Jonathan+Little+on+Live+No Limit+Volume+2+ +Jonathan+Little+ +

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First published in 2015 by D & B Publishing
Copyright © 2015 Jonathan Little
The right of Jonathan Little to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the
Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without
prior permission of the publisher.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN: 978 1 90945 735 5
All sales enquiries should be directed to D&B Publishing:

e-mail: info@dandbpoker.com; website: www.dandbpoker.com
Cover design by Horatio Monteverde.

Printed and bound by Versa Press in the US.
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Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Hand 1 Day One
Hand 2 Meet Gustav
Hand 3 Marginal Bluff Catcher
Hand 4 Gustav in Action
Hand 5 An Annoying Ace on the Flop
Hand 6 Pair Plus Flush Draw
Hand 7 Trips versus Gustav
Hand 8 Nuts Again versus Gustav
Hand 9 A-K!
Hand 10 Try Again with Two Pair
Hand 11 Finally, a Real Hand
Hand 12 Gutshot
Hand 13 Facing a Weak Limp
Hand 14 Flopped Boat
Hand 15 Battling the Table Captain
Hand 16 Top Pair
Hand 17 Nothing
Hand 18 The Captain and the Nit
Hand 19 Day Two
Hand 20 Interesting Turn Spot
Hand 21 Marginal Overpair
Hand 22 Getting There
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Hand 23 More Passivity
Hand 24 Paired Board
Hand 25 We Finally Got Them!
Hand 26 Decent Draw
Hand 27 Pre-flop Action
Hand 28 Top Pair Turned to Rubbish
Hand 29 Repetition
Hand 30 Meet Shelly
Hand 31 Bluff-catching Versus Shelly
Hand 32 Battling with Dennis
Hand 33 The Goods Keep Coming
Hand 34 Gambling with Shelly
Hand 35 Marginal Flop
Hand 36 Finally, a Blind Battle!
Hand 37 Another Paired Board
Hand 38 Catching a Set
Hand 39 Day Three
Hand 40 Still Heads-up
Hand 41 Dealing with a Raise over a Limp
Hand 42 Tough Flop
Hand 43 Options
Hand 44 Turning a Little Equity
Hand 45 Small Pot Until…
Hand 46 Monotone Board
Hand 47 Fighting Shelly
Hand 48 The Best Draw
Hand 49 Continuation Bet?
Hand 50 Overpair Bluff-catcher
Hand 51 Overly Dry Multiway Flop
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Hand 52 Small Pot with Draws
Hand 53 The Four and the Two
Hand 54 The Return of Gustav
Hand 55 Good for your Range
Hand 56 Missed Again in Multiway Pot
Hand 57 Fighting Hard with Gustav
Hand 58 Try Again?
Hand 59 Blind Dispute
Hand 60 Underpair
Hand 61 Scared Overpair
Hand 62 Juicy 20/40 Game
Hand 63 Middle Pair
Hand 64 Not Much
Hand 65 Being Aware
Hand 66 Tough Turn
Hand 67 Day Four
Hand 68 Rough Flop
Hand 69 Marginal A-K
Hand 70 Marginal Top Pair
Hand 71 The Aces
Hand 72 Is Leading Finally an Option?
Hand 73 Battling with Paul
Hand 74 Unfortunate Spot
Hand 75 Good for your Range
Hand 76 A High Flop
Hand 77 Searching for Value
Hand 78 Go for the Bluff?
Hand 79 Turning Equity
Hand 80 Getting it All-in
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Hand 81 Acceptable Flop
Hand 82 Draw Versus a Nit
Hand 83 Multiway with A-A
Hand 84 Finding a Draw
Hand 85 Decent Overpair
Hand 86 Backdoors
Hand 87 Weak Pair
Hand 88 Bad Bluff-catcher
Hand 89 Valuable?
Hand 90 Decent Turn
Hand 91 Fair Flop
Hand 92 Dealing with Weakness
Hand 93 Premium Draw?
Hand 94 Tangling with Paul
Hand 95 Flush Draw out of Position
Hand 96 Button Straddle
Hand 97 Tricky Turn
Hand 98 Facing a Super LAG
Hand 99 Nice Looking Flop
Hand 100 Strong Made Hand plus a Draw
Hand 101 Combat with Paul
Hand 102 Reasonable Flop
Hand 103 Welcoming Shelly Back
Hand 104 Getting Frisky
Hand 105 Junk in a Multiway Pot
Conclusion
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Acknowledgements
This book would not have been possible without the love and support of my
wonderful fiancée, Amie Broder. She constantly inspires me to be the best man I
can be. I would like to thank my family, Larry, Rita and Garrett for crafting me into
the man I am today. I would like to thank Ken Adams for diligently editing this
book. I would finally like to thank all of my poker students, including you. Without
your support, this book would certainly not exist. I am honored to have such an
amazing group of dedicated students who push me to work harder than I thought
was possible to produce the best possible poker information.
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Introduction
This book is quite similar to Secrets of Professional Tournament Poker, Volume 3,

in that it is a series of hand examples presented in a quiz format. The main
difference between these two books is that in tournaments, especially in fairly
short-stacked situations, I almost always use math to determine the optimal play.
It’s nearly impossible to figure out the optimal play in cash games, especially when
deep-stacked or playing with overly tricky opponents who constantly have merged
ranges. Because of this, I will list each play I made, but I will also outline other
options that would likely show a reasonable expectation.
I will rate all decisions on a scale from zero to 10, with zero being the worst
decision and 10 the best. As you work through the questions, don’t worry if you
often pick the second-best answer, as long as the best two answers have close
ratings. Quite often, two options are almost equally good. There is certainly a huge
amount of room to vary your play in cash games.
Sometimes I play tight and other times I play loose, usually based on my
opposition and how I expect them to react to my plays. I generally play a touch
tighter than I recommend in Jonathan Little on Live No-Limit Cash Games, because
people tend to assume I bluff more than a typical opponent would. This leads me to
include a few more value-bets in my range. You will see this basic adjustment
throughout the book, especially in my pre-flop hand selection. If you have a tight
image, I strongly suggest that you get well out of line on all streets and abuse your
image as much as possible to win pots that do not belong to you.
I played all these hands in March 2014 after I quickly busted from a major poker
tournament. I generally make the most out of my trips to poker tournaments by
playing cash games when I bust early. During this four-day period I played around
14 hours per day, which is far more than normal for me. I typically limit my
sessions to 12 hours or less because I lose focus when tired. I pushed myself a bit
this time to get in tricky situations for the sake of this book. From talking to my
students, I know that this sort of grind, where you play as much as possible over the
course of a few days, is quite common for people who take brief poker trips. Over
these four days, I generated quite a few accurate reads on my opponents, which I
will share with you. I will give pseudonyms to those I frequently played with so
you can keep track of the hands I played against them.
I played all these hands at $10/$20 or $20/$40 no-limit, but the lessons apply to
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all levels of cash games. You should constantly assess your opponent in every
situation and adjust accordingly. Believe it or not, there are numerous weak players
in the highest-stakes games, especially live games. Please do not feel that this book
may not be for you because the games are either larger or smaller than you typically
play. I make a point to only play in games that are fairly soft. Since my goal in
playing cash games is to win money, I see no reason to play in difficult games. For
example, I often sat in a $10/$20 game while a $20/$40 game was running. I
thought my hourly rate would be higher in my specific $10/$20 game compared to
the $20/$40 game. You must be able to accurately assess your competition if you
want to have an edge. If you don’t think you will have an edge in your current game
and you are playing purely to make money, you need to find another game.
You will notice that I generally have a fairly large stack in terms of big blinds.
My default buy-in is usually $5,000 at $10/$20 and $10,000 at $20/$40. This
usually ensures that I have more money on the table than my weak opponents. I will
list all relevant stack sizes in each hand example. Some hands are very deep-
stacked, and others shallow-stacked. Always adjust your play based on the current
effective stack size. I don’t actually think in terms of dollars while I am playing. I
see stack sizes only in terms of big blinds. For simplicity, I have omitted the dollar
sign in front of all numbers throughout the book.
Keep an open mind as you work through this book and do not assume that every
play I make is optimal. Looking back, I realize I made fairly large errors in a few
situations. I will list the play I now think is ideal as the “correct” answer, and I will
also list the play I made at the table. When you put in 14-hour days, it is nearly
impossible to play your “A” game the entire time. Because of this, you will see a
few missed value-bets and some butchered bluffs. I hope you will find them to be
both educational and amusing. You can learn from my failures as well as my
successes. I firmly believe there is a lesson to be learned from each hand in this
book. Find them and you will be on the road to success.
If you have questions about any of the hands in this book, or about anything else
relating to poker, please feel free to post them on the FloatTheTurn.com forums. I
personally reply to all questions in a timely manner. Also, check out my personal
site at JonathanLittlePoker.com for lots of free educational poker content. My goal
with this book is to empower my students who are willing to diligently study to take
the next giant leap forward in their poker careers. Let’s get to work.
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Hand 1: Day One
Hand: 4 -3
Position: Button
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 appears to be a 30-year-old LAG amateur. Villain2 is an older, weak

player who seems unable to fold reasonably strong made hands. Villain3 is a good
kid. Villain1 raises to 60 and Villain2 calls.
Question 1
The action is on you on the button.
What do you do with 4 -3 ?
a) Fold b) Call 60 c) Re-raise to 220 d) Re-raise to 450
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
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You elect to call. Villain3 also calls. The flop comes A -J -6 . Everyone checks
to you.
Question 2
The pot is 260 and the effective stack size is 4,940.
What is your action?
a) Check b) Bet 80 c) Bet 150 d) Bet 300
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
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You bet 150. Villain3 and Villain1 both call. Villain2 folds.
The turn is (A -J -6 )-9 . Both players again check to you.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
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You decide to check. The river is (A -J -6 -9 )-10 .
Villain3 checks and Villain1 bets 550.
Question 4
The pot is 1,260. You face a bet of 550 and the effective stack size is 4,790. What
is your action?
a) Fold b) Call 550 c) Raise to 1,100 d) Raise to 1,600
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
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You elect to call. Villain3 folds and you beat Villain1’s K -J .
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Discussion and Answers
Answer 1
a) 6 b) 10 c) 4 d) 0
You should usually call and see a flop if your hand has decent post-flop potential
and you’re on the button. If your opponents play especially well or if you know they
play most of their suited hands, you should fold to avoid flopping an inferior flush
or flush-draw. You can re-raise to around 220 if you have been particularly tight
recently, hoping to either win the pot immediately or with a post-flop continuation
bet. Making a large re-raise usually has no merit, as you risk too much compared to
the amount you stand to win when your bluff succeeds.
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Answer 2
a) 2 b) 4 c) 10 d) 4
When everyone checks to you on the flop, their ranges consist mostly of hands
worse than top pair. You should frequently take a stab at the pot, even when you
have nothing, hoping to force them off these hands. The only player who may have
top pair or better is Villain3. The player in the small blind often checks to the pre-
flop raiser, meaning he can have anything. You should tend toward a sizable bet to
represent a strong hand, which makes betting 150 better than betting 80. Notice that
a bet of 80 may induce numerous loose calls. Getting called by wide ranges is fine
if you intend to barrel on most turns and rivers. However, when both of your
opponents call on the flop, it is usually a good idea to shut down on the turn and
river.
