Finding that Fine Balance with Your Drawing Hands in an Out-of-Position Scenario

Strong drawing hands can pose challenges during gameplay. out of position To illustrate, I’m using a real hand from last year. I’ll share my thought process throughout the hand as a way to teach.

Let’s analyze a hand I played at a 2-5 table at Maryland Live! in Baltimore last year. You might not see eye to eye with my approach or my logic.

But that is the beauty of poker.

Table of Contents

Various Perspectives on the Same Situation

Situations can be evaluated in multiple ways. It's possible for several interpretations to be right, while some could simply be incorrect.

Diverse opinions can lead to disagreement, which adds an intriguing dynamic.

JTs Preflop Action Analysis

The action folds to V in middle-position .

• V raises to $15.
• Two players call.
• And now, it is my turn.

Currently, the pot stands at $62, and I’ve invested $5.

With only $10 to call, my pot odds are 6-1.

In this situation, I would usually call with any decent hand, and JTs definitely qualifies. However, I prefer to weigh my options before taking action.

What about raising ?

I think a raise A straightforward raise could be a poor choice in this scenario. A significant squeeze might potentially let me walk away with a small pot.

But there are two additional possible scenarios to consider.

1. I might face one or several callers, which could inflate the pot while I'm out of position and without a very strong hand.
2. Or, worse, someone could re-raise Additionally, I could be dominated and lose my chance in a hand that could have turned out well and had decent implied odds!

Thus, I conclude that calling is the best move here, and it’s really the only sensible decision.

JTs Postflop Action Analysis

This flop looks fantastic for my hand, as I’ve hit an open-ended straight draw along with a flush draw. I'm first to act, and I need to decide whether to bet or check. straight draw Betting isn’t a bad option since I want to build the pot. If I hit my draw, I can win a substantial amount. However, I’m hesitant to bet out against a pre-flop aggressor.

From my knowledge of this opponent, he’s likely to respond similarly. donk bet If everyone passes, I’ll get another chance to see the turn card. An 8 or K on the turn shouldn’t raise too many red flags.

Executing the Donk(key) Bet

I might even craft a concealed monster . continuation bet (cbet). Also, I don’t have a hand yet.

As expected, V bets $65, and the action folds back to me. With about 14 outs, folding is definitely off the table.

Before making my decision, I consider what my opponent might hold –

He’s just put in nearly the entire pot against four other players.

This doesn’t seem like a good moment to try a bluff .

• His potential holdings could include AQ, Q9, or an overpair like AA or KK.
• He might also have a competing flush draw, which could even be superior to mine.
• It would cost me $65 to try to win back $135, giving me roughly 2-1 odds.
• Let’s evaluate my equity against his possible hands. I use the poker cruncher app on my iPhone to assist with these calculations –
• There’s also a chance he flopped a set.

JTs Postflop- Crunching the Numbers

Q9 : I stand at 48% equity, which justifies a call with the pot odds of 2-1.

• KK, AA : My chances are nearly even, and with the pot odds, I can justify calling, despite KK blocking some of my outs. If he holds a spade, my odds are slightly diminished, but still close to even.
• Sets of 5s, Qs, or 9s : I’m at a 60% disadvantage, yet with 40% odds to win, I still have legitimate reasons to call.
• Bigger spade draws like A♠K♠ : In this case, he’s a 64% favorite, so at 2-1 odds, the call isn’t favorable.
• JT : I have an advantageous position against this hand since only I possess a flush draw.
• These calculations may not tell the whole story. Although I have express odds to call, the results from the poker cruncher assume that I will see
• The true likelihood of hitting my draw on the turn is actually half of what the app suggests. If I call the turn and miss, and he moves all in, my odds to call the next bet will vanish.

The potential payoffs are significant. The stronger V’s hand, the better my implied odds become. With nearly six times the pot in my stack, I hope he possesses two pair or a set. two cards .

Even if I’m behind at the moment, should I hit my draw (and he doesn’t improve to a better hand), the reward should be substantial.

JTs Postflop - Crunching the Numbers

Being out of position means if I call, I will miss my draw 70% of the time. If V has a strong hand, he’ll likely bet on the turn given the board's texture. Therefore, I may not get the odds I need for a call. Additionally, he’s known to bluff over two streets, and I don’t want to present him that opportunity.

A typical textbook raise would be three times his bet, or $195. This is roughly a pot-sized raise (his bet plus the pot).

But do I call or raise?

If I raise to $195, the total pot will reach $395, and I’ll still have $590 left. I should prepare a strategy in the event that V decides to ship his stack.

Clearly, raising is a better play here.

So, the question is, how much to raise?

• In that scenario, I’d need to call $590 for a shot at a $1,375 pot, which gives me favorable 2.3 – 1 odds. I’m likely a slight favorite or at least even, making it an easy decision to proceed.
  
• What if I push to $195 and he calls? This puts me in a difficult spot.

If he bets large on the turn, it would be unwise for me to call .

Given the turn would be a strong play from my side. I suspect V has a solid hand since he initiated the betting against four players and then called my raise on the flop.

• If I miss the turn, what do I do? On a blank Even with the calculations indicating a similar outcome, I believe V could consider folding with a queen in response to a 3x raise versus a 2x raise.
  
• I don’t think bluffing I’d be pushing $720 into a pot of $265. That crosses a line for me.
  
• If I raise 3x, I’m hoping he just folds.

What about a smaller raise such as 2x?

