PokerDiagram

By popular request, here's the strategy that we used in Show 12 - Luca sent it in and suggested we try it, though it originally came from twoplustwo.com, where you'll find plenty more poker wisdom.

PRE-FLOP STRATEGY

LEVELS 1-3

EARLY POSITION (Seats 1-7), play only a pair or AK 1. With JJ or
lower, limp in.
--for tighter play, fold 66 or lower.
--for more aggressive play, limp only on Level 1; after that, raise or
fold with 77 or better
--If re-raised up to 3BBs, call2. Open-raise 3BBs with AA, KK, QQ, AK;
more if several limpers
--for more aggressive play, bet 200-300. When playing aggressively,
you need to be prepared to also play the flop aggressively as you are
investing more of your stack.
--If re-raised, go all-in (OK to raise all-in with AKo, AKs, but don't
call an all-in with it unless significant portion of stack already
invested and one opponent only)

LATE POSITION
1. Raise at least 3BBs with 77 or better, 200-300 for more
aggressiveness (limping with 77-JJ is always a good option)
2. also limp in with AQs, AQ, AJs, ATs, KQs, QJs, JTs if there are
calls ahead of you, raise if there are not.
--Fold if reraised.
--AQs is marginal in early position but strong later
3. On the button, limping with hands like T9s, 98s, 87s, AJ, and KQ is
an option, but requires experience.

Early rounds: AJo, KQo, ATo, KJo, QJo, JTo (and worse) are generally
big trouble.

LEVELS 4-6
Open-raise (at least 3BBs, more if limpers ahead of you) from all
positions with:
1. 77-AA, AK, AQ
2. AKs-ATs, KQs-KJs, QJs, JTs

LATE POSITION
Raise with KTs, QTs, KQ, AJ, if you are first in the pot
Raise with 2 cards J-A, T9s, 98s, or 87s if you have a good stack, LP,
and no raisers already in pot.
Limp if there are already lots of limpers

DOWN TO 4 PLAYERS
Never enter a raised pot without AA, KK, QQ, AK unless raiser has ½
your stack or less.
If a small raise to you, go all-in with these hands and call with a
few others (AQ, JJ, TT,)
-experienced players can enter pots with less, but good judgment is necessary
-If short stacked on bubble, you want to be first in the pot; bet big or all-in
-If shortstacked, push (if first in) with Axs, A7+, pairs
-When calling down shortstack all-ins, you want to have AT-AK and pairs 77-AA.
-If shortstack has 2BB or less, it is worth calling from BB with almost anything
-When playing with a huge stack, be careful of other huge stacks even
with AK, KQs, JJ, etc….

General Prefop Considerations
-When calling a raise, you need a better hand than you needed to raise
in the first place
-When a raise has already been called, you need an even better hand
-When in the small blind, you can limp with slightly worse hands than normal
-When calling min raises once already in for one bet, almost any
calling hand is still playable

ON THE FLOP

EARLY STAGES
On the flop, raise the amount of the pot with the following, otherwise fold:
1. top pair with a good kicker
2. 2 pair (no pair on board), set, or boat
3. 4 flush with overcards or other possibilities (bottom/middle pairs,
straight draws, etc…)
4. open-ended straight with lots of outs (3-flush, 2 overcards, etc.)

Open ended straights are highly overrated.

Play drawing hands aggressively (you need to have good stack to play a draw)
1. best to act last: bet the pot
2. consider semi-bluff in LP
3. if bet to you on flop is ½ the pot or less, raise to size of pot if
you have large stack
--If re-raised, fold Do not slowplay monster hands, especially when
draws are on the board.

Post-flop, all bets should be size of pot.
If any recommended bet (3BBs, pot, etc.) is 40% or more of stack, go all-in.

LATE STAGES
If short stacked, Level 5 and later, go all in or fold.
--Play only with pocket pairs, AK-AT, or KQs
--On button, aim to steal about 25% of blinds with hands like A7s-A9s, KTs-KJs.
--Play very tight with 4 left, much looser when in money.
--Don't worry about second place: gamble for 1st, settle for 3rd.
--Don't worry about attacking the short stacks. Quickly increasing
blinds and their own loose play will take them out.
--With three players left, any piece of the flop becomes valuable. Do
not be afraid to bet middle pairs if there is no reason to believe
opponent has stronger hand. If there is a raise preflop and an ace or
king comes on flop play cautiously

TURN AND RIVER
--The turn and river should be more easily played. The flop is where
your most crucial decisions are made
--When you think you are beaten on the river, a fold to a small bet is
usually a mistake unless you have no hand at all

GENERAL STRATEGY
-Top pair, top kicker is usually considered risky in NL, but Party's
structure forces aggressive play.
-Experienced players; if flop is rags and pot not raised ahead of you
preflop, bet the pot.-AKo, AKs are good for an all-in bet, but not to
call an all-in. AK or AKs all-in bets work best pre-flop so hand has
full board to work with.
-If any recommended bet is 40% or more of your stack, go all-in.
-When holding middle pair, if flop is checked all around and turn
brings no scare cards (3-flush on board, 3 straight on board, cards
higher than your middle pair, etc…) play that pair aggressively on the
turn. When raised, be prepared to abandon if you suspect a trap.
-Anytime you are prepared to check and call, it is better to bet in
the first place-If you do decide to expand your play to include more
creativity, this plan is tilt protection should you need to fall back
on more straightforward play in rocky times.

 

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