Gap Theory Question

[fsuplayer]

I consider myself a pretty solid NLHE cash player, but one w/o much tourny experience. Regarding the gap theory, if you are raising with "weaker" hands than you need to call with, by definition, arent you only going to be in the pot against hands that are slightly better than yours and ones that have you dominated? Which types of hands does this apply to? ie do i raise with KQ, A9, 66 with seven people left? (assume a blind structure that gives some room to play)
Any help or comments are appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
FsuPlayer

[BaronVonCP]

You are correct; however, you should be stealing the blinds enough times to make up the difference.

[Al_Capone_Junior]

Agreed.

There are more "trash folding to a raise" hands than there are hands that will dominate you when you open raise with a lesser hand than usual due to your correct application of the gap concept. So overall, you profit. However, when you DO get called you need to be more cautious, as it's highly probable your opponent has quality cards, due to this being a tournament, and his playing tighter than usual.

al

[paland]

Another part of the theory is that if you call, you can win in only one way. Best Hand. So you better have a hand that will win or you're wasting money. But if you raise, you can win two ways. Best hand and everyone folding. And sometimes a hand that folded was better than yours.

[jedi]

Another part of the theory which I need to remind myself frequently is that it's better to raise with trash than it is to raise with marginal hands in the event of a re-raise. I think Sklansky explained it as turning AQ into 72. If you raise with AQ and are faced with a sizable re-raise, now what? If you raise with 72 and are faced with a sizable re-raise, throw it away. I think David Oppenheim did this in a WPT show a few weeks ago.

It also helps to have a tight image in which you can make these plays.

[Bigwig]

Also, when you raise you are effectively making every hand short-handed. This is an advantage to a good player, IMO, because it is much easier to read 1 - 3 players, than six. I remember recently losing a huge pot when I had AJ and the flop came 5 6 J 3 J.

Who did I get beat by? The BB who had 7 4. No way that guy stays in if I had raised.

[alieneyes]

[ QUOTE ]
You are correct; however, you should be stealing the blinds enough times to make up the difference.

[/ QUOTE ]

And be getting good implied odds when you do actually have a premium hand because it will be hard for opponents to figure exactly when you do.

[Vince Lepore]

[ QUOTE ]
Regarding the gap theory, if you are raising with "weaker" hands than you need to call with, by definition, arent you only going to be in the pot against hands that are slightly better than yours and ones that have you dominated

[/ QUOTE ]

I had a discussion on rgp about the gap theory in Sklansky's book. The concensus of the other participants including Tom Weideman was that the Gap concept was a "Duh" concept and Sklansky was chastised for putting it in his book. I made the point that regardless of how "common sensical" the theory is that not many really understand it. I still believe this to be true.

The answer to your question above is no you will not always be playing against hands that are slightly better than yours and yes sometimes you will be. The idea behind the gap concept has nothing to do with who or what hands call your raises. It has everything to do with what hands you call or reraise with.

The statement that you need a better hand to call a raise with than to raise yourself does not go far enough to explain this very important concept. As with most other poker concepts the "it depends" clause needs to be applied.

To give an example suppose YOU will only raise utg with A,K;A,A;K,K; or Q,Q. The gap concept if interpreted literally by you would restrict you to calling or reraising an UTG raiser with A,A or K,K. But that is not what the gap concept means. It means that you need a better hand than the average raising hand of the raiser to call or reraise. It means you must know your opponent or at least make an educated guess of his play and then play accordingly. The gap concept is tied to your opponents play not yours.

As for who or what hands call your raises, if you are being called only by better hands or hands that dominate you when you are raising, then you are probably playing too tight. A priamary reason for raising, thinning the field or isolating an opponent, is done because you have opponents that call with weaker hands than your starting requirements. Thus you should be in the lead on most of your raises against weaker opponents. But that said, who clls you is not much of a consideration when discussing the gap theory. The gap theory must be fully understood to play NLH correctly and successfully. It is meant to aide you in your decisions. If you have an opponent that understands and is good at applying the gap theory then you should try and stay out of his way and be very cautious when in a hand with him. The Gap concept is not the "duh" people think it is.

Vince