When a multiway pot becomes HU

DavidC · #1 08-17-2005, 01:26 PM

(Edit: this isn't relating to party's 0.5/1 game, but rather to poker in general. This appears to be one of the more academic poker forums on the site, so that's why I asked it here.)

There's going to be times when someone bets, and it's folded to you, and there's maybe one tight guy behind you who probably didn't connect with the board.

In this case, the pot has basically become HU, even though it started MW, so how do you play it?

My feeling on this is that you play it as a HU pot, but with the understanding that your opponent's actions took place in a MW pot, so you have to use his assumptions under those conditions in your assessment of how to play the rest of the hand...

i.e. he probably wasn't taking bluffing equity into consideration when he bet... so you do have to have a legitimate hand to continue, but if you raise him, you'll likely get your free card, since HE showed strength by betting into a crowd, and you're showing more strength than that strength when you raise, etc.

Just some ideas.

Also, let me know if you should cap with KK. (Just kidding.) [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Jacob_Gilliam · #2 08-17-2005, 01:37 PM

This is still micros, right? An opponents bet into a field doesn't neccesarily mean a strong hand. The concept of bluff equity is lost on them. Just play the odds like always and it all works out in the end. (note, I just lost a hand where i had KQo, raised, flopped a queen with a crap board, bet, and got called on the flop, turn, and river by a guy with pocket aces who never raised me. This is your competition.)

deception5 · #3 08-17-2005, 01:38 PM

You're right, it's very likely he has something, but it could be a made hand or a draw. The more draw-heavy the board, the more likely your hand is good at the moment. Position is extremely important here.

Jacob_Gilliam · #4 08-17-2005, 01:41 PM

Ohhh, J62 flop, someone bet into the field with 23h, I love Pacific.

MrWookie47 · #5 08-17-2005, 01:44 PM

There isn't some mystical difference between HU and a multiway pot. It's hand reading combined with the same pot odds and equity stuff we know and love. The biggest difference is that now you only have to read one hand, and there won't be quite as much money in the pot at the end. There's no additional magic to how I play it.

Fantam · #6 08-17-2005, 01:45 PM

Hmmm so you are considering a semi-bluff raise on the flop to perhaps get a free look at the river with your gut-shot draw or say overcard + bottom pair draw.

Well just make sure that the pot is already big enough to justify your raise, particularly as you could end up being 3-bet by an agressive opponent. LOL.

Nice post and an interesting suggestion to think about. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Henke · #7 08-17-2005, 01:52 PM

Another difference between this situation and many HU situations is the pot size. It tends to be bigger when lots of people saw the flop. In a small pot HU, I might get tricky with a hand such as TPGK, but say 5 ppl limped preflop. If you just call and give him a "cheap" card, you're giving up equity close to a small bet if he has some other pair and doesn't share your kicker. If you raise, he won't have odds to call with a 5-outer...