PokerWorks

It's Not All About The Cards

Often when playing a poker tournament at a site like Pokerstars or Full Tilt, you will find yourself not getting any cards and watching your stack dwindle. One of the toughest things in poker is sitting through these stretches. The guy two seats from you though has played nearly half the hands he has been dealt and has seen his stack increase nearly three times. “What a card rack,” you think to yourself, jealous of his fortunate good luck.

What you don't know, however, is that he's only had good hands maybe 25% of the time. The rest of the time he's used his position and knowledge of his opponent's to make plays and pick up chips. This section is going to try and help you do the same thing. I'm going to give you an assignment that will force you to try some pre-flop moves. Some will work great, others will fail miserably. By forcing you to do each of them, you'll see why they do and why they don't.

You are to play a minimum of 5 NLHE tournaments at an online poker site like Pokerstars or Full Tilt. You are to do the following ANY time the criteria met for that particular play/special move are met. If you have done that "move" more than three times in one tournament, you do not have to do it again. At the end of the assignment you are to answer the questions provided at the end of the assignment. There's a lot to do here - so do the best you can.

Move/Play #1 (the representing slow played big pair move/play):

Criteria: Must be UTG or UTG+1

The Move/Play: Limp with any two cards. If it is raised before it gets back to you, you are to raise an amount equal to 3x the pot size. If this amount is more then 1/2 your stack, you are to move all in. If it is not raised, or you are called and/or reraised, proceed at your best discretion.

Exception: If it is raised and reraised before it gets to you, you may fold.


Example: You are dealt 7-4o UTG. You call the BB (50). Two other people call. The SB makes it 250 to go. There is 450 in the pot when it gets to you. You should make your total bet 1350 (450*3) or a raise of 1100 to 1350.

Move/Play #2 (the punishing limpers using position move):

Criteria: Must be in the cutoff or button. Must be at least three limpers in the pot before it gets to you.

The Move/Play: Raise to 2x the pot size with any two. If you are called and/or reraised, proceed at your best discretion.

Example: You are dealt 6-9o on the button. Three people have limped in for 50 making the pot size 225. You are to make your total bet 450 (225*2), so raise 400 to 450.

Move/Play #3 (the punishing limpers from the BB using the big overbet move):

Criteria: Must be in the BB. Must be at least three limpers (the SB would count as a limper if he completes) in the pot before it gets to you. Must be at a level of the tournament where there are antes (meaning you would not do this when there are no antes).

The Move/Play: Raise all in with any two.

Example: Three people limp and you have 9-2o in the BB. Move all in.

Move/Play #4 (the squeeze play):

Criteria: There must have been a raise and a FLAT CALL of that raise before it gets to you. Must be at a level of the tournament where there are antes (meaning you would not do this when there are no antes). If you are called and/or raised, proceed at your best discretion.
The Move/Play: Raise to 2x the pot size with any two.

Example: Player X raises from middle position to 600. Player Y FLAT CALLS from the button. There is 1725 in the pot. You have 3-2o in the SB. You would raise to 3450 total (1725*2) or a raise of 2850 to 3450.

Move/Play #5 (the you aren't stealing my blinds move):

Criteria: You must be in the BB. There must have been a first to act raise with NO CALLERS from either the cutoff, button or SB.

The Move/Play: Move all in with any two.

Example: The button raises first to act on your BB. The SB folds. You have 7-5o. Move all in.

NOTE - ONLY DO THE FOLLOWING MOVE in ONE TOURNAMENT.

Move/Play #6 (the I'm a maniac first to act raiser move):

Criteria: The antes have kicked in. You are first to act.

The Move/Play: Anytime you are first to act, raise with any two. Do this for five consecutive hands when you are first to act. If you are called or raised, proceed at your best discretion. After the fifth time, you are to not raise first to act until you receive one of the following hands: A-K thru A-J, K-Qs and K-Js, a pocket pair 9's or better. You are to then raise first to act anytime you receive one of these hands BUT only when you receive one of these hands. If you are reraised, you are to move or call all in.

Example: You raised first to act five times and are dealt pocket tens. You raise with the hand and are reraised by another player. Move all in.

NOTE - ONLY DO THE FOLLOWING MOVE in ONE TOURNAMENT.

Move/Play #7 (the I'm a maniac reraiser move):

Criteria: It has been raised before it gets to you and the raise has not been called.

The Move/Play: Anytime it has been raised before it gets to you and not called, you are to reraise to 3x their total bet with any two. Do this three consecutive times when the situation presents itself. If you are called or reraised, proceed at your best discretion. After the fifth time, you are to not reraise until you receive one of the following hands: A-K, A-Q, a pocket pair 9's or better. You are to then reraise anytime you receive one of these hands BUT only when you receive one of these hands. If you are reraised, you are to move or call all in.

Example: Player X raises to 600. You raise 1200 to 1800 (600*3) with K-9o. You do this three times. Player X raises to 1000. You have queens and raise 2000 to 3000 (1000*3). Player X reraises to 10000. Move all in.

NOTE - ONLY DO THE FOLLOWING MOVE IN ONE TOURNAMENT.

Move/Play #8 (the I'm weak passive move):

Criteria: You are first to act from middle position (you cannot be UTG, UTG+1, cutoff, button or blinds, all other positions apply). The antes must have kicked in.

The Move/Play: You are to limp in with any two except for 99-AA, AK/AQ. Those hands raise with. If it is not raised, proceed at your best discretion post-flop. If it is raised, fold every time, no matter what the raise is. Fold the first three times someone raises you. The fourth time, you are to move all in.

Example: You have limped in first to act five times and folded the three times it has been raised. This time you are dealt 8-7o in middle position and limp first to act. It is raised by a player after you. Move all in.

Answer the following questions for EACH Move/Play for your own benefit:

1.    How many times did you try Move #(insert Move # here)?
2.    How many times did you win with Move #(insert Move # here)?
3.    How many times did you lose with Move #(insert Move # here)?
4.    What about the move worked?
5.    What about the move did not work?
6.    What did you learn from applying this move, if anything?

You are also to give a general response/summary to the entire assignment.

Example response:

Move #1:

1.    How many times did you try Move #1? 8
2.    How many times did you win with Move #1? 5
3.    How many times did you lose with Move #1? 3
4.    What about the move worked? It worked best against tight and/or weak players.
5.    What about the move did not work? It did not work against calling stations.
6.    What did you learn from applying this move, if anything? I learned that if you use this move against the right type of players that you can accumulate chips with nothing.