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Answer 3
a) 10 b) 4 c) 8 d) 5
Neither player raised your flop bet, so you should assume their ranges both contain
a lot of marginal made hands and draws. Villain3 could easily have a flush. This is
not the case with Villain1, who would have probably bet the flop with a flush draw.
You hit your draw on the turn, but you’ll be in a tough spot if you bet and get raised,
especially if you are unsure whether your opponents would check-raise with hands
worse than a flush. Of course, if you think they would call a bet with made hands
worse than a flush and check-raise only with a flush or better, you should value-bet
with the intention of folding to a check-raise. A small bet of 200 is not ideal
because you will be giving any hand with a diamond the proper price to outdraw
you. Betting large is also not ideal, because it will likely force your opponents off
most one-pair hands. When you bet with a strong made hand, you want to bet an
amount that will be called by numerous worse hands while ideally denying
excellent pot odds to drawing hands.
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Answer 4
a) 0 b) 10 c) 3 d) 8
Neither opponent is likely to have a flush. They will probably fold all hands worse
than a flush if you raise, unless they are calling stations or they think you are overly
wild and creative. If they will fold all hands worse than yours and only call with
better, then it’s only sensible for you to call. But be careful. You will be shocked at
how wide some players call river raises. Another benefit to calling is that Villain3
may decide to overcall with a hand such as two pair, which would be fantastic.
Calling is probably slightly better than raising. It will likely be tough to get value
from worse made hands if you raise, and Villain3 could also call. If you do raise,
you want to raise as much as possible while still getting calls from worse made
hands. While most weak players raise the minimum, a slightly larger raise will be
called almost as often, giving you much more profit.
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Hand 2: Meet Gustav
Hand: Q -Q
Position: UTG
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a 25-year-old kid who seems competent. Villain2 is a middle-aged guy

who appears to be playing a standard TAG game. Villain3, a 35-year-old LAG
named Gustav, recently lost a large pot and looks on tilt.
Question 1
The action is on you UTG.
What do you do with Q -Q ?
a) Fold b) Call 20 c) Raise to 60 d) Raise to 120
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
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You raise to 60. Villain1 and Villain2 call the raise. Gustav re-raises to 320.
Question 2
The pot is 520. You face a re-raise to 320 and the effective stack size is roughly
1,000 with Gustav. What is your action?
a) Fold b) Call 260 c) Re-raise to 660 d) Re-raise to 1,000
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
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You re-raise to 660. Villain1 goes all-in for 2,100 total.
Villain2 and Gustav fold.
Question 3
The pot is 3,160 and you have to call 1,440 more.
a) Fold b) Call 1,440 more
(a) (b) Points: ……………
Answer
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You call and lose to Villain1’s 10-10 when the board runs out 8-6-5-10-2.
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Answer 1
a) 0 b) 2 c) 10 d) 2
When everyone in front of you has folded, you should make a standard raise to 3
big blinds with all playable hands.
Amateurs often get tricky by limping with the hope of re-raising. If the stacks are
fairly deep and a lot of money goes in the pot, you can find yourself playing out of
position after the flop with a marginal hand, which is not a good thing. It is worth
noting that an overpair is often considered to be a marginal holding when you are
very deep stacked because if your opponent is willing to put his entire stack in, he
will often have an overpair beat.
Raising large is also a huge leak. Players often put in a big raise to thin the field
and define their hand. What it really does is to fold out numerous worse hands that
could have given you value. It screams to opponents that you have a fairly strong
hand, encouraging them to call with hands that have good implied odds. This is not
what you want at all. You want to keep your opponents in the pot with hands you
are in decent shape against, such as A-10 and Q-J.
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Answer 2
a) 0 b) 7 c) 10 d) 2
Even if Gustav is not on tilt, you should make a fairly small 4-bet, hoping to either
induce wild actions from the players yet to act or to get the pot heads-up with 110
big blinds in the middle. For all practical purposes, you should play your Q-Q as if
it is the nuts in this situation. Notice that if you re-raise to 1,000, you make it
difficult for Villain1 and Villain2 to do anything crazy. You will have a decent
portion of your chips in the pot, and they will realize they have drastically reduced
fold equity. A small re-raise may lead them to think you are simply trying to get the
pot heads-up with Gustav.
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Answer 3
a) 2 b) 10
Folding may not seem too bad, but it is vastly inferior to calling. With around 2-to-
1 pot odds, you only need to win 33 percent of the time to break even. You have an
easy call even if Villain1 is only pushing with A-A, K-K, Q-Q, and A-K, as you
will win 40 percent of the time against that range.
Folding would be a disaster. Villain1 pushed with 10-10. If that’s the worst hand
he’ll push with, which may or may not be the case, you have at least 52 percent
equity against his range.
Summary
Don’t habitually fold, thinking Villain1 must have A-A or K-K to make this play.
Your opponents will often lose their minds and make wild plays, especially when
you make small re-raises.
Note that if you re-raise to 1,000 pre-flop and Villain1 goes all-in, you should
still call, even though he would then have A-A or K-K much more often because he
would have little to no fold equity. You would be getting around 4.4-to-1, making a
call mandatory even if you knew he had aces. There is no way to get away from this
hand once you 4-bet before the flop.
Villain1’s push was likely an awful play unless you were constantly 4-betting
with an overly wide range. Be sure to make small re-raises to give your opponents
plenty of room to make an error. In this situation, his blunder cost him around 1,060
in equity. If you had instead re-raised to 1,000, you probably would not have
collected that much.
After reading my other books, you should know not to be the least bit unhappy
when you get all-in with the best hand and lose. When you get all-in with 80
percent equity, you are going to lose 20 percent of the time. That is how poker
works. You must be totally neutral about the unavoidable swings at the poker table.
When you go home, feel free to analyze your play and get upset at yourself if you
made mistakes. In this hand, you played about as perfectly as possible and won lots
of equity. That is nothing to be sad about.
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Hand 3: Marginal Bluff Catcher
Hand: 4 -4
Position: SB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a 50-year-old amateur who just arrived at the table. Villain2 is a

middle-aged guy who appears fairly LAG. Villain3 is a straightforward TAG 40-
year-old. Villain1 posts a 20 blind in MP1 because he doesn’t want to wait until the
big blind comes round to him. He checks, Villain2 raises to 100 and Villain3 calls.
Question 1
The action is on you in the small blind.
a) Fold b) Call 90 more c) Re-raise to 220 d) Re-raise to 460
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
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You call and Villain1 folds. The flop comes 5 -3 -3 .
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
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You check. Villain2 bets 240 and Villain3 folds.
Question 3
The pot is 580. You face a bet of 240 with an effective stack size of 3,900. What is
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
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You decide to call. The turn is (5 -3 -3 )-2 .
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
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You check and the Villain bets 480.
Question 5
is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
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You call. The river is (5 -3 -3 -2 )-Q .
Question 6
The pot is 1,780 and the effective stack size is 3,180.
a) Check b) Bet 400 c) Bet 800 d) Bet 1,200
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
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You check and Villain2 quickly checks behind, giving you the pot.
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Answer 1
a) 2 b) 10 c) 1 d) 4
You should usually call and see a flop when you are getting greater than 10-to-1
implied odds with a pair, especially when a re-raise is unlikely. You are getting
roughly 40-to-1 implied odds. It’s not bad to be out of position when essentially
set-mining. You will frequently know on the flop if you have a strong hand, so you
can play fairly well. The big blind and the poster are unlikely to re-raise, meaning
you can usually see a cheap flop.
You can put in a sizable re-raise if you think the initial raiser frequently tries to
exploit the poster’s weak range. However, being out of position with a hand that
has decent post-flop potential should dissuade you from making that aggressive
play.
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Answer 2
a) 10 b) 2 c) 4 d) 2
The board is dry and you could easily have the best hand, but it is usually best to
check and see what develops. Often there will be a bet and a call by other players,
after which you can quickly ditch your hand. You can continue relatively safely if
only the initial raiser bets. A typical LAG would probably continuation bet the flop
with almost his entire range. If the flop checks through, you should usually check
again on the turn unless it comes a 5, 4, 3 or 2, because any other card could easily
make a pair for an opponent.
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Answer 3
a) 2 b) 10 c) 3 d) 5
You are now heads-up against what is likely a wide range, so you should call and
try to get closer to showdown. You could check-raise, hoping to force your
opponent off hands with decent equity that will typically check down, such as Q-J
and A-6. But you are usually in bad shape when he calls and you still lack position
even with the best hand. Check-raising can lead to numerous nasty turn situations,
especially if you don’t know how your opponent will react.
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Answer 4
a) 10 b) 2 c) 3 d) 1
The turn is amazingly good for your hand; the board did not change and you picked
up an open-ended straight draw. You should almost certainly check and induce your
opponent to continue betting. Most aggressive players will bet again when they turn
any sort of equity. Since any ace now has a gutshot, aggressive players will often
continue firing.
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Answer 5
a) 6 b) 10 c) 3 d) 4
You should tend to call again, as you did on the flop, although your opponent’s turn
bet is somewhat polarizing. He now likely has either a value hand or a bluff,
although good players will make this same bet with marginal pairs such as 6-6 and
8-5, hoping to get called by A-high or slightly worse made hands. You will be able
to make better decisions as you learn more about your opponent. You should
probably continue bluff-catching for now, especially since you turned a draw.
Check-raising can be a powerful play if it will make your opponent fold hands
worse than perhaps J-J. Note the players who frequently fold to turn and river
check-raises, and attack them relentlessly.
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Answer 6
a) 10 b) 1 c) 0 d) 0
The river is interesting, as the queen should sometimes hit your opponent if he was
bluffing. Leading would be atrocious because you would mostly be called when
you were beat. Hence, a check is the only reasonable play.
Either calling or folding to a river bet could be optimal. It’s hard to say which is
right without knowing more about your opponent. He checked behind on the river,
so calling a river bet would probably be a poor play, since he clearly checked
behind when he had nothing. Some players will fire out three barrels as a bluff.
Others are more passive, firing no more than one or two barrels. Note your
opponent’s tendencies and react intelligently in the future.
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Hand 4: Gustav in Action
Hand: A -Q
Position: UTG+1
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Gustav, who seems to still be on tilt. He recently lost his short stack and
rebought for 5,000. Villain2 is a standard, TAG 40-year-old.
Question 1
The action is on you UTG+1.
What do you do with A -Q ?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
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66
You raise to 60. Gustav and Villain2 both call. The flop comes A -4 -3 . Gustav
leads for 150. Villain2 folds.
Question 2
The pot is 330. You face a bet of 150 and the effective stack size is 4,940. What is
your play?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
67
68
You call. The turn is (A -4 -3 )-K . Gustav leads again for 320.
Question 3
your action?
a) Fold b) Call 320 c) Raise to 800 d) Raise to 1,300
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
69
70
You call. The river is (A -4 -3 -K )-2 . Gustav bets 1,200.
Question 4
The pot is 2,320. You face a bet of 1,200 and the effective stack size is 4,470. What
is your action?
a) Fold b) Call 1,200 c) Raise to 2,600 d) Go all-in for3,270
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
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You call and beat Gustav’s 7 -3 .
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Answer 1
a) 0 b) 6 c) 10 d) 2
You should almost always make a standard raise to 3 big blinds from early position
unless you think you will frequently be re-raised, in which case limping becomes a
marginal option. I rarely limp from early position with fairly strong hands. There is
no reason to raise huge because that will force your opponents to fold most hands
worse than yours.
