Think ahead.

[frob23]

In Hold'em, you always need to think about the next street.

For example, in the BB you're dealt A-6

3 people limp and the SB completes... you check.

The flop comes 6-A-5

Which is basically gin for your hand. You have top two pair and it's likely it's the best hand (although you might have some concern about 5-5 if you get serious action).

A big mistake new players make, when flopping a fairly strong hand like this, is to slow-play. This hand is not even close to being strong enough to slow-play. Besides, there are other slow-play qualities that this board lacks... that's another lesson. You need to bet this board and the amount you bet should be based on your thoughts about the next street.

First, what cards do we not want to see? Well, for sure we don't want to see any . That would be the scariest card. I am not too worried about a K or a Q, because AK and AQ usually raise pre-flop. I really don't like a J or 10... because people do like to limp with AJ and A-10 but they're not completely threatening. We have to cross that bridge when we get to it. Now... if someone limped with 7-8, we so not want them hanging around and hitting a 4 or a 9. If we bet enough, we'll get rid of most of these hands with the possible exception of (7-8 and A-x).

So... we want to make a big bet. Let's say, instead of making a big bet (80-120% of the pot) you bet 20%. Basically, you min-bet (or worse check). And everyone comes along to the next street.

Now the turn: 6-A-5-J

This card probably didn't hurt us too badly. It is a little worrisome because A-J could be out there. Action is on you. At this point you have no reason to believe your hand is beat. But you must make a large bet. Not because of this street... but because of the river.

Think about how many cards could ruin your hand on the river. You have no idea what the other 4 players are sticking around with because you've never shown any strength.

You really don't want to see any or any (someone might have been in with a pair and backed into the club draw -- which happens in a lot of weak games). You don't want any broadway cards... because they could make a better Aces up or put a weird straight up there -- it's odd but certainly possible in these games. A 4 and a 9 could complete an open-ended straight for 7-8. I am not so worried about 2s or 3s. Same with 7s and 8s. So let's see... there are 46 unknown cards... 21 suited cards (we hold one so there's only 10 unseen from that suit)... and 12 cards that are broadway or straightening cards... basically... 33 cards we don't want to see. That's 33-13 or about 75% of the time the river is going to shut-down our betting and might cause is to lay down the best hand.

So yeah, on the turn, we're likely still good. But about 75% of the cards in the deck are unpleasant. You can't always worry about monsters under the bed but by thinking ahead, we can avoid hard decisions. So make a strong bet here of about the pot and just pick it up. And you also need to think about what your opponents might do on the next street. If you make a big bet and get called here... you're probably going to have to pay off a K,Q, or T. And you probably will need to pay off a club too.

Making a pot sized bet will usually take this down right here. Unless someone has A-J or a set... they don't really have the equity to call for the draws.

Of course, making a bet on the flop would be better (for a lot of reasons) because many cards on the turn aren't pleasant. Do not make an undersized bet, or check, because you are worried about the next card making someone's hand. You need to charge them to hit their hand. It's more profitable to bet and have them pay the wrong price to hit than it is to check and let them hit for free.

Uhm... rambling. Anyway, think of the next street. This goes for a lot of things, including bluffs. Against 1-2 people, if I called from outside the blinds, I almost always plan on betting an Ace on the turn if no one bet the flop (even without one in my hand) because I "should" have an Ace... I played outside the blinds.

As always, everyone else should feel free to fill in the many gaps I left. And elaborate on this subject as they desire.

[Vito_Nuccio]

In Hold'em, you always need to think about the next street.
.......
A big mistake new players make, when flopping a fairly strong hand like this, is to slow-play. This hand is not even close to being strong enough to slow-play. Besides, there are other slow-play qualities that this board lacks... that's another lesson. You need to bet this board and the amount you bet should be based on your thoughts about the next street.
......
Of course, making a bet on the flop would be better (for a lot of reasons) because many cards on the turn aren't pleasant. Do not make an undersized bet, or check, because you are worried about the next card making someone's hand. You need to charge them to hit their hand. It's more profitable to bet and have them pay the wrong price to hit than it is to check and let them hit for free.

