The Protected Pot Effect: A Study from 2/4

[Yako]

Gregor,

The pot isn't protected in your example. You guys are HU, and the pot is only 3.5BB.

If anything, that's the perfect time to bluff.
A protected pot is one where someone is all-in, or one which will obviously get to show-down. Since bluffs don't win at show-down very often, the pot is said to be protected when showdown is likely to happen.

Truly,
Yako

[livinitup0]

[ QUOTE ]
So I was playing some 2/4 at Party today because I discovered they had given me some bonus money I didn't know I was eligible.

I played two hands that got me thinking about a very important poker concept, that of a protected pot .

In general, a protected pot is one in which the situation at hand makes it very unlikely that an opponent is bluffing. The most common reason a pot is said to be "protected" is because there are many opponents (basically any more than 2). Other reasons might be the presence of a very donky player who is not folding, the pot is large and so no one is folding, the board texture is such that your unlikely to get anyone to fold, and so on.


So I played two hands today which got me thinking about the protected pot effect. This not meant to be a prototype or example of when the protected pot effect obviously applies. In fact, this is more a borderline situation where I am interested in people's opinions about whether that effect should be considered and to what degree.

In the hand, the EP villain is unknown and the MP pre-flop raiser is generally unknown but seems pretty bad from what I can tell.

I am new to the table so there aren't image considerations.

Hero is BB with K[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img].

Pre-flop: EP player limps, folded to an MP player who raises, one LP player colds calls, SB calls, Deranged calls.

Flop (5 players, 10 SB): K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 6[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 2[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]

SB checks, Deranged checks, EP bets, MP calls, LP calls, SB folds, Deranged raises, EP calls, MP calls.

Turn (4 players, 9 BB): 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

Deranged bets, EP calls, MP calls, LP folds.

River (3 players, 12 BB): 2[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]

Deranged bets, EP raises, MP calls, Deranged starts thinking about the protected pot effect and...


I encourage discussion about all aspects of the hand, including flop play, but the main question is the river. What range of hands can our opponents have? Can the river really have helped anyone? What effect does the MP player overcalling have on our decision?

[/ QUOTE ]

The hand is fine. I just cant fear a 2outer, Ive got to call...its like 17BB in there if im reading it right... I dont think this protection concept applies here as many broken diamonds will take a stab, I see this a lot at 2/4.
Plus I think you did as much as you could to protect your TP-good kicker. NH.

[livinitup0]

If this hand was played over again 100 times with unknown players with the same cards folding would still be the right choice more times than not. I only make these marginal calls with clear reads and when Villian is super aggro.