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Answer 2
a) 0 b) 10 c) 8 d) 4
Folding top pair is out of the question when your tilty opponent leads into you. The
best options are to either call, looking to call down almost every time, or to raise
small, hopefully inducing him to do something absurd.
I generally call so I can keep him in with his entire range of bluffs. When you
raise, even some tilty players will fold, which is terrible when they are drawing
thin. Also, even if you know your opponent is on tilt, you never know if he will be
willing to put 250 big blinds in with a trashy hand. If you raise and he re-raises,
you will often be unhappy unless you are sure your opponent is bonkers. Raising
large is much worse than raising small because it will usually force your opponent
to play somewhat straightforwardly, only continuing with reasonably strong
holdings.
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Answer 3
a) 0 b) 10 c) 4 d) 2
You should continue calling on the turn, as you did on the flop. The board is now a
bit more draw-heavy. If Gustav is bluffing, you should do everything in your power
to keep him in. Realize also that he could have the best hand. When your opponent’s
range is polarized to bluffs and reasonable made hands, some of which you beat
and some you don’t, you should lean toward calling; if you raise, he will usually
only continue with hands that beat you. As on the flop, a small raise is much better
than a large one.
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Answer 4
a) 5 b) 10 c) 1 d) 1
Even though the river completes a number of draws, you should still find a call.
Gustav is on tilt and is likely overly polarized to bluffs and the nuts. Since he made
roughly a pot-sized bet, you need to win around 33 percent of the time to break
even. You lose if he has any 5, flush, set or two-pair. However, you beat most
busted spade draws and various stone bluffs. You will probably have the best hand
around half the time, making it an easy call. Raising is close to worthless unless
you think you can make your opponent fold all non-flush hands, which would be
surprising, given his image.
Summary
Someone who bets around the size of the pot on the river tends to have a premium
made hand or a bluff, if he is capable of bluffing. A smaller bet usually indicates
more marginal made hands in his range.
Excellent players will play each type of hand – the nuts, marginal value hands
and bluffs – in various ways in similar situations depending on how they expect
their opponent to react. For example, against players I perceive to be good, I like to
bet around half-pot on the river as a bluff, hoping they will think I have a decent
value hand. Mix up your play against tough opponents to keep them guessing.
Interestingly enough, Gustav elected to lead the flop with a bad pair and continue
bluffing when the board got scary. His play would be reasonably strong if he did
not have such a tilty image. Be aware of your image so you don’t make an
optimistic bluff at a terrible time.
80
Hand 5: An Annoying Ace on the Flop
Hand: Q -Q
Position: Button
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a typical LAG 25-year-old. Villain2 is a TAG kid who has stayed in line
so far. Villain1 raises to 60 and Villain2 calls.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
81
82
You re-raise to 220, followed by a call from Villain1 and a fold from Villain2. The
flop comes A -5 -2 . Villain1 checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
83
84
You check behind. The turn is (A -5 -2 )-8 . Villain1 bets 360.
Question 3
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
85
86
You call. The river is (A -5 -2 -8 )-10 . Villain1 checks.
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
87
88
You check behind and win when the Villain says “no pair” and mucks his hand.
89
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 6 c) 10 d) 7
You should almost always re-raise for value with a premium holding on the button.
Try to re-raise an amount that your opponents can call with a fairly wide range of
hands that you crush. If you re-raise too large, they might fold hands you want them
to continue with, such as A-3 and Q-J.
Calling is an option if you know your opponents will frequently fold to a re-
raise, or if you have been re-raising rarely. The last thing you want to do is to re-
raise with a premium hand when your opponents expect you to only do so with such
a hand, in which case they may call with hands that have huge implied odds against
your range.
90
91
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 8 c) 4 d) 1
Both checking behind on the flop and betting small are fine plays. When you check
behind, you must have a clear idea of how you should proceed on the turn and river
if your opponent shows aggression. Be aware that most LAG opponents will bet on
the turn almost blindly, hoping to make you fold what they assume is a weak made
hand. Clearly, if you induce a bluff and you have a bluff-catcher, your plan should
not be to fold. If you bet, don’t bet large. It’s much better to bet an amount that your
opponent can easily call with a worse hand. He will probably only call a big bet
with an ace or better – meaning a large bet will usually result in your opponent
playing almost perfectly.
92
93
Answer 3
a) 4 b) 10 c) 2 d) 1
Checking behind on the flop has probably induced some turn bluffs from your LAG
opponent, so you must continue. Of course, you have an easy fold against a
straightforward player who would only bet the turn with an ace or better, but that
certainly is not the case against a generic LAG.
Raising is pointless because Villain1 will almost always call only with better
hands. Make a point to keep your opponent in with his bluffs.
94
95
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 6 c) 2 d) 0
Your opponent’s check on the river does not imply he doesn’t have an ace. Some
good players will check a weak ace on the river, fearing you also have a slightly
better ace and will never fold to a bet. This should usually lead you to check behind
on the river, expecting to win some percentage of the time.
If you think your opponent will always value-bet with an ace or better on the
river, you should probably make a small value-bet yourself, hoping for calls from
marginal made hands worse than an ace. Again, a small bet should be ideal because
he will likely fold those hands to a large bet.
Summary
Value-bet on the river only when you’re sure that worse made hands will call at
least half the time. If you remember back to Volume 1, simply having the best hand
on the river is not a good enough reason to value-bet. You must have the best hand
more than half the time when your bet is called. Given the river action, you
probably have the best hand around 65 percent of the time, but you will have a
tough time getting called by worse made hands, especially with a large bet, because
your range looks like mostly weak aces or strong underpairs.
The river would present an interesting situation if Villain1 had decided to bet
again. I would have likely called a river bet from this opponent, but he didn’t bluff
when he had no showdown value, so folding might have been better. However, he
might adjust and start to bluff often in this spot, thinking I will fold on the river, in
which case calling will be the correct play. An intelligent player who sees you
make a somewhat loose call for one bet will likely look to fire additional barrels at
you in the future, hoping to make you fold most of your range, which he will
perceive as weak. Hence, if this exact situation were to occur again on the next
orbit, I would likely call this player’s river bet.
As an aside, amateurs often bemoan their bad luck when they have a big pair and
an ace appears on the flop, as if they expect the board to always come with only
undercards to their pair. They often quickly fold at the first sign of aggression,
assuming their opponent must have an ace. Your opponent could easily have an ace.
But he might assume you don’t have the ace—especially if you show weakness—
and try to force you to fold what he assumes to be a marginal made hand. Be aware
of your opponents’ tendencies. Calling down some players on both the turn and
river with a wide range is super standard when you show weakness on the flop.
Against others, you should fold to the first bet.
96
Hand 6: Pair Plus Flush Draw
Hand: J -9
Position: Button
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a standard young TAG. Villain2 is a random player. Villain3 is a weak,

tight player who rarely gets out of line. Villain1 raises to 60 and Villain2 calls.
Question 1
What do you do with J -9 ?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
97
98
You decide to call. Villain3 calls as well. The flop comes A -9 -2 .
Villain3 leads out for 60 and Villain1 calls. Villain2 quickly folds.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
99
100
You raise to 230. Villain3 folds and Villain1 calls.
The turn is (A -9 -2 )-2 . Villain1 checks.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
101
102
You decide to check behind.
The river is (A -9 -2 -2 )-8 . Villain1 checks.
Question 4
What is your play?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
103
104
You check again, losing to Villain1’s A -3 .
105
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 4 d) 2
You should almost always call and see a flop against an early position raiser when
the stacks are fairly deep, you are in position and your hand has huge implied odds,
such as with suited connectors, suited aces and pairs. Re-raising is usually not a
good idea. The initial raiser often has a better hand than yours and will be
somewhat unlikely to fold before the flop.
106
107
Answer 2
a) 0 b) 7 c) 10 d) 6
It’s fine to either call or raise on the flop. Calling is acceptable if you expect to
have very little fold equity, but it’s usually best to bloat the pot when you are in
position with a strong draw. You want the potential to win a large pot when you hit.
It’s hard to do this when you call and keep the pot small. You have two options.
You can raise small with the intention of rarely bluffing if called, assuming the
caller must have an ace. Or you can raise large, hoping to barrel your opponent off
an ace by the river. You are in the pot with a flop leader who probably has some
sort of made hand, and an early position raiser who will likely has a strong ace if
he calls your raise. So, a smaller raise is probably ideal. In general, it is not a great
idea to try to bluff two opponents off relatively strong ranges by firing multiple
barrels.
108
109
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 1 c) 4 d) 3
The turn is one of the worst cards in the deck for you, as you probably won’t be
able to make your opponent fold an ace with turn and river bluffs. Fire again if you
think he’ll assume you must have a premium hand to bet on the turn and river. If you
decide to bet the turn, you must bet on the river as well. Almost anyone will call
with an ace on the turn, so your turn bet will have very little fold equity. That’s
alright if you expect your future bets to have significant fold equity. Still, this seems
like a bad spot for a bluff.
110
111
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 0 c) 3 d) 5
The river fails to improve your hand. You may occasionally win if your opponent
has a flush draw, and he will almost never fold an ace to one more bet, so you
should check behind and expect to lose this pot. If you feel that you must bet,
consider a big one, but even then, don’t be shocked if your opponent calls with any
ace.
Summary
Pay attention to the board texture when playing a pair plus a draw. Your pair is
likely behind if you raise the flop and are called. It’s reasonable to call instead of
raising if you will be unlikely to bluff on the turn if you miss. On A -9 -2 , there
are very few good turn cards for you to bluff on if you miss. Despite this, it’s rarely
bad to raise the flop and check down, hoping to win a large pot when you improve.
If the board were instead 10 -9 -2 , you could realistically bluff any overcard,
as well as some of the obvious straight cards, making it a much better play to a
raise on the flop with the intention of barreling.
112
Hand 7: Trips versus Gustav
Hand: J -9
Position: Button
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a tight, passive 40-year-old. Villain2 is Gustav, the semi-maniac who is

still on tilt. The players in the blinds are unknown. Villain1 limps and Gustav limps
behind.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
113
114
You decide to call. The blinds call as well. The flop comes J -J -4 .
Villain3 bets 60. Villain4 and Villain1 fold. Gustav calls.
Question 2
The pot is 220. You face a bet of 60 and the effective stack size is 3,980 with
Villain3. What is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
115
116
You call. The turn is (J -J -4 )-A . Everyone checks to you.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
117
118
You bet 140, Villain3 folds and Gustav check-raises to 420.
Question 4
The pot is 840. You face a raise to 420 and the effective stack size is 2,780 with
Gustav. What is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
119
120
You call. The river is (J -J -4 -A )-6 . Gustav quickly fires out 800.
Question 5
is your action?
a) Fold b) Call 800 c) Raise to 1,800 d) Go all-in for 1,700 more
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
121
122
You decide to call and beat Gustav’s 5 -3 .
123
Answer 1
a) 2 b) 10 c) 8 d) 3
You want to see a flop on the button when possible with a wide range of hands due
to your positional advantage. You can certainly raise, although I prefer to limp and
see a cheap flop when my opponents are aggressive. If you decide to raise, you
should usually make it an amount that is easy to balance, which is often around the
size of the pot. You can also raise large with your weak hands, hoping to steal the
pot immediately, if you think your opponents are so bad that they won’t catch on to
this exploitable play.
124
125
Answer 2
a) 0 b) 10 c) 7 d) 2
With trips on an overly dry board, both raising small and calling have merits.
