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How it works
Work each hand street by street: read the Action, pick a Decision for instant feedback,
read the Why, then press Continue. Advance with the Next › button, or jump
anywhere with the ☰ Contents menu. Every decision is scored on your first answer.
Original practice hands written to teach core no-limit hold'em tournament concepts.
No-limit hold'em is a game of incomplete information where the size of a bet and the position it comes from carry as much meaning as the cards. Chips are a weapon: the ability to bet any amount at any time lets you put opponents to decisions for their whole stack - which is why stack sizes, measured in big blinds, frame every decision here. The skills the rest of the learning section builds (hand selection, position, betting with a purpose, pot odds, and reading opponents) are all tools for deciding well when you cannot see the other hand. There are no drills in this introductory Part; carry its mindset into every hand that follows.
Learning
Part Two - Playing Styles & Starting Requirements
Concepts in this Part
Players fall along two axes: how many hands they play (tight vs. loose) and how they bet them (passive vs. aggressive). Your default should be tight-aggressive - enter with a selective range, but play it with initiative. Which hands qualify depends on position: premiums play from anywhere, while medium pairs, suited connectors, and 'trouble hands' (A-J or K-J offsuit) want late position, the right price, or both. Just as important is reading the opponent: the correct response to a raise or a bet depends entirely on whether it comes from a maniac, a rock, or a solid regular. The hands below drill starting requirements and the style adjustments that go with them.
Hand 1 of 8A strong hand in position
Pre-flop
Action
Early-middle stage, deep stacks (you cover the table with 125 big blinds). It is folded to you on the button with A♠Q♠ - a strong, suited, high-card hand - and you have position on the blinds.
Decision
Folded to you on the button with A♠Q♠. Your move?
Why
Raise. A-Q suited is well above the threshold to open from the button; raising wins the blinds outright or plays a strong hand in position. Limping forfeits initiative and invites multiway pots where the hand plays worse.
You raise to 500 (2.5 BB). The small blind folds; the big blind calls. Pot: 1,100 (5.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: Q♦ 8♣ 3♥ - you flop top pair, top kicker on a dry board. The big blind checks.
Decision
Top pair top kicker, dry board, big blind checks. Best?
Why
Bet for value. On a dry board your top pair, top kicker is well ahead; a half-pot bet charges worse queens, pairs, and draws while building the pot. Checking surrenders value and gives free cards a chance to beat you.
You bet 550 (2.75 BB). The big blind calls. Pot: 2,200 (11 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn: 5♠ - a blank. The big blind checks again.
Decision
The turn bricks and the big blind checks again. Continue?
Why
Bet again. Your hand is still clearly best on this unchanged board, and a second value bet earns more from the worse pairs and draws that called the flop. Slowing down only saves your opponent money.
You bet 1,200 (6 BB). The big blind calls. Pot: 4,600 (23 BB).
River
Action
River: 2♦ - another blank. Having called twice, the big blind checks a third time.
Decision
Blank river; a check-calling opponent checks again. Best value play?
Why
Bet for thin value. A player who calls twice and checks the river usually holds a worse queen or a middling pair that can call one more reasonable bet. Size it to be called - checking gives up the last bet of value.
You bet 2,000 (10 BB); he calls with K-Q and you win. Pot booked.
Hand recap
You opened a strong hand in position, then value-bet every street on a dry board because top pair, top kicker stayed ahead. Position let you control the size and collect three streets of value.
Principle: A strong made hand in position wants value on every street a blank keeps it ahead - bet, don't check, when worse hands can still call.
Hand 2 of 8Set-mining a medium pair
Pre-flop
Action
A tight, solid player raises from under the gun and it folds to you on the cutoff with 9♠9♦. Stacks are deep - everyone has about 150 big blinds.
Decision
Deep-stacked, a tight UTG player has raised to 600 (3 BB). You hold 9♠9♦ on the cutoff. Best play?
Why
Call to set-mine. Against a tight early raiser your nines are usually behind, but you flop a set about 12% of the time and the deep stacks give you the implied odds to get paid. Three-betting bloats the pot against a range that dominates you; folding is too tight given the price and depth.
You call 600 (3 BB); the blinds fold. Heads-up to the flop. Pot: 1,500 (7.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: 9♣ 6♥ 2♠ - you flop top set. The tight raiser continuation-bets.
Decision
You flopped top set and the pre-flop raiser c-bets 900 (4.5 BB). How do you play it?
Why
Call. Flat-calling keeps his bluffs and worse one-pair hands in, disguises your monster, and lets him keep betting. Raising now folds out the very hands paying you off; on a dry board, smooth-calling maximizes value.
You call. Pot: 3,300 (16.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn: J♥. The tight player fires again - he likely has an overpair or just improved.
Decision
An overcard falls and he bets 2,200 (11 BB). You still have top set. Now what?
Why
Raise for value. The pot is large, his second barrel signals a committed hand (an overpair or strong top pair), and this is the moment to build the pot before a scary river. Top set never folds here - the only question is how to get the most in.
You raise to 6,500 (32.5 BB); he calls with A♥A♣. Pot: 16,300 - you're crushing his aces.
River
Action
River: 3♦ - a blank. He checks, with about 9,000 (45 BB) behind.
Decision
Blank river, he checks, ~9,000 behind. Best play with top set?
Why
Bet (effectively shove) for value. He check-called a big turn raise and is capped but still holds strong one-pair hands like aces that pay a river bet. Maximize value - checking leaves a stack on the table.
You shove; he calls off with aces. You win a huge pot.
Hand recap
You set-mined cheaply against a tight range, trapped on the flop to keep his bluffs in, then shifted to maximum value once he committed with an overpair. The right speed changed each street - slow to induce, fast to get paid.
Principle: Medium pairs are set-mining hands against tight early raisers: call cheaply, trap when you flop the set, then extract everything once they commit.
Hand 3 of 8Position over raw strength
Pre-flop
Action
A solid player raises from middle position and it folds to you on the button with A♣T♣.
Decision
Solid MP raises to 600 (3 BB); you hold A♣T♣ on the button. Best play?
Why
Call. By the gap concept, A-T suited isn't strong enough to re-raise a solid opener for value - you'd fold out worse and get action from better. But it flops well (top pair, flushes, straights) and you have position, so calling to play a controlled pot in position is ideal. Folding wastes a playable, suited, position hand.
You call; the blinds fold. Heads-up in position. Pot: 1,500 (7.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: A♦ 8♥ 4♣ - top pair, plus a backdoor flush. The solid player c-bets.
Decision
You flop top pair (ten kicker) and the solid opener c-bets 900 (4.5 BB). Best?
Why
Call. Top pair with a ten kicker is good but not a hand to build a huge pot with against a solid opener who can hold A-K or A-Q. In position you can call to control the pot, keep his bluffs in, and re-evaluate later. Raising bloats the pot as a likely underdog when he has a better ace.
You call. Pot: 3,300 (16.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn: 2♠ - a blank, and now the solid player checks to you.
Decision
He checks the turn. With top pair, decent kicker, in position, what's best?
Why
Make a modest bet. His check suggests he doesn't have a strong ace, so a small-to-medium bet gets value from worse aces and middling pairs and denies free cards to draws. Keep it controlled - you're value-betting a medium hand, not stacking off.
You bet 1,600 (8 BB); he calls. Pot: 6,500 (32.5 BB).
River
Action
River: 7♦ - a blank. The solid player checks to you again.
Decision
River bricks and he checks. With top pair, ten kicker, in position, best?
Why
Check behind. You already took value on the turn; a third barrel with a medium hand (top pair, ten kicker) mostly gets called by better aces and folds out worse - and it risks a check-raise. Take the showdown. Controlling the pot with a medium hand in position is the whole point.
You check behind; your top pair is good at showdown. You win.
Hand recap
You declined to re-raise a hand that plays better as a call, used position to control the pot, and value-bet thinly when your opponent showed weakness. Position turned a medium hand into a clean, profitable pot.
Principle: The gap concept: you need more to raise a raise than to open. With playable hands in position, calling and outplaying often beats re-raising.
Hand 4 of 8A speculative hand, cheaply
Pre-flop
Action
Two players limp in and it folds to you on the button with 7♠6♠ - a small suited connector. With limpers in, you can see a cheap flop in position.
Decision
Two limpers; you're on the button with 7♠6♠. Best play?
Why
Limp behind. Small suited connectors are speculative hands that want cheap, multiway flops with position, where the implied odds of flopping a strong draw or two pair pay off. A big raise bloats the pot with a hand that wants to see a flop cheaply; folding gives up a profitable position spot.
You limp; the blinds come along. Four players see the flop. Pot: 800 (4 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: 5♥ 8♦ K♣ - you flop an open-ended straight draw (any 4 or 9 makes the straight). It checks around to you.
Decision
You flop an open-ender and it checks to you on the button. Best?
Why
Bet a semi-bluff. With eight outs to a straight and a king nobody bet, a position bet can win the pot now, and you still improve often when called. Betting also builds the pot for the times you complete the draw.
You bet 500 (2.5 BB); only the big blind calls. Pot: 1,800 (9 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn: 9♥ - you complete your straight (5-6-7-8-9). The big blind checks.
Decision
You just made the straight. The big blind checks. Best?
Why
Bet for value. You hold a strong, well-disguised hand on a coordinated board where your opponent can easily have a king, two pair, or a flush draw that pays you off. Build the pot now rather than risk a scary river killing the action.
You bet 1,300 (6.5 BB); he calls. Pot: 4,400 (22 BB).
River
Action
River: 2♣ - a blank, and no flush gets there. The big blind checks.
Decision
River bricks; you hold the nut straight and he checks. Best?
Why
Bet for value. You hold the nuts, and a player who check-called the turn often has a king, two pair, or a busted heart draw that can pay a final bet. Size it to get called - checking the nuts in position throws away a clear value bet.
You bet 2,600 (13 BB); he calls with K-J. You win a big one with the speculative hand.
Hand recap
You took a cheap, in-position flop with a speculative hand, semi-bluffed your draw when checked to, and got paid when it came in. Suited connectors earn their keep exactly this way - cheaply, in position, with implied odds.
Principle: Speculative hands (small suited connectors) want cheap, multiway flops in position - play them for implied odds, not for raw pre-flop strength.
Hand 5 of 8Adjusting to a maniac
Pre-flop
Action
A wild, loose-aggressive player - raising far too many hands - makes it 800 from the cutoff. It's on you on the button with A♥K♥.
Decision
A maniac raises to 800 (4 BB) wide; you hold A♥K♥ on the button. Best play?
Why
Three-bet for value. Against a player raising a huge range, A-K is far ahead and wants to build a pot now - you don't fear the few big hands he holds. Folding a premium to a maniac is the mistake he profits from; just calling lets the blinds in and under-uses your edge.
You three-bet to 2,600 (13 BB). The blinds fold; the maniac calls. Pot: 5,500 (27.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: A♦ 7♣ 2♠ - top pair, top kicker on a dry board. The maniac checks to you.
Decision
You flop top pair top kicker and the maniac checks. Best against this opponent?
Why
Bet - and be ready to call him down. Against a maniac you value-bet and then do not fold a strong top pair to his inevitable aggression: he bluffs and bets worse hands far too often. Checking forfeits value; folding TPTK to a maniac throws away your edge.
You bet 2,600 (13 BB); he check-raises all-in.
Decision
Action
He check-raise jams over your flop bet on A-7-2. You have top pair, top kicker.
Decision
The maniac check-raise jams all-in. With A-K on A-7-2, do you…
Why
Call. A maniac's check-raise-jamming range here is loaded with worse aces, draws, and pure bluffs - you're well ahead of the range that takes this line. The whole point of adjusting to a maniac is to let him bet your strong hands for you and then call. Folding TPTK to his over-aggression is the trap.
You call; he shows A-9 and is drawing thin. You win a stack.
Hand recap
Against a player who raises and bluffs too much, you three-bet your premium for value and refused to fold a strong top pair to his aggression. The adjustment to a maniac is simple: widen your value range and let him pay you.
Principle: Against a loose-aggressive maniac, value-bet wider and call down lighter - his bluffs make your strong hands worth more, not less.
Hand 6 of 8Respecting a rock
Pre-flop
Action
It folds to you on the cutoff with T♠T♦. Behind you on the button sits a classic rock - tight and passive, who only plays big hands and rarely bluffs.
Decision
Folded to you on the cutoff with pocket tens. Best play?
Why
Raise to open. Pocket tens are a clear opening hand from the cutoff; you raise for value and to take the blinds. The interesting part comes later - how you respond when the passive rock behind you wakes up.
You raise to 500 (2.5 BB). The rock on the button calls; the blinds fold. Pot: 1,300 (6.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: Q♥ J♣ 4♦ - two overcards to your tens. You c-bet 800 and the rock just calls.
Decision
You c-bet, and the rock calls. What does that call mean, and what next?
Why
Proceed with caution. A tight-passive player calling on Q-J-4 almost always has a real piece - a queen, a jack, or a draw he likes. Your tens are likely behind. You don't fold to one call, but you stop building the pot and prepare to give it up to further aggression.
You check the turn behind to control the pot.
Turn
Action
Turn: 7♠. After you check, the rock - who almost never bets without a strong hand - now bets.
Decision
The passive rock, who rarely bluffs, fires 2,400 (12 BB). You hold T-T on Q-J-4-7. Best?
Why
Fold. The whole read on a rock is that his aggression means strength - he isn't bluffing here. Your tens are an underpair against a betting range of queens, jacks, two pair, and sets. Calling to 'keep him honest' against a player who is honest is how stacks leak away.
You fold; he later shows K-Q. Discipline saved you chips.
Hand recap
You opened a good hand, then read the player rather than the cards: when a tight-passive rock called and then bet into you, you believed it and folded an overpair-that-wasn't. Reading the table means letting a player's style tell you what their actions mean.
Principle: Against a tight-passive rock, believe the aggression - when a player who only bets strong hands bets, fold your marginal ones.
Hand 7 of 8A big pair against a 3-bet
Pre-flop
Action
You open to 500 from the cutoff with Q♠Q♦. The button - a competent, fairly aggressive player - three-bets. The blinds fold.
Decision
You opened pocket queens and a capable button three-bets to 1,800 (9 BB). Best play?
Why
Four-bet for value. Pocket queens are far too strong to fold to a single three-bet and play poorly as a flat call out of position. Four-betting builds the pot while you're ahead of most three-betting ranges and clarifies where you stand - only a four-bet shove from him should give you pause.
You four-bet to 4,400 (22 BB). He calls. Pot: 9,100 (45.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: K♦ 9♣ 5♥ - an ugly card. A king is right in the range that calls a four-bet (A-K, K-K). You're first to act with about 14,000 (70 BB) behind.
Decision
A king flops - a card that hits his calling range hard. With Q-Q, best?
Why
Check to control the pot. The king is one of the worst cards for queens: it smashes the A-K and K-K he called your four-bet with, while almost nothing worse continues against a big bet. Checking keeps the pot small and lets you fold cheaply if he bets, instead of stacking off an overpair into a better hand.
You check. He bets 4,500 (22.5 BB).
Turn
Action
He bets on the king-high board. The turn is irrelevant to your decision - the question is whether queens are good.
Decision
Facing a 4,500 (22.5 BB) bet on a king-high board in a four-bet pot. Your queens are…
Why
Fold. In a four-bet pot a king-high flop crushes your opponent's continuing range, and a bet here represents exactly the kings and ace-kings you fear. Queens were a great hand pre-flop and a weak one now. Surrender and keep your stack - overpairs are not automatic.
You fold; he shows A-K. You lost the minimum on a bad board.
Hand recap
You correctly four-bet queens for value pre-flop, then refused to marry them when a king arrived in a four-bet pot. Big pairs win money by getting value when ahead and folding when the board and the action say you're beat.
Principle: Big pairs are not unfoldable: four-bet them for value pre-flop, but respect a board and a line that smashes your opponent's range.
Hand 8 of 8Kicker trouble
Pre-flop
Action
One player limps and it folds to you on the button with K♥J♣. King-jack offsuit is a decent but easily-dominated holding - a textbook 'trouble hand'.
Decision
A limper; you're on the button with K♥J♣. Best play?
Why
Raise to isolate. King-jack offsuit plays much better heads-up and in position than in a limped multiway pot where it's easily dominated. A raise thins the field and takes the initiative - but keep the next streets in mind, because the kicker can still get you in trouble.
You raise to 700 (3.5 BB). Only the big blind calls. Pot: 1,600 (8 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: K♣ 7♦ 3♠ - top pair, but only a jack kicker. The big blind checks.
Decision
Top pair, jack kicker, on a dry board. Best?
Why
Make a controlled value bet. Top pair is good enough to bet for value and protection on a dry board, but the weak kicker means you don't want to build a huge pot - a medium bet gets called by worse kings and pairs without committing you against a better king.
You bet 900 (4.5 BB); the big blind calls. Pot: 3,400 (17 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn: 9♥. You bet again and the big blind check-raises - a big move on a board with no obvious draw completing.
Decision
Facing a check-raise to 6,800 (34 BB) with top pair, weak kicker. Best?
Why
Fold. A check-raise on this dry turn represents a better king (K-Q, A-K), two pair, or a set - precisely the hands that dominate your jack kicker. King-jack flopped well but can't profitably stack off here. Recognizing kicker trouble and letting go is the whole lesson of the trouble hand.
You fold; he shows K-Q. Your kicker would have cost you a stack.
Hand recap
You played a trouble hand correctly - raising to isolate in position, value-betting carefully, then folding when a big turn raise exposed your kicker. Trouble hands make top pair that is hard to fold; the skill is folding it anyway.
Principle: Trouble hands like K-J flop top pair with a vulnerable kicker - keep pots controlled and fold to serious pressure rather than pay off a better kicker.
Learning
Part Three - Reading the Table
Concepts in this Part
Winning no-limit is as much about reading players as reading cards. That means tracking the action - who raised, who called, how many are in - and translating it into a range for each opponent based on his style and his line. A tight, straightforward player's big multi-street bet means a big hand; a known over-bluffer's barrel means far less. Bet sizing and the shape of a line (a sudden small bet, a checked-back street) leak information about strength. Counting the field matters too: the more players in a pot, the stronger your hand must be. Finally, reading the table includes reading your own image - how opponents perceive you - and using it, within its limits. The hands below drill each of these reads.
Hand 1 of 5Reading the story
Pre-flop
Action
A tight, straightforward player - the kind who only bets when he has it - opens from under the gun. It folds to you on the button with A♥Q♣.
Decision
Tight UTG opens to 600 (3 BB); you hold A♥Q♣ on the button. Best?
Why
Call. A-Q offsuit plays best in position against a tight UTG range - three-betting bloats the pot against a strong range, and folding is too tight in position. Call and use position to read how his hand develops.
You call; the blinds fold. Heads-up in position. Pot: 1,500 (7.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: Q♠ 8♦ 3♣ - top pair, top kicker on a dry board. The tight player continuation-bets.
Decision
You flop TPTK and the tight opener c-bets 800 (4 BB). Best?
Why
Call. Keep his range in - including the worse hands and bluffs - and don't bloat the pot against a tight range that can hold aces, A-K, or a set. In position you can re-evaluate; raising only gets action from hands that beat you.
You call. Pot: 3,100 (15.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn: 5♥ - a blank. The tight player fires a second barrel.
Decision
The straightforward player bets again, 2,200 (11 BB). Your read?
Why
Call once more. He can still be barreling A-K or a worse queen, so folding top pair, top kicker on the turn is too weak. But note the story building - each barrel narrows him toward value. Plan to fold if he fires big again.
You call. Pot: 7,500 (37.5 BB).
River
Action
River: 2♦ - bricks. The tight, straightforward player now fires a third big barrel.
Decision
Three big barrels from a player who 'only bets when he has it.' Your A♥Q♣ is…
Why
Fold. Reconstruct the line: a tight, straightforward player does not fire three big barrels on a dry board without a hand that beats top pair - an overpair, A-Q for a chop at best, or a set. Against this specific player the value-heavy story is decisive. Reading the table means trusting what a player's line tells you.
You fold; he shows K-K. Reading the story saved a big bet.
Hand recap
You reconstructed a tight player's range from his escalating line and laid down a strong-looking hand because the story could only be value. The cards in your hand mattered less than the player holding them.
Principle: Reading the table means putting a player on a range from his line and his style - against a straightforward player, believe a big multi-street story.
Hand 2 of 5A read from a showdown
Pre-flop
Action
Twenty minutes ago you watched this player fire three barrels with a busted draw and get caught - he over-bluffs. Now he opens from the cutoff and it folds to you on the button with K♦J♦.
Decision
The known over-bluffer opens to 600 (3 BB); you hold K♦J♦ on the button. Best?
Why
Call. King-jack suited plays well in position against a loose opening range, and calling keeps his bluffs in - exactly what you want against a player you've read as too aggressive.
You call; the blinds fold. Heads-up in position. Pot: 1,500 (7.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: J♥ 7♣ 2♠ - you flop top pair, king kicker. He continuation-bets.
Decision
You flop top pair, king kicker and the over-bluffer c-bets 900 (4.5 BB). Best?
Why
Call. Against a player who bluffs too much, you don't raise and fold out his bluffs - you keep him betting. Top pair, king kicker is well ahead of his wide, aggressive range.
You call. Pot: 3,300 (16.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn: 4♥ - a blank. He fires again.
Decision
He bets 2,400 (12 BB). With top pair, good kicker against a known over-bluffer?
Why
Call. Your read says he barrels far too wide; top pair, king kicker crushes his bluff-heavy range. Folding here would throw away the value of the information you collected from his earlier showdown.
You call. Pot: 8,100 (40.5 BB).
River
Action
River: 9♠. The over-bluffer shoves all-in.
Decision
He jams 8,000 (40 BB). Your read says…
Why
Call. You have a specific, recent read: this player runs triple-barrel bluffs and was just caught doing it. Top pair, king kicker beats every busted draw and worse pair in his over-bluffing range. A live read from a prior showdown is exactly the information that turns a tough bluff-catch into a clear call.
You call; he shows Q-T (a busted straight draw). Your read was gold.
Hand recap
A showdown you observed earlier told you this player over-bluffs, and you used that read to make a thin call most players can't. Watching hands you're not in is how you earn those calls.
Principle: Information from earlier showdowns is reading the table in its purest form - store your reads and apply them when the action gets tough.
Hand 3 of 5The sizing tell
Pre-flop
Action
A button player opens to 600. You're in the big blind with 9♥8♥ - suited connectors, great for flopping disguised hands and reading the action.
Decision
Button opens to 600 (3 BB); you have 9♥8♥ in the BB. Best?
Why
Call. Suited connectors defend well from the big blind at a good price, and they flop disguised two pair and straights - the kind of strong, hidden hands that let you read an opponent's sizing and exploit it later.
You call. Heads-up to the flop. Pot: 1,300 (6.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: 9♣ 8♦ 2♠ - you flop top two pair. You check, the button bets 700.
Decision
You flopped top two pair and the button c-bets 700 (3.5 BB). Check-raise, or call?
Why
Call. Flat-calling disguises your two pair, keeps his bluffs and worse hands in, and - crucially - lets you read his sizing on later streets to decide how to extract value. Check-raising announces strength and folds out everything you beat.
You call. Pot: 2,700 (13.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn: 2♥ pairs the board. You check, and the button checks back - declining to bet.
Decision
He checks back the turn. What does that tell you?
Why
His range is now capped. A button who bets the flop and then checks back this paired, dry turn has almost always given up on a big hand - he'd keep betting trips, an overpair, or two pair. He's now weighted to a medium pair or a busted draw, and that read sets up the river.
You note he's capped and plan to get value on the river. Pot: 2,700 (13.5 BB).
River
Action
River: 4♦ - a blank. You check, and the capped button stabs just 800 into the 2,700 pot - a small blocking bet.
Decision
He stabs small (800, under a third of pot). With top two pair, your best exploit?
Why
Raise for value. His tiny bet, on top of that turn check-back, caps him at a marginal made hand trying to reach showdown cheaply. Against that range your two pair is a big favorite, so a raise gets value from worse pairs and missed draws; just calling leaves money behind. The bet size was the tell.
You raise to 2,600; he calls with 9-6 (a worse nine) and pays you off. The small bet gave him away.
Hand recap
You smooth-called to disguise your hand, read a turn check-back as a capped range, then turned a tiny river 'blocking' bet into extra value with a raise. Bet sizes and the shape of a betting line are information - if you watch for them.
Principle: Bet sizing and the betting line tell a story - a sudden small bet or a checked-back street caps a range, and you can exploit a capped opponent for thin value.
Hand 4 of 5Counting the field
Pre-flop
Action
Two players limp and it folds to you on the button with A♠5♠. A cheap, multiway pot is brewing.
Decision
Two limpers; you hold A♠5♠ on the button. Best?
Why
Limp behind. A suited ace plays well in a cheap multiway pot for its nut-flush potential and your position; a big raise bloats the pot with a speculative hand. Keep it cheap and multiway for the implied odds.
You limp; the blinds come along. Five players see the flop. Pot: 1,000 (5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: K♠ 9♠ 2♥ - you flop the nut flush draw. An early limper bets 700, a second player calls, and it's on you with four players still in.
Decision
Nut flush draw, but a bet and a call ahead of you, multiway. Best?
Why
Call. Multiway, a semi-bluff raise has little fold equity - two players already showed interest - and bloats the pot as a draw. With the nut flush draw and excellent implied odds against several opponents, calling to realize your equity is correct. The more players in, the worse a bluff and the better a draw plays for value.
You call; the others come along. Pot: ~3,100 (15.5 BB). Three see the turn.
Turn
Action
Turn: 7♠ - you make the nut flush. An opponent leads out into the field.
Decision
You hit the nut flush and someone bets 2,000 (10 BB) into a multiway pot. Best?
Why
Raise for value. You hold the nuts on a wet, multiway board where opponents can hold a worse flush, two pair, or a set that pays you off. In multiway pots you charge the field - build the pot now rather than risk a scary river killing the action.
You raise to 6,500 (32.5 BB); one player calls. Pot: 16,100 (80.5 BB). Heads-up to the river.
River
Action
River: 4♦ - a blank; the board doesn't pair and no fourth spade arrives. He checks.
Decision
You still have the nut flush and he checks the river. Best?
Why
Bet for value. You have the nuts, and a player who called your big turn raise holds a strong made hand - a smaller flush, a set, two pair - that can pay one more bet. Pick a size that gets called rather than checking the nuts.
You bet 7,000 (35 BB); he calls with a smaller flush. You scoop a big pot.
Hand recap
Counting the field changed every decision: you played your draw for odds instead of semi-bluffing into a crowd, then charged the field for value when you made the nuts. Bluffs shrink and value grows as the pot gets more crowded.
Principle: The more players in the pot, the worse bluffs and semi-bluffs run and the better made hands and big draws play for value - always count the field before you act.
