After the flop – you raised before the flop

1. Strategy: No-Limit After the flop – you raised before the flop

2. How strong is your hand? • Worthless hands • Hands where you missed the flop and in the best case, you have over cards. • Weak draws • Hands with little showdown value and only very little potential for an improvement on the turn and river. • Strong draws • A hand that hasn’t been made yet, but has a lot of potential to become very strong.

3. How strong is your hand? • Average made hands • Strong pairs that can win a showdown, but can still be caught on the turn and river. • Strong made hands • Monster hands like two pair, three of a kind or better. It is highly probable that you have the best hand on the table.

4. How do you play on the flop? • The continuation bet • A bet that continues your previously shown aggression.. • Motives for a continuation bet • To take the bet directly. • To protect a made hand against draws. (protection) • To extract money from worse hands. (maximization of value) • The continuation bet as a bluff • If the opponent rarely folds on the flop, a bluff is ineffective. • If a lot of draws are possible on the flop, a bluff is just as useless.

5. How do you play on the flop? • Basic rules for continuation bets • If you have a good made hand, you should always make a continuation bet. • If you have a strong draw and only one opponent, you should always make a continuation bet. • The continuation bet as a bluff • Can your opponents think you hit something? • Could your opponents have hit the board? • If you have a weak hand and a maximum of two opponents, whether or not you bluff depends on the flop.

6. How do you play on the flop? • Good flops for a continuation bluff • A good flop… • …only helps a few hands. • …doesn't offer many draws. • …lets you represent a strong hand. • Bad flops for a continuation bluff

7. Which opponents are suitable for continuation bets? • Loose passive • Since it is hard for loose-passive opponents to fold their cards, they are not suitable for bluffs. • These opponents call a lot of bets, but rarely raise. • Loose aggressive • These players also don’t fold their cards, but they are aggressive as well. • Don’t make bluffs and let them pay you off when you have a strong hand. • Tight passive • The ideal opponent for bluffs! • Tight passive opponents do not play a lot of hands and only show aggression if they have a really strong hand. • Tight aggressive • TAGs prefer to play strong cards and can be bluffed. • You can attack a lot of flops against multi-table TAGS.

8. How much should you bet? • A bet between half and the full size of the bet is recommended. 2/3 of the pot is usually a decent size. • With multiple opponents and/or a possible flush draw, you should bet the pot for maximum protection. • Against one opponent and a drawless board, half of the pot is enough. • The more draws on the board and the more opponents involved, the higher your bet should be.

9. What should you do when someone bets ahead of you? • You have one opponent and his bet is small in relation to the pot • If your opponent has less than 2.5 times the pot, a bluff isn’t worth it. • You can also raise with weaker hands if your opponent has a medium to full stack. • But be careful, it could also be a trap! • You are facing one opponent and his bet is relatively large • You only play made hands and strong draws and raise with them. • You are facing several opponents • Never bluff against several opponents! • You should continue to raise with strong made hands and strong draws. • Weak draws and average made hands can be used to make a call every once and awhile. • You should fold everything else.

10. What should you do if somebody raises? • Worthless hands, small to middle pairs and weak draws • You should immediately fold these hands. • Strong combination draws • You should continue to play aggressively if you have a flush draw + OESD or a flush draw + a pair. • If you have 12 outs or more, you should go all-in in response to the raise! • Individual flush draw, OESD or double gutshot • A call can be reasonable depending on the pot odds and the implied pot odds. • Made hands (top pair + good kicker or better) • You should continue to raise if the flop is draw heavy. • If the board is not draw heavy, you can simply call as well.

11. What should you do if somebody raises? – example # 1 Hero (UTG1) $25 MP2 $25 BU $25 Preflop: Hero raises $1, 3 folds, MP2 calls$1, 2 folds, BU calls $1, 2 folds. Flop: ($ 3.35) Herobets$2.5, 1 fold, BU raise $7.5...

12. What should you do if somebody raises? – example #2 Hero (CO) $25 BU $25 BB $25 Preflop: 6folds, Hero raises $1, BU calls $1, 1 fold, BB calls $0.75. Flop: ($ 3.10) BB checks, Herobets$2.5, BU raise $8, 1 fold, …

13. What should you do if somebody raises? – example #3 Hero (CO) $25 BU $25 BB $25 Preflop: 6folds, Hero raises $1, BU calls $1, 1 fold, BB calls $0.75. Flop: ($ 3.10) BB checks, Herobets$2.75, BU raise $8, BB folds, Hero folds.

14. How do you play on the turn? • The basic rules of your play on the turn • Continue to play strong made hands aggressively. • If you bluffed on the flop, give up on the turn. • You can play a strong draw aggressively against one opponent. Against several opponents, however, you should play passively. • Bet with strong pairs. You can also check/call on a drawless board. • If a possible draw comes in, it is best to play bet/fold with good made hands. • If an opponent ahead of you raises, then you should only raise with really strong hands. No bluffs!

15. Continue to play strong made hands aggressively example #1 Hero (MP2) $25 BU $25 BB $25 Preflop: 4folds, Hero raises $1, 2 folds, BU calls $1, 1 fold, BB calls $0.75. Flop:($ 3.10) BB checks, Hero bets $2.5, BU calls $2.5, BB calls $2.5. Turn: ($ 10.60) BB checks, Hero bets $8.5.

16. Continue to play strong made hands aggressively example #2 Hero (MP2) $25 BU $25 BB $25 Preflop: 4folds, Hero raises $1, 2 folds, BU calls $1, 1 fold, BB calls $0.75. Flop:($ 3.10) BB checks, Hero bets $2.5, BU calls $2.5, BB calls $2.5. Turn: ($ 10.60) BB checks, Hero bets $8.5.

17. Don’t bluff again on the turn Hero (CO) $25 BU $25 Preflop: 6folds, Hero raises $1, BU calls $1, 2folds. Flop: ($ 2.35) Hero bets $1.4, BU calls $1.4. Turn: ($ 10.60) Hero checks...

18. Strong draws, top pairs and over pairs • Play strong draws passively • You cannot play a strong draw profitably against several opponents. • Let your opponent bet and calculate your pot odds. • A bet is only worth it against one opponent if there is a high probability that he will fold. • Top pairs and over pairs • You bet and fold to raise. • Top pair (with a good kicker) and over pairs can be played against maniacs, provided no strong draws come. • You check. • If you are in position, you check behind. • If you are out of position, you should play check/call and you will make a new decision about your hand on the river.

19. How do you play on the river? • How strong is your hand? • Continue to play aggressively with a strong made hand. • Top pairs and over pairs • If you bet on the flop and on the turn -> check/call river. • If a draw completes and you are out of position, you should play bet/fold. • Two pair and better • Bet in order to allow for your opponents to call with worse hands. • Don’t bluff on the river!!! River bluffs don’t work enough to be profitable compared to the high bet.

20. Summary • Flop • Always make a continuation bet with strong made hands and strong draws. • You should play weak and normal draws strictly according to pot odds and implied pot odds. • Never bluff against more than 2 opponents. • Turn • Give up your bluffs on the turn. • Play draws passively according to pot odds, except in the situation with a strong draw and only one opponent. • You should bet out of position with pairs, check on a drawless board when in position. • River • If you checked on the turn with a pair, you can call a bet on the river. • If you bet on the flop and turn with a pair, you should play passively on the river. • If you probably have the best hand, you should continue to play aggressively.