Raising large will usually force opponents to fold without a jack or better. A large
raise would be bad in any case, since you lose to a number of better jacks. You can
raise small if you think your opponents will often assume you are trying to steal the
pot, which may or may not be the case depending on your image. Calling is also
fine if you think it will induce your opponents to overvalue marginal made hands on
the turn, or perhaps to go into pot-control mode, calling bets on the turn and river.
The last thing you want is to raise and force your opponents off most hands worse
than a jack.
126
127
Answer 3
a) 0 b) 10 c) 7 d) 3
When checked to on the turn, you should usually bet an amount that will keep your
opponents in with most of their marginal made hands. Betting around 3/4-pot would
normally be good if a low card appeared on the turn, since your opponents would
much more likely call down with a medium pair. When sizing your turn bet, try to
figure out if your opponents can call a fairly small bet with any pair or better, or if
they will only call with an ace or better. Betting half-pot is much better if they will
call that bet with all made hands but would fold all hands worse than an ace to a
3/4-pot bet. The larger bet is ideal if they will call either bet with only an ace or
better. Think about your opponents’ various calling ranges based on your bet size
and act accordingly.
128
129
Answer 4
a) 0 b) 10 c) 2 d) 4
When raised by a wild player who may be on tilt, you should tend to call to induce
a river bluff. A call will save you money if Gustav has you beat with a better jack
or 4-4, and he’ll likely fold a worse made hand if you re-raise. A call will keep
him in the pot with his worse made hands as well as his bluffs. There are a few
draws on the turn, but they are backdoor draws, meaning they should be discounted,
and you won’t lose a huge pot if he hits on the river.
130
131
Answer 5
a) 0 b) 10 c) 3 d) 3
Sticking with the plan, you have a fairly easy call when Gustav fires again on the
river. There’s little point in raising, since you lose to a few made hands and he
probably won’t call a raise with worse than a jack. If you know Gustav tends to
call river raises with a wide range, perhaps with an ace or better, assuming you
must be polarized, raising becomes a decent idea.
Summary
It is interesting to note that Gustav actually floated the flop with nothing, then ran a
huge bluff on the turn and river, probably trying to make you fold an ace or worse.
You called the flop, so he incorrectly assumed you could not have a jack. While you
do lose to most jacks, you still have to call down against someone who is not afraid
to take overly creative lines. Some players may justify re-raising the turn because
Gustav had outs. That is not good logic, especially since he fired again on the river
with nothing. Notice if he fired again on most rivers, which is almost certainly the
case because he fired an effective blank, you would win a river bet roughly 75
percent of the time, which means Gustav would be directing tons of money your
way. While it’s never enjoyable to be outdrawn, it is usually best to let your
opponent draw when he will attempt a bluff most of the time when he misses.
132
Hand 8: Nuts Again versus Gustav
Hand: J -5
Position: BB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is tight and passive. Villain2 is Gustav, who recently bluffed off a decent
amount of his stack to you. The small blind is a weak, tight 50-year-old. Villain1,
Gustav and Villain3 all limp.
Question 1
The action is on you in the big blind.
a) Fold b) Check c) Raise to 100 d) Raise to 160
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
133
134
You check. The flop comes J -8 -5 . Villain3 checks.
Question 2
The pot is 80 and the effective stack size is roughly 1,580.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
135
136
You decide to check. Villain1 also checks.
Gustav bets 70 and Villain3 folds.
Question 3
The pot is 150. You face a bet of 70 and the effective stack size is 1,580.
a) Fold b) Call 70 c) Raise to 200 d) Raise all-in for 1,510 more
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
137
138
You raise to 200. Villain1 folds and Gustav calls.
The turn is (J -8 -5 )-10 .
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
139
140
You bet 380 and Gustav goes all-in for 1,020 more.
Question 5
The pot is 2,260. You face an all-in raise to 1,400.
a) Fold b) Call 1,020
(a) (b) Points: ……………
Answer
141
142
You call and lose to Gustav’s Q -9 when the river blanks.
143
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 2 d) 3
Folding is out of the question because you can check and see a flop for free.
Raising small or large is usually not a good idea with total trash, unless you have
been especially tight recently. If your opponents assume you will only raise with a
premium hand, perhaps a raise to 160 around 3 percent of the time is ideal.
144
145
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 2 c) 6 d) 4
With two pair, your options are to either check with the intention of check-raising
or to bet. There are numerous possible draws and most turn cards will be bad for
your hand, so it is usually best to go for a check-raise. If you bet and someone calls,
you will be out of position with fairly deep stacks with what is effectively a bluff-
catcher on most turns. Notice that any club, A, K, Q, 10, 9, 7, 6 or 4 could be bad
for you. If you can only happily continue on a few specific cards, it is usually best
to check-raise to charge the draws as much as possible and to get a decent amount
of money in the pot when you are almost certainly ahead.
If the board were J-5-2 instead, you would usually want to lead because you
would fear few turn cards, allowing you to continue value-betting.
Think about what will happen on future streets if you take a specific line on the
current street. Players who think about one street at a time usually don’t survive
long.
146
147
Answer 3
a) 0 b) 6 c) 10 d) 1
Sticking with the plan, you should check-raise to an amount that allows Gustav to
call with most of his marginal made hands that you have crushed. While you could
raise huge, hoping to force him to fold his draws, this might also fold out made
hands that are drawing thin. Size your bets so that you can comfortably continue
against your opponent’s calling range.
148
149
Answer 4
a) 3 b) 5 c) 10 d) 2
The turn is not ideal, but it isn’t terrible. Furthermore, a maniac like Gustav has
such a wide range that you should not simply give up on any turn. Make a bet that
continues to extract value from worse made hands. A large bet may force him to
fold marginal made hands that are drawing thin. Also, you could easily be crushed
at this point. Whenever that’s the case, you want to size your bet such that your
opponent can continue with a wide range of inferior hands. You could also check
with the intention of calling, but given the number of possible draws, that line is not
ideal.
150
151
Answer 5
a) 2 b) 10
When Gustav goes all-in, it is too likely that he has some sort of draw, or a pair
plus a draw. You will occasionally be drawing thin, but you have the pot odds to
continue against someone as wild as Gustav.
Summary
Realize that maniacs will often win large pots from you, mainly because they play
more large pots than other players. Many players think they should always win
against a maniac, especially when they flop a strong hand. Do not develop this
mental flaw. Even a maniac will win around 35 percent of the time. Do not let a
minor setback bother you. Continue playing with a sound mind because now the
maniac has twice as many chips for you to siphon away.
152
Hand 9: A-K!
Hand: A -K
Position: Button
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a LAG kid who seems to raise often from all positions. Villain2 is
Gustav, who is likely still on tilt despite recently doubling up through you. Villain3
is a tight player who seems straightforward. You perhaps have a tilty image
because you just doubled up Gustav. Villain1 raises to 60. Gustav and Villain3 call.
Question 1
What do you do with A -K ?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
153
154
You re-raise to 300 and everyone folds.
155
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 9 c) 10 d) 5
While this hand may seem quite straightforward, you must take care to avoid a nasty
situation by re-raising a first-position raiser with A-K before the flop. Without a
tilty image, calling could easily be the best play. With a tilty image, you can be
somewhat happy to re-raise with the intention of getting all-in against Villain1 or
Gustav. Notice Villain3 is too deep to get all-in against. When you have a sane
image and re-raise, most opponents will fold some junky hands, such as A-7 and K-
9, which you want to keep in the pot. If you play well post-flop in position, you
should seriously consider calling with hands such as J-J and A-K, which do poorly
against a reasonably strong 4-betting range.
Summary
Weak players fare poorly when they call instead of re-raising with premium hands
from late position. They feel that they must raise and re-raise, hoping to get all-in
when they flop top pair or an overpair. They get a ton of money in when drawing
thin, as one pair is rarely good when you get a lot of money in on the flop. When
you flop top pair or an overpair after calling pre-flop, your general strategy must be
to call down with the intention of betting if checked to, unless your opponent is a
calling station or you are a maniac, in which case raising for value starts to gain
merit.
156
Hand 10: Try Again with Two Pair
Hand: K -8
Position: SB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a LAG who likes to limp before the flop. Both Villain2 and Villain3 are
fairly tight, straightforward and uncreative. Villain1 and Villain2 limp.
Question 1
What do you do with K -8 ?
a) Fold b) Call 10 more c) Raise to 100 d) Raise to 160
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
157
158
You call and Villain3 checks. The flop comes K -8 -4 .
Question 2
The pot is 80 and the effective stack size is roughly 3,980.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
159
160
You check, as does Villain3. Villain1 bets 60 and Villain2 folds.
Question 3
The pot is 140. You face a bet of 60 and the effective stack size is 3,980.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
161
162
You raise to 170. Villain3 folds and Villain1 calls.
The turn is (K -8 -4 )-9 .
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
163
164
You bet 320 and Villain1 quickly calls. The river is (K -8 -4 -9 )-Q .
Question 5
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
165
166
You check and Villain1 checks behind, mucking when you reveal your hand.
167
Answer 1
a) 2 b) 10 c) 3 d) 5
When you’re getting 7-to-1 from the small blind with a marginal hand, you can call
and see a cheap flop, assuming you play well on later streets. It may be tempting to
see a flop with any two cards, but you should certainly fold the worst hands, such
as J-3, 8-4, 7-2 and 6-2. You should also fold hands such as Q-x and K-x if you call
down too wide or otherwise play poorly post-flop. These hands often have high
reverse implied odds when played poorly. You could consider raising with K-8,
but you will usually get at least one caller and will be out of position throughout the
hand.
168
169
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 3 c) 6 d) 8
These two pair are a bit different than those you had earlier, J-5 on J -8 -5 ,
because fewer draws are possible. This makes leading reasonable because you can
continue value-betting on most non-club turns. Any bet should be fairly large
compared to the pot to get as much money in as possible. Your opponents won’t be
too scared when you bet large - perhaps even full-pot – into a tiny pot, and limped
pots are usually small. Of course, you can also attempt a check-raise. This is easily
best if you expect someone yet to act will often bet, and will assume your check-
raise indicates you are drawing.
170
171
Answer 3
a) 0 b) 6 c) 10 d) 4
Sticking with the plan, you should check-raise. Your opponent can easily call with
lots of pairs and flush draws, allowing you to extract good value. A large check-
raise may scare off some of the worst made hands, which would not be ideal.
172
173
Answer 4
a) 2 b) 4 c) 10 d) 6
The 9 is a fairly safe turn, so you should continue betting for value. You can bet a
bit large to extract maximum value from the one-pair hands and draws that are
likely to call any normal-sized bet.
Some players hope to fold out draws with a check-raise. Unless you plan to
check-raise as a bluff in the future, which will be quite risky, it’s poor strategy to
check-raise only with hands you want to protect, especially against a competent
opponent. Simply continue to bet with your entire range to get more money in the
pot when you are value-betting and to build a pot when you’re drawing.
174
175
Answer 5
a) 10 b) 7 c) 9 d) 6
It’s fine to either check or bet on the river, depending on your opponent’s
tendencies. Your optimal play in most river situations when the obvious draws miss
depends very much on your opponent. You should certainly check if he will bet
with missed draws and marginal made hands, and bet if he will rarely bluff with
missed draws and will check behind with marginal made hands.