Hand 5 of 5Your table image
Pre-flop
Action
You've been card-dead for an hour and shown down only premium hands - the table sees you as a rock. A loose, active button raises to steal, and you look down at A♣9♦ in the big blind.
Decision
A rock image, and a loose button raises to 600 (3 BB) to steal. You hold A♣9♦ in the BB. Best?
Why
Re-steal. Your rock image is a weapon: a three-bet from a player who 'only plays premiums' represents exactly that, so a wide-stealing button folds most of his range. A-9 offsuit has some backup equity, but the fold equity your image generates is the real reason this works.
You three-bet to 1,900 (9.5 BB). The button, expecting a monster… calls. Pot: 4,100 (20.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: Q♦ 7♣ 2♠ - you missed, out of position against the button who called your re-steal.
Decision
You missed; he called your image-backed three-bet. Best on this dry flop?
Why
Continuation-bet. The strong story continues: your three-bet plus a c-bet represents the big hand your image already sells, and a single barrel on this dry board folds out most hands that floated. Keep leveraging the image - for now.
You bet 2,400; the button calls again. Pot: 8,900 (44.5 BB). He isn't going anywhere.
Turn
Action
Turn: 5♥ - a blank. The button has now called your three-bet and your flop bet, and isn't folding. You still have only ace-high.
Decision
He's called twice. Fire a third barrel to keep the story going, or…?
Why
Give up. Image buys fold equity, but it isn't magic: a player who calls a three-bet and a flop bet has a real hand and has shown he won't fold. Firing again just pours chips into someone now reading you for a bluff. Recognizing when your image has stopped working - and stopping - matters as much as exploiting it.
You check and give up; he takes it with K-Q. You lost the minimum by reading the situation.
Hand recap
Your tight image bought fold equity for the resteal and one barrel, but reading that this opponent had decided to call you down meant knowing when to quit. Image is a tool with limits - and the read tells you where those limits are.
Principle: Your table image is a weapon - a tight image makes your bluffs credible - but it only works until an opponent decides to call you down; read that, and stop.
Learning
Part Four - Pot Odds & Hand Analysis
Concepts in this Part
This is the math that underpins every decision. Pot odds compare the price the pot offers to the odds against improving; outs are the cards that make your hand, and the rule of 2 and 4 (outs × 4 on the flop, × 2 on the turn) converts them to equity in your head. But raw odds are only the start: implied odds (the chips you win later when you hit) justify some draws the direct price rejects, while reverse implied odds and tainted outs quietly make other hands worse than they look. The same math runs in reverse when you're ahead - you size bets to deny a draw correct odds - and on the river it becomes a bluff-catch: call when you only need to be right as often as the price demands. The ten hands below drill each piece.
Hand 1 of 10Counting outs and the price
Pre-flop
Action
A solid player raises from middle position and it folds to you on the button with A♠9♠ - a suited ace that plays well in position.
Decision
Solid MP raises to 600 (3 BB); you hold A♠9♠ on the button. Best?
Why
Call. A suited ace flops flushes, straights, and top pairs, and you have position. Calling keeps the pot manageable and sets you up to use the math on later streets.
You call; the blinds fold. Heads-up in position. Pot: 1,500 (7.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: K♠ 7♠ 2♦ - you flop the nut flush draw, nine outs. He continuation-bets.
Decision
Nut flush draw (9 outs). He bets 800, so you call 800 to win 2,300 (~2.9-to-1). Best?
Why
Call. Nine outs is about 35% to make the flush by the river (and ~19% on the very next card). You're laid roughly 2.9-to-1, which needs only ~26% - so the price alone justifies it, and the implied odds (your nut flush will often win a big pot) make it easy.
You call. Pot: 3,100 (15.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn: 4♠ - you make the nut flush. He bets again.
Decision
You hit the nut flush and he bets 1,500 (7.5 BB). Best?
Why
Raise for value. You have the nuts; raise to get value from a king, two pair, a set, or a worse flush. This is the reward for the math you trusted on the flop.
You raise to 4,500; he calls with K-Q. Pot: 12,100 (60.5 BB).
River
Action
River: 8♦ - a blank. He checks.
Decision
Nut flush, he checks the river. Best?
Why
Bet for value. He still has plenty of hands (a king, two pair) that pay a final bet. Size it to get called - checking the nuts gives up the last bet.
You bet 6,000; he calls. You win a big pot.
Hand recap
You counted nine outs, turned them into ~35% equity, compared that to the 2.9-to-1 price, and called - then got paid in full when the flush came in. A draw is a math problem, and the math said go.
Principle: Count outs, convert them to equity, and call when the pot odds (plus implied odds) beat the price.
Hand 2 of 10Implied odds with deep stacks
Pre-flop
Action
Everyone is very deep - 200 big blinds. A player opens to 700 from middle position and it folds to you on the button with Q♦J♦.
Decision
200 BB deep, an opener makes it 700 (3.5 BB); you hold Q♦J♦ on the button. Best?
Why
Call. Suited connectors and broadways shine when stacks are deep, because the times you flop a strong draw or a big hand you can win an enormous pot. That implied-odds potential is exactly why you call rather than bloat the pot with a 3-bet.
You call; the blinds fold. Heads-up, 200 BB deep. Pot: 1,600 (8 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: A♦ 7♦ 3♣ - you flop a flush draw, nine outs. He bets 1,200, so you'd call 1,200 to win 2,800 (~2.3-to-1). With one card to come you're only ~19%.
Decision
By direct odds (~19% next card vs a price needing ~30%), this looks short. Best?
Why
Call. On direct odds it's a touch short - ~19% to improve next card versus a price needing ~30%. The reason to continue is implied odds: 200 BB deep, the times your disguised flush comes in you can win far more than the 1,200 you invest now. Deep stacks turn a draw that fails on direct odds into a clear call.
You call. Pot: 4,000 (20 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn: 5♦ - you make the flush. He bets 3,000 - and the deep stacks are still behind.
Decision
Your flush is in and he keeps betting. Best?
Why
Raise for value. This is the payoff the implied odds promised: with 200 BB behind, raise and get money in against his likely strong made hand (a set or two pair on this board). The big pot you can win now is the entire reason the flop call was correct.
You raise; he commits with a set, and your flush holds. You win a 200 BB pot - the implied-odds payoff.
Hand recap
Direct odds said fold on the flop, but 200 BB behind meant the chips you'd win when the flush arrived made the call profitable - and it paid off in full. Implied odds are real money, and deep stacks are when they matter most.
Principle: Implied odds are the chips you expect to win on later streets when you hit - deep stacks justify draws that direct pot odds alone would reject.
Hand 3 of 10The rule of 2 and 4
Pre-flop
Action
It folds to you on the button with T♠9♠ after a middle-position raise - a hand that flops plenty of draws.
Decision
Opener makes it 600 (3 BB); you hold T♠9♠ on the button. Best?
Why
Call. A suited connector in position is a fine call against a single raiser - it flops draws you can play accurately with the math.
You call; the blinds fold. Pot: 1,500 (7.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: 8♦ 7♣ 2♥ - you flop an open-ended straight draw (any 6 or J), eight outs. He bets 900, so you call 900 to win 2,400 (~2.7-to-1, need ~27%).
Decision
Use the rule of 2 and 4 to estimate your equity, then compare to the price.
Why
Rule of 4: with two cards to come, outs × 4 ≈ 8 × 4 = 32%. You need only ~27% for this price, so call. (On the turn you'd switch to the rule of 2 - outs × 2.) It's a fast way to turn outs into equity at the table.
You call. Pot: 3,300 (16.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn: K♣ - a brick. Now only one card to come. He bets 2,400, so you call 2,400 to win 5,700 (~2.4-to-1, need ~30%).
Decision
Rule of 2 now: eight outs × 2 ≈ 16%. Facing this price, best?
Why
Fold. With one card to come your eight outs are only ~16% (rule of 2), but the price needs ~30%, and you have little implied odds left. The same draw that was a fine call on the flop is a clear fold on the turn - your equity halved, but the price didn't.
You fold. The math flipped on the turn, and so did you.
Hand recap
The rule of 2 and 4 let you estimate equity in seconds: ~32% on the flop (call) and ~16% on the turn (fold). The same eight outs were worth half as much with one card to come.
Principle: Outs × 4 on the flop, outs × 2 on the turn ≈ your equity - recompute every street, because a draw is worth half as much with one card left.
Hand 4 of 10Reverse implied odds
Pre-flop
Action
A button player opens to 600 and you defend the big blind with A♦5♦ - a suited ace, but a weak one.
Decision
Button opens to 600 (3 BB); you hold A♦5♦ in the BB. Best?
Why
Call. A suited ace defends fine from the big blind at this price. But keep in mind what it makes: top pair with a weak kicker - a hand prone to reverse implied odds.
You call. Heads-up to the flop. Pot: 1,300 (6.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: A♣ 9♠ 4♥ - you flop top pair, but with a five kicker. He c-bets.
Decision
Top pair, weak kicker, and he bets 800. Best?
Why
Call. Your weak ace is a textbook reverse-implied-odds hand: when you're ahead (he has a worse ace or a bluff) you win a little, but when you're behind (he has a better ace) you can lose a lot. Keep the pot small - don't build it with a hand that mostly gets action from better.
You call. Pot: 2,900 (14.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn: J♦ - you pick up a backdoor flush draw, but he fires a big second barrel.
Decision
He bets 2,600 (13 BB) into a weak-kicker top pair. Best?
Why
Fold. A big second barrel is exactly the pressure your hand can't handle: the better aces (A-K, A-Q, A-J) that just thrashed you keep betting, while the hands you beat give up. Paying off here is paying maximum precisely when you're beat - the essence of reverse implied odds.
You fold; he shows A-J for a better two pair. You lost the minimum.
Hand recap
A weak top pair wins small and loses big - so you controlled the pot and folded to real pressure instead of paying off the better aces. Reverse implied odds are why 'I have a pair' is not a reason to stack off.
Principle: Reverse implied odds: with a hand that wins small but loses big (a weak kicker, a low draw), keep the pot small and refuse to pay off when the action says you're beat.
Hand 5 of 10A monster draw is a favorite
Pre-flop
Action
It folds to you on the button with T♠9♠ after a middle-position raise.
Decision
Opener makes it 600 (3 BB); you hold T♠9♠ on the button. Best?
Why
Call. In position with a suited connector, you keep the pot flexible and set up to play big draws aggressively.
You call; the blinds fold. Pot: 1,500 (7.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: J♠ 8♠ 2♦ - you flop a flush draw and an open-ended straight draw: fifteen outs. He bets 1,000.
Decision
Fifteen outs - about 54% by the river. He bets. Best?
Why
Raise. With fifteen outs you're roughly 54% by the river - an actual favorite over a single made pair. So you don't just call; you raise, combining fold equity with the best draw. A monster combo draw plays like a made hand.
You raise to 3,200; he shoves with an overpair. Pot is now for stacks.
Decision
Action
He jams all-in with what looks like an overpair. You have the fifteen-out combo draw.
Decision
Facing the shove with a 15-out draw, best?
Why
Call. Against a single pair your fifteen-out draw is about 54% - you are the favorite, getting a fair price to put the money in. This is the spot where 'just a draw' is mathematically better than his made hand.
You call; your draw gets there. You win the pot as the favorite.
Hand recap
A flush draw plus a straight draw is fifteen outs - a favorite over one pair - so you raised and called off as the statistically better hand. Big draws are not underdogs; play them like the favorites they are.
Principle: A combo draw of ~13-15 outs is roughly a coin-flip-to-favorite by the river - get the money in, don't just call.
Hand 6 of 10Fold equity in a shove
Pre-flop
Action
You have a 25 BB stack in the big blind. A button player opens to 500 and you call with 9♠8♠.
Decision
25 BB deep, button opens to 500 (2.5 BB); you hold 9♠8♠ in the BB. Best?
Why
Call. With 25 BB a suited connector is fine to see a flop - and if you flop a draw, your short stack makes a powerful semi-bluff shove available.
You call. Heads-up to the flop with ~4,500 behind. Pot: 1,100 (5.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: K♠ 6♠ 2♦ - you flop a flush draw. He bets 600, and you have about 4,500 behind.
Decision
A check-raise all-in here is profitable mainly because of…
Why
Fold equity plus draw equity. Calling realizes only your ~19% next-card equity. Shoving adds fold equity: he must fold every hand that can't continue, so you often win immediately - and when he does call, you still have ~35% to make the flush by the river. The two together make the semi-bluff all-in clearly +EV.
You check-raise all-in for 4,500; he folds a middling king. You win without a showdown.
Hand recap
With a draw and a short stack, the shove beat the call because it added fold equity to your draw equity - you won the pot outright a good share of the time, and still had ~35% on the times you were called.
Principle: A semi-bluff all-in is powered by two things at once - the chance he folds now, plus your equity when called; together they can make a shove +EV that a passive call is not.
Hand 7 of 10Not all outs are clean
Pre-flop
Action
It folds to you on the button with Q♥9♥ after a middle-position raise.
Decision
Opener makes it 600 (3 BB); you hold Q♥9♥ on the button. Best?
Why
Call. A suited, connected broadway in position is a reasonable call - just be ready to read the board carefully when you flop a draw.
You call; the blinds fold. Pot: 1,500 (7.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: J♠ T♠ 4♦ - you flop an open-ended straight draw (any K or 8). But the board is two-spade, so the K♠ and 8♠ complete a flush for anyone on a spade draw.
Decision
Eight 'outs', but two of them (K♠, 8♠) can hand someone a flush. Your effective outs?
Why
About six. Two of your eight straight cards also complete a flush, so against a likely spade draw they can make your straight a loser - you discount them. Six clean outs is only ~24% by the river (rule of 4), and facing a bet and possible re-raise on a wet board, this is now a marginal-to-losing call.
Recognizing the taint, you fold rather than overpay a discounted draw. You fold.
Hand recap
You started with eight outs but two of them could make a second-best hand, so your real equity was lower than it looked - and the call you'd have made at eight outs becomes a fold at six. Count clean outs, not gross ones.
Principle: Discount outs that can make you a second-best hand (cards that also complete a flush or pair the board) - effective outs, not gross outs, decide the call.
Hand 8 of 10The set-mining price
Pre-flop
Action
A player opens to 600 from under the gun and it folds to you on the cutoff with 4♣4♦. Stacks are 125 BB.
Decision
You hold 4♣4♦ facing a 600 (3 BB) raise, 125 BB deep. What justifies calling here?
Why
Implied odds. A small pair almost never wins unimproved against a raiser, so you're playing to flop a set - about 1 in 8.5 (~12%), or 7.5-to-1 against. Direct odds never cover that, but the rule of thumb is to call when the price is small relative to the stacks you can win (roughly 10-15× the call behind). 600 into 25,000 clears that bar easily.
You call to set-mine; the blinds fold. Pot: 1,500 (7.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: K♦ 9♣ 4♥ - you flop bottom set, beautifully disguised. He c-bets 1,000.
Decision
You flopped a set against a likely big hand. Best?
Why
Call. On this dry board, smooth-calling keeps his overpairs and ace-king betting, hides your set, and sets up to stack him later. The set you were mining for is the implied-odds payoff - now extract it.
You call. Pot: 3,500 (17.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn: Q♠. He keeps betting - he likely has a strong king or an overpair.
Decision
He fires again, 2,800 (14 BB). With your set, best?
Why
Raise for value. The pot is building, his second barrel signals a hand that can pay, and a set wants the money in before a scary river. This is exactly the big pot the set-mining call was an investment toward.
You raise; he commits with K-Q for top two. Your set is way ahead - the implied odds arrive.
Hand recap
You called pre-flop purely on implied odds - a small pair mining for a set at a price small relative to the stacks - then collected the big pot when the set hit. The 7.5-to-1 flop odds are paid by stack-sized implied odds, not by the pot.
Principle: Set-mining is an implied-odds play: a small pair flops a set ~1 in 8.5, so call a raise only when the stacks behind are deep enough (roughly 10-15× the call) to pay you off.
Hand 9 of 10Make the draw pay
Pre-flop
Action
It folds to you on the cutoff with A♣K♦. You raise and the big blind calls.
Decision
Folded to you with A♣K♦ on the cutoff. Best?
Why
Raise to open. A-K is a premium opening hand; raise for value and to take the blinds.
You raise to 500 (2.5 BB); the big blind calls. Pot: 1,200 (6 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: A♥ 9♥ 4♣ - you flop top pair, top kicker, but two hearts mean a flush draw is live. The big blind checks.
Decision
A flush draw is ~19% to hit the next card (~4-to-1). What sizing best denies it the right price?
Why
Bet about two-thirds to full pot. A flush draw needs roughly 4-to-1 to call for one card; a 1/4-pot bet lays it 5-to-1 (a price it loves), while a 2/3-pot bet lays only ~2.5-to-1 - far worse than its ~19% deserves. Betting big enough makes the draw pay too much to continue.
You bet 900 (about 3/4 pot); the big blind calls. Pot: 3,000 (15 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn: 2♠ - the flush misses. He checks again.
Decision
The draw bricked; you still have top pair, top kicker. Best?
Why
Bet again. Your hand is best and a draw may still be peeling; a second solid bet extracts value and continues to charge any remaining draw a bad price. Checking lets a heart draw see the river for free.
You bet 2,000; he calls, the river bricks, and your top pair holds. You win.
Hand recap
With the best hand against a draw, you sized your bets to deny the draw correct odds - a big enough bet that a ~19% flush draw was overpaying - and kept charging it until it missed. Protection is just pot odds used in reverse.
Principle: When you hold the best hand against a draw, bet enough that the draw is paying more than its equity is worth - deny it the correct price.
Hand 10 of 10A river bluff-catch
Pre-flop
Action
An aggressive, high-bluff button raises to 600 and you defend the big blind with A♥J♠.
Decision
Aggressive button opens to 600 (3 BB); you hold A♥J♠ in the BB. Best?
Why
Call. A-J offsuit defends fine against a wide button-stealing range - and against an aggressive player you'll often get to make a profitable bluff-catch later.
You call. Heads-up to the flop. Pot: 1,300 (6.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop: J♦ 7♣ 3♠ - you flop top pair, jack kicker. You check, he c-bets.
Decision
Top pair vs an aggressive button who c-bets a ton. Best?
Why
Call. Against an opponent who barrels and bluffs too much, calling keeps his bluffs in - you're turning your top pair into a bluff-catcher and planning to pay him off only when the price is right.
You call. Pot: 2,900 (14.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn: 5♥ - a blank. He bets again, smallish. You call.
Decision
He keeps firing on a dry board. With top pair, jack kicker, best?
Why
Call. Nothing has changed your read: he over-bets bluffs and barrels. Continue calling as a bluff-catcher and let the river price set your final decision.
You call. Pot: 5,100 (25.5 BB).
River
Action
River: 2♣ - bricks. He bets 2,000 into 5,100, so you call 2,000 to win 7,100 (~3.5-to-1). You need to be good ~22% of the time.
Decision
Getting ~3.5-to-1 against a habitual bluffer who barrels missed draws here. Best?
Why
Call. The price (~3.5-to-1) means you only need to be good about 22% of the time. Against an aggressive player whose triple-barrel range here is well over a quarter bluffs - busted draws and pure air - your top pair beats enough of it to make the call clearly profitable, even though it only beats his bluffs.
You call; he shows a busted draw. The pot-odds math made it an easy call.
Hand recap
You computed the price (~3.5-to-1, needing ~22%), compared it to how often this player bluffs, and called - bluff-catching is pure pot-odds math against an estimate of his bluff frequency, not a guess.
Principle: To call a river bet you need to win only as often as the price requires (bet/(pot+2×bet)) - call when your read says the opponent bluffs more often than that threshold.
Learning
Part Five - Betting Before the Flop
Concepts in this Part
Pre-flop is where most of your edge is made. Opening ranges widen as you move toward the button (and wider still with antes in play), and your raise sizing sets up the pot. When someone has already raised, the gap concept governs your response: three-bet your best hands for value and your blocker hands as light re-steals; flat hands that play well in position (medium pairs, suited connectors); and four-bet premiums for value rather than slow-playing them. Special spots recur: the squeeze (for value and as a bluff) against a raiser-plus-caller, isolating weak limpers, defending the blinds and playing blind versus blind, cold four-bet bluffs with ace-blockers, and adjusting to stack depth (short stacks shove and call jams instead of set-mining). And know when to let go - fold dominated broadways to three-bets, and give up a light three-bet that gets four-bet. These hands drill the pre-flop decisions that matter most.
Hand 1 of 23Opening by position
Pre-flop
Action
It folds to you on the cutoff with K♠T♠.
Decision
Folded to you on the cutoff with K♠T♠. Best?
Why
Open-raise. King-ten suited is a clear open from the cutoff with only the button and blinds behind. The same hand is a fold from early position - opening requirements loosen as you move toward the button.
You raise to 500 (2.5 BB); the big blind calls. Pot: 1,200 (6 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop K♦ 8♣ 4♥ - top pair on a dry board. He checks.
Decision
Top pair, dry board, he checks. Best?
Why
Bet for value. Top pair is well ahead on a dry board - charge worse pairs and draws while you have the lead from your positional open.
You bet 700; the big blind folds. You take it down.
Hand recap
King-ten suited is a fold up front but a standard open on the cutoff - opening ranges widen with position. You opened, flopped well, and your c-bet took it.
Principle: Open tighter early and wider late: the closer you are to the button, the more hands clear the bar to raise first in.
Hand 2 of 23Three-betting for value
Pre-flop
Action
A player opens to 600 from middle position and it folds to you on the button with A♦K♣.
Decision
MP opens to 600 (3 BB); you hold A♦K♣ on the button. Best?
Why
Three-bet for value. A-K is far ahead of an opening range and three-betting builds the pot while you're ahead, denies the blinds a cheap look, and lets you play a big pot in position with the initiative.
You three-bet to 1,900 (9.5 BB); the blinds fold and the opener calls. Pot: 4,300 (21.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop A♣ 9♦ 5♠ - you flop top pair, top kicker. He checks.
Decision
You flop TPTK in a three-bet pot and he checks. Best?
Why
Bet for value. In a three-bet pot your TPTK is a monster - bet to get value from worse aces, pairs, and draws, and to build toward stacking him.
You bet 2,600; he folds. You take a healthy pot.
Hand recap
You three-bet a premium for value, flopped top pair top kicker in the bloated pot, and bet to collect. Three-betting your big hands builds the pots you want to be playing.
Principle: Three-bet your strongest hands for value - it grows the pot while you're ahead and seizes the initiative in position.
Hand 3 of 23A light three-bet
Pre-flop
Action
A loose button that steals constantly opens to 500. You're in the big blind with A♦5♦.
Decision
A wide-stealing button opens to 500 (2.5 BB); you hold A♦5♦ in the BB. Best?
Why
Three-bet as a light re-steal. Against a button opening far too wide, a three-bet folds out most of his range, and A-5 suited is an ideal bluff: it blocks his strong aces and still flops flushes, straights, and pairs when called. Flatting out of position is the weakest option.
You three-bet to 1,800 (9 BB); the wide button folds. You win it pre-flop.
Hand recap
Against a button stealing too wide, a light three-bet with a blocker hand (A-5 suited) takes the pot before the flop - an essential way to fight back from the blinds.
Principle: Three-bet light against players who open too wide - pick blocker/suited hands that fold out their range and still play well when called.
Hand 4 of 23Flatting a three-bet
Pre-flop
Action
You open to 500 from the cutoff with 7♠7♦. The button three-bets to 1,800 and the blinds fold.
Decision
You opened pocket sevens and the button three-bets to 1,800 (9 BB). Best?
Why
Call. Pocket sevens are too good to fold but not strong enough to four-bet for value; flatting in position lets you set-mine with great implied odds and outplay him after the flop. Four-betting turns your hand into a bluff against a range that has you crushed when the money goes in.
You call. Heads-up in position. Pot: 3,900 (19.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop 7♥ K♦ 2♣ - you flop a set. He continuation-bets.
Decision
You flopped a set in a three-bet pot and he c-bets 2,200. Best?
Why
Call. On this dry board, flatting keeps his overpairs and ace-king firing, hides your set, and sets up to stack him. Raising folds out the hands paying you off.
You call, and on the turn the money goes in - your set is far ahead. You win a big three-bet pot.
Hand recap
Rather than four-bet or fold, you flatted the three-bet in position with a hand built to set-mine, then trapped when it hit. Calling three-bets in position with the right hands is its own skill.
Principle: Against a three-bet, hands like medium pairs and suited connectors often play best as in-position calls - not every spot is four-bet-or-fold.
Hand 5 of 23Four-betting the aces
Pre-flop
Action
You open to 500 from the cutoff with A♠A♣. A fairly aggressive button three-bets to 1,800.
Decision
You open pocket aces and the button three-bets to 1,800 (9 BB). Best?
Why
Four-bet for value. Aces want money in the pot now - flatting lets the pot stay small and lets overcards or sets crack you cheaply. Four-betting builds the pot while you hold the best possible hand and charges his three-betting range.
You four-bet to 4,400 (22 BB). He shoves all-in.
Decision
Action
He jams all-in over your four-bet.
Decision
Facing an all-in with pocket aces. Best?
Why
Call. You hold the best starting hand in poker; there is no fold. Against his entire shoving range - kings, queens, ace-king, the occasional bluff - aces are a huge favorite. This is the payoff for four-betting them for value.
You call; he shows K-K and you win a massive pot. Aces stack the kings.
Hand recap
You four-bet aces for value rather than slow-playing them, and when he shoved you snapped it off as a giant favorite. Big pairs make money by getting the chips in while they're ahead, not by being cute.
Principle: Don't slow-play aces or kings against aggression - four-bet for value and get the money in while you hold the best hand.
Hand 6 of 23Facing a four-bet with A-K
Pre-flop
Action
A player opens the cutoff, you three-bet the button to 1,800 with A♥K♠, and he four-bets to 5,200. You're 100 BB deep against an aggressive opponent.
Decision
He four-bets to 5,200 (26 BB). With A-K, 100 BB deep vs an aggressive four-bettor, best?
Why
Five-bet shove. Against an aggressive four-betting range - which includes A-Q, worse, and bluffs - A-K has strong equity and big fold equity. Shoving lets you win it now or flip/dominate when called, and avoids playing a bloated pot guessing post-flop. Flatting plays poorly, and folding A-K to a wide four-bettor is far too weak.
You shove; he folds A-Q face up. You win a big pot pre-flop.
Hand recap
Against an aggressive four-bettor, A-K is too strong to fold and plays best as a five-bet shove - you fold out his bluffs and have equity when called. Stack depth and opponent tendencies set the answer.
Principle: A-K facing a four-bet is usually a get-it-in hand against aggressive players - shove for fold equity plus equity rather than fold or flat.
Hand 7 of 23The squeeze
Pre-flop
Action
A loose cutoff opens to 600, the button just calls, and the small blind folds. You're in the big blind with A♥Q♥.