Thanks Frob. Slow play is the romantic part of poker, it makes for a nice story, but is far overused and can backfire badly. Frob is dead on with the given hand, no slow play here (always poker exceptions, we will ignore those for this example). Do not slow play a flush draw board, especially if there is more than one other player in the hand. Top set can and does lose to a flush suckout. Listen to Frob, make the drawers pay, in this example, bet the flop, build the pot. If you do, then you will win more than you lose in the long run, that is the key to poker, one life long game.

I probably use the slow play more for bluffing an aggressive player later in a game opposed to holding monsters. Choose which hand you want to take from them, check, let them bet then re-raise. If your image is fairly tight you can steal some nice pots against the right opponent (remember an out [a chance to have the best hand] is preferred when bluffing).

You can expand this theme to include the game, think ahead in the current hand, also plan on what will happen next in the game; button location, blind and ante levels, player actions. Think ahead about what could happen, be prepared for anything.

Later,

[liladypokerpro]

Nice guys Frob, feel free to ramble anytime, that was great

[phosphorescence]

this reminds me of a hand i played in a tourney yesterday.

i had AA in MP. one limper UTG, i raised to 4xBB.
BB (loose) calls, UTG calls.

Flop Ah 3h 2c

checked round to me, and i even said to myself 'it's sick i have to bet this board'
so i put in about 4/5 pot for the flush draws out there. BB calls, UTG folds.

turn is Qh

BB checks, i think for a second about pushing (as he's very loose, likes to float etc) but decide to check.

river Th (so there's 4 hearts out there, i don't have any)

BB pushes all in. i put in the chat 'i have trip aces....soooooo sickkkkkkkk' lol

i think for a while but decide to fold.

he shows 3c4c, for a pair of threes!!!

somehow this didn't put me on tilt lol, i just respected the play. but it shows that even when you have a monster you always have to be wary of being outdrawn.

[powrdragn]

One of the biggest things to consider when you are deciding to slow play is simply this:

Are you Ok with giving a free card, and if so, how do you plan to proceed if one of those cards comes.

I've seen too many people slow play and then never back off once things go sour.

[liladypokerpro]

Good points dragn...pinpointing the optimal time to slow play is as tricky as doing so with a bluff. The timing must be perfect, and as the Magic 8 Ball says: "All signs (must) point to Yes"

[frob23]

We should have a separate thread for slow-playing. It's actually a much different topic than what I intended to talk about here. Slow-playing is complex. Maybe I will start one. But it feels odd in the beginner section... perhaps only as a "this is why beginners shouldn't slow-play" thread.


Edit: I am in the process of making that new thread... so no one go and start one on me.

[liladypokerpro]

Looking forward to it Frob!

[Wyte22]

There one point I'd like to add to Frob's awesome article about thinking ahead:

Not only do you need to think ahead to how the board will change the strength of your hand but you need to think ahead to get an idea of where you stand at all times when it comes to betting.

If your villian makes a pot size bet on that board, does he have a strong hand? will I see another pot size bet coming on turn and possible shove on the river? What cards will likely help my villian and what cards will be duds (this is where you develop finding a range for your villians). Thinking ahead on the board is very important, but thinking ahead on the bets you will be facing is another key step to becoming a good NLHE player. Your hand may can do a pot size bet this round but if a King falls off on the turn, and your villian makes another pot size bet, are you still good or are you drawing to 2 outs (last 2 remaining 6s). You always need to plan ahead for what the future cards might possibly hold because in the flip of one card, you hand can go from monster to epic fail! Not to make ya'll think there is always monsters under the bed but you need to consider bet sizings in addition to reading the board and know where you stand % wise in the hand Always keep notes on your villians soo you know their tendcies to .....like.......do they like to bet into scare cards? do they usually make a massive river bluff? Stuff like this will help you determine whether or not your facing a real hand or an imaginary one!!