Nate

Could you please elaborate a little on your statement about slowplaying in PL vs NL? I've played some in the Hollywood Park PL game against some very aggressive players. I slowplayed some hands and won a couple of big pots. Just wondering if I was wrong.


Thank you in advance.


Adam.

Example.


5/10

Two limpers to LP raise.

Gary Pollock re-raises to $125 on button. Gary is VERY aggressive. His hand spectrum could be anywhere between AA and 45.


I'm BB and find AA. Cool. How to maximize? LP is playing alot of hands to the flop, but slows down when the pot gets big. He is somewhat steaming at Gary, and will probably call his raise, but not mine. I have a fairly tight image, and about $1800. LP has about $800 and Gary has us both covered.


I just call, as does LP. Flop is 33Q. Woohoo! I check. LP checks. GP bets pot. I call and LP goes all-in. GP mucks. Turn is A, and I beat his AQ.


How would you have played this hand? If I reraise pre-flop, I do not think LP calls, but GP might. Then I might double through if GP has QQ or KK.


Adam.

Nate's main point is going to be simple: in pot limit, your ability to slowplay depends really heavily on stack sizes.


In no limit, things can get much bigger much faster, since there's the ability to overbet the pot, or to move in. If you occasionally overbet the pot on a steal, and the other players know that, you can overbet the pot with a big hand and hope to get called.


In pot limit, though, you don't have that luxury. That means that in order to double through, you have to manipulate the pot size such that all your money can get in. If the stacks are deep, then it's really important to raise early on so that there's room for big bets later.


In this case, if you call, there will be ~$400 in the pot before the flop. This is plenty to get the $800 stack, and enough to double through -- a bet and a raise will amount to $1600, which is close to your stack size. So slowplaying before the flop is fine, if you can lay down AA after the flop when you need to.


If the stacks were twice as deep, then it becomes much harder to get all the money in, and you might want to consider raising before the flop, so that the pot is plenty big.


- target

Of course, target explained it perfectly. Mostly because he is no fish, and he plays this game better than I do.


Thanks for the vote of confidence by requesting my input. Believe me, I'm not an expert. I just post a lot! /images/smile.gif


I've got a copy of a post I made on slowplaying a few months ago which fully sets forth my ideas about slowplaying in NL. I'll dig it up and re-post it tomorrow, maybe it'll spur some good discussion.


Regarding your hand with the AA, it's a close decision whether to smooth call or re-raise preflop. Myself, I'd probably lean toward hoping for a double-through on the big stack and re-raise to inspire action and/or pot-stuckness from him. By just calling, you are actually giving any pair pretty good odds to go for a set, especially if you are committed to your hand after the flop. Just be willing to sometimes posture hard preflop with AK as well. Otherwise, whenever you do it, they'll know you have AA or KK.


natedogg

really help players trying to understand nl/pl and do not underestimate their worth...i and many lurkers always read your posts...gl

Good point scalf, I appreciate Nate's input too. I just started playing on UB today, playing NL for my first time. I think I'm gonna like this game....


-MD