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Many Texas Holdem poker players don’t realize this
As the pre-flop lead-raising jammer, getting medium strength on the flop circle when there is position, many players will choose to check to control the bottom pool. Of course, if we check every time we get a medium strength hand on the flop, our opponents will notice because we are playing too straightforward.
So, sometimes it makes sense for us to overcall with an overpowered hand, but sometimes the benefits of overcalling with an overpowered hand are limited. For example, holding AA and overcalling on the flop side of A22. And there are times when overcalling with overcards can put us in a difficult decision. The following hand is an example of a hand that was played recently.
In an NL100 table of 6, the regular in UTG raises to a 3 open pot and the regular in BB calls from the blind. The flop is AcQ2dc and both players check.
When would UTG check on a flop with A? When he holds KK, QQ, JJ, QTs? Or some combination that would make a medium strength hand? What else?
Most of the time, UTG will do semi-whims, pure whims and value bets on this ace-high flop. So, UTG’s overcards on the flop ring seem to reveal something about the strength of his hand, as this flop fits too well with UTG’s range of consistent bets.
The turn card, 7h, was a complete blank if both players didn’t hold A7 and 77. The regular in the BB realized this and rebet $8. UTG didn’t give up the hand easily and called.
The river Js and the public board read AcQd2c7hJs, and the BB hammered again, this time with a $27 bet, and both bets filled the pot.
If a player’s betting pattern is balanced, then the bigger his bets, the more likely he is to bluff.
For this full pot bet, if BB’s betting pattern is balanced, he needs to balance one bluff bet with two value bets out of every three bets. And UTG calls a full pot bet to win 2x the call, so he needs to call with one value bet and also needs to call with a catch bluff pattern to achieve balance.
Js on the river may fit the bluff betting pattern KT on the turn, or other turn draws of KJ,JT, and JX, pairing up on the river to continue the bluff.
If BB is savvy enough, he will know that JT cannot beat the power represented by UTG calling on the turn. After all, JX loses to QQ and KK, but in real life confrontations, many players don’t realize this and are afraid to catch bluffs with non-top pair.
Texas Holdem Poker Tips – The logic behind it
After facing a full pool bet from the BB, UTG raised all in and the hand got interesting. utg now has a combination of hands that show no give up on the turn, JJ that form SET on the river, or AA that form SET right from the flop. in addition to this, there is a small amount of TT that blocked TJ and KK that blocked KT.
If UTG held KcTc, he could have bet two streets in a row on a flop draw plus a card straight, but he didn’t, so it’s unlikely he held KcTc. In other words, even if he actually held AA, an all-in raise on the river is not without risk, because UTG doesn’t have KT, but his opponent could have KT.
I know many people will think that if UTG holds AA, then this is playing too conservatively. But if you know that UTG is all in on the river with AQ – two pair strength – you can understand the logic behind his action.
If AA can take the bottom pot by calling on the river, then so can AQ. UTG checked the flop with AQ because AQ’s blocking makes it difficult for the BB to hold a combination that is linked to the flop, which means he can catch a bluff on the river. In order to make a profitable all-in on the river, he needs to hold AJ combo, A7 combo, A2 combo opponents to call, and also avoid opponents holding is 22,77,KT, a total of 22 combinations. In other words, UTG’s all-in on the river is slightly +EV.
After UTG checks, the BB gives UTG all the action he wants, and by the time the river is played, victory is arguably near. However, when your opponent bets a full pot on the river, you can first rule out that he holds medium strength, which also means that he is either bluffing or betting at value. In this hand, UTG’s AQ is clearly in the middle of the pack, and calling is actually the best option.
After UTG raised all-in, BB showed 77 on the turn to form a SET.