Decision
Loose opener, a flat-caller behind, and you hold A♥Q♥ in the BB. Best?
Why
Three-bet squeeze. The opener is loose and the caller's flat caps him at a hand too weak to four-bet - both are squeezed. A large three-bet takes it down often, and A-Q suited has real equity when called. Flatting invites a multiway pot out of position with a hand that wants to be heads-up.
You squeeze to 2,600 (13 BB); both fold. You scoop it pre-flop.
Hand recap
A raiser plus a flat-caller is the classic squeeze setup - a big three-bet from the blind put both in a bad spot and took the pot before the flop.
Principle: When a raise is flatted in front of you, squeeze with a large three-bet - the caller is capped and the raiser is often stealing, so both fold too much.
Hand 8 of 23Isolating a limper
Pre-flop
Action
A weak, passive player limps in from middle position and it folds to you on the button with A♣J♦.
Decision
A weak limper, and you hold A♣J♦ on the button. Best?
Why
Raise to isolate. A-J dominates a limper's weak range, and raising gets you heads-up and in position against a player who has shown weakness. Limping behind invites a multiway pot and squanders your edge over the limper.
You raise to 900 (4.5 BB); the limper calls, the blinds fold. Pot: 2,100 (10.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop A♦ 7♣ 3♥ - top pair, good kicker. The limper checks.
Decision
Top pair, good kicker, heads-up and in position. Best?
Why
Bet for value. You isolated to play exactly this pot - heads-up with the best hand against a weak player. Bet to get value from worse aces and pairs.
You bet 1,200; the limper calls then gives up the turn. You win.
Hand recap
You raised to isolate a weak limper, got heads-up in position with a dominating hand, and value-bet your flopped top pair. Isolation raises turn a limper's weakness into your profit.
Principle: Raise to isolate weak limpers with strong, dominating hands - get heads-up and in position rather than limping along into a multiway pot.
Hand 9 of 23Defending the big blind
Pre-flop
Action
A button player opens small, to 400 (a min-raise). You're in the big blind with Q♦9♦ and only need to call 200 more into a 600 pot.
Decision
Button min-raises to 400 (2 BB); you hold Q♦9♦ in the BB, getting a great price. Best?
Why
Call. Against a wide button steal and a cheap price (you close the action getting better than 3-to-1), Q-9 suited is well inside a profitable big-blind defense range. Folding hands this playable to a min-raise lets the button run you over.
You call. Heads-up to the flop. Pot: 900 (4.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop Q♠ 6♣ 2♥ - you flop top pair. You check, and the button checks back.
Decision
You flop top pair and he checks back the flop. On the turn, best line?
Why
Lead the turn for value. His flop check-back caps him at a weak or medium hand, and your top pair is ahead - betting the turn gets value from worse pairs and draws rather than letting the hand check down.
You bet the turn; he calls a worse queen, the river bricks, and your top pair holds. You win.
Hand recap
You defended a suited, connected hand against a cheap button steal, flopped top pair, and led for value once his check-back showed weakness. Profitable blind defense is half of beating aggressive stealers.
Principle: Defend the big blind wide against cheap late-position steals - the price and your closing position justify calling many playable hands.
Hand 10 of 23A small pair, short-stacked
Pre-flop
Action
You have a 15 BB stack. A player opens to 500 from under the gun and it folds to you on the cutoff with 6♠6♦.
Decision
15 BB deep, an opener makes it 500 (2.5 BB); you hold 6♠6♦ on the cutoff. Best?
Why
Three-bet shove. Short-stacked, you lack the implied odds to set-mine - calling 500 with only 15 BB behind can't pay you off when you hit. A shove takes the pot's dead money plus the blinds via fold equity, and you're rarely in terrible shape when called. Set-mining is a deep-stack play.
You shove 15 BB; the opener folds a hand like A-J. You pick up a useful pot.
Hand recap
The same pocket sixes you'd set-mine 150 BB deep become a shove at 15 BB - without implied odds, you take your equity plus fold equity now. Stack depth changes the whole plan.
Principle: Set-mining needs deep stacks for the implied-odds payoff; short-stacked, small pairs are shove-or-fold hands, not call-and-pray hands.
Hand 11 of 23Don't let the aces get cracked
Pre-flop
Action
A player limps from under the gun and it's on you in middle position with A♠A♦.
Decision
A limper is in and you hold pocket aces in middle position. Best?
Why
Raise a strong amount. Limping behind invites a multiway pot, exactly where aces get cracked. A solid raise (larger with a limper to punish, building the pot) thins the field so you play your monster heads-up or three-handed with the lead.
You raise to 1,000 (5 BB) over the limper; one caller, the rest fold. Pot: 2,500 (12.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop K♥ 8♣ 4♦ - your aces are an overpair on a dry board. He checks.
Decision
Overpair, dry board, he checks. Best?
Why
Bet for value. Keep building with the best hand - a king, a worse pair, or a draw will pay. Slow-playing again only lets free cards undo your big pair.
You bet 1,500; he folds. You win the pot you protected.
Hand recap
You raised aces to thin the field instead of limping into a multiway minefield, then bet for value rather than slow-playing. Big pairs want fewer opponents and a growing pot.
Principle: Raise your big pairs - thinning the field protects them and building the pot collects value; slow-playing invites the multiway pots that crack aces.
Hand 12 of 23The cold-call trap
Pre-flop
Action
A solid player opens under the gun. You're next in middle position with K♠J♠, and there are several players still to act - including a known aggressive squeezer on the cutoff.
Decision
Solid UTG opener, K♠J♠ in MP, aggressive players still behind. Best?
Why
Fold. Cold-calling here is the trap: K-J suited is dominated by a tight UTG range, you'd play out of position to the button, and the aggressive squeezer behind will often three-bet and blow you off the hand. With a marginal hand, flat-calling into players yet to act is the worst option - fold (or, rarely, three-bet), but don't cold-call.
You fold; the squeezer indeed three-bets behind. You saved yourself a mess.
Hand recap
Cold-calling a raise with players left to act invites a squeeze and a dominated, out-of-position pot. With a marginal hand you fold or three-bet - flatting is the worst of the three.
Principle: Beware the cold-call: flatting a raise with aggressive players still behind invites squeezes and dominated spots - prefer folding or three-betting marginal hands.
Hand 13 of 23Open-shoving a short stack
Pre-flop
Action
You have a 10 BB stack and it folds to you on the cutoff with A♠T♦.
Decision
10 BB deep, folded to you on the cutoff with A♠T♦. Best?
Why
Open-shove. At ~10 BB a standard raise commits a third of your stack and leaves you guessing post-flop. Jamming a solid hand like A-T from late position maximizes fold equity and keeps good equity when called. This is push-or-fold territory.
You shove 10 BB; the blinds fold. You pick up the blinds.
Hand recap
Short-stacked, A-T from the cutoff is an open-jam, not a raise-fold - you take the dead money now and avoid awkward post-flop spots with a stack too small to maneuver.
Principle: Around 10 BB, late-position play is push-or-fold - open-shove your playable hands instead of making a committing raise.
Hand 14 of 23Calling a shove
Pre-flop
Action
A short-stacked button open-jams 12 BB. The small blind folds and you're in the big blind with A♣J♠.
Decision
A 12 BB button open-shoves; you hold A♣J♠ in the BB, closing the action. Best?
Why
Call. A button open-jamming 12 BB has a wide range, and A-J is roughly a coin flip or better against it. You're getting better than 1.2-to-1 closing the action, so you only need ~46% - an easy call.
You call; he shows K-9 and your A-J holds. You win the flip.
Hand recap
Against a wide short-stack shove you used pot odds and equity, not fear: getting a good price with a hand that's ahead of his range made it a routine call.
Principle: To call an all-in, weigh your equity against the price - wide shoving ranges make strong-but-not-premium hands clear calls when you're getting odds.
Hand 15 of 23A light squeeze
Pre-flop
Action
A loose cutoff opens, the button flat-calls, the small blind folds, and you're in the big blind with 8♠7♠.
Decision
Raiser-plus-caller, and you hold 8♠7♠ in the BB. Best?
Why
Squeeze as a bluff. The flat-caller is capped (he'd have re-raised a big hand) and the opener is loose, so a large three-bet makes both fold a high percentage of the time. 8-7 suited is an ideal bluffing hand - it has playability and equity the times you do get called.
You squeeze to 2,600 (13 BB); both fold. You take it pre-flop.
Hand recap
You don't need a premium to squeeze - a raiser-plus-caller is a setup where a big three-bet, even with a suited connector, prints because the caller is capped and the opener is weak.
Principle: Squeeze light against a raiser and a flat-caller - both are usually too weak to continue, so fold equity, not card strength, drives the play.
Hand 16 of 23Set-mining in a multiway pot
Pre-flop
Action
A player opens to 600, another calls, and it's on you on the button with 3♣3♦.
Decision
An opener and a caller are already in; you hold 3♣3♦ on the button. Best?
Why
Call. With a raiser and a caller in, your implied odds are excellent: you flop a set ~12% of the time with two opponents to pay you off, and you have position. Three-betting bloats the pot as an underdog; folding passes up a clearly profitable set-mine.
You call; the blinds fold. Three-way to the flop. Pot: 2,100 (10.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop A♠ K♦ 7♣ - you missed your set entirely. The opener bets into the field.
Decision
You whiffed the set on an ace-king flop and he bets. Best?
Why
Fold. You set-mined for a set and didn't flop it; pocket threes have almost no equity on A-K-7 against a bettor and a player still behind. The discipline of set-mining is folding instantly when the set doesn't come.
You fold. Cheap miss, no set, no problem.
Hand recap
You called purely for set value with great multiway implied odds, then folded the instant the flop bricked. Set-mining is call-cheap, hit-or-fold - the discipline is as important as the call.
Principle: Multiway pots boost a small pair's implied odds for set-mining - call cheaply for the set, and fold without hesitation when you miss.
Hand 17 of 23Out of the small blind
Pre-flop
Action
A button player opens to 500 to steal. It folds to you in the small blind with A♣9♦, and the big blind is still behind you.
Decision
Button steals; you hold A♣9♦ in the small blind. Best?
Why
Three-bet (or fold the weakest hands). From the small blind you'll be out of position all hand and the big blind can still wake up, so flatting is the worst option. Against a button steal, A-9 offsuit is a fine re-steal - take it down or play with the initiative.
You three-bet to 1,700 (8.5 BB); both fold. You win it pre-flop.
Hand recap
In the small blind you avoided the out-of-position flat-call trap and three-bet instead - against a wide button steal, re-stealing beats calling and letting the big blind in.
Principle: From the small blind, prefer three-betting or folding to flat-calling - being out of position with a player still behind makes calling the weakest choice.
Hand 18 of 23Blind versus blind
Pre-flop
Action
It folds all the way to you in the small blind, heads-up against the big blind, with K♠9♣.
Decision
Blind vs blind, folded to you in the SB with K♠9♣. Best?
Why
Raise first-in. Heads-up against a single opponent, K-9 offsuit is well above average and you should apply pressure - raising takes the pot often and builds it when called. Limping invites the big blind to realize his equity cheaply in position.
You raise to 600 (3 BB); the big blind folds. You take the blinds.
Hand recap
Blind vs blind, with only one opponent and a hand above the heads-up average, you raised rather than limped - pressure beats passivity when the ranges are this wide.
Principle: Blind versus blind, raise first-in with a wide range - against one opponent most hands are strong enough, and limping surrenders the initiative.
Hand 19 of 23A-Q facing a three-bet
Pre-flop
Action
You open to 500 from middle position with A♥Q♠. A solid button three-bets to 1,800.
Decision
A solid player three-bets to 1,800 (9 BB); you hold A♥Q♠ out of position. Best?
Why
Fold. A-Q offsuit out of position against a solid three-bet is dominated by his value hands (A-K, A-Q, Q-Q+) and flops awkwardly with no position. Calling bleeds chips, and four-betting turns your hand into a bluff. Against a straightforward three-bettor, this is a clean fold.
You fold. A-Q is not as strong as it looks against a three-bet - and worse out of position.
Hand recap
A-Q is a great opening hand but a weak one facing a solid three-bet out of position - dominated and positionless, it folds. Big offsuit broadways are exactly the hands that get you in trouble when re-raised.
Principle: A-Q offsuit out of position folds to a solid three-bet - it's dominated by the value range and plays poorly without position; save calls and four-bets for aggressive opponents.
Hand 20 of 23A-K against a three-bet
Pre-flop
Action
You open to 500 from the cutoff with A♠K♦. An aggressive button three-bets to 1,800.
Decision
An aggressive button three-bets to 1,800 (9 BB); you hold A♠K♦. Best?
Why
Four-bet. A-K is ahead of an aggressive three-betting range, so four-betting gets value, folds out his bluffs and weaker hands, and avoids playing a bloated pot out of position. Flatting is passive and folding A-K to a wide three-bettor is far too weak.
You four-bet to 4,400 (22 BB); the aggressive button folds. You win a nice pot pre-flop.
Hand recap
Against an aggressive three-bettor, A-K four-bets for value - it's ahead of his range, collects dead money, and sidesteps a guessing game post-flop. The opponent's tendencies (aggressive) make four-betting clearly best.
Principle: A-K facing a three-bet usually four-bets - it's ahead of most three-betting ranges and prefers building the pot with initiative over flatting out of position.
Hand 21 of 23A cold four-bet bluff
Pre-flop
Action
An under-the-gun player opens, an aggressive cutoff three-bets, and it folds to you in the big blind with A♠5♠.
Decision
Open, then an aggressive three-bet, and you hold A♠5♠. Best?
Why
Cold four-bet as a bluff. Against an aggressive three-bettor, A-5 suited is a premium bluffing hand: it blocks his A-A and A-K, represents enormous strength, and retains a backup draw when called. Calling out of position with a weak ace is poor; the four-bet applies maximum pressure.
You cold four-bet to 4,800 (24 BB); the opener folds and the three-bettor gives up. You take it.
Hand recap
An ace-blocker like A-5 suited makes an ideal cold four-bet bluff against an aggressive three-bettor - you block his strongest hands and represent the top of your range. Blockers turn weak aces into powerful bluffs.
Principle: Cold four-bet bluffs work best with ace-blockers (A-5s) against aggressive three-bettors - you block their premiums and credibly represent a monster.
Hand 22 of 23Opening wider with antes
Pre-flop
Action
Antes are now in play - every player antes 25, adding dead money to the pot. It folds to you on the cutoff with Q♣8♣.
Decision
With antes in, folded to you on the cutoff with Q♣8♣. Best?
Why
Open-raise. Antes put extra dead money in every pot, so a successful steal wins more and the bar for a profitable open drops. Q-8 suited from the cutoff is a clear open with antes, even though it would be marginal without them.
You raise to 500; the blinds fold and you collect the blinds and antes. The dead money adds up.
Hand recap
Antes lower the price of stealing by adding dead money to every pot, so your opening range widens - Q-8 suited becomes a profitable cutoff open once the antes are in.
Principle: When antes are in play, open wider from late position - the extra dead money makes more steals profitable.
Hand 23 of 23When your bluff gets four-bet
Pre-flop
Action
You light three-bet a button steal to 1,800 with A♠5♠ as a bluff - and he four-bets to 5,200.
Decision
Your light three-bet got four-bet. With A♠5♠, best?
Why
Fold. Your three-bet was a bluff for fold equity; the four-bet means it failed, and you're now against a value-heavy range A-5 can't profitably continue against out of position. Give it up - don't pour more chips in behind a busted bluff. (A five-bet bluff exists against the right opponent, but folding is standard.)
You fold. The bluff didn't get through - you give it up cheaply.
Hand recap
A light three-bet is a bluff, and when it gets four-bet the bluff simply failed - you fold rather than compound the mistake. Knowing when to give up an aggressive line keeps the cost small.
Principle: When a light three-bet gets four-bet, usually fold - the bluff failed, and reloading behind it out of position just throws good chips after bad.
Learning
Part Six - Betting After the Flop
Concepts in this Part
After the flop, every bet should have a purpose - value, protection, denying equity, or as a bluff - and the board texture sets your sizing (big on wet boards, small on dry). The continuation bet is your main weapon, but you must know when to fire a second or third barrel (on cards that favor your range) and when to give up after one. Out of position you choose between check-raising (for value or as a semi-bluff), check-calling as a bluff-catcher, and donk-leading when the board belongs to your range; in position you can float, fire a delayed or probe bet, or control the pot with medium hands. Big draws play aggressively as semi-bluffs; monsters sometimes call for a slow-play; and even an overpair can be a fold. Multiway, you tighten sharply. These eighteen hands drill post-flop betting from every angle.
Hand 1 of 18Sizing to the board
Pre-flop
Action
Folded to you on the cutoff with K♠Q♠; you raise and the big blind calls.
Decision
Folded to you with K♠Q♠. Best?
Why
Open-raise. K-Q suited is a clear cutoff open.
You raise to 500; the big blind calls. Pot: 1,200 (6 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop Q♥ 9♥ 4♣ - top pair, but the board is wet (flush and straight draws live). He checks.
Decision
Top pair on a draw-heavy board, he checks. Best size?
Why
Bet larger. On a wet, draw-heavy board your top pair wants a bigger bet (~3/4 pot) to charge flush and straight draws and build the pot - a small bet gives draws a cheap card. On a dry board you'd size down; the texture sets the size.
You bet 900; he calls. Pot: 3,000 (15 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn 2♠ - the draws miss. He checks again.
Decision
The board bricked and he checks. Best?
Why
Bet again. You're still ahead and any remaining draw should pay; a second solid bet extracts value and denies free cards.
You bet 1,800; he folds. You take it.
Hand recap
You sized your bets to the board - big on the wet flop to charge draws, then kept betting when they missed. Board texture, not just hand strength, sets your bet size.
Principle: Bet bigger on wet, draw-heavy boards and smaller on dry ones - size to charge the draws your opponent could hold.
Hand 2 of 18Check-raising for value
Pre-flop
Action
A button opens to 600 and you defend the big blind with 8♠7♠.
Decision
Button opens; you hold 8♠7♠ in the BB. Best?
Why
Call. A suited connector defends well and flops disguised, strong hands.
You call. Pot: 1,300 (6.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop 8♦ 7♣ 2♥ - you flop top two pair. You check, and the button c-bets.
Decision
You flopped two pair out of position and he c-bets 800. Best?
Why
Check-raise for value. Out of position with a strong but vulnerable hand, raise to build the pot now and charge the many draws and overcards that float a c-bet. Just calling lets dangerous turn cards come cheaply.
You check-raise to 2,400; he calls. The money goes in on the turn and your two pair holds. You win.
Hand recap
Out of position with top two pair, you check-raised for value and protection rather than slow-playing - building the pot while charging the draws. Strong-but-vulnerable hands want action now.
Principle: Check-raise strong, vulnerable made hands for value out of position - build the pot and deny cheap cards instead of trapping.
Hand 3 of 18The check-raise semi-bluff
Pre-flop
Action
A button opens and you defend the big blind with T♠9♠.
Decision
Button opens; you hold T♠9♠ in the BB. Best?
Why
Call. A suited connector that flops big draws.
You call. Pot: 1,300 (6.5 BB).
Flop
Action
Flop J♠ 6♠ 2♦ - you flop a flush draw with two overcards. You check, the button c-bets.
Decision
You flop a big draw out of position and he c-bets. Best?
Why
Check-raise semi-bluff. You can win two ways: he folds now, or you complete one of your many outs (flush, plus straight/pair outs). Combining fold equity with strong draw equity makes the raise far better than a passive call.
You check-raise to 2,400; he folds his unpaired hand. You take it without a showdown.
Hand recap
With a big draw you check-raised as a semi-bluff - fold equity now plus a heap of outs when called. Aggression with draws beats passively calling and hoping.
Principle: Check-raise your big draws as semi-bluffs - you win when they fold and you still have heavy equity when they don't.
Hand 4 of 18Floating in position
Flop
Action
You called a middle-position open on the button with A♦T♣. Flop K♠ 8♦ 3♣ - you have ace-high and position. He c-bets.
Decision
You miss but have position and an opponent who c-bets a lot. Best?
Why
Float. Calling in position with ace-high lets you take the pot away on a later street when he gives up - you keep his bluffs in and your ace-high has some equity. Raising now commits chips with nothing; folding gives up too easily against a frequent c-bettor.
You call. Pot: 3,300 (16.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn 5♥ - a blank, and now he checks, giving up.
Decision
He checks the turn, surrendering the initiative. Best?
Why
Bet. This is the plan: his turn check signals he's done with the hand, so a bet takes the pot. The float worked - you used position to win a pot you'd have folded out of position.
You bet 2,000; he folds. The float collects the pot.
Hand recap
You called the flop with position and air, then bet when he checked the turn - the classic float, using position to win a pot rather than fighting on the flop.
Principle: Float in position against frequent c-bettors - call the flop with a plan to take the pot away when they give up later.
Hand 5 of 18Double-barreling a scare card
Flop
Action
You opened and the big blind called. Flop Q♣ 7♦ 3♠ - you have A-K high. He checks.
Decision
You miss but hold two overcards and the betting lead. Best?
Why
Continuation-bet. A standard c-bet on a dry board with overcards and backdoor equity wins often and sets up a second barrel.
You bet 700; the big blind calls. Pot: 2,700 (13.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn K♦ - you pair your king (now top pair, top kicker), and it's also a scary card for a caller. He checks.
Decision
The king both improves you and threatens his range. Best?
Why
Double-barrel. The king is a great card for your range - you'd often have a king or queen here - and you now actually have top pair, top kicker. Bet for value and to fold out his weaker pairs and draws.
You bet 2,000; he folds. The barrel takes it (and you'd improved anyway).
Hand recap
You fired the flop, then barreled the turn when a card arrived that favored your range and improved your hand - scare cards that hit your range are the times to keep betting.
Principle: Double-barrel on turn cards that favor your range (over-cards that you'd often hold) - they make your story credible and fold out marginal hands.
Hand 6 of 18One barrel, then give up
Flop
Action
You opened and the big blind called. Flop J♠ T♣ 4♦ - a coordinated board; you have A-K high. He checks.
Decision
A wet board, you have overcards and the lead. Best?
Why
Continuation-bet. A reasonable c-bet still wins a fair share even on a coordinated board, and you have overcards plus a gutshot as backup.
You bet 800; the big blind calls. Pot: 2,900 (14.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn 6♥ - a blank that misses you. He checks again on this wet board.
Decision
He called your flop bet on a coordinated board and checks the turn. Best?
Why
Check behind. He called a c-bet on a board full of pairs and draws, so he likely has a piece that isn't folding; a second barrel mostly burns chips. Take your free showdown with ace-high and give up the bluff. Knowing when to fire only one barrel saves a lot of money.
You check behind and miss the river, but lost only one barrel. Disciplined give-up.
Hand recap
You fired once on a wet board, but when the caller stuck around and the turn bricked, you shut down rather than barrel into a sticky range. Not every c-bet deserves a second bullet.
Principle: Give up the bluff after one barrel when the board favors a caller and your hand has no equity to add - firing again into a stuck range just bleeds chips.
Hand 7 of 18Leading after he checks back
Turn
Action
You called a button raise from the big blind with J♦9♦. The flop was J♠ 6♣ 2♥ and you checked - the button checked back. Turn 4♦ gives you top pair plus a flush draw.
Decision
He checked back the flop (capping his range), and you have top pair on the turn. Best?
Why
Lead a probe bet. His flop check-back caps him at a weak or medium hand, so leading the turn takes the initiative, gets value from worse, and denies a free card to any draw. When the pre-flop raiser declines to c-bet, betting into him on a later street is often correct.
You bet 800; he folds. The probe takes it.
Hand recap
When the pre-flop raiser checked back the flop, you read his range as capped and led the turn - a probe bet that took the initiative he surrendered.
Principle: When the pre-flop raiser checks back the flop, lead (probe) a later street - his check-back caps him, so betting into him is profitable.
Hand 8 of 18The delayed c-bet
Flop
Action
You opened and the big blind called. Flop 7♠ 6♣ 2♥ - a low, slightly connected board; you have A-Q high. He checks.
Decision
A low board that connects with a caller's range, and you have just ace-high. Best?
Why
Check behind. This low board hits the big blind's calling range more than yours, so an immediate c-bet gets called or raised too often. Check to control the pot and keep your ace-high - you can fire a delayed c-bet on a better turn card.
You check behind. Pot stays 1,300 (6.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn K♠ - an overcard that favors your range. He checks again.
Decision
A king arrives (good for your range) and he checks twice. Best?
Why
Fire the delayed c-bet. The king is a card you'd often have and a scary one for him, and his two checks signal weakness. Betting now represents the strong hand and folds out his weak holdings - the delayed line worked better than betting the low flop.
You bet 900; he folds. The delayed c-bet takes it.
Hand recap
You skipped the c-bet on a board that favored the caller and instead fired on a turn card that favored you - the delayed c-bet, choosing the better street to attack.
Principle: Delay your c-bet on low boards that hit the caller's range - check the flop and barrel a later card that favors yours.
Hand 9 of 18Pot control
Flop
Action
You called a middle-position open on the button with A♣J♥. Flop K♠ J♣ 5♦ - you have middle pair (jacks) with an ace kicker. He checks.
Decision
Middle pair on a king-high board, in position, he checks. Best?
Why
Check behind. Middle pair is a medium hand: betting bloats the pot against the better kings and gets little from worse. Checking controls the pot, takes a free card with your kicker, and keeps his bluffs in for a later street.
You check behind. Pot stays 1,300 (6.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn 8♥ - a blank. Now he bets.
Decision
After you checked back, he leads the turn. With middle pair, best?
Why
Call. You kept the pot small on the flop precisely so you could afford to bluff-catch one bet here. Middle pair with an ace kicker beats his bluffs and worse pairs; calling one bet is fine, but you won't be stacking off.
You call; the river checks through and your jacks are good. You win a small, controlled pot.
Hand recap
With a medium hand you checked back to control the pot, which let you comfortably call one turn bet as a bluff-catcher. Pot control keeps medium hands cheap and decisions easy.
Principle: Check back medium made hands to control the pot - keeping it small lets you realize showdown value and bluff-catch cheaply instead of bloating with a one-pair hand.
Hand 10 of 18Betting for protection
Flop
Action
You opened and the big blind called. Flop Q♥ J♥ 4♣ - you have an overpair (kings), but the board is loaded with draws. He checks.
Decision
An overpair on a very wet board, he checks. Best?
Why
Bet big for value and protection. So many draws (flushes, straights) can beat kings by the river that you must charge them now - a substantial bet denies them correct odds and gets value from worse pairs and draws. Checking lets a dangerous card come for free.
You bet 1,000; the big blind calls. Pot: 3,300 (16.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn 2♠ - a blank, but the flush and straight draws are still out there. He checks.
Decision
Draws remain live and he checks. Best?