Summary
You should be more inclined to check against an aggressive opponent, especially if
you think he would usually call your flop raise and not re-raise with draws. This is
because aggressive opponents are usually capable of bluffing with no showdown
value, and of value-betting somewhat thin.
A passive player will usually check behind with busted draws and made hands,
conceding the pot. You must value-bet against passive opponents.
I decided to check, probably because my opponent was fairly aggressive. Since
he did not bet when checked to, I would probably bet on the river against him in
similar situations in the future.
176
Hand 11: Finally, a Real Hand
Hand: K -K
Position: MP1
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a standard TAG kid. Villain2 is Stan, a LAG kid who tries to prove to
the other players how good he is. He likes to be the “table captain”. Villain3 is
your friend, Gustav.
Gustav straddles to 40 from first position. A straddle is a blind bet that acts
exactly like a third blind. If everyone happens to limp, he will have the option to
raise. In general, you do not want to straddle from first position, as you will be
putting dead money in the pot from out of position for no good reason. Players tend
to straddle when they are looking to gamble.
Question 1
The action folds to you in MP1.
What do you do with K -K ?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
177
178
You raise to 110. Both Villain1 and Stan call. Gustav folds.
The flop comes 8 -4 -3 . Both blinds check to you.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
179
180
You bet 210 and both opponents call. The turn is (8 -4 -3 )-A .
Both Villain1 and Stan again check to you.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
181
182
You decide to check behind. The river is (8 -4 -3 -A )-2 .
Villain1 checks and Stan bets 640.
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
183
184
You decide to raise to 1,600. Villain1 quickly folds and Stan thinks for around five
minutes before folding A -3 face up, as if he made a great fold.
185
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 7 c) 10 d) 6
It’s almost always bad to limp with the intention of re-raising. However, with the
tilting Gustav in the straddle, you should at least consider limping to induce him or
someone else to raise. If someone obliges, you should usually re-raise to around
2.7 times that player’s raise, assuming it’s fairly sizable. You don’t want to limp
and re-raise huge, hoping to steal the pot. When you have a premium hand, you want
action, not to force everyone to fold.
Given the deep stacks and your poor position, it’s best to simply make a standard
raise to around 3 times the largest blind, which is the straddle to 40 in this
situation.
186
187
Answer 2
a) 1 b) 4 c) 10 d) 7
With an overpair, especially in position, you should almost always make a bet that
numerous worse made hands can reasonably call. If you bet too big, you may force
your opponents to fold marginal holdings such as 6-6 and 5-3. Checking behind,
effectively slow-playing, is not good because the turn can bring a number of rather
scary cards.
188
189
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 7 c) 4 d) 2
You should check behind despite your now having the nut-flush draw. Your
opponents will have a tough time calling another bet with less than an ace. It’s
usually bad to bet if better hands tend to call and worse tend to fold. Checking
behind also denies players the opportunity to check-raise, so you can see the river
for free. If you decide to bet, make it fairly small, hopefully keeping in worse pair-
plus-flush-draw hands. Of course, if you bet and are called, you should check
behind on the river unless you’ve improved.
190
191
Answer 4
a) 8 b) 3 c) 10 d) 1
When your opponent bets on the river, he likely has a hand he perceives as strong.
His range consists almost entirely of flushes, straights, sets, two pair and some
bluffs. You should tend to fold, since you lose to almost his entire range. However,
given you have the K in your hand, the thought of bluffing should at least enter
your mind because your opponent cannot have the nut flush. This is quite risky; it
should be somewhat obvious that you do not have the flush because you would have
almost certainly bet it on the turn for value. You would also not raise the river with
a straight, fearing your opponent could have the flush. Hence, you should usually
not attempt this bluff against excellent opponents or calling stations.
However, most players are far from excellent. Some will consistently convince
themselves you are bluffing. This bluff would be suicidal against those players.
Others will convince themselves that you are never bluffing. While you should
always strive to take a line that includes some realistic value-hands, it is not
necessary if your opponent expects you to rarely bluff. With your generally solid
image and the fact that Stan often likes to prove how good he is, this bluff has some
merit.
It is important to pick a good bet size in this situation. Against a strong opponent,
you want to bet an amount that will induce him to think you want a call. This will
actually result in his folding because he will assume your fairly small bet must be
for value. In this scenario, making a larger raise, perhaps to 2,500 or more, will
often result in your opponent calling because he will assume you are trying to make
him fold. When running wild bluffs, you must know, or at least be able to estimate,
what your opponent perceives as strong.
Summary
I am not sure if this bluff is anywhere near optimal. I concluded that it would
usually work because I thought Stan might convince himself to fold almost
everything but the nuts, which he could not have. If he had decided to look me up, I
would have adjusted fairly drastically, running almost no bluffs in the foreseeable
future, especially against him.
When everyone at the table assumes you may be on tilt, expect them to look you
up with a wide range.
192
Hand 12: Gutshot
Hand: J -8
Position: SB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Chad, a weak, tight, passive, middle-aged guy who seems to not be a
good player. Villain2 is the same TAG kid who got all-in with 10-10 against your
Q-Q earlier and sucked out. On a previous orbit from the big blind, he raised a few
limpers and they all folded. Chad limps.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
193
194
You decide to call 10 more. Villain2 raises to 120. Chad quickly folds.
Question 2
The pot is 160. You face a raise to 120 and the effective stack size is 3,980. What
is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
195
196
You call. The flop comes Q -9 -4 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
197
198
You check and Villain2 bets 150.
Question 4
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
199
200
You decide to call. The turn is (Q -9 -4 )-9 .
Question 5
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
201
202
You check and Villain2 checks behind. The river is (Q -9 -4 -9 )-2 .
Question 6
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
203
204
You bet 340 and Villain2 quickly folds.
205
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 8 d) 5
It’s fine to either limp to see a cheap flop or to raise, hoping to either steal the pot
before the flop or isolate the weak limper. You generally don’t want to raise
limpers when out of position unless you think you have reasonable pre-flop fold
equity. You also should do nothing to dissuade weak opponents from open-limping
from late position, which is a huge leak. These are all reasons why limping from
the small blind is a bit better than raising.
206
207
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 8 c) 6 d) 5
Since you think your opponent is getting out of line fairly often, you should vary
your play wildly in this situation, depending on how you think each player will
react to these options.
Of course, folding is easily best if you think Villain2 will play well if you either
call or re-raise.
You limped in from the small blind, so re-raising is probably not ideal. Your
opponent should realize that you are likely bluffing to take advantage of his
aggression. This is not a good idea when out of position because your opponent
will usually continue in the pot.
The only other realistic option is to call, looking to make a play after the flop if
the board is good for your range.
Continuing in this pot can lead to nasty situations after the flop. If you navigate
them well, you can profit from this situation and others that will likely develop due
to your aggressive dynamic with Villain2.
I called in this hand, but I now think folding would have been better because I
was out of position with a fairly bad hand.
Especially when out of position, if your primary way to win the pot will be to
run a somewhat aggressive bluff, you should probably rethink your plan.
208
209
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 2 c) 7 d) 6
You should either lead or check with your gutshot, looking to continue by either
check-raising or calling if your opponent continuation bets. Leading is ideal if it
will induce him to play straightforwardly, but a player who is anywhere near
competent will rarely fold with any part of his range, putting you in tough spots on
future streets.
210
211
Answer 4
a) 7 b) 9 c) 10 d) 3
You can go several ways, depending on how you expect your opponent to react.
It’s fine to fold if you expect him to only continuation bet with fairly strong
holdings.
If you think he’ll bet with his entire range, you should either call with the
intention of perhaps check-raising the turn, or raise, hoping to steal the pot
immediately or when a scary card peels on the turn.
Check-raising is probably ideal on this draw-heavy board. You could look to
call the flop and check-raise the turn if the board were a bit drier.
Again, I picked the line that I now think is suboptimal. Reviewing your play will
help you fix leaks so you can play better in the future. Do not overlook that integral
part of poker study.
212
213
Answer 5
a) 10 b) 2 c) 7 d) 3
If your plan was to check-raise the turn, checking is still probably ideal. Leading
becomes strong if you think it will force your opponent off all hands worse than a
queen. It’s always hard to know how a somewhat unknown player will react to a
turn lead when you could have easily improved to a premium hand. Some will
always play straightforwardly and others will assume you must be bluffing. You
will figure out how to better continue in this spot as you gain experience with an
opponent.
214
215
Answer 6
a) 6 b) 2 c) 10 d) 7
You have no showdown value. Your opponent will fold to a bet with at least part of
his range. Hence, a bluff might be in order. However, the turn hit your range so hard
that most smart opponents would pot-control, checking behind on the turn with
almost their entire range. If that’s the case, Villain2 will never fold to a river bet
with numerous hands in his range because he still beats all of your busted draws.
You should still bet as if you had a 9, hoping to fold out most of his marginal made
hands and air. He might call if you bet large, assuming you are bluffing. If you bet
too small, he’ll likely call because he’ll feel priced in with his entire range of
marginal made hands. The ideal bet size is one your opponent will assume must be
a value-bet.
216
Hand 13: Facing a Weak Limp
Hand: K -4
Position: Button
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Chad, the guy who likes to limp with a wide range from most positions
and plays passively when confronted with aggression.
Chad limps.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
217
218
You raise to 80 and only Chad calls.
The flop comes 5 -4 -2 . Chad checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
219
220
You bet 110 and Chad folds.
221
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 3 c) 10 d) 3
This hand provides a nice contrast to the previous one, where you limped in from
the small blind with J-8. Raising becomes vastly superior to limping this time, due
to your position. With a marginal hand, you don’t mind forcing the blinds to fold,
and you will often play a heads-up pot in position against an overly straightforward
player. This is one of the most profitable spots you will find in poker.
A small raise to around 80 is much better than a larger raise because the latter
will allow Chad to play well by folding, winning you a 50 pot when he has trash.
When you raise small, you will lose from time to time when your opponent flops
something, but the pot will be much larger, and if you play well, you will often find
a way to win it by the river unless your opponent has nearly the nuts.
222
223
Answer 2
a) 6 b) 4 c) 10 d) 5
Realize that this flop is not actually good for your hand. If Chad check-calls, you
should continue bluffing on most turn cards. You are not really playing your hand
for its value. You should bet with almost your entire range in this situation, hoping
to make your opponent fold by the river. You want to bet an amount that keeps the
pot manageable while still giving you fold equity. While a large bet can force your
opponent to continue only with a premium holding, betting a bit smaller can keep
him in the pot with marginal hands that you can force to fold on a future street.
224
Hand 14: Flopped Boat
Hand: 2 -2
Position: UTG
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a TAG kid who seems competent. Villain2 and Villain3 are unknown.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
225
226
You decide to raise to 60. All three Villains call.
The flop comes A -A -A . Villain2 and Villain3 check.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
227
228
You bet 80 and only Villain1 calls. The turn is (A -A -A )-7 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
229
230
You bet 120 and Villain1 calls. The river is (A -A -A -7 )-10 .
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
231
232
You check and Villain1 checks behind. You win when he announces, “no pair.”
233
Answer 1
a) 5 b) 5 c) 10 d) 2
It’s reasonable to fold from early position with small pairs if your opponents play
well by frequently and intelligently applying aggression. Limping is acceptable if
they play poorly, rarely applying pressure and paying you off when you make a set.
Raising is usually best at a generic table where your opponents are competent and
will assume your early position limping range must be weak, because it helps
balance your range.
