Preflop check-up

Lately, Lady Luck painted a nice little read bullseye, right above my nose, so I want to do a quick preflop check-up, so that I aint giving away free darts.


Ok..here goes: What would you do in each situation?


1: You're in cut-off with T8s after 2 limpers


2: You're on the button with KTs after 3 limpers


3: You're in BB with Kxs after 2 limpers and a late position raise by solid player.


4: You're in SB with Q8o after 4 limpers.


Might seem no-brainers, and I personally think this are fairly easy to answer situations, but I just want to make sure I dont make silly mistakes here. If you think your action depends, please say which conditions would lead to one or the other decision.


Thanks


Regards

"1: You're in cut-off with T8s after 2 limpers"


I'd call if the button indicates he is folded. I'd fold if the button indicates that he is not folding. If the button has a bag over his head and hands, I'd most like fold, otherwise I'd raise (to buy the button) if the limpers are very soft and passive and fearful and I hadn't played a hand for a while.


"2: You're on the button with KTs after 3 limpers"


Call.


"3: You're in BB with Kxs ..."


I'd fold to any raise from any player from any seat with any number of opponents.


"4: You're in SB with Q8o ..."


I'd fold no matter what.


Tommy

Tommy shares : "3: You're in BB with Kxs ..."


I'd fold to any raise from any player from any seat with any number of opponents.


Does this include a raise from the small blind headsup from uncooperative Sredni?

Me: [With Kxs]I'd fold to any raise from any player from any seat with any number of opponents.


Sredni: "Does this include a raise from the small blind headsup from uncooperative Sredni?"


Facing the calm and wise Sredni, passive resistance would seem appropriate.


Tommy

1: You're in cut-off with T8s after 2 limpers


Usually Sredni calls. Stay away when the limpers are strong or the behind action might get agressive.


2: You're on the button with KTs after 3 limpers


Call. A bold Sredni against weak limpers could raise. Be very careful of early limpers or limper that have you dominated. If there is a decent chance, just call. Abdul has a teaching hand where he raises from the big blind with KTs. It is a great upsetting thing for some.


3: You're in BB with Kxs after 2 limpers and a late position raise by solid player.


Sredni does not like to play against solid players out of position with dominated hand. Fold.


4: You're in SB with Q8o after 4 limpers.


Sredni is looking for reasons to fold. The limpers must be tranparent automatons or mucho calling stations to call. Calling in itself can be little mistake, if it is. Troubles arise post flop.

What do you think of raising KTs after 3-limpers? Especially since players wont fold (see my comment on your hand on medium stakes), and they see me as the rock of Gibraltar, and will often be passive towards me if I raise (but will call anyways).


Regards

"3: You're in BB with Kxs after 2 limpers and a late position raise by solid player.


Sredni does not like to play against solid players out of position with dominated hand. Fold. "


Dont you think the 1:7 you're getting is good enough to soley go for a flushdraw, especially if you're opponents are very loose postflop?


Regards

"What do you think of raising KTs after 3-limpers?"


I like it, and I do it. I answered "call" because that is my default setting in that spot. In other words, I look for reasons to raise as opposed to calling, rather than looking for reasons to call as opposed to raising.


With two limpers, I'm much more inclined to raise. With one limper, raising is nearly auto.


Reasons I raise with three limpers: tight blinds, soft limpers who will check to the raiser.


Tommy

1. fold. maybe call if the button and both blinds are very loose and very passive. Tommy made a good case for sometimes raising, I have no problem with his logic. 2. call 3. fold 4. fold

Ikke,


”1: You're in cut-off with T8s after 2 limpers”


Tend to call weak limpers and tend to fold against tough limpers. Fold if the button is reaching for chips to raise.


”2: You're on the button with KTs after 3 limpers”


At least call unless two or three “Jim Brier and Mason Malmuth types” call in front of you. In other words you don’t want to call tough players who often limp in early position with semi-strong kings. They will dominate you when you flop a king and won’t pay off on your flushes (and charge you to draw). Tend to raise three very weak limpers if the blinds give up easily and you have an intimidating image.


”3: You're in BB with Kxs after 2 limpers and a late position raise by solid player.”


Fold but it is close. With three opponents the suitedness does not make up for the fact you are dominated and have little high card strength. With one more limper it is a slightly positive call but beware if a king flops.


”4: You're in SB with Q8o after 4 limpers.”


I fold in a 20/40 structure and call in a 15/30 structure. Change the Q8o to a Q9o and it may be a call for half a bet in the 20/40 too.


Regards,


Rick

Tommy,


I can't see how you won't call with Kx suited once you get a bunch of opponents. The flush draw alone has value at some point and a player of your caliber won't get trapped with a bad king.


Geez, sometimes you sound like Rounder :-).


Regards,


Rick

Tommy,


Since I scolded your thinking in a post below regarding Kx suited I'll be a "good parent" and say this is a great analysis.


Regards,


Rick

Rick,


"I can't see how you won't call with Kx suited once you get a bunch of opponents."


Rick? :-) After all the words we've shared? This can't possibly come as surpise, can it?


Maybe it's because the place I play is surrounded by cememtaries, but I'm having a tombstone made. It says, "Betting first bites."


Say no more!


Tommy

1. T8s. Same as Tommy (play if button's going to fold) except if I've played several hands recently it gets mucked.


2. KTs. Usually call. Raise if blinds are tight and limpers are loose preflop or predictable after the flop. But if you're not comfortable playing those particular limpers, just fold.


3. Kxs. Fold. Preflop odds will kill you every time. You are 9:1 to flop the flush or draw and much less to win the pot. Plus you lose money every time a king flops without an ace. It's a death hand unless you are very, very good vs. those opponents postflop.


4. Q8o. Fold unless the house has added a free car to the pot.

It depends on the usual factors, but assuming a moderatley loose, mildly-aggresive 10-20 game:




1: You're in cut-off with T8s after 2 limpers

Fold.

2: You're on the button with KTs after 3 limpers

Call. There are too many ways to be dominated, but it's good enough to see the flop, and you do have the button.




3: You're in BB with Kxs after 2 limpers and a late position raise by solid player.

Call. You figure to have 7-1 pot odds (assuming the limpers call), enough to see if you can catch a flush draw on the flop.




4: You're in SB with Q8o after 4 limpers.

With a 2/3 blind, call and pray (you're getting 17-1 pot odds). With a 1/2 or 1/3 blind (11-1 and 8-1 respectively), muck it.

Rick--as I do not play 15-20 or 20-40 perhaps this is a dumb question, but why would these particular structure differences vary your play of Q-8? also, is the somewhat slightly better chance of a straight with Q-9 the reason you might play one over the other? thanx ahead of time ---Ron.

I think he meant that in the 15-30 structure the SB is two thirds of the big blind, where in the 20-40 stucture it's half the big blind.


Yes...Q9 has a better straight chance. You can also draw an open-ender, where you can all flop a straight with Q8 or a gutshot.


Regards

RonM,


Ikke got it right. The blind structure makes a difference and a two gapper has a lot more straight potential than a three gapper. But folding Q9 in the 20/40 can't be bad when the opponents are half decent.


Regards,


Rick