Why
Bet again. The draws haven't gotten there, so keep charging them and getting value from worse hands. Slowing down now offers a free card to exactly the hands that can beat you.
You bet 2,400; he folds his draw. You protect your hand and take it.
Hand recap
With a strong but vulnerable made hand on a wet board, you bet big on both streets to deny draws their cards and get value - protection is value betting against the hands that can outdraw you.
Principle: Bet for protection with vulnerable made hands on wet boards - charge the draws enough that they're paying a bad price to continue.
Hand 11 of 18Tighten up multiway
Flop
Action
Four players saw the flop. You have A♠Q♦ for top pair, but the board is Q♠ J♦ 9♥ - extremely coordinated - and an early player bets into the field.
Decision
Top pair, top kicker, but four-way on a wildly connected board, and someone bets into everyone. Best?
Why
Fold. A bet into a four-way field on Q-J-9 represents a real hand - two pair, a set, or a made straight - far more often than heads-up, and players are still behind you. Top pair is in terrible shape here. Multiway pots demand much stronger hands to continue.
You fold; the bettor turns over J-T for the straight. Discipline in a crowd.
Hand recap
A hand you'd happily stack off with heads-up became a fold multiway on a connected board with a bet into the field - the more players, the stronger you need to be.
Principle: Tighten up dramatically in multiway pots - bets into a field mean strength far more often, so top pair is frequently a fold on coordinated boards.
Hand 12 of 18A lead with a reason
Flop
Action
You defended the big blind with 6♠5♠ against a button raise. Flop 7♠ 8♦ 9♣ - you flop the nut straight on a board that hits your range far more than the raiser's.
Decision
You flop the nuts on a board that favors your range. Best?
Why
Lead into him. Normally you check to the pre-flop raiser, but this board smashes a big-blind calling range (connectors, suited gappers) and misses much of his. Leading builds a pot with the nuts on a board where he won't c-bet often, and you can keep firing. A lead needs a reason - here, the board, is it.
You lead 800; he raises with two pair, and the chips go in - your straight is the nuts. You win a big pot.
Hand recap
You broke the usual 'check to the raiser' rule because the board belonged to your range and you held the nuts - a donk-lead with a clear, specific reason.
Principle: Donk-leading is usually wrong, but correct when the board strongly favors your range and theirs misses - lead with a reason, not out of habit.
Hand 13 of 18Check-calling as a bluff-catcher
Flop
Action
You defended the big blind with A♥9♣ against an aggressive button. Flop 9♠ 7♦ 2♣ - you have top pair, a weak kicker, out of position. You check and he c-bets.
Decision
Top pair, weak kicker, OOP, versus an aggressive c-bettor. Best?
Why
Check-call. Out of position with a medium hand against a player who bluffs a lot, calling keeps his bluffs in and avoids bloating the pot with a weak-kicker top pair. You're turning your hand into a bluff-catcher.
You call. Pot: 2,900 (14.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn J♠ - a card that doesn't change much for you. He bets again, smallish.
Decision
He keeps barreling. With top pair, weak kicker, best?
Why
Call. Nothing has changed your read: against an aggressive barreler your top pair beats enough of his bluffs to keep calling. Don't raise (folding out worse, getting action only from better) and don't fold a hand that beats his bluffing range.
You call; the river goes check-check and your top pair is good. The bluff-catch pays off.
Hand recap
Out of position with a medium hand against an aggressive opponent, you check-called down as a bluff-catcher rather than raising or folding - the right line when your hand beats bluffs but not value.
Principle: Check-call medium hands as bluff-catchers against aggressive opponents - keep their bluffs in and avoid bloating the pot with a hand that only beats air.
Hand 14 of 18Raising a draw on the flop
Flop
Action
You called a middle-position open on the button with A♥K♥. Flop Q♥ 8♥ 3♣ - the nut flush draw plus two overcards. He c-bets.
Decision
A monster draw (nut flush draw + overcards) in position, he c-bets. Best?
Why
Raise. With the nut flush draw and overcards you have a huge number of outs plus fold equity - raising can win it now and sets up to stack him when you hit. Calling is fine but under-uses the equity and initiative of such a strong draw in position.
You raise to 2,600; he calls. The flush completes on the turn and the money goes in. You win.
Hand recap
With a nut-flush draw and overcards you raised the flop as a semi-bluff - fold equity plus a mountain of outs - instead of passively calling. Big draws play aggressively.
Principle: Raise big draws on the flop as semi-bluffs - with many outs and fold equity, you win now or have the equity to continue when called.
Hand 15 of 18Slow-playing a monster
Flop
Action
You opened and an aggressive big blind called. Flop 7♥ 2♣ 2♦ - you flop a full house (sevens full of deuces) on a bone-dry board. He checks.
Decision
You flop a near-unbeatable hand on a dry board against an aggressive opponent. Best?
Why
Check behind. Your hand is essentially unbeatable and almost nothing can improve to beat you, so there's nothing to protect. Checking induces an aggressive opponent to bluff or barrel into you on later streets - betting now only folds out the hands you want to keep in.
You check behind. Pot stays 1,300 (6.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn J♠ - and now, with you having shown weakness, the aggressive player bets into you.
Decision
Your check induced a bet. With the full house, best?
Why
Call. He's now barreling because your check looked weak - just call to keep his bluffs coming on the river, where you can raise. Raising the turn announces strength and ends the action; slow-playing a monster means letting him hang himself.
You call, he barrels the river, and you raise - he's drawing dead. You win a big pot.
Hand recap
With an unbeatable hand on a safe board you slow-played, inducing an aggressive opponent to bluff into you across two streets. Slow-play only when your hand is huge, the board is safe, and a bet would chase action away.
Principle: Slow-play a near-unbeatable hand on a dry board against an aggressive opponent - check to induce the bluffs that a bet would have folded out.
Hand 16 of 18Folding an overpair
Flop
Action
You opened with Q♣Q♦ and a tight big blind called. Flop 9♠ 8♠ 7♦ - you have an overpair, but the board is a coordinated nightmare. You c-bet 800 and the tight player check-raises to 2,600.
Decision
Your overpair faces a check-raise from a tight player on 9-8-7 with two spades. Best?
Why
Fold. On this board a tight player's check-raise screams a made straight, two pair, a set, or a strong combo draw - your queens are an overpair that's behind most of that and barely ahead of the draws. Overpairs are not automatic; this texture plus a tight player's aggression is a clear fold.
You fold; he shows T-6 for the flopped straight. You saved your stack.
Hand recap
A coordinated board and a tight opponent's check-raise turned a pretty overpair into a fold - queens are strong, but not against this texture and this player.
Principle: Overpairs are foldable: on coordinated boards facing strong aggression from tight players, an overpair is often beaten - don't stack off on autopilot.
Hand 17 of 18Completing the story
Turn
Action
You opened, c-bet a Q♦ 7♣ 3♠ flop with A♥K♥, and the big blind called. Turn 2♥ - you pick up a flush draw to go with two overcards. He checks.
Decision
You have overcards plus a flush draw and the betting lead. Best?
Why
Barrel again. You have a heap of equity (flush draw plus two overcards) and continued credibility, so betting both pressures him and can win when you hit. This sets up a believable river bluff if you miss.
You bet 1,800; he calls. Pot: 6,600 (33 BB).
River
Action
River K♠ - you actually pair, but consider the bluff line: this is a card that completes a story of strength and scares his medium hands. He checks.
Decision
A king arrives - a credible scare card - and he checks. Best?
Why
Bet. The king is a card you'd often hold after three streets of aggression, so it's exactly where a triple-barrel is most believable - and here it also made you top pair, top kicker, so you're betting for value with the bluffs you'd also be representing. A coherent three-street story plus a real hand is the best of both.
You bet 4,000; he folds a worse queen. The story (and the pair) win it.
Hand recap
You built a believable three-street story, barreling cards that favored your range, and the river king let you bet as both a bluff-representation and for genuine value. Triple-barrels work when the story is consistent.
Principle: A triple-barrel works when the run-out tells a consistent story - keep firing cards that favor your range, ideally with equity to back it up.
Hand 18 of 18Thin value on the river
River
Action
You raised pre-flop with A♣J♣, c-bet the J♥ 8♦ 5♣ flop and bet the 3♠ turn, both called. River 2♥ bricks and the big blind checks to you a final time.
Decision
Top pair, good kicker, on a dry run-out; he's check-called twice and checks the river. Best?
Why
Bet a thin value bet. A player who check-calls twice and checks the river usually has a worse jack, a middling pair, or a busted draw that occasionally pays - a modest bet gets called by enough of those to profit. Checking back leaves value on the table; size it small enough to be called.
You bet 2,000; he calls with J-9 and you win. Thin value collected.
Hand recap
On a brick river against a passive check-caller, you made a small value bet with top pair good kicker rather than checking - thin value is found by betting the hands most players give up on.
Principle: Bet thin for value on the river against check-callers - a small bet that worse pairs can call earns chips that checking leaves behind.
Learning
Part Seven - Betting on Fourth and Fifth Street
Concepts in this Part
The turn and river are where pots get biggest and mistakes get most expensive. With a strong hand, this is when you get the money in - raise the turn and bet the river rather than slow-playing the value away - and when you're polarized with the nuts against a strong, capped range, an overbet extracts the most. Late streets are also prime bluffing real estate: blocker bluffs, where you hold a card that makes the hand you're representing nearly impossible for your opponent, are at their strongest on fifth street. And the final discipline is folding: a river raise is almost never a bluff, so even top two pair lays down to fifth-street aggression. These four hands drill value, bluffs, and folds on the last two streets.
Hand 1 of 4Getting the money in late
Turn
Action
You called pre with 5♠5♦, flopped a set on K♦ 5♣ 2♠, and just called his flop c-bet to disguise it. Turn 9♥ - he bets again.
Decision
Your set is well hidden and he keeps betting on the turn. Best?
Why
Raise for value. You've disguised the hand long enough - the turn is the time to start building, so you can get stacks in by the river. Flatting again risks a scary river and leaves money behind against his barreling range.
You raise to 6,000; he calls. Pot: 15,600 (78 BB).
River
Action
River 3♣ - a blank. He checks.
Decision
Blank river, he checks, and you have a set. Best?
Why
Bet big for value. He check-called a big turn raise and still holds strong one-pair hands like K-Q or A-K that pay a final bet. Getting the last of the money in on fifth street is the whole point - checking leaves a stack of value behind.
You bet 8,000; he calls with K-Q. You stack him.
Hand recap
You disguised your set early, then shifted gears to get the money in on the turn and river. With a near-nut hand, fourth and fifth street are for extraction - don't over-trap and lose the value.
Principle: With a big hand, get the money in on the later streets - raise the turn and bet the river for value rather than slow-playing the value away.
Hand 2 of 4An overbet for value
Turn
Action
You called pre with A♠Q♠. Flop K♠ 9♠ 4♦ gave you the nut flush draw; the turn 7♥ missed. He bets again.
Decision
Nut flush draw, he barrels the turn. Best?
Why
Call. You have nine outs to the nuts plus implied odds against a barreling range - a routine call to draw at the best possible hand.
You call. Pot: 9,200 (46 BB).
River
Action
River J♠ - you make the nut flush. Having barreled twice, he now checks.
Decision
You have the nuts and his range is strong but capped (he barreled twice). Best?
Why
Overbet for value. He barreled twice, so his range is full of strong one-pair and two-pair hands and sets that can't fold - and because you'd also overbet here as a bluff, your value bet is balanced. When you're polarized with the nuts against a strong, capped range, a bet bigger than the pot extracts the most.
You overbet 14,000 into 9,200; he calls with a set. Maximum value.
Hand recap
You drew to the nut flush, and when it came in against an opponent whose barreling range was strong but capped, you overbet for value - the times you can credibly hold the nuts (and bluff) are the times to bet biggest.
Principle: Overbet the river for value when you're polarized, hold the nuts, and the opponent's range is strong enough to call - bigger sizing extracts more from his capped strong hands.
Hand 3 of 4A blocker bluff
Turn
Action
You raised pre with A♠K♦ and c-bet the Q♠ 8♠ 4♣ flop; the big blind called. Turn 2♥ - you have only ace-high, but you hold the A♠ (the nut-flush blocker). He checks.
Decision
Ace-high, no pair, but you hold the A♠ on a two-spade board. Best on the turn?
Why
Check behind. With no pair, betting again is a thin bluff into a caller; checking controls the pot and - crucially - keeps your A♠ live to bluff a spade river credibly. Your blocker is most valuable as a river weapon.
You check behind. Pot stays 3,000 (15 BB).
River
Action
River 7♠ - a third spade completes a possible flush. He checks. You missed everything, but you hold the A♠.
Decision
The flush completes, he checks, and you hold the nut-flush blocker. Best?
Why
Bluff. Because you hold the A♠, your opponent almost never has the nut flush, and his other hands (a pair, a busted draw) struggle to call a big bet on a three-flush board. Betting credibly represents the flush you're blocking - the perfect spot for a river bluff.
You bet 2,400; he folds his pair. The blocker bluff gets through.
Hand recap
You preserved your ace of spades by checking the turn, then fired the river when the flush completed - holding the blocker meant your opponent rarely had the hand you were representing. Blockers turn missed draws into the best bluffs.
Principle: Bluff rivers where you block the nuts you're representing - holding a key card means the opponent rarely has the hand that can call.
Hand 4 of 4Respecting a river raise
River
Action
You raised pre with A♥J♥, bet the J♦ 8♠ 4♣ flop and the A♣ turn (making top two pair), and were called twice. River 6♥ - the big blind checks again.
Decision
Top two pair, aces and jacks, on the river; he checks. Best?
Why
Bet for value. Top two pair is strong and a check-caller often has a worse ace, a jack, or a busted draw that pays - bet to get value on fifth street.
You bet 3,500; he check-raises all-in to 14,000.
Decision
Action
After you value-bet, he check-raises all-in on the river.
Decision
Your value bet got check-raised all-in. With top two pair, best?
Why
Fold. A river check-raise - especially all-in - almost never is a bluff: it represents a straight (5-7 or 7-5 fills the 8-and-4 with the 6), a set, or a better two pair, all of which beat you. Top two pair is a great hand, but river raises demand a hand that beats a straight. Without a specific read that he bluffs here, this is a clean fold.
You fold; he shows 7-5 for the rivered straight. Respecting the raise saved your stack.
Hand recap
You value-bet top two pair, but when a check-raise jammed the river you folded - fifth-street raises are rarely bluffs, and a straight had just gotten there. Knowing when your strong hand is beaten is the last skill of betting on fifth street.
Principle: Respect river raises - they are rarely bluffs; fold strong-but-not-nut hands to fifth-street aggression unless you have a specific read.
Learning
Part Eight - Making Moves
Concepts in this Part
Now we make bets that don't reflect the true value of our hand. Every move - the continuation-bet bluff, the squeeze and re-steal, the semi-bluff, the check-raise (bluff and semi-bluff), the float, the delayed and double/triple barrel, the blocker and over-bet bluffs, the slow-play, and the short-stack stop-and-go - works only when its preconditions are present: few opponents, a board that favors your range, fold equity, and a believable story. The same hand that's an automatic move heads-up on a dry board is a check multiway on a wet one. The single most important skill in this Part is reading whether the preconditions exist - and abandoning the move the instant they don't. These sixteen hands drill each move and, just as importantly, when not to make it.
Hand 1 of 16The continuation-bet bluff
Flop
Action
Mid-stage, ~40 BB deep. You opened the cutoff with K♠Q♠ and the big blind called. Flop A♦ 7♣ 2♥ - you missed, but the board favors your range. He checks.
Decision
A dry, ace-high board, heads-up, and he checks. Best?
Why
Continuation-bet. The preconditions for the move are all present: heads-up, a dry ace-high board that hits your opening range far more than his calling range, and a check that signals weakness. A c-bet takes it down a high percentage of the time.
You bet 1,200; the big blind folds. The c-bet bluff takes it.
Hand recap
With every precondition in place - one opponent, a board that favors you, and a check - a continuation-bet bluff is nearly automatic profit. The move works because of the situation, not the cards.
Principle: A continuation-bet bluff needs its preconditions: few opponents, a board that favors your range, and fold equity. When they're present, fire.
Hand 2 of 16When the move isn't there
Flop
Action
You opened and got two callers. Flop J♥ T♥ 5♣ - a wet, coordinated board - and you have only A♠K♦. Both check to you.
Decision
A wet board, three-way, and you have air. Best?
Why
Check behind. The preconditions for a c-bet bluff are missing: you're multiway (two players to get through), and the board smashes calling ranges (flushes, straights, pairs). A bluff here has little fold equity. Take the free card with your overcards and gutshot instead of lighting chips on fire.
You check behind. You keep your chips for a better spot.
Hand recap
Same hand category as a routine c-bet, but the situation forbade it: multiway on a wet board, the move has no fold equity. Recognizing the absence of preconditions is as important as recognizing their presence.
Principle: Don't run a move when its preconditions are absent - multiway pots and wet boards kill fold equity, so check and give up.
Hand 3 of 16The squeeze play
Pre-flop
Action
A loose cutoff opens, the button flat-calls, and the small blind folds. You're in the big blind with A♥Q♥.
Decision
Raiser-plus-caller, and you hold A♥Q♥ in the BB. Best?
Why
Squeeze. The caller's flat caps him below a four-bet, and the loose opener is often weak - both are squeezed by a large three-bet, with the dead money already in the pot sweetening it. A-Q has real equity when called.
You squeeze to 3,400; both fold. You collect the dead money.
Hand recap
A raiser and a caller is the textbook squeeze setup - a big three-bet over the top put both in a bind and took the pot plus the dead money pre-flop.
Principle: Squeeze against a raiser-plus-caller: the caller is capped and the opener often weak, so a large three-bet wins the pot and the dead money.
Hand 4 of 16The re-steal
Pre-flop
Action
As the blinds climb, a button that's been stealing relentlessly opens again. You're in the big blind with A♦9♦.
Decision
A habitual button stealer opens; you hold A♦9♦ in the BB. Best?
Why
Re-steal. Against a button opening far too wide, a three-bet folds out most of his range, and A-9 suited is a fine semi-bluff with blockers and playability when called. Flatting out of position is the weakest option, and folding lets him run you over.
You three-bet to 2,700; the wide button folds. You take it back.
Hand recap
You fought back against a relentless stealer with a re-steal three-bet - a move powered by his wide range and your fold equity, not by your cards.
Principle: Re-steal against players who open too often - a three-bet from the blinds prints when their opening range can't withstand pressure.
Hand 5 of 16The semi-bluff
Flop
Action
You called a raise on the button with T♠9♠. Flop J♠ 6♠ 2♦ - a flush draw plus an overcard. The pre-flop raiser checks.
Decision
You flop a strong draw and he checks. Best?
Why
Bet a semi-bluff. You win two ways: he folds now, or you complete your many outs later. Betting also takes the initiative his check surrendered. A draw with fold equity is a bet, not a check.
You bet 1,600; he folds. You take it - and you had outs if called.
Hand recap
You bet your draw rather than checking it, adding fold equity to your equity - the essence of the semi-bluff. Two ways to win beats one.
Principle: Bet your good draws as semi-bluffs - you win when they fold and you still have equity when they don't.
Hand 6 of 16The check-raise bluff
Flop
Action
You defended the big blind with 7♣6♣. Flop A♥ K♦ 5♠ - you have nothing, but it's a board you can represent. You check, the button c-bets.
Decision
A-K-high board, you have air, but you can credibly hold an ace or king. Best?
Why
Check-raise bluff. This board hits the hands you'd defend and call with (aces, kings), so a check-raise tells a believable story that an automatic c-bettor with a weak holding can't withstand. The preconditions - a credible board and a likely-weak c-bet - are present.
You check-raise to 3,000; the button folds. The move takes it.
Hand recap
On a board you could credibly hold, you check-raised an automatic c-bet off its weak holdings - a bluff that works because the story is believable and his bet was likely thin.
Principle: Check-raise as a bluff on boards you can credibly represent, against players who c-bet too automatically - the move needs a believable story and a weak betting range.
Hand 7 of 16The check-raise semi-bluff
Flop
Action
You defended with 9♥8♥. Flop 7♥ 6♣ 2♠ - an open-ended straight draw plus a flush draw. You check, the button c-bets.
Decision
You flop a monster draw out of position and he c-bets. Best?
Why
Check-raise semi-bluff. With a straight-and-flush draw you have a huge number of outs plus fold equity - raising can win it now and sets up to stack him when you hit. The combination makes the move far stronger than a passive call.
You check-raise to 3,000; he folds. You take it with the best draw.
Hand recap
A big draw turned a check-raise into a high-equity semi-bluff - fold equity now plus a pile of outs when called. Out of position, this is how you play your monster draws.
Principle: Check-raise your biggest draws as semi-bluffs - the fold equity plus the outs make it one of the strongest moves out of position.
Hand 8 of 16The stop-and-go
Pre-flop
Action
You have a 15 BB stack in the big blind. An aggressive button raises and you hold A♦8♣. Rather than shove pre-flop, you can call and lead any flop.
Decision
Short-stacked OOP vs an aggressive raiser with A♦8♣. Which line generates the most fold equity?
Why
Call and stop-and-go. Shoving pre-flop lets him call with two live cards and a price. By calling and then jamming the flop, you make him decide against a board that missed him most of the time - so he folds more often. It's a fold-equity tool for a short stack out of position.
You call. Pot: 2,100 (5.25 BB). Heads-up to the flop with ~5,100 behind.
Flop
Action
Flop A♥ T♣ 4♦ - you even flopped top pair. Execute the plan?
Decision
You're first to act on the flop with your stop-and-go set up. Best?
Why
Lead all-in. The stop-and-go shoves the flop regardless - and here you actually flopped top pair, so you have a real hand too. Leading forces him to call your jam into a board that often missed him, maximizing fold equity (with the bonus that you're frequently ahead).
You jam; he folds a hand that whiffed. The stop-and-go works.
Hand recap
Instead of a pre-flop shove he'd call with any two, you called and jammed the flop - making him decide against a board that missed him. The stop-and-go converts position and timing into fold equity for a short stack.
Principle: The stop-and-go: short and out of position, call pre-flop and lead all-in on the flop - it denies the raiser the easy pre-flop call and adds fold equity.
Hand 9 of 16Floating to steal it later
Flop
Action
You called a raise on the button with Q♦J♣. Flop A♠ 7♦ 3♣ - you missed, but you have position on a player who c-bets every flop. He bets.
Decision
You whiff, but you have position against an automatic c-bettor. Best?
Why
Float. Calling in position keeps his many bluffs in and sets up to take the pot on a later street when he gives up. Raising now commits chips with nothing; folding surrenders too easily to a player who c-bets far too wide.
You call. Pot: 5,200 (13 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn 9♥ - a blank, and now he checks, giving up.
Decision
He checks the turn, surrendering. Best?
Why
Bet. His turn check is the surrender the float was built to punish - a bet takes the pot you couldn't have won by folding the flop. Position plus a read on his c-bet frequency turned air into a winner.
You bet 2,800; he folds. The float collects it.
Hand recap
You called the flop with position and air against an auto-c-bettor, then took the pot when he checked the turn - the float, a move that uses position to beat predictable aggression.
Principle: Float in position against players who c-bet too often - call the flop planning to take the pot away when they give up.
Hand 10 of 16The delayed bluff
Flop
Action
You opened and the big blind called. Flop 8♠ 7♣ 3♥ - a low board that hits his range; you hold A♦Q♣. He checks.
Decision
A low, connected board favoring the caller, and you have air. Best?
Why
Check behind. This board hits the big blind's calling range more than yours, so an immediate c-bet runs into too much resistance. Check to keep the pot small and your options open - you can fire a delayed bluff on a better card.
You check behind. Pot stays 2,600 (6.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn K♠ - an overcard that favors your range. He checks again.
Decision
A king arrives (good for you) and he checks twice. Best?
Why
Fire the delayed bluff. The king is a card you'd often hold and a scary one for him, and his two checks signal weakness. Betting now represents the strong hand and folds out his weak holdings - the delayed line beats c-betting the bad flop.
You bet 1,800; he folds. The delayed bluff takes it.
Hand recap
You skipped the c-bet on a board that favored the caller and bluffed instead on a turn that favored you - the delayed bluff picks the right street to attack.
Principle: Delay your bluff on boards that hit the caller's range - check the flop and fire a later card that favors yours.
Hand 11 of 16The double-barrel
Flop
Action
You opened and the big blind called. Flop Q♣ 7♦ 3♠ - you have A♥K♥ (overcards, backdoors). He checks.
Decision
A dry board, you have the lead and overcards. Best?
Why
Continuation-bet. A standard c-bet on a dry board with overcards and backdoor equity wins often and sets up a second barrel on the right card.
You bet 1,400; the big blind calls. Pot: 5,400 (13.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn A♥ - you pair your ace, and it's a card that scares his range. He checks.
Decision
The ace both improves you and threatens his hand. Best?
Why
Double-barrel. The ace favors your range (you'd often hold one) and you actually paired it for top pair, top kicker. Bet to fold out his weaker pairs and draws and to get value - the perfect barreling card.
You bet 3,400; he folds. The barrel takes it (with a real hand behind it).
Hand recap
You fired the flop, then barreled the turn when a card favoring your range arrived - and it improved you, too. Scare cards that hit your range are the cue to keep telling the story.
Principle: Double-barrel on turn cards that favor your range - they make the bluff credible and fold out the marginal hands that called the flop.
Hand 12 of 16Completing the story
Turn
Action
You opened, c-bet a J♣ 7♦ 3♠ flop with K♥Q♥, and were called. Turn 2♥ gives you a flush draw plus two overcards. He checks.
Decision
You pick up a flush draw to go with overcards and the lead. Best?
Why
Barrel again. With a flush draw and two overcards you have lots of equity plus continued credibility - betting pressures him and sets up a believable river bluff if you miss.
You bet 3,400; he calls. Pot: 12,200 (30.5 BB).
River
Action
River A♥ - you make a flush, but consider the story: the ace also completes the scariest card in the deck for him. He checks.
Decision
An ace arrives - and you actually made a flush. He checks. Best?
Why
Bet. The ace is a card you'd often hold after three streets of aggression, so the triple-barrel is maximally believable - and here you actually made the flush, so you're betting for value with the bluffs you'd also represent. A consistent story plus a real hand is ideal.
You bet 8,000; he folds a worse made hand. The story (and the flush) win it.
Hand recap
You built a believable three-street story on cards that favored your range, and the river ace let you bet as both a bluff-representation and for genuine value. Triple-barrels work when the run-out tells a consistent tale.
Principle: A triple-barrel works when the run-out tells a consistent story - keep firing cards that favor your range, ideally with equity behind the bluff.
