Why are most hold 'em games played with a kill?

I have often wondered why I have to put in 6 chips after winning 2 pots in a row in a 3-6 game and 8 chips in a 4-8 game and so on. Am I being punished for being a better player than everyone else there or being rewarded with a higher limit for at least one hand, where I can make better moves and steal pots more often by check-raising bottom pair and getting middle pair and often top pair,weak kicker out of a pot where they would have called $6 on the turn and not $12 in a 3-6 kill. Well enough of my ego writing this post, now my lone question.


Why do you have to kill the pot after you have won two in a row?

If you are a good player, 95% of the time you will also be a tight player. If you are a tight player, you will be entering fewer pots. If you are entering fewer pots, you are winning fewer total pots,(but usually a higher % of pots entered). The people who are winning more pots are the loose/weak types who play far too many hands way too far. Now, after they have won 2 in a row, they are automatically giving back 2 bets to the next pot, and are now committed to that pot with completely random cards, which many then raise in turn to protect their hand, allowing you to play, if you so choose and are well enough carded, to play against this goof for double stakes with your good cards vs. his crap cards. Some idiots wil actually enter a pot directly after winning a pot for the express purpose of killing. God, do I love these people. In short, it punishes loose players, and benefits tight player. This really should be obvious, but then you're check-raising with bottom pair after killing, expecting to knock out top and middle pairs who are giving your random hand little or no credit....

That still doesn't answer my question about why they play with a kill. Are you telling me they came up with this because to many people were playing very poorly. I just want to know who came up with it and why they play with a kill?

Somebody very smart came up with it, not sure who. The reason for it is that it creates more action while sharpening the edge for intelligent players all the while while not being apparent to lesser players, a brilliant idea if ever there was one. Just tighten up a bit more and enjoy. By the way, in split games, the reverse is true;good players get penalized for playing a hand well and scooping.

Is it really true that "most" have a kill?????

Well maybe not all, but at least in the southern california rooms where I play, all the hold 'em games have a kill.

"Why do you have to kill the pot after you have won two in a row?"


Because.


That should answer the question very precisely.


As for the question "Why are most hold 'em games played with a kill? "


I've played on the east coast, in Vegas, and in Cali. The only place where MOST games are played with a kill (out of these three locations) is Cali. AC didn't have any kill games last time I was there. Vegas has a few places with kill pot games, but most of the places I have played in don't play with a kill. I believe the reason for Cali having mostly kill games is that people in Cali are completely insane. That's the only thing that really ties in every observation I've made since arriving in Cali. It's the only thing that really makes much sense.


Dave in Cali

I have found that what I expected would be the best strategy for kill pots when I first played in them didn't exactly match what I believe is the best strategy now. For one thing, players DO tend to play somewhat differently in a kill pot, but this may or may not mean they play tighter or better. Some of the loose players actually seem to get LOOSER in kill pots (gotta love it!). A few will tighten up, but here in Cali, land of the kills, this is VERY few.


My basic strategy doesn't change much, but I'll sometimes adjust my play according to the players I'm up against. This is especially effective when you play against mostly regular players, as do I. Learning their playing habits in kill pots is doubly profitable when the stakes are doubled.


A really nice thing I've found about kills is that the TIGHT players seem to fold even more easily to a raise, yet the loose players don't seem to notice the double size stacks going into the pot. This is sooooo sweet! When there are a few tighties in the game, especially if they are downstream from me, I actually LOWER my raising requirements a little. for instance, say it's 8 handed and I'm 2nd or 3rd UTG. In a non-kill, I'll usually start to raise with AJo or ATs if I'm first into the pot, but in a kill pot, I might raise with A9 or A8s. This is especially true if I think a couple tight players will quickly ditch for the double sized bets, and if I think the loose players who call will be easy for me to outplay. And when the tighties ditch, now I'm up against just the loosies, which is twice as stupendous! I have noticed that players who are aware DO tend to fold more easily when a kill pot gets raised. Because of all this, I think it's sometimes EASIER to read my opponents in kill pots than in non-kill pots.


After the flop, I've found that bets definitely get more respect across the board. I actually tend to bet a little bit more than I would in the same situation in a non-kill pot. For instance, say I'm in the killer and I'm UTG. Two loose and timid players limp, rest fold, BB calls, and I take the free play with something like Js5s. The flop is Ts 8c 5h. I'll often bet this one right away if the BB checks, hoping to take the pot right there. Watching the reactions of my opponents to the flop influences my decision here.


One other observation is that I am LESS likely to try for a check-raise in a kill pot, especially on the turn, because it will get checked around more often in kills.


In the end, kill pots DO favor good players, especially those who can make adjustments based on the specific play or their competition.


Dave in Cali

OK if they all have a kill in so. calif. then to fret about it is a bit like howling at the moon


it won't change a thing, so concentrate on things which you have some control or power or something you can improve