234
235
Answer 2
a) 1 b) 10 c) 8 d) 3
You should bet small in this spot, both for value and protection. You do not mind if
your opponents fold random overcards, such as 10-9 and 7-4, as they all have
reasonable equity against your hand. You can also be fairly confident someone will
call with K- or Q-high, allowing you to extract value.
Betting large will usually get you action only from pairs, which have you
crushed. Always make value-bets that can realistically be called by worse
holdings.
236
237
Answer 3
a) 7 b) 10 c) 4 d) 2
The 7 is unlikely to improve your opponent’s hand. His calling range is mostly high
cards and pairs, so you should bet again, both for value and protection. As on the
flop, you should bet fairly small so he can realistically call with K-high. If you bet
large, he will probably only continue with pairs.
238
239
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 7 c) 4 d) 2
The 10 is not too bad, although you now lose to K-10. Your opponent probably
won’t call an additional bet with K-high, so it’s probably best to check. If you
decide to bet, you should again bet an amount that worse hands can easily call.
There is little merit to making a large bet, hoping to force your opponent off hands
such as 6-6 and 3-3, because few players fold a full house, no matter how bad.
Summary
You would be in a tough spot if Villain1 decided to bet the river. Most intelligent
players will value-bet any reasonable full house when you check to them, assuming
you must have K-high or a small pair. These same players may also turn K- or Q-
high into a bluff, assuming you will give them credit for a decent pair or the ace. I
wouldn’t like it, but I would probably fold on the river to a reasonably sized bet
from a TAG unless I thought him capable of bluffing on the river with a wide range
when I checked to him.
240
Hand 15: Battling the Table Captain
Hand: Q -5
Position: SB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Stan, the kid who likes to be the table captain. You bluffed him with K-
K on the river earlier. He has been fairly active and creative, but seems to give you
a bit too much respect. Given your previous hand with him, he may not be in the
mood to make a big fold again. Stan raises to 70 from the cutoff.
Question 1
What do you do with Q -5 ?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
241
242
You re-raise to 210 and Stan calls. The flop comes Q -6 -4 .
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
243
244
You bet 230 and Stan calls. The turn is (Q -6 -4 )-5 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
245
246
You check and Stan checks behind. The river is (Q -6 -4 -5 )-A .
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
247
248
You check and Stan bets 560.
Question 5
The pot is 1,460, you face a bet of 560 and the effective stack size is 5,560. What is
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
249
250
You call and lose to A -4 .
251
Answer 1
a) 10 b) 2 c) 8 d) 1
If you expect Stan to frequently fold or to play straightforwardly if you re-raise,
then that is by far the best option if used judiciously.
Your opponent is probably starting to get suspicious about your aggression, and
may therefore be somewhat unwilling to fold. Because of this, your best play is
probably to fold to his raise. That said, if you expect to stay in this game for a
while, it is rarely bad to quickly develop an aggressive dynamic against your
opponent. Even if re-raising costs you some equity, you will drastically increase
the expected value of the premium hands you pick up later.
252
253
Answer 2
a) 2 b) 4 c) 10 d) 7
You should usually bet for value with top pair when out of position in a re-raised
pot. It’s generally best to bet the same amount with your entire range. If you bet
larger, unless Stan thinks you primarily make large bets when you are bluffing, you
may force him off most marginal hands, which is not good when you have most of
them crushed. Betting smaller also has some merit, but given the somewhat draw-
heavy board, a larger bet is probably better.
254
255
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 3 c) 8 d) 6
The turn is one of the worst cards both for your hand and your probable range,
which should consist mostly of strong pre-flop holdings. This should lead you to
check to induce a bluff. If you bet, Stan may be capable of raising the turn as a bluff
or semi-bluff; checking allows you to sidestep that dilemma.
Betting for value is reasonable if you think Stan will continue calling down with
worse made hands, such as Q-10 and 9-9. If you think he is only capable of raising
the turn with a better made hand, you should certainly bet for value because you
crush his entire calling range.
Checking is probably ideal against a creative player like Stan.
256
257
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 3 c) 8 d) 4
The river should nail a large part of your turn checking range. A hand worse than an
ace is not likely to call a bet, so you should check.
Betting becomes a realistic option if you think Stan would float a Q -6 -4 flop
with A-high. You should make a fairly large value-bet, of perhaps 2/3- or 3/4-pot,
if you are confident your opponent has an ace. A small bet doesn’t extract maximum
value because he will probably fold all hands worse than an ace, regardless of your
bet size.
258
259
Answer 5
a) 0 b) 10 c) 1 d) 2
Your plan when checking the turn should almost never be to fold to a river bet. You
may have induced a bluff by checking both the turn and the river. Your opponent
could easily be value-betting a worse made hand. Either way, you have an easy
call.
Summary
Stan’s bet size is excellent because it probably doesn’t indicate much about the
strength of his hand. If he had made either a larger or smaller bet, you could
perhaps find a fold based on his tendencies. He would likely make such a bet both
for value and as a bluff, so you simply have to call.
Note that Stan decided to call your pre-flop raise with A-4. He was likely
planning to make some sort of play at you after the flop if he failed to connect with
the board. Knowing that, your pre-flop re-raise was probably bad because it had
almost no fold equity.
Be aware of your opponent’s mood and adjust accordingly. If you knew how your
opponent was feeling at the time, you would only re-raise with value hands that
could withstand a decent amount of pressure.
260
Hand 16: Top Pair
Hand: A -K
Position: UTG
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Chad, the tight, passive kid who rarely gets out of line. Villain2 is a
standard TAG. Villain3 is also tight and passive.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
261
262
You raise to 60 and all three Villains call. The flop comes A -J -3 .
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
263
264
You bet 150 and Chad calls. Villain2 and Villain3 fold.
The turn is (A -J -3 )-7 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
265
266
You bet 260 and Chad again calls. The river is (A -J -3 -7 )-6 .
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
267
268
You bet 640. Chad happily calls and loses with A -10 .
269
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 2 c) 10 d) 3
You should always raise with a premium hand from first position, barring a very
unusual situation, such as a player yet to act who always makes gigantic raises
when someone limps. There is no need for a larger than normal raise in the hopes
of thinning the field. You want people to call with inferior holdings, especially
when you have a strong hand.
270
271
Answer 2
a) 0 b) 10 c) 8 d) 2
With top pair, you should make a standard continuation bet of between half- and
2/3-pot. Checking will often allow your opponents to draw out for free, which is
not a good result. Checking with the intention of check-raising is also bad because
most players will only call with hands better than top pair, top kicker. A giant bet is
also not ideal. Except against calling stations, it will probably force players to fold
made hands as strong as a weak ace.
272
273
Answer 3
a) 0 b) 5 c) 10 d) 8
You should generally assume Chad has some sort of one-pair hand when he calls
your flop continuation bet. Most straightforward players will raise the flop with
two pair or better. Unless Chad turned two pair with A-7, you probably have the
best hand. You should bet around half-pot against a range consisting of mostly A-x
and J-x, looking to extract additional value. If you think your opponent has squarely
an ace, you should probably bet larger, perhaps around 4/5-pot, expecting him to
never fold. When value-betting, think about the range you expect he’ll call with and
adjust your bet size accordingly.
274
275
Answer 4
a) 0 b) 2 c) 10 d) 8
When Chad just calls on the turn, you should be confident he has one pair on the
river unless he made aces up with A-6. This should lead you to value-bet again.
Some players will never fold an ace to any reasonable bet, while others will only
call a bet of around 2/3-pot or less. Make the largest bet you think your opponent
will call with most of his made hands.
The only bad moves are to either check, allowing Chad to check behind with his
one-pair hands, or to value-bet small, leaving a ton of money on the table.
Summary
While this hand may seem straightforward, people often play poorly by checking on
the turn or river. These players have been traumatized by experiences when they bet
the turn or river and faced a raise. Your hand should quickly hit the muck if a tight,
passive player raises on the turn or river. You could perhaps check the turn or river
against an overly aggressive opponent, but even then, value-betting on all three
streets almost always leads to the most profit.
276
Hand 17: Nothing
Hand: A -Q
Position: BB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Chad, the tight, passive, straightforward player who just check-called
down with A-10 against your A-K. Villain2 is also tight and passive. Chad raises
to 60 and Villain2 calls.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
277
278
You call. The flop comes 8 -3 -2 .
Question 2
The pot is 190 and the effective stack size is 3,940 with Chad and 4,940 with
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
279
280
You and both your opponents check. The turn is (8 -3 -2 )-6 .
Question 3
The pot is 190 and the effective stack size is 3,940 with Chad and 4,940 with
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
281
282
You bet 110. Chad and Villain2 fold.
283
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 2 d) 5
You should tend to call a raise from a tight, passive player with most of your non-
premium holdings, especially when out of position. If you re-raise and Chad
continues in the pot, either by calling or re-raising, you cannot be too thrilled about
the relative strength of A-Q compared to his range. Re-raising tiny has no merit, as
your opponents will almost always call and see a flop in position. When you are
out of position, you typically want to see a flop as cheaply as possible with your
playable holdings.
284
285
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 3 c) 6 d) 6
You missed the flop, but this is not a bad board for A-Q. You have overcards and a
backdoor flush draw. Leading is reasonable if you think that your opponents will
fold numerous hands that have equity, or that you will be able to barrel them off
most hands worse than a strong overpair by the river. The plan when checking is
usually to check-fold if Chad bets, as he likely has a strong range, but to possibly
check-raise as a semi-bluff if Villain2 bets.
286
287
Answer 3
a) 6 b) 4 c) 10 d) 7
With a turned backdoor flush draw and overcards against two opponents who seem
disinterested in the pot, you should usually take a stab with the intention of betting
again on most non-club rivers. Bet an amount that you think will force them off most
of their marginal holdings, such as 4-4 and A-2. Notice that most of the Villains’
turn calling ranges will contain strong flush draws, as both players would probably
have bet with an 8 or better on the flop. If you bet the turn and make your flush on
the river, either Villain could easily have a stronger flush, so you should usually
check with the intention of calling a reasonable bet.
Summary
You should often take this exact same line with a wide range of bluffs. Your goal is
to force your opponents off almost their possible holdings. They probably have
marginal hands at best, given their flop checks, so you will often be able to steal
this pot with turn and river bluffs.
288
Hand 18: The Captain and the Nit
Hand: 5 -5
Position: Button
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Stan, the LAG kid who likes to be the table captain. He is probably still
not in the mood to make a big fold against you. Villain2 is Chad, the tight, passive,
straightforward player from the previous two hands. Stan raises to 60.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
289
290
You call, as does Chad behind you. The flop comes Q -10 -2 .
Chad and Stan check to you.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
291
292
You bet 110. Chad quickly check-raises to 400. Stan folds.
Question 3
is your action?
a) Fold b) Call 290 more c) Re-raise to 900 d) Re-raise to 1,300
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
293
294
You fold, giving Chad the pot.
295
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 6 d) 2
Stan is unlikely to fold to your re-raise and he may be in the mood to run a
substantial bluff, so you should call and try to flop a strong hand. Raising normally
has some merit, as it allows you to play a heads-up pot in position with a disguised
hand. You should be more prone to re-raise if your opponents in the blinds are
excellent players, and to call if they play poorly.