Hand 13 of 16A blocker bluff
River
Action
You raised pre with A♠K♦, c-bet the Q♠ 8♠ 4♣ flop, checked back the 2♥ turn, and the river is the 7♠ - a third spade. You missed everything, but you hold the A♠. He checks.
Decision
The flush completes, he checks, and you hold the nut-flush blocker. Best?
Why
Bluff. Because you hold the A♠, your opponent almost never has the nut flush, and his pairs and busted draws struggle to call a big bet on a three-flush board. Betting credibly represents the flush you're blocking - the ideal river bluff.
You bet 3,800; he folds. The blocker bluff gets through.
Hand recap
Holding the ace of spades meant your opponent rarely had the flush you were representing - so your river bet folded out his bluff-catchers. Blockers turn missed hands into the best bluffs.
Principle: Bluff rivers where you block the nuts you're representing - holding a key card means the opponent rarely has the hand that can call.
Hand 14 of 16The over-bet bluff
River
Action
You raised and c-bet an A♥ K♣ 4♠ flop with J♦T♣, were called, and barreled the 5♦ turn. River 2♥ - your straight draw missed entirely. He checks, and the board is very ace-king heavy.
Decision
You have air, but you've repped a big ace-king hand all the way on a board where the nuts is easy for you to hold. He checks. Best?
Why
Over-bet bluff. You've told a consistent story of a strong ace, and this board lets you credibly hold the very top of your range (sets, two pair). A polarized over-bet maximizes fold equity against his capped bluff-catchers, who can't profitably call for their whole stack. The move requires exactly this: a credible story and a capped opponent.
You over-bet 9,000 into 6,000; he folds his pair. The over-bet takes it.
Hand recap
With a busted draw but a consistent big-hand story on a board where you can credibly hold the nuts, you over-bet to put your capped opponent to a decision for everything - and he folded.
Principle: Over-bet as a bluff when you're polarized and can credibly represent the nuts against a capped range - the large size maximizes fold equity.
Hand 15 of 16Slow-playing to induce
Flop
Action
You opened and an aggressive big blind called. Flop 8♥ 3♣ 3♦ - you flop a full house on a bone-dry board. He checks.
Decision
A near-unbeatable hand, dry board, aggressive opponent who loves to bet. Best?
Why
Check behind. Almost nothing can improve to beat you, so there's nothing to protect. Checking shows weakness and induces an aggressive opponent to bluff or barrel into you on later streets - betting now only folds out the hands you want to keep in.
You check behind. Pot stays 2,400 (6 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn J♠ - and now, reading you for weakness, he bets into you.
Decision
Your check induced a bet. With the full house, best?
Why
Call. He's barreling because your check looked weak - just call to keep his bluffs coming on the river, where you can raise. Raising now ends the action; slow-playing means letting him hang himself.
You call, he barrels the river, and you raise - he's drawing dead. The slow-play pays off.
Hand recap
With an unbeatable hand on a safe board you slow-played, inducing an aggressive opponent to bluff into you. Slow-playing is a move too - used only when your hand is huge and a bet would chase the action away.
Principle: Slow-play a near-unbeatable hand on a safe board against aggressive opponents - checking induces the bluffs a bet would have folded out.
Hand 16 of 16Abandoning the move
Flop
Action
You opened and got two callers. Flop J♥ T♥ 8♣ - very wet - and you hold A♥K♥ (overcards plus a flush draw and gutshot). Both check.
Decision
A wet board, three-way, but you have real equity (draw + overcards). Best?
Why
Bet a semi-bluff. Even multiway, your equity (flush draw, two overcards, gutshot) plus some fold equity justifies a bet that can take it now or improve. A move with this much equity behind it is fine to start.
You bet 1,600; one player calls, the other folds. Pot: 5,800 (14.5 BB).
Turn
Action
Turn 2♣ - you miss, and now the remaining caller leads into you for a big bet.
Decision
You whiffed and the caller now bets big into you on this wet board. Best?
Why
Fold. The preconditions have collapsed: he called your flop bet on a coordinated board and is now betting into the pre-flop raiser, which means real strength, and your ace-king high has no pair. Continuing to 'move' here is throwing good chips after a dead bluff - recognize it and let go.
You fold. You abandon the move when its preconditions vanish.
Hand recap
You started a semi-bluff with real equity, but when a caller stuck around and led into you, the move was dead - so you folded rather than fire into obvious strength. Knowing when to abandon a move is part of making it.
Principle: Abandon a move the moment its preconditions break - when an opponent shows strength and your equity is gone, give up instead of compounding the bluff.
Learning
Part Nine - Inflection Points: M, Q & the Zones
Concepts in this Part
This is the heart of the endgame. As blinds and antes climb, the size of your stack relative to the cost of playing - not your cards - dictates strategy. M = your stack ÷ (small blind + big blind + all antes per orbit) measures how many rounds you can survive folding, and it sorts play into zones: Green (20+, play normally), Yellow (10-20, tighten), Orange (6-10, be the first raiser and never just call), Red (1-5, push or fold), and Dead (under 1, shove anything). Effective M corrects for short tables, and antes both lower your M and add dead money worth stealing. Q = your stack ÷ the average stack measures your leverage over the field. The two work together: M tells you how to play, Q tells you how urgently. These twenty-two hands drill the math and the zone-by-zone play that wins tournaments.
Hand 1 of 22Computing your M
Pre-flop
Action
Blinds are 400/800 with a 100 ante and nine players. Your stack is 14,700. Folded to you on the cutoff.
Decision
What is your M, and which zone are you in?
Why
One orbit costs SB 400 + BB 800 + nine antes of 100 (900) = 2,100. M = 14,700 ÷ 2,100 = 7.0 - the Orange zone. You can survive about seven more orbits folding everything.
M = 7, the Orange zone.
Hand recap
M is your stack divided by the cost of one orbit (blinds plus all antes). Here that's 14,700 ÷ 2,100 = 7 - Orange. The antes matter: they nearly double the per-orbit cost and pull your M down.
Principle: M = stack ÷ (small blind + big blind + all antes per orbit); it tells you how many rounds you can fold and survive.
Hand 2 of 22The Green zone
Pre-flop
Action
Deep in the Green zone (M 25). A player opens to 1,800 from middle position and it folds to you on the button with 7♠7♦.
Decision
Green zone, MP opens, you hold 7♠7♦ on the button. Best?
Why
Call. With M 25 you're deep enough to play a normal game - flat-calling to set-mine has the implied odds and keeps you out of marginal all-ins. In the Green zone you don't gamble; you play poker.
You call to set-mine. Normal, patient play.
Hand recap
In the Green zone (M 20+) your stack is healthy, so you play a full, patient game - set-mining and small-ball, not shove-or-fold.
Principle: Green zone (M 20+): play your normal game with full flexibility - no need to gamble.
Hand 3 of 22The Yellow zone
Pre-flop
Action
Yellow zone (M 12). A player opens to 1,800 from middle position and it folds to you on the button with 7♠6♠.
Decision
Yellow zone, MP opens, you hold 7♠6♠ on the button. Best?
Why
Fold. In the Yellow zone speculative hands like small suited connectors lose value - you're not deep enough for the implied odds, and calling bleeds your shrinking stack. Tighten and save your chips for hands you can commit with.
You fold. Speculative hands lose value as M drops.
Hand recap
In the Yellow zone (M 10-20) you tighten: small pairs and suited connectors that need deep stacks lose value, so you stop paying to see flops with them.
Principle: Yellow zone (M 10-20): tighten up - speculative hands lose their implied-odds value, so start conserving chips.
Hand 4 of 22The Orange zone: be the aggressor
Pre-flop
Action
Orange zone (M 8). It folds to you on the cutoff with K♦9♦.
Decision
Orange zone, folded to you on the cutoff with K♦9♦. Best?
Why
Be the first one in. In the Orange zone you play to win the pot now and protect fold equity - K-9 suited from the cutoff is a fine first-in hand to raise or jam. Limping forfeits fold equity; folding is too tight at M 8.
You come in raising; the blinds fold. You take the blinds and antes.
Hand recap
In the Orange zone (M 6-10) you play to win it pre-flop - be the first raiser, pick up the blinds and antes, and keep your fold equity alive.
Principle: Orange zone (M 6-10): be the first one in - raise or jam to win the pot now and protect fold equity.
Hand 5 of 22The Orange zone: never just call
Pre-flop
Action
Orange zone (M 8). A player opens to 1,800 from middle position and it folds to you on the cutoff with A♦T♦.
Decision
Orange zone, MP opens, you hold A♦T♦. Best?
Why
Three-bet shove. At M 8 you shouldn't flat - calling leaves you in a bloated pot with no fold equity and no room to maneuver. A-T suited jams for value and fold equity, or you fold; never just call in the Orange zone.
You shove; he folds. Jam or fold - don't flat.
Hand recap
In the Orange zone, calling a raise is the worst option - it commits chips with no fold equity and no post-flop maneuverability. Three-bet jam or fold.
Principle: Orange zone: don't flat raises - shove (for value or fold equity) or fold; flatting leaves you stuck with no fold equity.
Hand 6 of 22The re-steal jam
Pre-flop
Action
Orange zone (M 9). An aggressive button that's been opening relentlessly raises again, and you're in the big blind with A♠8♠.
Decision
Orange zone, aggressive button opens, you hold A♠8♠ in the BB. Best?
Why
Three-bet shove as a re-steal. Jamming over a wide button uses your fold equity while you still have it; A-8 suited has blockers and decent equity when called. Calling to play a flop out of position is the trap.
You jam; the button folds. The re-steal works.
Hand recap
A re-steal jam in the Orange zone exploits a wide stealer's range with your fold equity - a near-essential play as blinds climb.
Principle: Re-steal-jam over habitual stealers while you still have fold equity - it's how a shrinking stack fights back from the blinds.
Hand 7 of 22The Red zone: push or fold
Pre-flop
Action
Red zone (M 4). It folds to you in the hijack with A♣7♣.
Decision
Red zone, folded to you in the hijack with A♣7♣. Best?
Why
Open-shove. In the Red zone you can't play post-flop - it's push or fold. A-7 suited from the hijack is well within a shoving range; jam to pick up the blinds and antes or have a live hand when called.
You shove; the blinds fold. Push-or-fold poker.
Hand recap
In the Red zone (M 1-5) you are in push-or-fold mode - the all-in is your only weapon, so jam your playable hands and fold the rest.
Principle: Red zone (M 1-5): move all-in or fold - no more post-flop play.
Hand 8 of 22Red zone: position widens your jam
Pre-flop
Action
Red zone (M 4). It folds to you on the button with K♣8♦.
Decision
Red zone, folded to you on the button with K♣8♦. Best?
Why
Open-shove. Position dramatically widens your Red-zone shoving range - on the button with only the blinds behind, K-8 offsuit is a clear jam. The dead money (blinds plus antes) and fold equity make it profitable.
You shove; the blinds fold. Late position widens the jam.
Hand recap
Your push-or-fold range depends heavily on position: with only the blinds left to act, you jam a much wider range than from early seats.
Principle: In push-or-fold, widen your shoving range as your position improves - the button jams far wider than under the gun.
Hand 9 of 22Calling ranges are tighter
Pre-flop
Action
Red zone (M 4). An early-position short stack open-jams about 11 BB, and you hold K♠T♠ in the big blind.
Decision
An early-position short stack jams; you hold K♠T♠ in the BB. Best?
Why
Fold. You'd happily open-jam K-T suited first-in, but calling a shove is different: you need a hand that fares well against his early-position jamming range and you get no fold equity. K-T suited is dominated too often here - fold.
You fold. Your call-off range is tighter than your push range.
Hand recap
Pushing and calling are not the same: when you shove you have fold equity, but when you call you only have your equity against his range. So your calling range is significantly tighter than your shoving range.
Principle: Call shoves with a tighter range than you'd push - calling has no fold equity, so you need a hand that beats the jamming range.
Hand 10 of 22The Dead zone
Pre-flop
Action
Dead zone (M 0.7) - you're nearly out of chips. It folds to you with Q♦5♦.
Decision
Dead zone, folded to you with Q♦5♦. Best?
Why
Shove. In the Dead zone you have no fold equity left, so you're jamming purely for the chance to improve your stack - get it in with any reasonable hand before the blinds finish you. Folding to wait for aces just blinds you out.
You shove and hope to spike. No fold equity left - just take equity.
Hand recap
In the Dead zone (M under 1) you can't fold anyone out, so the all-in is purely about catching equity - shove any playable hand rather than blind away to nothing.
Principle: Dead zone (M under 1): no fold equity remains - shove any reasonable hand and hope to improve.
Hand 11 of 22Effective M at a short table
Pre-flop
Action
Your raw M is 8, but the table is now 5-handed - the blinds come around far faster.
Decision
Raw M 8 (Orange), but five-handed. How does that change your play?
Why
Effective M is lower. Short-handed you pay the blinds far more often per orbit, so your real pressure is greater than the raw 8 suggests - closer to deep-Orange/Red. Loosen your ranges and apply pressure sooner; fewer players and antes speed the clock.
You adjust to a lower effective M. Short-handed, the clock runs faster.
Hand recap
Effective M corrects raw M for table size: short-handed, you post blinds more often, so the same chips are effectively shorter and you must play more aggressively.
Principle: Adjust raw M to Effective M for table size - short-handed, the same stack is effectively shorter, so loosen and attack sooner.
Hand 12 of 22Q: big-stack leverage
Pre-flop
Action
You're the chip leader: Q = 3.0 (you have 60,000; the average stack is 20,000), near the money. A medium stack keeps folding to survive.
Decision
Big Q near the money, a medium stack folding to survive. Best approach?
Why
Attack the medium stacks. A big Q is leverage: near the money the medium stacks are desperate to survive, so they fold too much - raise their blinds relentlessly with a wide range. Ease off the truly short stacks (committed) and other big stacks.
You apply the pressure your stack earns. Q is leverage.
Hand recap
Q (your stack ÷ the average stack) measures your standing in the field. A big Q is leverage - especially near the money, you pressure the medium stacks who fear busting.
Principle: Q = your stack ÷ the average stack; a big Q is leverage - pressure the medium stacks who can least afford to bust.
Hand 13 of 22Q: when you're short
Pre-flop
Action
Q = 0.4 (you have 8,000; the average stack is 20,000) - well below average, late in the event.
Decision
A small Q late, and you pick up A♥J♣. Best mindset?
Why
Commit. A small Q means waiting won't fix your situation - you must find a spot to get all-in and double before the blinds bury you. A-J is a fine hand to get in now; passive folding just shrinks you further.
You look to get it in and rebuild. A small Q has to gamble.
Hand recap
A small Q means you're falling behind the field and can't wait it out - you must take a reasonable spot to double up before the blinds eliminate you.
Principle: A small Q can't wait - find a good spot to get all-in and rebuild rather than blinding away below the field.
Hand 14 of 22When M and Q disagree
Pre-flop
Action
Your M is 4 (Red), but your Q is 1.8 - you're above average because the whole table is short from huge blinds.
Decision
M says Red, but your Q is high. How do you reconcile them?
Why
Push-or-fold, but patiently. M sets your tactics (you're jamming, not playing post-flop), while Q tempers the urgency: being well above average in a short field means you can wait slightly for a better shoving hand while others bust first. Don't panic-jam trash.
You stay in push-or-fold mode but pick your spot. M = how; Q = how urgently.
Hand recap
M and Q answer different questions: M tells you how to play (here, push-or-fold), and Q tells you how urgently. A high Q lets you be selective even with a Red-zone M.
Principle: M tells you how to play the hand; Q tells you how urgently you need one - a high Q lets a short M wait for a better spot.
Hand 15 of 22Protect your fold equity
Pre-flop
Action
Orange zone (M 8). Folded to you in middle position with A♦J♦. You're tempted to wait for a 'better' spot.
Decision
Orange zone, folded to you in MP with A♦J♦. Best?
Why
Act now. A-J suited at M 8 is a clear first-in raise or jam. Folding to 'wait' lets the blinds drag you into the Red and then Dead zones, where you have no fold equity left. Use your shove while it still makes opponents fold.
You raise/jam now. Use fold equity before it evaporates.
Hand recap
Fold equity is a wasting asset: every orbit you fold, your M shrinks toward zones where opponents stop folding. Acting in the Orange zone, while jams still work, beats waiting for a perfect hand.
Principle: Act while you still have fold equity - jam good hands in the Orange zone rather than blinding down to the Red and Dead zones.
Hand 16 of 22Be the first one in
Pre-flop
Action
Orange zone (M 9). It folds to you on the cutoff with Q♣J♣.
Decision
Orange zone, folded to you on the cutoff with Q♣J♣. Best?
Why
Raise - be the first one in. The cardinal rule of the Orange zone: enter with a raise, never a limp. Q-J suited from the cutoff is a fine first-in hand, and raising keeps the fold equity that wins the blinds and antes uncontested.
You raise first-in; the blinds fold. First in, with aggression.
Hand recap
The recurring Orange-zone rule: be the first player to enter the pot, and enter raising. Limping surrenders the fold equity that's the whole point of acting at this stack depth.
Principle: Be the first one in - enter pots with a raise, not a limp, so you keep the fold equity that wins uncontested pots.
Hand 17 of 22A short blind battle
Pre-flop
Action
M 5, on the Red/Orange border. It folds to you in the small blind, heads-up against the big blind, with K♦7♦.
Decision
Short, folded to you in the SB versus the BB, with K♦7♦. Best?
Why
Open-shove. Blind versus blind and short, your shoving range is very wide - K-7 suited is well within it. Jam to take the big blind's chips and the antes; limping or min-raising with this stack just creates a tough out-of-position spot.
You jam; the big blind folds. Wide jams blind-vs-blind when short.
Hand recap
Heads-up in the blinds with a short stack, your jamming range is extremely wide - you're risking a small stack to win the blinds and antes against a single opponent.
Principle: Blind versus blind and short, shove a very wide range - one opponent and dead money make the all-in highly profitable.
Hand 18 of 22Calling a late jam
Pre-flop
Action
A button short stack open-jams about 12 BB, the small blind folds, and you cover, holding A♣9♣ in the big blind.
Decision
A button open-jams ~12 BB; you hold A♣9♣ in the BB and cover. Best?
Why
Call. A button open-jamming ~12 BB has a wide range; A-9 suited is ahead of it and you're getting a good price closing the action. Calling ranges versus late-position jams are far wider than versus early-position ones.
You call and are in good shape. Late jams get called wide.
Hand recap
Position cuts both ways: just as you jam wider from late position, you must call jams wider when they come from late position, because the jamming range is so wide.
Principle: Call late-position jams with a wide range - their shoving ranges are wide, so your calling range expands accordingly.
Hand 19 of 22What antes do to M
Pre-flop
Action
Antes (100 each, nine players) are now in play. Folded to you on the button with J♦9♦ at M 9.
Decision
With antes in, folded to you on the button with J♦9♦. Compared to a no-ante game, antes make you…
Why
Wider and more aggressive. Antes add 900 of dead money to every pot, so steals win more and your M is lower than the blinds alone suggest - both push you to open wider and shove sooner. J-9 suited on the button is a clear steal with antes in.
You open to attack the dead money. Antes reward aggression.
Hand recap
Antes change everything in the endgame: they add dead money worth stealing and they shrink your M, so correct play gets looser and more aggressive once antes kick in.
Principle: Antes lower your M and add dead money - open wider and shove sooner once antes are in play.
Hand 20 of 22The re-shove
Pre-flop
Action
Red zone (M ~5). A player opens to 1,800 from the cutoff and it folds to you on the button with A♠T♠.
Decision
Short (M ~5), a cutoff opens, you hold A♠T♠ on the button. Best?
Why
Three-bet jam. Short-stacked you can't flat and play a flop - re-shove over the opener for fold equity plus a strong hand when called. A-T suited is well within a re-jamming range at this depth, and the open created dead money worth attacking.
You re-jam; the opener folds. The re-shove collects the pot and dead money.
Hand recap
When you're short and someone opens, the re-shove (three-bet all-in) is your play - you can't profitably flat, so you jam over the open for fold equity and equity.
Principle: Short-stacked facing an open, re-shove (three-bet jam) rather than flat - you get fold equity plus equity, and can't play a flop anyway.
Hand 21 of 22Yellow zone: value your chips
Pre-flop
Action
Yellow zone (M 13). You open to 1,800 with A♠Q♠ and a big stack who covers you three-bet jams all-in.
Decision
You open A♠Q♠ and a covering big stack jams over you. Best?
Why
Fold. Against a jam that covers you, A-Q is at best flipping and often dominated by A-K or Q-Q+. With M 13 you don't need to risk your tournament life in a marginal spot - fold and keep maneuvering. The Yellow zone is about valuing your chips.
You fold. No need to flip when you still have maneuverability.
Hand recap
In the Yellow zone you still have a workable stack, so you avoid unnecessary all-in flips that risk your tournament life - you value your chips rather than gamble them in marginal spots.
Principle: Yellow zone: value your chips - avoid risking your stack in marginal flips when you still have room to maneuver.
Hand 22 of 22Jam, don't make a committing raise
Pre-flop
Action
Orange zone (M 7). It folds to you in middle position with 9♠9♦.
Decision
Orange zone, folded to you in MP with 9♠9♦. Best?
Why
Open-shove. At M 7 a standard raise commits much of your stack and leaves you guessing post-flop; open-jamming 9-9 maximizes fold equity, avoids tough flop decisions, and you're never in bad shape when called. In the Orange zone, jam your good hands rather than make a committing raise.
You shove; the blinds fold (or you're flipping at worst). Jam, don't half-commit.
Hand recap
At Orange-zone depth, a normal-sized raise commits you anyway but surrenders the flop to a caller - so with a hand you'll play, just jam and take the fold equity cleanly.
Principle: In the Orange zone, open-jam your committing hands rather than making a raise you can't fold - the shove captures fold equity and avoids guessing post-flop.
Learning
Part Ten - Adjusting to Different Stacks
Concepts in this Part
Real endgame tables are a patchwork of different stacks and agendas - a big stack bullying, medium stacks protecting a cash, short stacks looking to shove - and you must read how the table looks to each player before you act. As a big stack you target the medium stacks (who fold too much near the bubble), call short jams wide, isolate all-ins to play them heads-up, and avoid clashing with the other big stack. As a medium stack you steer clear of the players who cover you and respect ICM near pay jumps, folding flips you'd take for chips. As a short stack you ignore the bubble and take your spots. And always read fold equity: you can't bluff a committed short stack, and you must adjust your opens to the stacks behind you. These nine hands drill playing the table, not just your cards.
Hand 1 of 9Pick your target
Pre-flop
Action
You're the chip leader on the button near the bubble. The small blind is a tiny short stack; the big blind is a medium stack desperate to survive. Folded to you with K♦9♦.
Decision
Big stack on the button; a committed short SB and a survival-minded medium BB. Best?
Why
Raise. Target the medium stack: near the bubble he folds far too much to protect his cash, so attacking his blind prints - and your fold equity makes K-9 suited plenty. If the committed short stack jams the small blind, you can simply fold.
You raise; the medium folds, the short folds. You pick the right target.
Hand recap
At a table of mixed stacks, you read each opponent's agenda and attacked the medium stack - the player with the most to lose and the most reason to fold near the bubble.
Principle: Attack the medium stacks near the bubble - they fold too much to protect a cash; ease off the committed short stacks who'll call.
Hand 2 of 9Avoid the stack that covers you
Pre-flop
Action
You're a medium stack near the bubble. You open A♣J♣ from middle position and the big stack who covers you three-bets from the button.
Decision
Medium stack near the bubble; the covering big stack three-bets your open. Best?
Why
Fold. Near the bubble you avoid big confrontations with the one player who can bust you. A-J is dominated by much of a re-three-betting range, and getting it in here risks your tournament life for a thin edge. Keep your maneuverable stack and attack the players you cover - not the one who covers you.
You fold. Don't tangle with the coverer holding a marginal hand.
Hand recap
As a medium stack you steered clear of the big stack - the player who can end your tournament - rather than risk everything on a dominated hand near the bubble.
Principle: Avoid big confrontations with stacks that cover you near the bubble - fold marginal hands rather than risk your tournament life.
Hand 3 of 9The short stack ignores the bubble
Pre-flop
Action
You're a short stack (M ~2) on the money bubble. It folds to you in the hijack with A♦8♦.
Decision
Short stack (M ~2) on the bubble, folded to you with A♦8♦. Best?
Why
Shove. A short stack can't fold its way to a good result - folding just blinds you out before or barely into the money. A-8 suited is a clear jam; ladder considerations are minor when you're this short. You need to double up, not nurse a dying stack.
You shove and take your spot. The short stack has to play.
Hand recap
Unlike the medium stacks, a short stack can't let the bubble dictate caution - you're too short to fold your way anywhere, so you take good shoving spots regardless.
Principle: A short stack ignores the bubble's fold pressure - you must shove your spots to accumulate, because folding only blinds you away.
Hand 4 of 9Big stack versus big stack
Pre-flop
Action
There are two big stacks at the table. The other big stack - who covers you - opens from the cutoff, and you're on the button with A♣7♣.
Decision
Two big stacks; the other one (who covers you) opens, you hold A♣7♣ on the button. Best?
Why
Fold. Don't start wars with the only player who can cripple you. Three-betting A-7 into the covering big stack invites a re-jam you'll have to fold to, and flatting plays a big pot out of necessity. Save your chips and aggression for the medium stacks you dominate.
You fold. Big-stack-versus-big-stack without a hand is a trap.
Hand recap
Two big stacks at a table should mostly stay out of each other's way - you avoided a marginal confrontation with the one opponent who could cripple you, and saved your pressure for the mediums.
Principle: Big stacks should avoid clashing with each other - don't risk your stack against the only player who can cripple you without a real hand.
Hand 5 of 9Call the short jam wide
Pre-flop
Action
You're the big stack in the big blind. A short stack open-jams about 5 BB and it folds to you with K♦9♦.
Decision
Big stack in the BB; a short stack jams ~5 BB to you with K♦9♦. Best?
Why
Call. The jam costs a tiny fraction of your stack, and a short stack's open-jamming range is wide, so K-9 suited has enough equity to call profitably - and you can't fold him out anyway. Big stacks call short jams wide.
You call and are in good shape. Cheap call, wide range.
Hand recap
Against a short stack's wide jam, your big stack lets you call far wider than usual - the price is small and you only need modest equity.
Principle: As the big stack, call short jams with a wide range - the cost is small relative to your stack and their shoving range is wide.
Hand 6 of 9Isolate the short stack
Pre-flop
Action
A short stack open-jams. You're the big stack with A♠Q♠, and a medium stack is still to act behind you.
Decision
A short jams; you hold A♠Q♠ with a medium stack yet to act. Best?
Why
Re-raise to isolate. Just calling invites the medium stack behind to come along and could put your equity into a multiway pot; re-jamming folds him out and gets you heads-up against the short stack with your strong hand. With a big stack and A-Q, isolate.
