Tilt
02-28-2005, 05:46 PM
I was thinking about Kurto's earlier post about getting screwed by short stacked morons when he called a preflop raise, and it occured to me that our FAQ section ought to have a simple checklist of what to do before calling a preflop raise. There are whole chapters of books on preflop play, but in the 30 seconds you have to act online you really need to have an organized thought process.
Here is my list - all of these things go through my head before I act against a preflop raise:
1) Consider, using all of the info available, the range of hands that the player is making the raise with. Are you calling with a dominated hand?
2) Consider your hand.
- Do you have a good chance of making a better hand by the flop and/or turn against the opponents likely holdings?
3) Consider a reraise.
- Are you likely ahead or behind based on what you know already?
- Will reraising narrow their hand down and save you money in the long-run?
- Are they likely to fold? Do you want them to?
- Will a reraise make the pot bigger than your hand?
- How would you respond to another raise?
4) Look at the implied odds of the situation.
- How big is the smaller of yours and your opponent's stack relative to the size of the raise?
- Are you likely to get paid off by this player when you hit your hand?
5) Look to your left at those yet to act.
- How aggressive/passive are they?
- Is another raise likely?
- Can you withstand another raise with the hand you have?
- Are more callers likely, making your draw more profitable?
6) Consider your postflop plan against this opponent.
- Does that player always back up their raises, or do they frequently offer free cards?
- Will the situation offer you odds to draw to a straight or flush if you flop a draw?
- Are you ready, able, and willing to play back with a medium PP against this player when no broadway cards come, or are you playing "no set no bet"?
- Can this opponent be easily bluffed?
- How will you play a made hand against this opponent? Will you checkraise or bet into them?
7) Consider the impact of your position on your postflop plan.
- For instance, if the value of your hand is in a flush and/or straight draw potential, avoid playing it in EP.
- Conversely, worry less about position with a "no set no bet" small PP strategy.
Thoughts anyone?
Here is my list - all of these things go through my head before I act against a preflop raise:
1) Consider, using all of the info available, the range of hands that the player is making the raise with. Are you calling with a dominated hand?
2) Consider your hand.
- Do you have a good chance of making a better hand by the flop and/or turn against the opponents likely holdings?
3) Consider a reraise.
- Are you likely ahead or behind based on what you know already?
- Will reraising narrow their hand down and save you money in the long-run?
- Are they likely to fold? Do you want them to?
- Will a reraise make the pot bigger than your hand?
- How would you respond to another raise?
4) Look at the implied odds of the situation.
- How big is the smaller of yours and your opponent's stack relative to the size of the raise?
- Are you likely to get paid off by this player when you hit your hand?
5) Look to your left at those yet to act.
- How aggressive/passive are they?
- Is another raise likely?
- Can you withstand another raise with the hand you have?
- Are more callers likely, making your draw more profitable?
6) Consider your postflop plan against this opponent.
- Does that player always back up their raises, or do they frequently offer free cards?
- Will the situation offer you odds to draw to a straight or flush if you flop a draw?
- Are you ready, able, and willing to play back with a medium PP against this player when no broadway cards come, or are you playing "no set no bet"?
- Can this opponent be easily bluffed?
- How will you play a made hand against this opponent? Will you checkraise or bet into them?
7) Consider the impact of your position on your postflop plan.
- For instance, if the value of your hand is in a flush and/or straight draw potential, avoid playing it in EP.
- Conversely, worry less about position with a "no set no bet" small PP strategy.
Thoughts anyone?