Toward A Basic Strategy For
Low Limit No Limit Hold Em:
Playing the Flop: Part II:
Some Thoughts About Position

BY: Ashley Adams
Contact at: (Asha34@aol.com)
Author of Winning 7-Card Stud

Late position – no bet to you.

If you are last to act you have a decided advantage. Though opponents will sometimes slowplay their hands, attempting to get in a check raise or even a deceptive call that will seduce you into betting the Turn and the River, for the most part, low limit no limit players will err on the side of overbetting their hands on the flop. So if they check, and you are in late position, you can often correctly estimate that the flop hasn't hit them.

Before you assume, however, that this means you can bluff your way to winning on the flop when it hasn't helped you either, a word of caution. Though they will usually be weak if they don't bet, that doesn't mean that they won't call a bet on the flop when they are weak. Accordingly, my suggestion is that if you are in last position and the pot has not been bet, you should not make a bluff at the pot without something of value. You want something that is either likely to be the best hand or likely to improve to the best hand on the Turn or River - either a solid hand or a draw to a winning hand.

Here's an example.

You called in late position with the Jh-9h. Three people had called the big blind in front of you, and the small blind called and the big blind checked. Six of you took the flop. The flop was Ah Td 3c. Everyone checks to you.

It's tempting to bet. No one else did. Maybe they'll all fold if you bet $10 or something you think.

Don't do it. Though it's unlikely that someone is sitting there with A-K or trips, it's unlikely that no one hit any of the flop. Even if you bet $10, it's unlikely that everyone will fold. At this level, even someone with K-3 or T-9 or A-x is going to call your bet. They're errors tend to be in underestimating the value of opponent's hands and overvaluing their hand - leading them to weak calls when they should fold. Don't let their error work in their favor with a mistaken bluff on your part. Check this hand and hope to hit the Turn or the River for free.

On the other hand, if you had the same starting cards in the same situation, Jh-9h and the flop were Qh 9s 3c you could bet the hand if it were checked to you. Your hand has some value with the pair of 9s. And though it still may be facing a weak Queen who was too timid to bet in early position, there is also a good chance that no one has you beat on the flop. You have a couple of back door possibilities to go with your hand.

Late position bet to you.

If someone else initiates the betting, you need to be much more selective in the hands that you play. Simply put , you want to have a hand that is likely to be the best if you are facing any serious bet. Don't play draws heads up. For example, let's say you called the Big Blind in late position with Ah-6h in late position. There were three callers in front of you including the Big Blind. The Small Blind called and the Big Blind checked. The flop is Qs, 9h 2h and the pot is $12. The Small Blind and the Big Blind check. The next player bets $15. There are two folds to you. You and the bettor both have about $100 left. Don't call this bet, though it's tempting. Save your $12. Here's why.

You are unlikely to make any more money in this hand. The Small and Big Blind are apt to fold (their check showing weakness). The early bettor is likely to have a pair of Queens or a pair of 9s - maybe even something stronger. You have nothing but a Flush draw and an overcard. And your over cards is very weak since if an Ace hits you still won't know where you're at and may well be very far behind your opponent who could easily have an AK, AQ, or A9 - three very likely hands in this situation. And if your flush card comes, your opponent is apt to check and then fold to your bet. Much more likely though is that nothing will come on the Turn. Your opponent will bet again, assuming he has a strong pair. You will have to fold, wasting 10% of your stack in the process. Remember your have less than a 20% chance of making that flush draw on the Turn.

Don't waste your big hands with tricky plays.

If you hit a very strong hand, my advice is to play very aggressively, generally making a pot sized bet. At this level, I wouldn't concern myself with trying to suck in my opponents or to confuse them. Get the money. For example, if you started with 8-8 and the flop has an 8 in it, you're going to bet the size of the pot. Keep it simple. If someone bets in front of you, you're going to come over the top with the full size of the pot with your call. There will be exceptions, which I'll get to when I talk about a more refined strategy based on your opponent. But for the most part you want to get as much money into the pot when you have the very strong hands.

This is true if you are first or last. If there are multiple players seeing the flop it's true regardless of your position. Keep it simple. Make the loose players pay for the turn and the river. Punish the drawing hands who don't understand pot odds and play the game like limit. You want to take control.

Draw cheaply.

On the flip side, you don't want to screw around by betting your drawing hands strongly. Don't worry about deception. Get in cheaply. If your opponent bets very modestly, and if you have a large stack that can make a lot of money if you hit your hand, then you can call. But don't initiate the betting or raise with a drawing hand - even if it's a monster. For example, if you limped in early position with a suited A-K and the flop gives you two more to your suit, don't initiate the betting. True, there are situations when you'll want to limit the field in case you hit an Ace or a King; true, there are times when you want to deceive your opponent so he won't suspect you actually made the flush if another suited card hits. But save that for later, when you have more experience and are better at sizing up your opponent.

For now, keep it simple.

Bet aggressively if you hit your hand. Get in cheaply if you can with a drawing hand. And fold if the flop doesn't hit you at all.

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