296
297
Answer 2
a) 6 b) 3 c) 10 d) 6
Stan’s check indicates that he probably doesn’t have a premium holding. Pre-flop
raisers usually continuation bet the flop with reasonably strong made hands. So
you’re main concern is Chad, who could have anything. Chad will hit the flop
roughly a third of the time and Stan probably missed, so a bet should win this pot
roughly 55 percent of the time. This assumes Chad will fold 65 percent of the time
and Stan will bluff or have a value hand perhaps 10 percent of the time. Of course,
if you expect Stan to frequently check-raise, you should check behind, hoping to
improve to a set, or at least get closer to showdown. As with all your bluffs, you
want to bet the smallest amount that will induce your opponents to fold while
maintaining balance.
298
299
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 1 c) 2 d) 2
You have a trivial fold when your tight, passive, straightforward opponent check-
raises. You took a stab at the pot and failed. There is no reason to put any more
money in the pot. If you knew that Chad would only raise the flop with a draw,
perhaps you could justify continuing in the pot, but you will rarely know that with
certainty.
300
Hand 19: Day Two
Hand: K -J
Position: UTG
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
This is the first pot you have entered since you arrived at the table. You folded the
first eight hands. Villain1 is a 40-year-old guy. Villain2, Dennis, is a young,
competent looking kid you have never seen.
Question 1
What do you do with K -J ?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
301
302
You raise to 60, Villain1 calls and Dennis re-raises to 250.
Question 2
The pot is 400. You face a re-raise to 250 and the effective stack size is 3,940.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
303
304
You re-raise to 560. Villain1 and Dennis fold.
305
Answer 1
a) 8 b) 4 c) 10 d) 1
You have probably developed a rather tight image due to folding for an orbit, so it’s
acceptable to raise with K-J from first position. Lean toward folding if your
opponents expect you to be a LAG.
It is imperative that you play a snug game from early position, especially if your
opponents play well. This often means folding hands such as A-10 and K-J. Do not
develop the habit of playing too many hands from early position.
306
307
Answer 2
a) 8 b) 1 c) 10 d) 8
When you raise from early position, you should usually assume most people expect
you to have a tight range. Hence, you should fold the bottom end of your open-
raising range from early position when re-raised. However, your opponent appears
to be competent, in which case he will sometimes make a play at you, so go ahead
and put in a small re-raise as a bluff. You have king and jack blockers, so he’s a bit
less likely to have K-K, J-J or A-K.
If your opponent calls, you should tend to make a small continuation bet on the
flop. If he re-raises, you should almost always fold. A small re-raise is usually
much better than a large one. You want to save as much as you can when your
opponent puts more money in the pot. You should make the same re-raise both with
bluffs and value-hands, namely A-A and K-K. Calling a re-raise with K-J from out
of position is simply not acceptable due to your terrible reverse implied odds.
Summary
If a kid decides to apply pressure on me fairly early in a session, I am quick to get
out of line and fight back. These aggressive kids are usually trying to figure out if
you will be a pushover or if you came to fight. I like to let them know immediately
that if they want to play a pot with me, they have to be willing to play a big one.
Ideally, this will induce them to play straightforwardly against me in the future,
allowing me to play more hands, leading to more profitable situations. Aggressive
players usually re-raise fairly often, hoping to steal small pots, but often back down
when the big bets come into play.
308
Hand 20: Interesting Turn Spot
Hand: A -Q
Position: MP1
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
You think Villain1 is tight, passive and straightforward, but you are unsure. Villain1
limps from first position.
Question 1
The action is on you in MP1.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
309
310
You raise to 80, Villain1 calls. The flop comes 9 -7 -3 . Villain1 checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
311
312
You decide to bet 110. Villain1 calls. The turn is (9 -7 -3 )-7 .
Villain1 checks again.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
313
314
You check behind. The river is (9 -7 -3 -7 )-10 . Villain1 bets 200.
Question 4
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
315
316
You raise to 550. Villain1 thinks for a while before calling with the losing hand.
317
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 4 c) 10 d) 1
You should raise with most playable hands when you expect your opponent to be
weak, especially if you can often fold out players with equity who have position on
you. Calling would be much better if you thought Villain1’s range consisted of
mostly strong hands he planned to limp-re-raise, and this would almost guarantee
an opportunity to see a flop with a strong holding.
318
319
Answer 2
a) 2 b) 4 c) 10 d) 7
When you raise a limper and take a flop heads-up, you should almost always
continuation bet with your entire range. This will give you a decent shot to steal the
pot with your bluffs and will generally make you difficult to play against. With the
nut flush draw, you should be thrilled to bet. Hands against which you have a lot of
equity or that may fold by the river to additional pressure can easily call you.
320
321
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 6 c) 7 d) 3
The 7 is particularly bad because your opponent will now rarely fold a hand that
is currently best. But that does not necessarily mean you should not bet. Betting the
turn is a strong play if you think you can make your opponent fold hands as strong as
top pair by betting again on the river. If you think he will call down with most pairs
on somewhat safe rivers, you should tend to check behind and hope to hit your
flush- or pair-draw. If the board did not pair on the turn, you should almost always
bet again as a semi-bluff.
322
323
Answer 4
a) 0 b) 6 c) 10 d) 2
When you river a flush and your opponent bets into you on a paired board, you have
to determine his likelihood of having the full house, and also whether he will call a
raise with a made hand worse than a full house. Your opponent may well have 9-9,
7-7, 3-3, 10-10, 9-7 or 10-7, but there are very few combinations of those hands.
He could also have a flush, a straight, or perhaps a 10 or 7.
Summary
Raising on this river is perhaps a bit thin, but you have to do it if you think your
opponent can realistically call with a wide range of worse made hands. A small
raise is much better than a big one. He will probably only call a huge raise with a
full house, unless he thinks you are capable of making this play as a bluff. If you
raise and he re-raises, you must make a disciplined fold. Very few weak, passive
players will re-raise the river either as a bluff or for value with a hand worse than
a full house.
This is a prime example of betting with the intention of folding if raised. Against
passive, straightforward opponents, you should frequently bet with marginal made
hands that are easily called by a wide range of worse made hands, with the
intention of folding to a raise. This assumes that your opponent will only raise with
hands that are better than yours. Of course, a smart player will notice that you
frequently fold to his raises. You will have to adjust in that case, either by
sporadically pot-controlling or by calling his raises wider.
324
Hand 21: Marginal Overpair
Hand: J -J
Position: CO
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Dennis, the LAG kid you recently 4-bet with K-J. He seems to play
well, from what you can tell. Villain2 is overly tight. Villain3 is a 40-year-old
LAG. Dennis raises to 70.
Question 1
The action is on you in the cutoff.
What do you do with J -J ?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
325
326
You call. Villain2 and Villain3 call behind you. The flop comes 7 -6 -2 . The
action checks to Dennis, who bets 200.
Question 2
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
327
328
You decide to call. Villain2 and Villain3 both quickly fold.
The turn is (7 -6 -2 )-7 . Dennis bets 340.
Question 3
is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
329
330
You call. The river is (7 -6 -2 -7 )-10 . Dennis bets 440.
Question 4
is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
331
332
You call and lose to 6 -6 .
333
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 9 d) 2
When you have position on someone you perceive to be a good LAG, you should
often avoid bloating the pot with good, but not amazing hands, unless you can
confidently play a 4-bet pot or 5-bet all-in. You should mix up your play with hands
such as J-J and A-Q, sometimes calling and sometimes re-raising. The players in
the blinds should also affect your decision; you want to induce weak players to see
a flop and strong players to fold. If you re-raise, you should size your bet such that
your opponent can realistically call with a range that you crush. You are not sure
how Dennis will react to a re-raise because you recently 4-bet him. It is best to call
and see what develops until you better understand his tendencies.
I like to call from time to time with hands that most people assume would
warrant a re-raise. By keeping your range muddled, your opponents will have a
much tougher time playing against you.
334
335
Answer 2
a) 0 b) 10 c) 8 d) 2
You should usually call with a decent overpair, although you could put in a fairly
small raise. Calling effectively turns your hand into a bluff-catcher, which isn’t
necessarily bad, because the pot will often be quite large by the river if your
opponent bets all three streets. It also allows the blinds to call with marginal made
hands you have crushed. Finally, you keep Dennis in the pot with any marginal
holdings with which he decided to continuation bet. A raise may induce him to run a
large bluff, which is not what you want when you have what will then be a marginal
bluff-catcher. Calling is often the best play because you will tend to have fairly
simple decisions on future streets.
336
337
Answer 3
a) 0 b) 10 c) 4 d) 1
When Dennis continues firing the turn, you have a somewhat trivial call. You still
lose to all sets and overpairs, but Dennis could realistically continue bluffing or
value-betting with numerous hands that you beat. Because the top card on the flop
paired, raising for value can be disastrous, as he could easily have trips or an
overpair and would be unlikely to fold.
338
339
Answer 4
a) 3 b) 10 c) 0 d) 0
You’re in a difficult spot when your opponent continues betting on the river, as your
J-J is now primarily a bluff-catcher. You lose to overpairs, sets and the rivered
straight. His small bet should lead you to believe he is either value-betting because
he thinks you have a marginal made hand, or running a cheap bluff. You’re
somewhat unlikely to have nothing, so he is probably value-betting. You have
excellent pot odds and you beat a random 10, 9-9, and 8-8. Hence, you should make
a crying call unless you know Dennis likes to make small bets with premium hands.
If you get the drift that he has the nuts, do not be afraid to make a big fold.
If you assign Dennis a range of all sets, overpairs, the straight, 9-9, 8-8, and
reasonable sevens and tens, then J-J has roughly 30 percent equity. You only need to
win around 20 percent of the time to break even, based on the pot odds, so you
should call even though you know you will have the worst hand around 70 percent
of the time.
Summary
Note the dynamic you generated with Dennis when you 4-bet K-J in a previous
hand. You might consider folding on the river if you think that dynamic might
dissuade him from messing around with you in the future. If he had bet larger,
perhaps 1,000 or 1,500, you would have to strongly consider a tight fold because
you only have a bluff-catcher and you think Dennis is unlikely to bluff. On the other
hand, he could be trying to get even because you 4-bet him in the earlier hand. It is
hard to know for sure. Try to figure out what your opponent is capable of and adjust
accordingly.
340
Hand 22: Getting There
Hand: A -7
Position: BB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Vincent, a kid who seems to be weak and passive. Villain2 is Dennis,
your LAG adversary. Villain3 is a loose, passive, older player. Vincent limps.
Dennis and Villain3 call.
Question 1
What do you do with A -7 ?
a) Check b) Raise to 40 c) Raise to 120 d) Raise to 300
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
341
342
You decide to check. The flop comes Q -6 -3 .
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
343
344
Everyone checks. The turn is (Q -6 -3 )-Q . Villain3 checks.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
345
346
You bet 60 and only Vincent calls. The river is (Q -6 -3 -Q )-A .
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
347
348
You check. Vincent bets 300.
Question 5
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
349
350
You elect to fold. Vincent kindly shows a queen.
351
Answer 1
a) 10 b) 2 c) 6 d) 2
From the big blind, you should check with most marginal holdings in limped pots
and see a free flop. Raising is acceptable if you think you realistically have some
fold equity, which often will not be the case, resulting in you playing a bloated pot
out of position, with a hand that is often dominated.
352
353
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 2 c) 6 d) 4
From out of position, it is usually prudent to check and see what develops. Your
plan should generally be to check with the intention of folding to any bet. Even if
you have the best hand at the moment, it will be difficult to realize your equity if
you check-call. If you think your opponents are particularly weak, you can bet the
flop with the intention of betting the turn and river, hoping to get them off top pair
by the river.