You re-jam; the medium folds and you're heads-up versus the short. Isolation complete.
Hand recap
With a strong hand and players left behind, you re-raised to isolate the all-in short stack - protecting your equity by denying the medium stack a cheap entry.
Principle: Re-raise to isolate a short stack's all-in when players remain behind - get heads-up with your strong hand instead of risking a multiway pot.
Hand 7 of 9ICM near a pay jump
Pre-flop
Action
A significant pay jump looms. A stack that covers you jams all-in, and you hold A♠K♦ - at best a coin flip against his range.
Decision
Big pay jump near; a covering stack jams and you hold A♠K♦ (about a flip). Best?
Why
Fold. This is an ICM spot: near a big pay jump the chips you'd lose are worth more than the chips you'd win, so a marginal flip you'd snap-call in a cash game becomes a fold. A-K against a covering jam is roughly a coin flip - decline it and let shorter stacks bust first.
You fold A-K. Chip EV isn't dollar EV near a pay jump.
Hand recap
Near a big pay jump you folded a hand you'd happily get in for chips, because losing your stack costs more in real money than winning it gains - the survival premium of ICM.
Principle: Near big pay jumps, decline marginal flips you'd take for chips - under ICM the chips you lose are worth more than the chips you win.
Hand 8 of 9You can't bluff a committed stack
Pre-flop
Action
Folded to you on the button with 7♠4♠. The big blind is a 2 BB short stack who is pot-committed and will call almost anything.
Decision
Button with 7♠4♠; the BB is a 2 BB stack who'll call any two. Best?
Why
Fold. You can't steal from a pot-committed short stack - he calls a raise or a shove with any two cards, so there's zero fold equity. Raising just builds a pot with 7-4 against a random hand. Only commit chips against him with a hand you're happy to show down.
You fold the trash. No fold equity means no steal.
Hand recap
A pot-committed short stack can't be bluffed - with no fold equity, you stop trying to steal and only put chips in against him with hands that beat his calling range.
Principle: You can't steal from a committed short stack - with zero fold equity, only commit hands you're happy to show down, and fold the trash.
Hand 9 of 9Adjust to the stacks behind you
Pre-flop
Action
You have about 25 BB in the cutoff with A♦9♣. Directly behind you sits a big stack who re-jams (three-bet shoves) constantly and covers you.
Decision
~25 BB in the cutoff with A♦9♣, a frequent re-jammer behind. Best?
Why
Fold. Adjust your opens to the stacks behind you. A-9 offsuit is a fine open in a vacuum, but opening into a frequent re-jammer who covers you means you'll often face a shove you must fold to - bleeding chips. Tighten your opening range to hands that can withstand a jam, and let this one go.
You fold. The player behind you changes your opening range.
Hand recap
You tightened your opening range because of who was sitting behind you - a covering re-jammer turns marginal opens into chip leaks, so you only open hands that can take the heat.
Principle: Adjust your opening range to the stacks behind you - with a frequent re-jammer who covers you to act, tighten to hands that can withstand a shove.
Learning
Part Eleven - Short Tables
Concepts in this Part
As the field shrinks to six, five, four, or three players, everything loosens. Hand values rise (fewer opponents can hold a big hand) and the blinds hit you far more often, so stealing becomes mandatory income - you open and attack the button with a wide range, and a hand that's an automatic fold full-ring becomes a clear raise. Early position barely exists with so few players. You defend the blinds wider and three-bet to fight back against relentless stealers, and blind-versus-blind you raise a very wide range. Post-flop, made hands gain value too - top pair is strong against wide ranges, so you bet and barrel where you'd pot-control at a full table. These nine hands drill recalibrating to a short table.
Hand 1 of 9Hand values rise short-handed
Pre-flop
Action
Six-handed now. It folds to you on the cutoff with K♣8♦.
Decision
Six-handed, folded to you on the cutoff with K♣8♦. Best?
Why
Open-raise. With fewer players, the blinds come around faster and fewer opponents can hold a big hand, so hand values rise - K-8 offsuit becomes a profitable cutoff open that would be marginal at a full table.
You raise; the blinds fold. Short-handed, this is a clear open.
Hand recap
Six-handed, K-8 offsuit is a routine open from the cutoff - with fewer players, ranges widen because hand values rise and the blinds cost you more often.
Principle: Hand values rise as the table shrinks - open a wider range short-handed than you would at a full table.
Hand 2 of 9Stealing is mandatory
Pre-flop
Action
Five-handed. It folds to you on the button with J♦7♦.
Decision
Five-handed, folded to you on the button with J♦7♦. Best?
Why
Raise to steal. Five-handed the blinds hit you constantly, so stealing is mandatory income, not optional. J-7 suited on the button with only the blinds behind is a clear steal - folding it surrenders the blinds you need.
You raise; the blinds fold. Mandatory steal collected.
Hand recap
Short-handed you can't wait for premiums - the blinds come too fast, so stealing the button is income you must take. J-7 suited is well within a five-handed button range.
Principle: Stealing is mandatory short-handed - the blinds come around so fast that you must attack them, especially from the button.
Hand 3 of 9Defend the blind wider
Pre-flop
Action
Four-handed. The button min-raises to 1,600 and you're in the big blind with Q♠8♦, getting a great price to call.
Decision
Four-handed, button min-raises; you hold Q♠8♦ in the BB. Best?
Why
Call. Against a wide short-handed button steal and a cheap price (you close the action getting better than 3-to-1), Q-8 offsuit is well inside a profitable big-blind defense. Folding hands this playable lets the button run you over.
You call. Wide defense against a cheap steal.
Hand recap
Short-handed you defend the big blind far wider, because the stealer's range is wide and the price is good. Folding too much hands the button free chips.
Principle: Defend the big blind wider short-handed - wide steal ranges and good prices make many hands profitable calls.
Hand 4 of 9No early position four-handed
Pre-flop
Action
Four-handed. You're under the gun - the first to act - with A♦5♦.
Decision
Four-handed, first to act (under the gun) with A♦5♦. Best?
Why
Open-raise. Four-handed there is no real early position - even under the gun you have only three players behind. A-5 suited is an easy open; short-handed, 'first to act' isn't the constraint it is at a full table.
You raise; it folds around. Short-handed, even UTG opens wide.
Hand recap
With only four players, 'early position' barely exists - the first seat still opens a wide range, because there are so few players left to act.
Principle: Short-handed, early-position caution disappears - even first-to-act seats open a wide range when only a few players remain.
Hand 5 of 9Three-handed: very wide
Pre-flop
Action
Three-handed. It folds to you on the button with K♦4♦.
Decision
Three-handed, folded to you on the button with K♦4♦. Best?
Why
Raise. Three-handed, almost any hand with a high card or suited potential is a button open - hand values are extremely high with only two opponents. K-4 suited is a clear raise; folding it would be far too tight.
You raise; the blinds fold. Three-handed ranges are huge.
Hand recap
Three-handed, your button opening range is enormous - with only two opponents, a king-high suited hand is a routine raise.
Principle: Three-handed, open an extremely wide range - with so few opponents, most hands are strong enough to raise.
Hand 6 of 9Short-handed blind battle
Pre-flop
Action
Four-handed, it folds to you in the small blind, heads-up against the big blind, with K♠5♣.
Decision
Folded to you in the SB, blind vs blind, with K♠5♣. Best?
Why
Raise first-in. Heads-up against a single opponent, K-5 offsuit is well above average and you should apply pressure. Limping lets the big blind see a cheap flop in position; raising takes the pot often and builds it when called.
You raise; the big blind folds. Raise wide blind-vs-blind.
Hand recap
Blind versus blind, with one opponent and wide ranges, you raise first-in with a wide range - K-5 offsuit is plenty, and limping surrenders the initiative.
Principle: Blind versus blind, raise first-in with a wide range - one opponent means most hands are strong enough to apply pressure.
Hand 7 of 9Three-betting short-handed
Pre-flop
Action
Five-handed. An aggressive button opens to 1,800 and you're in the big blind with A♠7♠.
Decision
Five-handed, aggressive button opens; you hold A♠7♠ in the BB. Best?
Why
Three-bet. Short-handed you must fight back with three-bets, not just call - against a wide, aggressive button, a re-steal with A-7 suited folds out much of his range, and the ace-blocker plus playability are ideal. Flatting out of position is too passive against a relentless stealer.
You three-bet; the button folds. Fight back with three-bets.
Hand recap
Short-handed against aggressive stealers, three-betting (not just calling) is how you fight back - a suited ace re-steal applies pressure and has equity when called.
Principle: Three-bet to fight back short-handed - against frequent stealers, re-stealing with blocker hands beats passively calling out of position.
Hand 8 of 9A fold full-ring is a raise short
Pre-flop
Action
Five-handed. It folds to you on the cutoff with Q♣7♦ - a hand you'd fold without thinking at a full table.
Decision
The same Q♣7♦ you'd muck full-ring, now five-handed on the cutoff. Best?
Why
Open-raise. The very hand that's an automatic fold under the gun at a full table becomes a profitable open five-handed on the cutoff - fewer players, faster blinds, and rising hand values flip the decision. Re-evaluate every hand for the table size you're actually at.
You raise; it folds. Same cards, opposite decision.
Hand recap
A hand is only as weak as the table makes it: Q-7 offsuit folds full-ring but opens five-handed. Always recalibrate hand values to the number of players.
Principle: Re-evaluate every hand for the table size - a clear full-ring fold can be a clear short-handed raise.
Hand 9 of 9Short-handed post-flop value
Flop
Action
Four-handed. You opened A♦J♣ from the button and the big blind called. Flop J♦ 8♠ 3♣ - top pair, good kicker. He checks.
Decision
Four-handed with top pair, good kicker, and he checks. Best?
Why
Bet for value. Short-handed, ranges are wide and top pair is a strong hand - far stronger than it would be in a full-ring multiway pot. Bet to get value from the many worse pairs, draws, and floats in his range, and plan to keep barreling.
You bet 1,800; he calls. Pot: 6,600.
Turn
Action
Turn 5♥ - a blank. He checks again.
Decision
Blank turn, he checks. With top pair short-handed, best?
Why
Bet again. Short-handed your top pair stays well ahead of his wide range, so keep value-betting and charging draws - you don't slow down with a strong one-pair hand the way you might full-ring.
You bet 3,400; he folds. Short-handed top pair pays.
Hand recap
Short-handed, top pair good kicker is a strong, bettable hand across streets - against wide ranges you value-bet and barrel where, full-ring, you might pot-control. Made-hand values rise along with starting-hand values.
Principle: Short-handed, made hands like top pair gain value - bet and barrel them confidently against the wide ranges, rather than slowing down as you would full-ring.
Learning
Part Twelve - Heads-Up
Concepts in this Part
When it's down to two, the game transforms. Hand values invert toward high cards and position: any ace or king is strong, and most hands are above average, so you fold far less and raise far more. From the button you raise a huge range; in the big blind you defend very wide and three-bet aggressively. Position is everything - in position you barrel opponents off pots even with air. And you adjust hard to the opponent: punish a passive player who limps and checks, and call down wider against a hyper-aggressive one who bluffs too much. Over-folding is the cardinal heads-up sin. These seven hands drill the relentless, position-driven aggression that wins heads-up.
Hand 1 of 7Heads-up hand values
Pre-flop
Action
Heads-up for the title. You're on the button (the small blind) with K♥2♥.
Decision
Heads-up, on the button with K♥2♥. Best?
Why
Raise. Heads-up, hand values invert toward high cards and position: any king is strong, and on the button you act last on every post-flop street. K-2 is well above an average heads-up hand - folding it would be far too tight.
You raise; you'll have position the whole hand. Raise far more heads-up.
Hand recap
Heads-up, K-2 is a clear raise - with only one opponent, high-card strength and position dominate, and most hands are well above average.
Principle: Heads-up, hand values swing toward high cards and position - fold far less and raise far more than at a full table.
Hand 2 of 7Raise, don't limp
Pre-flop
Action
Heads-up, on the button with Q♦7♣.
Decision
Heads-up button with Q♦7♣. Best?
Why
Raise. From the heads-up button you raise a very wide range to apply pressure and take the initiative - limping is passive and lets the big blind realize equity cheaply. Q-7 offsuit is a routine raise.
You raise; the opponent folds or plays a pot out of position. Aggression, not limping.
Hand recap
The heads-up button raises a huge range - limping surrenders the initiative that your positional edge is built on.
Principle: Raise the heads-up button rather than limping - apply constant pressure and keep the initiative.
Hand 3 of 7Defend the big blind wide
Pre-flop
Action
Heads-up. The button raises to 2,000 and you're in the big blind with J♦4♦.
Decision
Heads-up, button raises to 2,000; you hold J♦4♦ in the BB. Best?
Why
Call. The heads-up button raises an enormous range, so you defend the big blind very wide. Getting better than 2-to-1 with a suited, semi-connected hand, J-4 suited has the equity to continue - folding too much lets him run you over.
You call. Wide defense heads-up.
Hand recap
Heads-up you defend the big blind extremely wide, because the button's raising range is so wide and the price is good. Over-folding is the cardinal heads-up sin.
Principle: Defend the big blind very wide heads-up - the button raises a huge range, so most playable hands are profitable continues.
Hand 4 of 7Three-betting heads-up
Pre-flop
Action
Heads-up. The button raises to 2,000 and you're in the big blind with A♣9♦.
Decision
Heads-up, button raises; you hold A♣9♦ in the BB. Best?
Why
Three-bet. A-9 offsuit is a strong heads-up hand, well ahead of the button's wide opening range. Three-bet for value and to seize the initiative - flatting lets him realize equity in position, and folding a hand this strong heads-up is far too tight.
You three-bet; the button folds or continues as an underdog. Re-raise wide heads-up.
Hand recap
Heads-up you three-bet a wide, aggressive range - an offsuit ace is a clear value three-bet against the button's wide opens, and it grabs the initiative.
Principle: Three-bet wide heads-up for value and pressure - strong-ish hands like an offsuit ace are ahead of the button's wide range.
Hand 5 of 7Punish the passive limper
Pre-flop
Action
Heads-up against a passive opponent who limps the button (just completes) instead of raising. You're in the big blind with K♠9♣.
Decision
A passive opponent limps the button; you hold K♠9♣ in the BB. Best?
Why
Raise. A passive player who limps is surrendering - raise to punish it and take the initiative with a strong heads-up hand. Checking gives him a free flop he didn't earn; against passivity you ramp up the aggression.
You raise; he folds or calls and plays a pot out of position. Punish the limp.
Hand recap
Against a passive heads-up opponent you attack relentlessly - raise his limps and bet when he checks, because he surrenders far too many pots.
Principle: Punish a passive heads-up opponent - raise his limps and keep betting; he folds and checks far too often to play back.
Hand 6 of 7Use position to apply pressure
Flop
Action
Heads-up. You raised the button, the big blind called. Flop 8♦ 6♣ 2♠ - you have only Q♣J♦ (two overcards), but you have position. He checks.
Decision
You miss but you have position and the lead. Best?
Why
Continuation-bet. Heads-up in position you apply constant pressure - a c-bet on this dry board wins often, and your positional edge lets you keep barreling. Checking surrenders the initiative your raise earned.
You bet 1,800; he calls. Pot: 7,200.
Turn
Action
Turn 3♥ - a blank. He checks again.
Decision
Blank turn, he checks. With position and overcards, best?
Why
Barrel again. His two checks signal weakness, and on this dry board a second bullet folds out most of his range - your position lets you keep telling the story. Heads-up, relentless in-position pressure wins many pots you'd lose by checking.
You bet 3,400; he folds. Position and pressure take it.
Hand recap
With nothing but overcards, your positional edge let you fire two barrels and take the pot - heads-up, position plus aggression wins far more than your cards alone.
Principle: Heads-up, use your positional edge to apply relentless pressure - in position you can barrel opponents off pots even with air.
Hand 7 of 7Calling down a maniac
Pre-flop
Action
Heads-up against a hyper-aggressive opponent who three-bets constantly. You raise the button to 1,800 with A♦T♦ and he three-bets to 5,400.
Decision
A maniac three-bets you yet again; you hold A♦T♦ on the button. Best?
Why
Call. Against a player who three-bets far too often, A-T suited is well ahead of his range and plays well in position. Folding would let him run you over; calling keeps his bluffs in and lets you outplay him after the flop.
You call. Pot: 10,800.
Flop
Action
Flop A♠ 7♣ 3♦ - you flop top pair, ten kicker, and he barrels into you.
Decision
Top pair against a maniac who barrels. Best?
Why
Call. Against a hyper-aggressive opponent you widen your calling range and bluff-catch - top pair, ten kicker crushes his bluff-heavy barreling range. Raising folds out his bluffs; folding throws away your edge against his over-aggression.
You call down and table top pair - he shows a busted bluff. You win by not folding.
Hand recap
Against a maniac heads-up, the adjustment is to widen your calling and bluff-catching ranges - you called his three-bet and called down top pair, letting his constant bluffing pay you off.
Principle: Against a hyper-aggressive heads-up opponent, call and bluff-catch wider - his over-bluffing makes your medium-strong hands worth far more.
Learning
Part Thirteen - Miscellaneous
Concepts in this Part
A catch-all for the loose ends of the endgame. Deals: trade upside for certainty - consider one when variance is high relative to your edge, and know that a chip-chop rewards big stacks while ICM compresses payouts toward the short stacks, so negotiate the formula that favors you. Satellites and qualifiers invert normal strategy: because every seat pays the same, survival is the only currency - you'll fold even aces to lock a seat, while the big stack bullies the bubble mercilessly. And the endgame is psychological: spot the opponent playing not-to-bust and attack his fear. These five hands drill the situations that don't fit anywhere else - but win and lose real money all the same.
Hand 1 of 5Whether to make a deal
Pre-flop
Action
You're down to the final three. Stacks are roughly even, big pay jumps remain, and you have no clear skill edge. The other two propose an even chip-chop deal.
Decision
Final three, even stacks, big pay jumps, no real edge - they offer a deal. Best?
Why
Consider (and likely accept). With close stacks, big remaining pay jumps, and no significant skill advantage, a deal locks in a large share of the prize money and removes enormous variance. Decline only if you're a clear favorite who can press an edge - here, taking a fair deal is sound bankroll management.
You weigh your edge against the variance. A fair deal cuts risk.
Hand recap
Deals trade upside for certainty: with even stacks, big pay jumps, and no real edge, locking in equity is smart - you'd only play on if you were a clear skill favorite.
Principle: Consider a deal when variance is high relative to your edge - even stacks and big pay jumps make locking in prize money sound; decline only with a clear advantage.
Hand 2 of 5Folding aces in a satellite
Pre-flop
Action
It's a satellite: the top 10 stacks each win an identical seat, and 11 players remain. You're comfortably third in chips. A short stack jams, the small blind folds, and you look down at A♠A♦ in the big blind.
Decision
Satellite, you're safely in a seat, and a short stack jams into your pocket aces. Best?
Why
Fold. In a satellite, extra chips are worthless - every seat pays exactly the same - but busting costs you the seat entirely. If folding keeps you safely in a seat-winning spot, you fold even pocket aces. Calling risks everything to win chips you can't use.
You fold aces and keep your seat. Survival is the only currency in a satellite.
Hand recap
Satellites flip normal logic: because every seat pays the same, chips you win are worthless and busting is catastrophic - so you fold even aces when folding locks the prize.
Principle: In a satellite, survival is everything - fold even premium hands when getting it in risks a seat you'd otherwise lock by folding.
Hand 3 of 5The satellite bubble bully
Pre-flop
Action
Satellite bubble - one elimination from everyone winning a seat. You're the big stack, and the others are folding everything to survive. Folded to you on the button with K♦7♦.
Decision
Satellite bubble, you're the big stack, everyone folding to survive. Folded to you with K♦7♦. Best?
Why
Raise relentlessly. A satellite bubble is the most extreme fold-equity spot in poker: medium and short stacks will fold nearly any hand to lock a seat. As the big stack, attack their blinds constantly to pile up chips - your cards barely matter when fold equity is this high.
You raise; both fold instantly. The satellite bubble is a printing press for the big stack.
Hand recap
The flip side of satellite survival: when everyone else is folding to lock a seat, the big stack steals relentlessly - fold equity peaks at the satellite bubble.
Principle: On a satellite bubble, the big stack bullies relentlessly - opponents fold almost anything to survive, so attack their blinds with any two cards.
Hand 4 of 5Exploiting a scared player
Pre-flop
Action
At the final table, one opponent has visibly tightened up to protect a pay jump - he's folding almost everything. He's in the big blind, and it folds to you on the button with A♣6♣.
Decision
A scared player protecting a pay jump is in the BB; folded to you with A♣6♣. Best?
Why
Attack. Reading psychology is part of the endgame: a player clearly playing not-to-bust folds far too much, so raise his blind relentlessly with a wide range and exploit the fear while it lasts. A-6 suited is plenty when your fold equity against him is this high.
You raise; he folds again. Punish the player who's afraid to bust.
Hand recap
The endgame is psychological as well as mathematical: when you spot an opponent playing scared to protect a pay jump, you attack relentlessly and let his fear pay you.
Principle: Exploit players who are afraid to bust - a scared opponent folds too much, so attack his blinds with a wide range.
Hand 5 of 5Chip-chop versus ICM
Pre-flop
Action
Final three and you're the commanding chip leader (about 44% of the chips). The other two propose an ICM-based deal, which flattens the payouts toward equal.
Decision
You're the chip leader; the others offer an ICM deal that compresses the payouts. Best?
Why
Counter with a chip-chop. Understand the two methods: a chip-chop pays each player in proportion to their chips (which favors you as the leader), while ICM compresses payouts toward equal (which favors the shorter stacks). As the chip leader, prefer a chip-chop or negotiate up from the ICM number - don't accept a deal that pays you less than your chips are worth.
You counter for a chip-chop. Know which formula favors you before you sign.
Hand recap
Deal math matters: a chip-chop pays proportional to chips (good for the leader), while ICM flattens toward equal (good for the short stacks). Know which one your stack favors and negotiate accordingly.
Principle: In deal-making, a chip-chop rewards big stacks and ICM rewards short stacks - as the chip leader, push for a chip-chop and don't accept less than your chips are worth.
Exam
Mixed Set 1 - Recognize the Spot
Concepts in this Part
No two hands in a row test the same idea. Across these spots the stack depths, table sizes, positions, and opponents all change - deep early-stage pots, short-stacked endgame jams, bubble and ICM spots, short tables and heads-up. Your job, as at a real table, is first to recognize which concept applies, then to make the play. Your score screen below tracks a concept-coverage map so you can see which ideas you've mastered and which still leak.
Hand 1 of 25Folded to you in the cutoff
Pre-flop
Action
Early, deep stacks. Folded to you on the cutoff with K♣T♠.
Decision
Folded to you on the cutoff with K♣T♠. Best?
Why
Open-raise - K-T suited is a clear cutoff open with only the button and blinds behind; ranges widen as you approach the button.
You raise; the blinds fold. A standard positional open.
Hand recap
K-T suited is a routine late-position open even though it's a fold up front - position sets your opening range.
Principle: Open tighter early and wider late.
Hand 2 of 25A big offsuit hand up front
Pre-flop
Action
Nine-handed, deep. You're under the gun with A♥J♣.
Decision
Under the gun with A♥J♣. Best?
Why
Fold. A-J offsuit is a classic trouble hand from early position - dominated when it gets action and hard to play out of position with eight players behind.
You fold. A late-position hand, not an early one.
Hand recap
A-J offsuit plays well in late position but is a fold under the gun - recognize the trouble hands.
Principle: Fold dominated big offsuit hands from early position.
Hand 3 of 25A draw facing a bet
Flop
Action
You called a raise on the button with A♠9♠. Flop K♠ 7♠ 2♦ gives the nut flush draw; he c-bets 800 into 1,500 (you call 800 to win 2,300).
Decision
Nut flush draw, getting ~2.9-to-1. Best?
Why
Call. Nine outs is ~35% by the river; you're laid ~2.9-to-1 (need ~26%), and the implied odds of the nut flush seal it.
You call. The math says continue.
Hand recap
Count outs, convert to equity, and call when the price (plus implied odds) beats it.
Principle: A draw is a math decision - compare outs to the price.
Hand 4 of 25A small pair facing a raise, deep
Pre-flop
Action
Everyone ~150 BB deep. A tight player raises under the gun and it folds to you on the button with 5♣5♦.
Decision
Deep, a tight UTG raiser, you hold 5♣5♦ on the button. Best?
Why
Call. You flop a set ~12% of the time, and the deep stacks give the implied odds to get paid; three-betting bloats the pot as an underdog.
You call to set-mine. Deep stacks reward the call.
Hand recap
Small pairs set-mine against tight early raisers when stacks are deep enough to pay you off.
Principle: Set-mining is an implied-odds play - call cheaply, deep.
Hand 5 of 25Top pair, weak kicker, big turn bet
Turn
Action
You defended the BB with A♦5♦. Flop A♣ 9♠ 4♦ (top pair, weak kicker); you called a flop bet, and on the J♦ turn he fires 2,600.
Decision
Top pair, five kicker, facing a big second barrel. Best?
Why
Fold. A weak ace wins small and loses big - the better aces keep betting while worse hands give up. Paying off here is the reverse-implied-odds trap.
You fold. Don't pay off the better aces.
Hand recap
Weak top pair has reverse implied odds - keep the pot small and fold to real pressure.
Principle: With hands that win small and lose big, don't pay off.
Hand 6 of 25A-Q facing a raise, out of position
Pre-flop
Action
You open A♥Q♠ from middle position and a solid button three-bets to 1,800.
Decision
Solid player three-bets; you hold A♥Q♠ out of position. Best?
Why
Fold. A-Q offsuit is dominated by a solid three-betting range and plays badly out of position - the gap concept says you need more to continue against a raise than to open.
You fold. Dominated and out of position.
Hand recap
You need a stronger hand to call a raise than to open one - A-Q offsuit folds to a solid three-bet OOP.
Principle: Meet aggression with a tighter range than you'd open.
Hand 7 of 25A raiser and a caller
Pre-flop
Action
A loose cutoff opens, the button calls, the small blind folds, and you're in the BB with A♥Q♥.
Decision
Raiser-plus-caller, you hold A♥Q♥ in the BB. Best?
Why
Squeeze. The caller is capped and the opener is loose, so a large three-bet folds both out - and A-Q has equity when called.
You squeeze; both fold. You take the dead money.
Hand recap
A raiser plus a flat-caller is the squeeze setup - a big three-bet wins it.
Principle: Squeeze a raiser-plus-caller; both are usually too weak to continue.
Hand 8 of 25You raised, missed, heads-up
Flop
Action
You opened K♠Q♠ and the BB called. Flop A♦ 7♣ 2♥ - you missed, but the board favors your range. He checks.
Decision
Dry ace-high board, heads-up, he checks. Best?
