. The flop is Ah Ts 9s. In a No-Limit game, you might be tempted to put in a continuation bet to see where you stand. In a Limit game, though, your bet will often be called by a player with a flush draw, straight draw, or any pair. If you bet and are raised, you're going to have to throw your hand away. Or, call and risk being strung along for more bets on the turn or river, which will be particularly difficult if a spade or a straight card comes.
If you check, you leave yourself more options. If your opponent bets, you can call and see a turn card for only one bet. Once that card comes you can determine where you stand in the hand, and if you decide to fold, you'll have forfeited a relatively small pot. If your opponent checks, you can bet on the turn and still have only lost a fairly small pot if you are check-raised. If you're not check-raised, you should be able to get to a showdown with a hand that will often win, but wouldn't hold up to the kind of heavy betting that would go on if the pot got large quickly.
Building a Big Pot
If you want to build a big pot in Limit Texas Holdem, you've got to make sure multiple bets get in the pot on each street, all the way to the river. For example: You have Js Ts in middle position. You limp in, the next player raises, and the button, small blind, and big blind all call. The flop comes 3s 9s Qh.
This is a great drawing flop for you, and you'll likely be tempted to bet when the action gets to you. Instead, this could be a good time to build a big pot. If you bet right away, the player who raised initially may raise again. This will make it two bets to the other three players, meaning they'll be getting 6.5-to-1 (two bets to win 13) for the first caller, and slightly more for the second and third callers.
These are good odds. But if anybody folds, subsequent players may decide their odds are not good enough. If they all fold, you'll be heads-up against one player who clearly has a better hand than you right now. And that's the last thing you want. On the other hand, say you check in this situation instead. Now if the pre-flop raiser bets, each player will be getting at least 11-to-1. These odds may be too good to resist. Once the action gets back to you, you can now raise. Even if the pre-flop raiser raises again, the other players will be hard pressed to throw away a chance at 18 or more bets in the pot for only two more bets.
If the pre-flop raiser gets scared of you and just calls, subsequent players will be almost forced to call at 17-to-1. Now you've built the perfect pot. Even if a spade or a straight card comes, multiple players will probably feel compelled to pay you off for a shot at the 20 or more bets in the pot.
And there you have it: you've worked a big pot in Limit Texas Hold'em.
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