Learning No-Limit From Scratch ­- Out of Position with Top Pair

No-limit hold’em requires more creativity to perform well than limit hold’em. While both games require you to perceive and design effective lines to counter your opponent’s differing tendencies and adjust to varying situations, there are more decisions in no-limit. And they are usually more critical.

I picked up A Q under the gun (UTG) playing $2-$5 no-limit hold’em at the Venetian and opened for $20. I was called by a fast-playing, creative-thinking, talented opponent in middle position, and we took the flop heads-up, A 10 3. We were both over $1,000 deep with $45 in the pot.

It’s tough to play out of position against talented opposition, particularly with hands that aren’t likely to get three streets of value. Should you bet the flop and turn and check the river, it often puts you in a tough spot for a big bet, generally polarizing your opponent’s betting range between hands which beat you and bluffs.

I check some top-pair holdings on the flop heads-up, both to acquire greater future action and stop opponents from profitably bluffing every time I check. Additionally, some opponents read you for a stronger holding by assuming you would continuation bet your air range, increasing your equity to bluff on the turn.

But, when checking the flop, you assume the risk of giving your opponent a free card to his folding range. And that can cost you dearly. Plus, you lose the equity of any bet in his call-checking range. I’ll check-raise aggressive players in this spot with both made hands and draws. That way, I’ll get value out of his bluffs and his weak bets, but when facing talented opposition, you often end up bloating the pot and putting yourself in a tougher river position.

On this texture of flop against Mr. Talented-Opponent, I didn’t want to check. The flop provided opportunity for too many hands in his preflop calling range, so I didn’t want to give a quality opponent that was tough to read the equity of a mediocre holding for free. Additionally, I thought he would assume I would continuation bet with most of my range on that board and wouldn’t read me for a strong range. I fired $35 into the pot, and he called.

I thought about Mr. Talented-Opponent’s potential range. He might have an ace, likely a good one to call an UTG preflop raise and flop bet. He could have a set or two pair. He might have a flush or gut shot straight draw. Or he might be on a float play, likely the plan if he had a gutter. A float play is calling an opponent with a weak hand intending to outplay him off the pot on a later street.

The turn card was the 6, a blank. I thought that Mr. Talented-Opponent would bet if I checked to him. He hadn’t seen me check a quality hand on the turn, so he would have no history to read me for holding a big ace. He would follow through on all his float plays and bet, plus he would bet all his draw hands looking for a fold. He would think an ace is likely good and not want to give a free card on a draw-heavy board. Check-calling, feeling he was almost certain to bet, also removed the possibility of being outplayed by being raised off the best hand. Feeling that checking had more value than betting, I knuckled. Mr. Talented-Opponent wagered $75, and I called. $265 in the pot.

The river came the 3, pairing the board. I thought Mr. Talented-Opponent read me for being weak. I knuckled again, thinking I would call a bet unless some new information indicated otherwise.

He bet $100, a smallish bet considering the pot size. I felt Mr. Talented-Opponent read me for a weak hand, was looking for a call, and was trying to widen my calling range. I briefly contemplated a check-raise, but quickly dismissed it. There weren’t many, if any, better hands than mine in his range that he would fold and there were lots of hands in his range that beat mine. I called. He turned over A-Q offsuit and we split the pot.

Yeah, we split the pot; it’s like kissing your sister. But, I liked how I played my hand. By checking the turn, I tend to make an opponent think twice about floating me on the flop or betting as a bluff whenever I check the turn in the future. My check-calling the turn with a strong hand reduces his overall price on those plays. Of course, taking such a line is correct only if your opponent has the tendency to float and/or bluff the turn when checked to.

I also liked checking the river to allow him to bluff his draws, giving me value in those scenarios. Mr. Talented-Opponent would bet most of the hands he would call with, and the inclusion of the equity of bluffs would make checking an overall better play.

Discerning which opponents, what hands, and what plays perform well against given situations requires a great deal of conceptual knowledge as well as a deep understanding of the current situation. You need to know the different play lines, your opponent’s approximate hand range, and have a sense of how he will react to different play options.

Developing these skillsets is complicated and hard work. Spending time and thought both at and away from the table will increase your abilities in these areas.

But the improvements to your game will be well worth the effort. ♠

Roy Cooke played poker professionally in Las Vegas for 16 years prior to becoming a successful Las Vegas Real Estate Broker/Salesman. Should you wish any information about Real Estate matters-including purchase, sale or mortgage his office number is 702-376-1515 or Roy’s e-mail is [email protected]. His website is www.RoyCooke.com. You can also find him on Facebook or Twitter @RealRoyCooke