Why
Bet. The preconditions are present - one opponent, a board that favors your range, and a check - so a c-bet wins often.
You bet; he folds. The c-bet bluff takes it.
Hand recap
C-bet bluff when the board favors you, you're heads-up, and there's fold equity.
Principle: A c-bet bluff needs its preconditions: few opponents, a favorable board, fold equity.
Hand 9 of 25A big draw on the flop
Flop
Action
You called a raise with T♠9♠. Flop J♠ 6♠ 2♦ - a flush draw plus an overcard. The raiser checks.
Decision
You flop a strong draw and he checks. Best?
Why
Bet. You win two ways - he folds now, or you complete your many outs later. Betting also takes the initiative he surrendered.
You bet; he folds. Two ways to win.
Hand recap
Bet your good draws - fold equity plus equity beats checking.
Principle: Semi-bluff your draws: you win when they fold and have equity when they don't.
Hand 10 of 25A medium hand in position
Flop
Action
You called on the button with A♣J♥. Flop K♠ J♣ 5♦ - middle pair, ace kicker. He checks.
Decision
Middle pair on a king-high board, in position, he checks. Best?
Why
Check behind. A medium hand wants a small pot - betting bloats it against better kings and folds out worse; checking keeps it cheap and takes a free card.
You check behind. Keep the pot small.
Hand recap
Check back medium made hands to control the pot and realize showdown value.
Principle: Pot-control medium hands - keep it small and bluff-catch cheaply.
Hand 11 of 25A straightforward player's third barrel
River
Action
A tight, straightforward player opened UTG, you called with A♥Q♣ on the button, and he's fired all three streets on Q-8-3-5-2.
Decision
Three big barrels from a 'bets-only-when-he-has-it' player. Your top pair top kicker is…
Why
Fold. A tight, straightforward player doesn't fire three big barrels on a dry board without a hand that beats top pair - trust the line.
You fold; he shows kings. Believe the story.
Hand recap
Against a straightforward player, a big multi-street line means a big hand - even TPTK folds.
Principle: Read the line: believe a straightforward player's big multi-street story.
Hand 12 of 25A known over-bluffer jams the river
River
Action
You saw this player get caught triple-barrel bluffing earlier. You called his open with K♦J♦ and have top pair, king kicker; he jams the river.
Decision
A known over-bluffer shoves. Top pair, king kicker. Best?
Why
Call. A specific, recent read - he triple-barrel bluffs - turns top-pair-good-kicker into a clear call against his bluff-heavy range.
You call; he shows a busted draw. The read pays.
Hand recap
Store reads from showdowns and apply them - against an over-bluffer, call down lighter.
Principle: Use prior-showdown reads - against an over-bluffer, bluff-catch wide.
Hand 13 of 25Top pair on a wet board
Flop
Action
You opened K♠Q♠ and the BB called. Flop Q♥ 9♥ 4♣ - top pair, but the board is loaded with draws. He checks.
Decision
Top pair on a draw-heavy board, he checks. Best size?
Why
Bet larger. A wet board demands a bigger bet to charge flush and straight draws and build the pot - a small bet gives them a cheap card.
You bet 3/4 pot. Charge the draws.
Hand recap
Bet bigger on wet boards and smaller on dry ones - size to the texture.
Principle: Size to the board: big on wet, small on dry.
Hand 14 of 25Top pair, four-way, a bet into the field
Flop
Action
Four players saw the flop. You have A♠Q♦ (top pair) but the board is Q♠ J♦ 9♥, and an early player bets into the field.
Decision
Top pair top kicker, four-way on a connected board, a bet into everyone. Best?
Why
Fold. A bet into a four-way field on Q-J-9 means a real hand far more often than heads-up - top pair is in bad shape, and players remain behind.
You fold; he had the straight. Multiway demands strength.
Hand recap
Tighten sharply multiway - bets into a field mean strength, so top pair is often a fold.
Principle: Multiway pots require much stronger hands to continue.
Hand 15 of 25Folded to you in the cutoff, short
Pre-flop
Action
Blinds 400/800 with antes; your M is 8 (Orange). Folded to you on the cutoff with K♦9♦.
Decision
Orange zone, folded to you with K♦9♦. Best?
Why
Be the first in. In the Orange zone you play to win it now and protect fold equity - raise or jam; never limp.
You come in raising; the blinds fold. Orange-zone aggression.
Hand recap
In the Orange zone (M 6-10), be the first raiser and protect fold equity.
Principle: Orange zone: be the first one in - raise or jam, never limp.
Hand 16 of 25Red-zone shove or fold
Pre-flop
Action
Your M is 4 (Red). Folded to you in the hijack with A♣7♣.
Decision
Red zone, folded to you with A♣7♣. Best?
Why
Open-shove. In the Red zone you can't play post-flop - it's push or fold, and A-7 suited from the hijack is a clear jam.
You shove; the blinds fold. Push-or-fold poker.
Hand recap
Red zone (M 1-5): move all-in or fold - no more post-flop play.
Principle: Red zone is push-or-fold.
Hand 17 of 25Aggressive button opens, you're short-ish
Pre-flop
Action
An aggressive button keeps stealing. Your M is 9, and you're in the BB with A♠8♠.
Decision
Orange zone, aggressive button opens, A♠8♠ in the BB. Best?
Why
Three-bet shove. Jam over a wide stealer to use your fold equity; A-8 suited has blockers and equity when called.
You jam; he folds. The re-steal works.
Hand recap
Re-steal-jam over habitual stealers while you still have fold equity.
Principle: Fight back from the blinds with re-steal jams.
Hand 18 of 25Facing an early-position jam
Pre-flop
Action
An early-position short stack open-jams ~11 BB, and you hold K♠T♠ in the BB.
Decision
An EP short stack jams; you hold K♠T♠. Best?
Why
Fold. You'd open-jam K-T suited, but calling a jam needs a hand that fares well against his range with no fold equity - it's dominated too often.
You fold. Calling ranges are tighter than shoving ranges.
Hand recap
Calling a shove is tighter than open-shoving - no fold equity, so you need real equity.
Principle: Call jams tighter than you'd push.
Hand 19 of 25Big stack on the bubble
Pre-flop
Action
You're the big stack on the money bubble. The SB is a tiny short stack; the BB is a medium stack desperate to survive. Folded to you with K♦7♦.
Decision
Big stack, a committed short and a survival-minded medium. Best?
Why
Raise. Target the medium stack - he folds too much near the bubble. If the committed short jams, you can fold.
You raise; the medium folds. Right target.
Hand recap
Attack medium stacks near the bubble - they fold too much to protect a cash.
Principle: Pressure the medium stacks who can least afford to bust.
Hand 20 of 25A flip near a big pay jump
Pre-flop
Action
A big pay jump looms. A covering stack jams and you hold A♠K♦ - about a flip against his range.
Decision
Big pay jump near; a covering stack jams; A♠K♦ (a flip). Best?
Why
Fold. Under ICM the chips you'd lose are worth more than the chips you'd win, so a marginal flip becomes a fold near a big pay jump.
You fold A-K. Chip EV isn't dollar EV.
Hand recap
Near big pay jumps, decline flips you'd take for chips - the survival premium of ICM.
Principle: ICM: losing chips costs more than winning them near pay jumps.
Hand 21 of 25Five-handed on the button
Pre-flop
Action
Five-handed. Folded to you on the button with J♦7♦.
Decision
Five-handed, folded to you on the button with J♦7♦. Best?
Why
Raise. Short-handed the blinds hit you fast, so stealing is mandatory income - J-7 suited on the button is a clear steal.
You raise; the blinds fold. Mandatory steal.
Hand recap
Short-handed, stealing is mandatory - attack the button with a wide range.
Principle: Steal relentlessly short-handed; the blinds come too fast to wait.
Hand 22 of 25Heads-up on the button
Pre-flop
Action
Heads-up for the title. You're on the button with K♥2♥.
Decision
Heads-up button with K♥2♥. Best?
Why
Raise. Heads-up, any king is strong and you act last post-flop - K-2 is well above average; fold far less, raise far more.
You raise. Raise far more heads-up.
Hand recap
Heads-up, hand values swing toward high cards and position - raise a wide range.
Principle: Heads-up: fold less, raise more.
Hand 23 of 25A maniac barrels you heads-up
Flop
Action
Heads-up against a hyper-aggressive opponent. You called his three-bet with A♦T♦ and flopped top pair on A-7-3; he barrels.
Decision
Top pair against a maniac who barrels. Best?
Why
Call. Against a player who bluffs too much, top pair crushes his barreling range - widen your calling range and let him bluff into you.
You call down and win. Don't fold to a maniac.
Hand recap
Against a hyper-aggressive heads-up opponent, call and bluff-catch wider.
Principle: Widen your calling range against over-aggression.
Hand 24 of 25A flush completes, you hold the ace-blocker
River
Action
You raised A♠K♦, c-bet the Q♠ 8♠ 4♣ flop, checked the turn, and the river 7♠ completes a flush. You missed, but hold the A♠. He checks.
Decision
The flush completes, he checks, and you hold the nut-flush blocker. Best?
Why
Bluff. Holding the A♠, your opponent almost never has the nut flush, so a big bet credibly represents the flush and folds out his bluff-catchers.
You bet; he folds. The blocker bluff gets through.
Hand recap
Bluff rivers where you block the nuts you're representing - the opponent rarely has the hand that calls.
Principle: Blockers make the best bluffs - rep what you block.
Hand 25 of 25An overpair check-raised on a wet board
Flop
Action
You opened Q♣Q♦ and a tight BB called. Flop 9♠ 8♠ 7♦ - an overpair, but a coordinated nightmare. You c-bet and he check-raises.
Decision
Your queens face a check-raise from a tight player on 9-8-7. Best?
Why
Fold. A tight player's check-raise here screams a straight, two pair, a set, or a big combo draw - queens are an overpair that's behind most of it.
You fold; he had the straight. Overpairs aren't automatic.
Hand recap
Even an overpair folds to strong aggression on a coordinated board - don't stack off on autopilot.
Principle: Overpairs are foldable on bad boards facing strength.
Exam
Mixed Set 2 - Betting Lines
Concepts in this Part
This set leans into post-flop play - c-bets and barrels, check-raises and floats, probe and delayed bets, protection and slow-plays, and the full range of river decisions (thin value, over-bets, bluff-catches, and respecting a raise) - still shuffled with pot-odds and pre-flop spots so you keep recognizing the situation first. The concept-coverage map on the score screen keeps tallying every idea you meet.
Hand 1 of 25Top pair, dry board, he checks
Flop
Action
You opened K♠Q♠ and the BB called. Flop Q♦ 8♣ 3♥ - top pair, top kicker. He checks.
Decision
Top pair top kicker, dry board, he checks. Best?
Why
Bet for value - on a dry board you're well ahead and charge worse pairs and draws.
You bet. Value.
Hand recap
A made hand on a dry board bets for value, not checks.
Principle: Bet your strong made hands for value.
Hand 2 of 25A scare card improves you
Turn
Action
You c-bet a Q♣ 7♦ 3♠ flop with A♥K♥ and were called. Turn K♦ pairs you and scares his range. He checks.
Decision
A king arrives (favors you, and you paired). Best?
Why
Double-barrel - the king favors your range and improved you; bet for value and to fold out his weaker hands.
You bet; he folds. The scare card is the cue.
Hand recap
Barrel turn cards that favor your range.
Principle: Double-barrel scare cards that hit your range.
Hand 3 of 25A consistent three-street story
River
Action
You barreled the flop and turn with K♥Q♥; the river A♥ completes your flush and is a scary card for him. He checks.
Decision
The ace completes your flush and your story. Best?
Why
Bet - the ace is maximally credible for your barreling line, and you actually made the flush, so it's value plus a believable bluff.
You bet; he folds a worse hand. Story plus value.
Hand recap
Triple-barrels work when the run-out tells a consistent story.
Principle: Keep firing cards that favor your range, ideally with equity.
Hand 4 of 25A wet board, you whiff, turn bricks
Turn
Action
You c-bet a J♥ T♥ 8♣ flop with A♣K♦ and were called. Turn 6♥ misses you on this wet board. He checks.
Decision
A wet board, a sticky caller, you have air. Best?
Why
Check behind - he called on a coordinated board and isn't folding; a second barrel just burns chips.
You check and give up cheaply. One barrel was enough.
Hand recap
Give up after one barrel into a sticky range on a wet board.
Principle: Know when to fire only one bullet.
Hand 5 of 25Top two pair out of position
Flop
Action
You defended with 8♠7♠. Flop 8♦ 7♣ 2♥ - top two pair. You check, the button c-bets.
Decision
Top two pair OOP, he c-bets. Best?
Why
Check-raise - build the pot and charge the draws and overcards out of position; slow-playing lets bad cards come cheap.
You check-raise. Value and protection.
Hand recap
Check-raise strong, vulnerable made hands OOP.
Principle: Build the pot with strong but vulnerable hands.
Hand 6 of 25A monster draw out of position
Flop
Action
You defended with 9♥8♥. Flop 7♥ 6♥ 2♣ - a flush draw plus an open-ender. You check, the button c-bets.
Decision
A huge draw OOP, he c-bets. Best?
Why
Check-raise - fold equity plus a mountain of outs makes this far stronger than a passive call.
You check-raise; he folds. Aggression with the best draw.
Hand recap
Check-raise big draws as semi-bluffs.
Principle: Play big draws aggressively, even OOP.
Hand 7 of 25Air in position vs an auto-c-bettor
Flop
Action
You called a raise on the button with A♦T♣. Flop K♠ 8♦ 3♣ - ace-high, but you have position on a player who c-bets every flop.
Decision
You miss, but you have position and a read. Best?
Why
Float - call planning to take the pot when he gives up; raising commits chips with nothing, folding is too weak vs a frequent c-bettor.
You call, planning to attack the turn. Use position.
Hand recap
Float in position against frequent c-bettors.
Principle: Call the flop to take it away later.
Hand 8 of 25A low board favors the caller
Flop
Action
You opened A♦Q♣ and the BB called. Flop 7♠ 6♣ 3♥ - a low board that hits his range; he checks.
Decision
A low board favoring the caller, you have air. Best?
Why
Check behind - this board hits him, so check and fire a delayed c-bet on a better card.
You check behind. Pick a better street.
Hand recap
Delay c-bets on boards that hit the caller's range.
Principle: Check low boards, barrel a later card that favors you.
Hand 9 of 25The raiser checked back the flop
Turn
Action
You called a button raise and checked the J♠ 6♣ 2♥ flop; he checked back. Turn 4♦ gives you top pair plus a flush draw.
Decision
He capped his range by checking back; you have top pair. Best?
Why
Lead a probe bet - his flop check-back caps him, so betting into him takes the initiative and gets value.
You bet; he folds. Probe the capped range.
Hand recap
Lead a probe when the raiser checks back the flop.
Principle: Bet into a raiser who declines to c-bet.
Hand 10 of 25The nuts on a board that's yours
Flop
Action
You defended with 6♠5♠. Flop 7♠ 8♦ 9♣ - the nut straight on a board that hits your range far more than the raiser's.
Decision
You flop the nuts on a board that's yours. Best?
Why
Lead - this board smashes your range and misses his, so he won't c-bet much; build the pot with the nuts.
You lead; he raises and the chips go in. A lead with a reason.
Hand recap
Donk-lead when the board favors your range and you have a big hand.
Principle: Lead with a reason, not out of habit.
Hand 11 of 25An overpair on a draw-heavy board
Flop
Action
You opened K♠K♦ and the BB called. Flop Q♥ J♥ 4♣ - an overpair, but loaded with draws. He checks.
Decision
A strong but vulnerable hand on a wet board. Best?
Why
Bet big - charge the many flush and straight draws and get value; checking gives a free card to the hands that beat you.
You bet big; he calls or folds a draw. Protect your hand.
Hand recap
Bet for protection with vulnerable made hands on wet boards.
Principle: Make the draws pay a bad price.
Hand 12 of 25A flopped full house vs a bettor
Flop
Action
You opened and an aggressive BB called. Flop 7♥ 2♣ 2♦ - a full house on a bone-dry board. He checks.
Decision
A near-unbeatable hand, dry board, aggressive opponent. Best?
Why
Check - nothing can improve to beat you, so induce his bluffs on later streets rather than fold out his air now.
You check behind. Induce the bluff.
Hand recap
Slow-play a monster on a safe board vs an aggressive opponent.
Principle: Check to induce when a bet would only fold out air.
Hand 13 of 25A check-caller checks the river
River
Action
You raised A♣J♣, bet the flop and turn, both called, and the river bricks. The check-caller checks again.
Decision
Top pair good kicker vs a passive check-caller. Best?
Why
Bet thin - a check-caller often has a worse jack or pair that pays a small bet; checking leaves value behind.
You bet small; he calls a worse jack. Thin value collected.
Hand recap
Bet thin for value vs check-callers on the river.
Principle: Find thin value against players who give up too easily.
Hand 14 of 25The nut flush vs a capped strong range
River
Action
You drew to the nut flush and it came in. The opener barreled twice (a strong, capped range) and now checks.
Decision
Nut flush, his range is strong but capped. Best?
Why
Over-bet - his barreling range is full of strong hands that can't fold, and your bluffs balance it; bet bigger than the pot.
You over-bet; he calls a set. Maximum value.
Hand recap
Over-bet for value when polarized with the nuts vs a strong, capped range.
Principle: Polarized with the nuts? Bet biggest.
Hand 15 of 25Facing a river bet from a bluffer
River
Action
An aggressive button barreled and now bets 2,000 into 5,100 on a brick river (~3.5-to-1; you need ~22%).
Decision
Top pair vs a habitual bluffer, getting 3.5-to-1. Best?
Why
Call - you only need to be good ~22% of the time, and his triple-barrel range is well over a quarter bluffs.
You call; he shows a busted draw. Pot-odds bluff-catch.
Hand recap
Bluff-catch when the price beats the opponent's bluff frequency.
Principle: Call rivers when you need to be right less often than he bluffs.
Hand 16 of 25Your value bet gets check-raised
River
Action
You value-bet top two pair (aces and jacks) and the big blind check-raises all-in on a board where 5-7 makes a straight.
Decision
Your value bet got jammed on. Best?
Why
Fold - a river check-raise represents a straight, set, or better two pair; without a read, even top two pair folds.
You fold; he had the straight. Respect the raise.
Hand recap
River raises are rarely bluffs - fold strong-but-not-nut hands.
Principle: Respect fifth-street raises.
Hand 17 of 25A fifteen-out draw facing a bet
Flop
Action
You called a raise with T♠9♠. Flop J♠ 8♠ 2♦ - a flush draw plus an open-ender: fifteen outs (~54% by the river). He bets.
Decision
Fifteen outs - a favorite over one pair - and he bets. Best?
Why
Raise - with ~54% you're the favorite; get the money in with fold equity plus the best draw.
You raise/get it in. A monster draw is a favorite.
Hand recap
A 13-15 out combo draw is a favorite over one pair - play it like a made hand.
Principle: Get big combo draws in - they're favorites, not underdogs.
Hand 18 of 25An open-ender with tainted outs
Flop
Action
Flop J♠ T♠ 4♦ gives you an open-ender with Q♥9♥ (any K or 8). But the board is two-spade, so the K♠ and 8♠ complete a flush for a spade draw.
Decision
Eight 'outs', but two complete a flush for others. Your effective outs?
Why
About six - discount the two cards that can make you a second-best hand; six clean outs isn't enough at this price on a wet board.
You fold the discounted draw. Count clean outs.
Hand recap
Discount outs that can make a second-best hand.
Principle: Count clean outs, not gross ones.
Hand 19 of 25A busted draw, a scary runout
River
Action
You raised and barreled A♥ K♣ 4♠ and the 5♦ turn with J♦T♣; the river misses you. The ace-king-heavy board lets you credibly hold the nuts. He checks.
Decision
Air, but a consistent big-hand story on a board where you can hold the nuts. Best?
Why
Over-bet - you can credibly rep the top of your range, so a polarized over-bet maximizes fold equity against his capped bluff-catchers.
You over-bet; he folds. The story sells it.
Hand recap
Over-bet bluff when polarized and able to rep the nuts vs a capped range.
Principle: Rep the nuts with an over-bet when the story holds.
Hand 20 of 25Short in the big blind facing a raise
Pre-flop
Action
You have a 15 BB stack in the BB; an aggressive button raises and you hold A♦8♣.
Decision
Short and OOP vs an aggressive raiser. Which line generates the most fold equity?
Why
Call and stop-and-go - jamming the flop forces him to call into a board that missed him, so he folds more than to a pre-flop shove.
You call, planning to jam the flop. The stop-and-go.
Hand recap
The stop-and-go adds fold equity for a short stack OOP.
Principle: Call, then lead the flop all-in when short and out of position.
Hand 21 of 25A weak limper in front of you
Pre-flop
Action
A weak, passive player limps and it folds to you on the button with A♣J♦.
Decision
A weak limper, you hold A♣J♦ on the button. Best?
Why
Raise to isolate - A-J dominates his weak range; get heads-up in position rather than playing a multiway pot.
You raise to isolate. Heads-up, in position.
Hand recap
Raise to isolate weak limpers with dominating hands.
Principle: Isolate limpers - don't limp along.
Hand 22 of 25A cheap button steal into your blind
Pre-flop
Action
A button min-raises to 400 and you're in the big blind with Q♦9♦, getting a great price.
Decision
Button min-raises; you hold Q♦9♦ in the BB. Best?
Why
Call - against a wide steal at better than 3-to-1, Q-9 suited is a clear defend; over-folding lets the button run you over.
You call. Defend wide vs cheap steals.
Hand recap
Defend the big blind wide against cheap late-position steals.
Principle: Don't over-fold to cheap steals.
Hand 23 of 25Top pair, weak kicker, turn check-raise
Turn
Action
You raised K♥J♣, bet the K♣ 7♦ 3♠ flop and the turn, and the big blind check-raises on a dry board.
Decision
Top pair, jack kicker, facing a turn check-raise. Best?
Why
Fold - a dry-turn check-raise represents a better king, two pair, or a set, all of which dominate your kicker.
You fold; he had K-Q. Kicker trouble.
Hand recap
Trouble hands flop top pair with a weak kicker - fold to serious pressure.
Principle: Don't pay off a better kicker.
Hand 24 of 25Top pair top kicker on a paired turn
Turn
Action
You have A♥Q♣ (top pair, top kicker). You bet the turn after the board paired (Q-8-3-8) and your opponent raises big.
Decision
A big turn raise on a paired board. Best?
Why
Fold - on a paired board a big raise represents trips or a full house; top pair is still one pair and stacking off is a leak.
You fold. One pair is one pair.
Hand recap
One pair is rarely worth a stack - reassess when heavy action meets it.
Principle: Don't stack off one pair into big aggression.
Hand 25 of 25A draw on the turn at a bad price
Turn
Action
You have the nut flush draw on the turn. He bets 3,000 into 4,000 - you'd call 3,000 to win 7,000 (~2.3-to-1, need ~30%), and with one card to come you're ~19%.
Decision
Flush draw, one card, the price needs ~30% and you have ~19%. Best?
Why
Fold - with one card to come your nine outs are ~19%, short of the ~30% the price demands, and the implied odds are thin.
You fold. One card halves the draw's value.
Hand recap
A draw worth a call on the flop is often a fold on the turn.
Principle: Recompute the price each street - one card to come is worth far less.
Exam
Mixed Set 3 - The Endgame
Concepts in this Part
This set leans into the endgame - computing M and playing the zones, the Q ratio and the M-vs-Q conflict, push-or-fold, re-steals and re-shoves, antes and short tables, heads-up aggression, and the bubble/satellite/ICM and deal-making spots. As always the hands are shuffled, so recognize the situation first. Your concept-coverage map keeps growing.
Hand 1 of 25Blinds with antes - compute your M
Pre-flop
Action
Blinds 400/800 with a 100 ante, nine players; your stack is 14,700. Folded to you on the cutoff.
Decision
What is your M and zone?
Why
Orbit cost = 400 + 800 + nine antes (900) = 2,100; M = 14,700 ÷ 2,100 = 7 - Orange.
M = 7, Orange.
Hand recap
M = stack ÷ the cost of one orbit (blinds plus all antes).
Principle: M = stack ÷ (blinds + antes per orbit).
Hand 2 of 25Deep in the Green zone
Pre-flop
Action
M 25 (Green). An MP player opens to 1,800; you hold 7♠7♦ on the button.
Decision
Green zone, MP opens, 7♠7♦ on the button. Best?
Why
Call - at M 25 play a normal, patient game and set-mine with the implied odds; no need to gamble.
You call. Play poker in the Green zone.
Hand recap
Green zone (20+): full flexibility, no gambling.
Principle: Green zone: play your normal game.
Hand 3 of 25A speculative hand in the Yellow zone
Pre-flop
Action
M 12 (Yellow). An MP player opens; you hold 7♠6♠ on the button.
Decision
Yellow zone, MP opens, 7♠6♠ on the button. Best?
Why
Fold - speculative hands lose their implied-odds value in the Yellow zone; conserve chips.
You fold. Tighten in the Yellow.
Hand recap
Yellow zone (10-20): tighten, speculative hands lose value.
Principle: Yellow zone: conserve chips, drop speculative hands.
Hand 4 of 25Folded to you in the Orange zone
Pre-flop
Action
M 8 (Orange). Folded to you on the cutoff with K♦9♦.
Decision
Orange zone, folded to you with K♦9♦. Best?
Why
Be the first in - raise or jam to win the blinds and antes and protect fold equity; never limp.
You come in raising. Aggression.
Hand recap
Orange zone (6-10): be the first raiser, protect fold equity.
Principle: Orange zone: be the first one in.
Hand 5 of 25Facing a raise in the Orange zone
Pre-flop
Action
M 8 (Orange). An MP player opens; you hold A♦T♦.
Decision
Orange zone, MP opens, A♦T♦. Best?
Why
Three-bet shove - at M 8 you don't flat (no fold equity, no maneuverability); jam or fold.
You jam; he folds. Jam or fold.
Hand recap
Orange zone: never just call - shove or fold.
Principle: In the Orange zone, don't flat raises.
Hand 6 of 25Raw M 8, but five-handed
Pre-flop
Action
Your raw M is 8, but the table is five-handed - the blinds come around far faster.
Decision
Raw M 8, but five-handed. How does it change your play?
Why
Effective M is lower - short-handed you pay blinds more often, so loosen and apply pressure sooner.
You adjust to a lower effective M. The clock runs faster short-handed.
Hand recap
Adjust raw M for table size - short-handed it's effectively lower.
Principle: Effective M: short-handed, the same stack is shorter.
Hand 7 of 25You're the chip leader near the money
Pre-flop
Action
Q = 3.0 (you have 60,000; the average is 20,000), near the money. A medium stack keeps folding to survive.
Decision
Big Q near the money, a medium stack folding. Best?