I wouldn’t be capitalizing on the value embedded in my hand.

What if I shove the flop?

My friend and cash game expert Ari Eiblum recommends raising larger. In reality, a standard raise of 3x makes sense when in position. overbet But when out of position, with the necessity of acting first on the turn, it’s advisable to amplify that raise to around $240. This enables me to call comfortably if he decides to shove, while applying a significant amount of pressure.

An astute player wouldn't want to risk losing $800 with just one pair, and my actions would strongly indicate that I may be fully committed.

• Therefore, his response might revolve around the sum of all my remaining chips. He might even abandon a top pair with a top kicker (TPTK) in the face of a 4.5x raise.
  
• Poker expert and instructor at Poker PowHer Amanda Botfeld makes a compelling case for engaging in a check-raise in this situation. The cards that improve my hand are predominantly

Thus, by leading the betting, I mitigate the risk of those cards undermining my potential gain. Moreover, if the situation escalates to all-in, I ensure I get my full due.

Simultaneously, this significant draw adds balance to my strategy for scenarios where I do stumble upon a set or two pair. scare cards , the king and the spades.

At that moment, I decided to raise to $165 (between double and triple the bet). V called, and the total pot reached $465.

Avi Rubin analyzes a specific poker hand where he finds himself in a challenging spot with Jack-Ten suited. Take this opportunity to learn from a Computer Science professor about the subtleties of playing draw hands out of position.

Avi Rubin analyzes a specific poker hand where he finds himself in a challenging spot with Jack-Ten suited. Take this opportunity to learn from a Computer Science professor about the subtleties of playing draw hands out of position.

Finding the Right Approach with Your Drawing Hands When Out of Position

Exploring the Complexities of Playing a Significant Draw from an Out-of-Position Scenario

I’ll go broke if he has a bigger flush.

Turn:

Playing with big drawing hands can be quite complicated.

Let’s examine each one.

• Checking
  To illustrate my point, I will use a specific hand I played last year in a 2-5 game at Maryland Live! in Baltimore. I will share my thought process during the hand to provide a clearer understanding of my decisions.
  
  Let's break down a hand I experienced last year in a 2-5 cash game at Maryland Live! in Baltimore. You might have a different opinion about my approach and the reasoning behind it.
  
  Various Perspectives on the Same Situation
  
  JTs Postflop – Choosing the Best Option
  
• Betting Small
  The Importance of Drawing Hands and Positional Advantage
  
  Various Perspectives on the Same Situation
  
  So, I would fold - bad result.
  
• Betting Big
  There are multiple methods to evaluate a situation. While some analyses can be valid, others might not hold up at all.
  
  • Different interpretations can lead to debates, and that's part of what makes poker fascinating.
  • 72% of the time, I’ll miss and lose.
  • As I sit down for this 2-5 game, my stack sits at $800. The table feels aggressive with several skilled players in the mix. I know three of these individuals are local pros .
    
• Moving All-in (Shoving)
  (V) in this hand has a bigger stack than mine. He is a full-time player who enjoys aggressively stealing pots and intimidating his opponents.
  
  Currently, the pot sits at $62, and I have already invested $5.

So, what is the best play?

• Check?
• Bet $175?
• Bet $400?
• Shove for $620?

In this scenario, I would typically want to call with any reasonable hand, and suited TJ is definitely solid enough. However, I prefer to deliberate on my options before making any decisions.

Bet Sizing Draws on the Turn

JTs River Action Analysis

However, there are another two potential outcomes to consider.

I might receive calls from one or more players, which could inflate the pot considerably, especially since I don’t have a very strong hand. pot committed and unlikely to fold a better hand.

This could lead other players to outmaneuver me in a hand that I could potentially develop nicely. I stand to gain good implied odds if I connect well.

Therefore, I believe that calling is the only sensible course of action.

I’m fairly sure I’m beat.

JTs Post-River – Breaking It Down

Leading with a bet isn't unreasonable since I want to build the pot. If I hit one of my draws, I stand to win significantly. However, I’m hesitant about the notion of (betting into a pre-flop raiser) given my understanding of this player. combo-draw make sense, given my cards.

AK of spades fits every street.

From my observations, the likelihood is high that this player will recognize my position.

If the action checks around to me, I will have the chance to see another card without any cost. An 8 or a King on the turn is unlikely to raise many suspicions.

Drawing OOP - Lessons Learnt

Before deciding my next move, I like to ponder the range of hands my opponent might possess –

He made a sizable bet into four players.

This isn't a moment that I would want to attempt a bluff .

His range could include hands like AQ, Q9, or even higher pairs such as AA or KK.

• He could also hold a stronger flush draw than mine.
• Calling would require me to invest $65 to win a pot of $135, giving me odds close to 2-1.
• Now, let’s assess my equity against the hands he could have. I rely on an app called Poker Cruncher for these calculations –

AQ (not both spades): I have a 56% equity, placing me as the favorite.

Q9 : My chances stand at 48% equity, and I'm getting the right pot odds to call at 2-1.

KK, AA : This scenario reveals nearly even odds, though KK diminishes two of my outs and if he has a spade, I’m a bit behind but still in a competitive range. Nevertheless, I maintain favorable pot odds to call.

A set of 5s, Qs, or 9s : He has a 60% chance to win. However, with my 40% chance, I still have justifiable odds to call.

A stronger spade draw like A♠K♠ : In this case, my opponent is a 64% favorite, making for even pot odds.

That’s poker!