Why
Attack the medium stacks - near the money they fold too much, and your big Q is leverage.
You apply pressure. Q is leverage.
Hand recap
Q = stack ÷ average; a big Q means pressure the mediums.
Principle: Big Q: pressure the players who fear busting.
Hand 8 of 25Well below average late
Pre-flop
Action
Q = 0.4 (you have 8,000; the average is 20,000), late in the event, and you pick up A♥J♣.
Decision
A small Q late, with A♥J♣. Best mindset?
Why
Commit - a small Q can't wait; find a spot to get all-in and double before the blinds bury you.
You look to get it in. A small Q must gamble.
Hand recap
A small Q can't wait it out - take a spot to rebuild.
Principle: Small Q: get chips in before you blind away.
Hand 9 of 25M says Red, Q says comfortable
Pre-flop
Action
Your M is 4 (Red), but your Q is 1.8 - you're above average because the whole table is short.
Decision
M says Red; Q is high. How do you reconcile them?
Why
Push-or-fold tactics, but patiently - a high Q means you can wait for a better shoving hand while others bust.
You stay in push-or-fold mode but pick your spot. M = how, Q = how urgently.
Hand recap
M tells you how to play; Q tells you how urgently.
Principle: Reconcile M and Q: how vs how-urgently.
Hand 10 of 25Down to nearly nothing
Pre-flop
Action
Dead zone (M 0.7). Folded to you with Q♦5♦.
Decision
Dead zone, folded to you with Q♦5♦. Best?
Why
Shove - no fold equity remains, so jam any reasonable hand for the chance to improve before the blinds finish you.
You shove and hope. No fold equity left.
Hand recap
Dead zone (under 1): shove anything reasonable.
Principle: Dead zone: jam for equity, you can't fold anyone out.
Hand 11 of 25Use fold equity before it's gone
Pre-flop
Action
M 8 (Orange). Folded to you in middle position with A♦J♦; you could 'wait for a better spot'.
Decision
Orange zone, A♦J♦ in MP. Best?
Why
Act now - folding lets the blinds drag you to the Red and Dead zones where opponents stop folding.
You raise/jam now. Use fold equity before it evaporates.
Hand recap
Fold equity is a wasting asset - act in the Orange zone.
Principle: Jam good hands before you blind into the Red zone.
Hand 12 of 25Short, and a player opens
Pre-flop
Action
M ~5 (Red). A cutoff opens to 1,800 and you hold A♠T♠ on the button.
Decision
Short, a cutoff opens, A♠T♠ on the button. Best?
Why
Re-shove - you can't flat and play a flop when short; jam over the open for fold equity plus equity.
You re-jam; he folds. The re-shove.
Hand recap
Short-stacked facing an open, re-shove rather than flat.
Principle: Re-shove over opens when short.
Hand 13 of 25A button open-jams into you
Pre-flop
Action
A button short stack open-jams ~12 BB and you cover, holding A♣9♣ in the BB.
Decision
A button open-jam, A♣9♣ in the BB, you cover. Best?
Why
Call - a button open-jam is wide, A-9 suited is ahead and you're getting a good price closing the action.
You call. Late jams get called wide.
Hand recap
Call late-position jams with a wide range.
Principle: Calling ranges widen against late-position jams.
Hand 14 of 25Antes are in play
Pre-flop
Action
Antes (100 each, nine players) are in. Folded to you on the button with J♦9♦ at M 9.
Decision
With antes in, folded to you on the button with J♦9♦. Best?
Why
Open wider - antes add dead money to every pot, so steals win more and your M is lower; J-9 suited is a clear steal.
You open. Antes reward aggression.
Hand recap
Antes add dead money and lower M - open wider.
Principle: Open wider once antes are in play.
Hand 15 of 25Short blind battle
Pre-flop
Action
M 5. Folded to you in the small blind, heads-up against the big blind, with K♦7♦.
Decision
Short, blind vs blind, K♦7♦ in the SB. Best?
Why
Open-shove - blind vs blind and short, your jamming range is very wide; K-7 suited is well within it.
You jam; the BB folds. Wide jams blind-vs-blind.
Hand recap
Blind vs blind and short, shove a very wide range.
Principle: Short blind battles: jam wide.
Hand 16 of 25Heads-up on the button
Pre-flop
Action
Heads-up. You're on the button with Q♦7♣.
Decision
Heads-up button with Q♦7♣. Best?
Why
Raise - from the heads-up button you open a very wide range to apply pressure; limping is passive.
You raise. Aggression, not limping.
Hand recap
Raise the heads-up button wide - keep the initiative.
Heads-up. The button raises to 2,000 and you hold J♦4♦ in the BB.
Decision
Heads-up, button raises, J♦4♦ in the BB. Best?
Why
Call - the heads-up button raises a huge range; getting better than 2-to-1 with a suited hand, defend.
You call. Defend wide heads-up.
Hand recap
Defend the big blind very wide heads-up.
Principle: Over-folding is the cardinal heads-up sin.
Hand 18 of 25Three-betting heads-up
Pre-flop
Action
Heads-up. The button raises and you hold A♣9♦ in the BB.
Decision
Heads-up, button raises, A♣9♦ in the BB. Best?
Why
Three-bet - an offsuit ace is strong heads-up and ahead of the button's wide range; seize the initiative.
You three-bet. Re-raise wide heads-up.
Hand recap
Three-bet wide heads-up for value and pressure.
Principle: Heads-up: three-bet your strong-ish hands.
Hand 19 of 25A passive heads-up limper
Pre-flop
Action
Heads-up against a passive opponent who limps the button. You hold K♠9♣ in the BB.
Decision
A passive limp; you hold K♠9♣ in the BB. Best?
Why
Raise - a passive limper is surrendering; punish it and take the initiative with a strong heads-up hand.
You raise. Punish passivity.
Hand recap
Punish a passive heads-up limper - raise and keep betting.
Principle: Attack a passive heads-up opponent.
Hand 20 of 25Position pressure heads-up
Turn
Action
Heads-up. You raised, c-bet an 8♦ 6♣ 2♠ flop with Q♣J♦, and were called. Turn 3♥ bricks; he checks again.
Decision
You have air but position and the lead; he checks twice. Best?
Why
Barrel - his checks signal weakness and your position lets you keep pressuring; relentless aggression wins heads-up.
You bet; he folds. Position and pressure.
Hand recap
Heads-up, use position to apply relentless pressure.
Principle: Barrel opponents off pots in position heads-up.
Hand 21 of 25Aces in a satellite
Pre-flop
Action
Satellite: the top 10 stacks each win an identical seat, 11 remain, and you're comfortably third. A short stack jams into your A♠A♦ in the BB.
Decision
Satellite, you're safe, a short jams into your aces. Best?
Why
Fold - extra chips are worthless when every seat pays the same, but busting costs the seat; fold even aces to stay safe.
You fold aces and keep your seat. Survival is the only currency.
Hand recap
In a satellite, fold even premiums when survival locks the prize.
Principle: Satellites: survival over chips, even with aces.
Hand 22 of 25The satellite bubble
Pre-flop
Action
Satellite bubble - one elimination from everyone winning a seat. You're the big stack; the others fold everything. Folded to you with K♦7♦.
Decision
Satellite bubble, big stack, everyone folding. Best?
Why
Raise relentlessly - medium stacks fold nearly any hand to lock a seat, so attack their blinds; your cards barely matter.
You raise; both fold. The satellite bubble prints.
Hand recap
On a satellite bubble, the big stack bullies relentlessly.
Principle: Attack the satellite bubble with any two cards.
Hand 23 of 25A deal is offered
Pre-flop
Action
Final three, stacks roughly even, big pay jumps remain, no clear skill edge. The others propose an even chip-chop.
Decision
Even stacks, big pay jumps, no edge - they offer a deal. Best?
Why
Consider it - with close stacks, big pay jumps, and no edge, a fair deal locks in equity and removes huge variance.
You weigh edge vs variance. A fair deal cuts risk.
Hand recap
Consider deals when variance is high relative to your edge.
Principle: Deal when variance outweighs your edge.
Hand 24 of 25Which deal favors you?
Pre-flop
Action
Final three and you're the commanding chip leader (~44%). The others propose an ICM deal, which flattens the payouts.
Decision
Chip leader; they offer an ICM deal. Best?
Why
Counter with a chip-chop - it pays proportional to chips (good for the leader); ICM compresses toward equal (good for short stacks).
You counter for a chip-chop. Know which formula favors you.
Hand recap
Chip-chop rewards big stacks; ICM rewards short stacks.
Principle: As chip leader, push for a chip-chop.
Hand 25 of 25A player afraid to bust
Pre-flop
Action
At the final table, an opponent has visibly tightened to protect a pay jump. He's in the BB; folded to you on the button with A♣6♣.
Decision
A scared player in the BB; folded to you with A♣6♣. Best?
Why
Attack - a player afraid to bust folds too much; raise his blind relentlessly with a wide range.
You raise; he folds again. Punish the fear.
Hand recap
Exploit players afraid to bust - attack their blinds wide.
Principle: Attack the player who's protecting a pay jump.
Exam
Mixed Set 4 - Anything Goes
Concepts in this Part
The final exam - everything in the bag, including trickier multi-street hands where the right play changes from one street to the next: a premium value-bet through every street, a set-mine that turns into a stack-off, a pot-control line that becomes a bluff-catch, a big draw played to the felt, and an overpair you four-bet and then fold. Recognize the spot, then play the hand to its conclusion. The concept-coverage map below sums up everything you've practiced across all four sets.
Hand 1 of 25A premium, start to finish
Pre-flop
Action
Folded to you on the cutoff with A♥K♠.
Decision
Best?
Why
Open-raise a premium for value and initiative.
You raise; the BB calls. Pot: 1,100.
Flop
Action
Flop Q♦ 8♣ 3♥ - you missed. He checks.
Decision
Best?
Why
C-bet - dry board, heads-up, you have overcards; it wins often.
You bet 600; he calls. Pot: 2,300.
Turn
Action
Turn K♠ - you pair, and it scares his range. He checks.
Decision
Best?
Why
Barrel - the king favors your range and improved you; bet for value.
You bet 1,500; he calls. Pot: 5,300.
River
Action
River 4♣ - a blank; he checks.
Decision
Best?
Why
Bet for value - a worse king or queen pays a final bet.
You bet 3,000; he calls a worse king. You win.
Hand recap
You raised a premium, c-bet, then value-bet when the king improved you and scared him - one hand, four correct calls.
Principle: A hand is a chain of decisions - re-read the board and opponent every street.
Hand 2 of 25From set-mine to stacks
Pre-flop
Action
Deep, a tight UTG raiser, you hold 5♠5♦ on the button.
Decision
Best?
Why
Call - set-mine with deep implied odds against a tight range.
You call; the blinds fold. Pot: 1,500.
Flop
Action
Flop K♦ 5♣ 2♥ - you flop a set. He c-bets.
Decision
Best?
Why
Call - keep his range in and disguise your set on a dry board.
You call. Pot: 3,300.
Turn
Action
Turn 9♠ - he barrels again.
Decision
Best?
Why
Raise - build the pot now before a scary river; a set wants the money in.
You raise to 6,500; he calls. Pot: 16,300.
River
Action
River 3♦ - a blank; he checks.
Decision
Best?
Why
Shove for value - his capped range still holds overpairs that pay.
You shove; he pays off an overpair. You stack him.
Hand recap
You set-mined cheaply, trapped on the flop, then shifted to maximum value once he committed - the right gear each street.
Principle: Set-mine cheap, trap when you hit, extract everything once they commit.
Hand 3 of 25Calling down an over-bluffer
Flop
Action
You called this known over-bluffer's open. Flop J♥ 7♣ 2♠ - top pair, king kicker. He c-bets.
Decision
Best?
Why
Call - don't fold out his bluffs; keep him betting.
You call. Pot: 3,300.
Turn
Action
Turn 4♥ - a blank; he barrels.
Decision
Best?
Why
Call - your read says he barrels too wide; you're well ahead.
You call. Pot: 8,100.
River
Action
River 9♠ - he jams.
Decision
Best?
Why
Call - top pair good kicker beats his bluff-heavy jamming range.
You call; he shows a busted draw. The read pays.
Hand recap
A live read on an over-bluffer let you call down top pair across three streets - recognizing the player mattered more than the cards.
Principle: Against an over-bluffer, call down lighter - his bluffs make your hand worth more.
Hand 4 of 25Pot control, then catch
Flop
Action
You called on the button with A♣J♥. Flop K♠ J♣ 5♦ - middle pair, ace kicker. He checks.
Decision
Best?
Why
Check behind - a medium hand wants a small pot; take a free card.
You check behind. Pot: 1,300.
Turn
Action
Turn 8♥ - now he leads.
Decision
Best?
Why
Call - you kept the pot small precisely to afford this bluff-catch.
You call. Pot: 3,100.
River
Action
River 3♣ - he bets again.
Decision
Best?
Why
Call - middle pair, ace kicker beats his bluffs; the small pot made this easy.
You call; he shows a busted draw. Pot control paid.
Hand recap
You checked back to keep the pot small, which let you comfortably bluff-catch two streets with a medium hand.
Principle: Pot-control medium hands - a small pot lets you realize showdown value and catch bluffs cheaply.
Hand 5 of 25A big draw to the felt
Flop
Action
You called a raise with T♠9♠. Flop J♠ 8♠ 2♦ - fifteen outs (~54%). He bets.
Decision
Best?
Why
Raise - you're a favorite with fold equity; build the pot.
You raise to 3,200; he shoves. For stacks.
Decision
Action
He jams over your raise with an overpair.
Decision
Best?
Why
Call - ~54% against one pair; you're getting a fair price as the better hand.
You call; your draw gets there. You win.
Hand recap
You raised a monster draw and called off as the statistical favorite - big draws play like made hands, not underdogs.
Principle: A combo draw of ~15 outs is a favorite over one pair - get it in.
Hand 6 of 25Queens through a king-high board
Pre-flop
Action
You open Q♠Q♦ and a capable button three-bets.
Decision
Best?
Why
Four-bet - queens want money in while ahead, not a small flatted pot.
You four-bet to 4,400; he calls. Pot: 9,100.
Flop
Action
Flop K♦ 9♣ 5♥ - a king, right in his calling range. You're first to act.
Decision
Best?
Why
Check - the king smashes his range; keep the pot small and fold cheaply if he bets.
You check; he bets 4,500.
Turn
Action
He bets the king-high board in a four-bet pot.
Decision
Your queens are…
Why
Fold - a king-high board in a four-bet pot crushes his range; queens are a weak one pair now.
You fold; he had A-K. Lost the minimum.
Hand recap
You four-bet queens for value, then refused to marry them when a king arrived in a four-bet pot - big pairs aren't unfoldable.
Principle: Four-bet big pairs for value, but respect a board and line that smash your opponent's range.
Hand 7 of 25The stop-and-go, executed
Pre-flop
Action
Short (15 BB) in the BB; an aggressive button raises and you hold A♦8♣.
Decision
Most fold equity?
Why
Call and stop-and-go - jamming the flop forces him to call into a board that missed him.
You call. Pot: 2,100; ~5,100 behind.
Flop
Action
Flop A♥ T♣ 4♦ - and you even flopped top pair.
Decision
Execute the stop-and-go? Best?
Why
Lead all-in - the stop-and-go jams regardless, and here you're also ahead.
You jam; he folds. The stop-and-go works.
Hand recap
You called and jammed the flop rather than shoving pre-flop, denying the raiser an easy call and adding fold equity.
Principle: Short and out of position, call then lead the flop all-in.
Hand 8 of 25Big stack on the bubble
Pre-flop
Action
Big stack on the bubble; a committed short SB and a survival-minded medium BB. Folded to you with K♦9♦.
Decision
Best?
Why
Raise - the medium folds too much near the bubble; if the short jams, you fold.
You raise; the medium calls. Pot: ~3,800.
Flop
Action
Flop K♣ 7♠ 2♥ - top pair; the medium checks.
Decision
Best?
Why
Bet - he's desperate to survive and folds far too much; keep applying pressure.
You bet; he folds. You take it.
Hand recap
You picked the right target pre-flop, then kept the pressure on post-flop - near the bubble the medium stack folds too much to fight back.
Principle: Attack medium stacks near the bubble, pre-flop and after - they fold too much to protect a cash.
Hand 9 of 25Folded to you in the hijack
Pre-flop
Action
Folded to you in the hijack with K♥T♦.
Decision
Best?
Why
Open - K-T is fine from late position with few players behind.
You raise. A standard open.
Hand recap
Open wider as you near the button.
Principle: Open tighter early, wider late.
Hand 10 of 25A big offsuit hand up front
Pre-flop
Action
Under the gun with K♦J♠.
Decision
Best?
Why
Fold - K-J offsuit is a dominated trouble hand from up front.
You fold. A late-position hand.
Hand recap
K-J offsuit is a fold under the gun.
Principle: Fold dominated big offsuit hands early.
Hand 11 of 25A flush draw facing a bet
Flop
Action
You flop a flush draw and he bets 700 into 1,300 (call 700 to win 2,000, ~2.9-to-1).
Decision
Best?
Why
Call - nine outs (~35% by the river) easily beats a ~2.9-to-1 price, with implied odds on top.
You call. The math says go.
Hand recap
Compare outs to the price; call when it's right.
Principle: A draw is a math decision.
Hand 12 of 25A small pair facing a raise, deep
Pre-flop
Action
Deep, a tight UTG raiser, you hold 3♣3♦ on the button.
Decision
Best?
Why
Call - deep stacks give the implied odds to set-mine a small pair.
You call. Set-mine.
Hand recap
Set-mine small pairs deep against tight raisers.
Principle: Implied odds justify the call.
Hand 13 of 25Weak ace, big second barrel
Turn
Action
You have A♣4♣ (top pair, weak kicker). You called the flop, and he fires a big turn barrel.
Decision
Best?
Why
Fold - a weak ace wins small and loses big; don't pay off the better aces.
You fold. Reverse implied odds.
Hand recap
Weak top pair wins small, loses big.
Principle: Don't pay off with hands that win small and lose big.
Hand 14 of 25A raiser and a caller
Pre-flop
Action
A loose opener, a caller, and you hold A♦K♠ in the BB.
Decision
Best?
Why
Squeeze - the caller is capped and the opener loose; a big three-bet wins it (and A-K crushes when called).
You squeeze; both fold. Dead money.
Hand recap
Squeeze a raiser-plus-caller.
Principle: Both are usually too weak to continue.
Hand 15 of 25Aggressive button opens, you're short
Pre-flop
Action
Orange zone (M 9); an aggressive button opens and you hold K♠T♦ in the BB.
Decision
Best?
Why
Re-steal jam - use fold equity over a wide stealer; K-T has equity when called.
You jam; he folds. The re-steal.
Hand recap
Re-steal over habitual stealers while you have fold equity.
Principle: Fight back from the blinds with jams.
Hand 16 of 25Top pair, four-way, a bet into the field
Flop
Action
Four-way. You have A♥Q♠ (top pair) on Q♦ T♣ 9♠, and an early player bets into the field.
Decision
Best?
Why
Fold - a bet into a four-way field on this board means strength; top pair is in bad shape.
You fold. Multiway demands strength.
Hand recap
Tighten sharply multiway.
Principle: Multiway pots require stronger hands.
Hand 17 of 25A flopped monster vs a bettor
Flop
Action
You flop a full house on 6♥ 4♣ 4♦ against an aggressive opponent. He checks.
Decision
Best?
Why
Check - induce his bluffs; betting only folds out air on this unbeatable board.
You check behind. Induce.
Hand recap
Slow-play a monster on a safe board vs aggression.
Principle: Check to induce when a bet only folds out air.
Hand 18 of 25A check-caller checks the river
River
Action
You bet the flop and turn with K♠Q♣ (top pair), both called; the river bricks and he checks.
Decision
Best?
Why
Bet thin - a check-caller often has a worse king or pair that pays a small bet.
You bet small; he calls worse. Thin value.
Hand recap
Bet thin for value vs check-callers.
Principle: Find value the player would give up on.
Hand 19 of 25Facing a river bet from a bluffer
River
Action
An aggressive button barreled and bets 2,000 into 5,100 on a brick river (~3.5-to-1; need ~22%).
Decision
Best?
Why
Call - you need to be good ~22%, and his range is well over a quarter bluffs.
You call; he shows air. Pot-odds catch.
Hand recap
Bluff-catch when the price beats his bluff frequency.
Principle: Call when you need to be right less often than he bluffs.
Hand 20 of 25Your value bet gets check-raised
River
Action
You value-bet your overpair (kings) and the big blind check-raises all-in on a board where straights and two pair are there.
Decision
Best?
Why
Fold - a river check-raise jam represents a hand that beats one pair; without a read, fold.
You fold. Respect the raise.
Hand recap
River raises are rarely bluffs.
Principle: Fold strong-but-not-nut hands to fifth-street aggression.
Hand 21 of 25A flip near a big pay jump
Pre-flop
Action
A big pay jump looms. A covering stack jams and you hold J♠J♦ - a flip-or-worse against his range.
Decision
Best?
Why
Fold - near a big pay jump the chips you'd lose are worth more than the chips you'd win; jacks against a covering jam is too marginal.
You fold. ICM survival premium.
Hand recap
Decline marginal all-ins near big pay jumps.
Principle: ICM: losing chips costs more than winning them near pay jumps.
Hand 22 of 25Six-handed on the button
Pre-flop
Action
Six-handed, folded to you on the button with Q♣8♦.
Decision
Best?
Why
Raise - short-handed the blinds come fast and hand values rise; Q-8 on the button is a clear steal.
You raise; the blinds fold. Mandatory steal.
Hand recap
Steal wide short-handed.
Principle: Short-handed, attack the button relentlessly.
Hand 23 of 25Heads-up on the button
Pre-flop
Action
Heads-up. You're on the button with K♠3♣.
Decision
Best?
Why
Raise - heads-up any king is strong and you act last post-flop; K-3 is above average.
You raise. Raise more heads-up.
Hand recap
Heads-up, fold less and raise more.
Principle: Heads-up hand values swing to high cards and position.
Hand 24 of 25A flush completes, you hold the blocker
River
Action
You raised A♥K♦, c-bet the Q♥ 8♥ 4♣ flop, checked the turn, and the river 7♥ completes a flush. You hold the A♥. He checks.
Decision
Best?
Why
Bluff - holding the A♥, he almost never has the nut flush; a big bet reps it and folds out his bluff-catchers.
You bet; he folds. Blocker bluff.
Hand recap
Bluff rivers where you block the nuts you rep.
Principle: Blockers make the best bluffs.
Hand 25 of 25Top pair, weak kicker, facing a raise
Flop
Action
You called a solid opener with A♥9♣. Flop A♠ K♦ 6♥ - top pair, but a nine kicker, and he c-bets into a board with a king.
Decision
Best?
Why
Proceed cautiously - a weak ace on an A-K board is dominated by his better aces; keep the pot small and don't pay off.
You call once, then fold to a turn barrel. Kicker trouble.
Hand recap
Weak aces on high boards are dominated - keep pots small.
Principle: Don't pay off a better kicker.
Your Score
0 / 340 (0%)
Work the hands - every decision counts on your first answer.
Part Two: Playing Styles & Starting Requirements
0 / 28
Part Three: Reading the Table
0 / 19
Part Four: Pot Odds & Hand Analysis
0 / 30
Part Five: Betting Before the Flop
0 / 31
Part Six: Betting After the Flop
0 / 31
Part Seven: Betting on Fourth and Fifth Street
0 / 8
Part Eight: Making Moves
0 / 23
Part Nine: Inflection Points: M, Q & the Zones
0 / 22
Part Ten: Adjusting to Different Stacks
0 / 9
Part Eleven: Short Tables
0 / 10
Part Twelve: Heads-Up
0 / 9
Part Thirteen: Miscellaneous
0 / 5
Mixed Set 1: Recognize the Spot
0 / 25
Mixed Set 2: Betting Lines
0 / 25
Mixed Set 3: The Endgame
0 / 25
Mixed Set 4: Anything Goes
0 / 40
Concept coverage
Position & starting hands
0 / 2
Trouble hands
0 / 2
Pot odds & outs
0 / 2
Implied odds / set-mining
0 / 1
Reverse implied odds
0 / 2
The gap concept
0 / 1
The squeeze
0 / 2
The continuation-bet bluff
0 / 1
The semi-bluff
0 / 1
Pot control
0 / 1
Reading a tight player
0 / 1
Reading an over-bluffer
0 / 1
Bet sizing / board texture
0 / 1
Multiway discipline
0 / 2
M & the zones
0 / 1
Push or fold
0 / 1
The re-steal
0 / 2
Calling vs shoving ranges
0 / 1
Bubble pressure
0 / 3
ICM / pay jumps
0 / 2
Short-table stealing
0 / 2
Heads-up hand values
0 / 2
Heads-up bluff-catching
0 / 1
Blocker bluff
0 / 2
Folding an overpair
0 / 1
C-bet for value
0 / 1
Double-barrel
0 / 1
Triple-barrel
0 / 1
Give up the bluff
0 / 1
Check-raise for value
0 / 1
Check-raise semi-bluff
0 / 1
Float in position
0 / 1
Delayed c-bet
0 / 1
Probe bet
0 / 1
Donk lead
0 / 1
Betting for protection
0 / 1
Slow-playing
0 / 2
Thin river value
0 / 2
River overbet for value
0 / 1
River bluff-catch
0 / 2
Respect a river raise
0 / 2
Combo-draw equity
0 / 1
Discounting outs
0 / 1
Overbet bluff
0 / 1
The stop-and-go
0 / 3
Isolating a limper
0 / 1
Blind defense
0 / 1
Kicker trouble
0 / 2
One pair is one pair
0 / 1
Turn pot odds
0 / 1
Computing M
0 / 1
Green zone play
0 / 1
Yellow zone
0 / 1
Orange zone: first in
0 / 1
Orange: never just call
0 / 1
Effective M
0 / 1
Q: big-stack leverage
0 / 1
Q: when you're short
0 / 1
M vs Q conflict
0 / 1
The Dead zone
0 / 1
Protect fold equity
0 / 1
The re-shove
0 / 1
Calling a late jam
0 / 1
Antes & stealing
0 / 1
Short blind battle
0 / 1
Heads-up button aggression
0 / 1
Heads-up blind defense
0 / 1
Heads-up three-bet
0 / 1
Punish the limp
0 / 1
Heads-up position barrel
0 / 1
Satellite survival
0 / 1
Satellite bubble bully
0 / 1
Making a deal
0 / 1
Chip-chop vs ICM
0 / 1
Exploiting a scared player
0 / 1
Planning the whole hand
0 / 4
From set-mine to value
0 / 4
Calling down a bluffer
0 / 3
Pot control then bluff-catch
0 / 3
Playing a big draw
0 / 2
Overpair discipline
0 / 3
Implied odds
0 / 1
Nice session
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