354
355
Answer 3
a) 8 b) 3 c) 10 d) 4
When no one shows interest in the pot, you should always consider taking a stab.
You can usually assume both Vincent and Dennis would bet the flop if they had any
piece of it. When Villain3 checks on the turn, he probably has nothing as well. This
should lead you to bet, hoping to win the pot when everyone has nothing, or perhaps
even get a bit of value from backdoor flush draws.
356
357
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 5 c) 3 d) 1
Since he called your turn bet, your passive opponent probably had some sort of
flush draw, A-high or a small pair. You now lose to the flush draws and most of the
aces. If he has a small pair, he can only realistically call a small bet. However,
most weak players will fold their small pairs when an ace arrives on the river. This
should lead you to check.
358
359
Answer 5
a) 10 b) 3 c) 1 d) 1
If Vincent bet around 100, you would be in a tough spot. When he bets huge, you
should assume he is polarized. He could have very few draws that missed, so you
have an easy fold even though you rivered top pair. You must constantly assess how
your hand performs against the range of hands your opponent would play in a
specific manner. Since your opponent has few, if any bluffs and your hand is a
bluff-catcher, you must fold.
Summary
Note that Vincent checked behind on the flop with top pair and just called your turn
bet with trips. He appears overly capable of slow-playing. Pay attention to your
opponents and use the information you gain to adjust your play in the future.
360
Hand 23: More Passivity
Hand: K -J
Position: BB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Dennis, the good LAG. Villain2 is a loose, passive 30-year-old. Dennis
raises to 50 and Villain2 calls.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
361
362
You decide to call. The flop arrives 10 -9 -9 .
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
363
364
You check, as do your opponents. The turn is (10 -9 -9 )-4 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
365
366
You bet 100 and both opponents release their hands.
367
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 3 d) 7
Both calling and making a standard sized re-raise are fine options from the big
blind when facing a raise and a call. You should be a bit more prone to call against
an initial raiser you think is a good LAG because you will often have very little
fold equity before the flop. This means that if you re-raise, you will be out of
position in a large pot with a marginal hand against a strong opponent.
368
369
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 5 c) 8 d) 2
Leading becomes a fine option with a hand that is a bit too strong to check-fold and
too weak to check-call. A gutshot plus overcards certainly falls in this category.
Another play is to check with the intention of check-raising. Do not be too quick to
check with the intention of folding if only one person decides to put money in the
pot. You do not want to play predictably by continuing when someone bets only if
you have a 10 or better.
370
371
Answer 3
a) 7 b) 3 c) 10 d) 4
Since both of your opponents showed weakness on the flop, you should bet, hoping
to steal the pot with turn and river bluffs. Notice that you would play a 10 or 9
exactly the same. You could also check, again going for a check-raise, but that
seems like an optimistic way to play either a 10 or 9. Especially against strong
opponents, make a point to keep your range somewhat balanced. Because you want
to bluff often in situations like this, you must also bet made hands.
Summary
Do not be afraid to attack weakness. It is not at all uncommon for amateurs to check
down in this situation, allowing a hand such as 2-2 or A-3 to win. Attack their
weakness and steal pots when it is somewhat likely that everyone has nothing.
372
Hand 24: Paired Board
Hand: K -Q
Position: MP2
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Dennis, the good LAG.
Question 1
The action is on you in MP2. What do you do with K -Q ?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
373
374
You raise to 60 and Dennis calls from the big blind.
The flop comes 8 -8 -2 and Dennis checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
375
376
You bet 60 and Dennis calls. The turn is (8 -8 -2 )-7 .
Dennis checks again.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
377
378
You opt to check behind. The river is (8 -8 -2 -7 )-3 .
Dennis again checks.
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
379
380
You check behind again, losing to 4 -4 .
381
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 2 c) 10 d) 8
With a strong hand from middle position, the only play with merit is to make a
standard raise to 3 big blinds. As stacks get deeper, perhaps raising to 4 big blinds
becomes better to build a pot with what is likely the best hand.
382
383
Answer 2
a) 3 b) 10 c) 7 d) 4
You should usually continuation bet with your entire range when checked to on an
overly dry board. It is important to formulate a plan for the rest of this hand on the
flop. If you bet the flop, you need to know which turn cards you will continue
bluffing on, hoping to get your opponent off all hands worse than 9-9. Most players
will release hands worse than 9-9 to three sizable bets if the board gets scary. That
said, if scary cards don’t come on the turn and river, some opponents will call
down blindly, especially if you have an aggressive image. Against most competent
players, it’s a losing strategy to robotically continuation bet most flops with the
intention of giving up on the turn if you do not improve.
384
385
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 7 c) 7 d) 4
The 7 is a tricky card. Some players will never fold A-high or better to a turn bet,
and others will fold all hands worse than a 7. Your opponent is a good LAG who
probably assumes you are capable of bluffing in most situations, so you should tend
to check with the intention of giving up. Betting somewhat large on the turn with the
intention of barrelling the river becomes an excellent play if you think he will call
your turn bet with a wide range but then fold most of it to a river bet.
386
387
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 2 c) 2 d) 6
Sticking with the plan, you should almost always give up on this innocuous river.
When you check behind on the turn, few decent players will fold A-high or better to
a river bet. With little to no fold equity, you should check behind and expect to lose.
If you decide to bet, you should usually make it somewhat large, hopefully
increasing your fold equity. However, a large bet is not ideal if you know your
opponent is capable of levelling himself into folding against a small bet.
Summary
There is a time for controlled aggression and a time to give up. When your
opponent’s flop check-calling range consists almost entirely of hands with marginal
showdown value, there is no point in bluffing when the board runs out such that he
will rarely fold that entire range.
388
Hand 25: We Finally Got Them!
Hand: A -A
Position: MP1
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a LAG amateur kid who seems fairly active. Villain1 raises to 60.
Question 1
What do you do with A -A ?
a) Call 60 b) Re-raise to 160 c) Re-raise to 200 d) Re-raise to 260
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
389
390
You re-raise to 160 and only Villain1 calls. The flop comes Q -10 -10 . Villain1
checks to you.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
391
392
You bet 170 and Villain1 calls. The turn is (Q -10 -10 )-6 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
393
394
You check behind. The river is (Q -10 -10 -6 )-A . Villain1 bets 620.
Question 4
The pot is 1,310. You face a bet of 620 and Villain1 has 550 left in his stack. What
is your action?
a) Fold b) Call 620 c) Re-raise all-in for 550 more
(a) (b) (c) Points: ……………
Answer
395
396
You call and beat Villain1’s K -Q .
397
Answer 1
a) 6 b) 10 c) 5 d) 2
You should generally play quite passively against first-position raisers because
they tend to have premium ranges. Of course, this does not matter when you have
hands such as A-A or K-K, which do well against a premium range. However,
players will tend to notice when your re-raising range is only A-A and K-K, and
will only play for their implied odds value when you re-raise. Not realizing this,
most amateurs will allow you to re-raise exploitatively. You should re-raise
slightly small when effective stacks are shallower than 100 big blinds. A somewhat
larger re-raise would be ideal if your opponent were deeper.
398
399
Answer 2
a) 3 b) 5 c) 10 d) 5
As on almost all flops in re-raised pots, you should make a continuation bet that
will get value from a wide range of worse made hands while inducing your
opponent to fold his absolute junk, of which he should have little on this flop. A bet
of around the same size as your pre-flop re-raise is likely ideal.
400
401
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 4 c) 8 d) 3
You could go either way on the turn, sometimes betting and sometimes checking. It’s
probably best to check behind. A smart opponent probably won’t pay you off if you
bet the turn and river with a weak queen or worse, and he could have a 10 in his
range. If you think he would usually check-raise the flop with a 10, betting becomes
much better to get stacks in when he has a strong queen or better.
402
403
Answer 4
a) 0 b) 6 c) 10
A player who blasts the river is almost certainly polarized to the nuts or a bluff. He
will always fold a bluff to a raise, so you don’t need to worry about those. Of the
hands he will likely perceive as the nuts, you lose to 10-10 and K -J , of which
there are just two combinations, and you beat three combinations of Q-Q and one of
A-10. This entire range will call almost every time you shove. You will win 2/3 of
the time when he calls your all-in raise, so pushing is the best play. Even if he does
not have A-10 in his range, there are still more combinations of Q-Q than 10-10
and K -J .
Summary
In the actual hand, I committed an error by only calling, although it probably isn’t
too bad an error. I thought my opponent would strongly consider folding Q-Q and
A-10 if I went all-in. This is silly because my opponent was an amateur kid who
only had 550 remaining in his stack. Even most good players would call with those
hands. My opponent could possibly even call an all-in with a hand such as J -10 ,
making my call even worse. Even though he was bluffing with K-Q and would have
folded to my all-in, I still must analyze my play and figure out if it was good or bad.
In this spot, I made an error I won’t make again. If I learn from an error, I count it as
a victory.
404
Hand 26: Decent Draw
Hand: A -K
Position: MP2
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a TAG 50-year-old amateur who seems to play well. You have tangled
with him little so far. Villain1 raises to 60.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
405
406
You re-raise to 170 and only Villain1 calls. The flop is Q -J -3 .
Villain1 checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
407
408
You bet 200 and Villain1 folds.
409
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 6 c) 10 d) 5
You should usually re-raise with strong hands unless the initial raiser is overly
tight. Since your opponent is not a super nit, re-raising is by far the best play.
Calling is acceptable from time to time to mix up your play.
410
411
Answer 2
a) 2 b) 5 c) 10 d) 4
After your pre-flop re-raise, you should make a standard continuation bet on the
flop with almost your entire range. You generally want to bet a touch larger than
your pre-flop re-raise on most boards when in position. That will make you much
more difficult to play against than if you bet larger. A tiny bet will induce your
opponent to stay in the pot with an overly wide range. Either way, be prepared to
fire again on various turns to try to force him off all hands worse than a queen,
which will be most of his range.
412
Hand 27: Pre-flop Action
Hand: 8 -8
Position: CO
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a LAG kid who seems to play reasonably well despite his short stack.
Villain2 is Dennis, the good LAG kid against whom you have played more than
your fair share of pots.
Question 1
What is your play with 8 -8 ?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
413
414
You raise to 60 and Villain1 calls. Dennis re-raises to 300.
Question 2
The pot is 440. You face a raise to 300 and the effective stack sizes are 4,940 with
Dennis and 1,540 with Villain1. What is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
415
416
You call. Villain1 goes all-in for 1,600 total.
Dennis thinks for a while and calls an additional 1,300.
Question 3
The pot is 3,540. You face a raise to 1,300 and the effective stack size is 4,700
with Dennis. What is your action?
a) Fold b) Call 1,300 more c) Re-raise to 2,600

d) Re-raise all-in for an additional 3,400
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
417
418
You fold. Villain1’s A -A beats Dennis’ A -Q .
419
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 3 c) 10 d) 1
With a strong hand from late position, you should make a standard pre-flop raise to
3 big blinds. A raise to 400 would be bad because you would induce your
opponents to continue only when they had a premium range that had you crushed.
420
421
Answer 2
a) 3 b) 10 c) 7 d) 2
When Dennis re-raises, you should not immediately assume he has a premium
range. As a good LAG, he will often try to steal the pot. You have a deep effective
stack size with Dennis. Villain1 didn’t re-raise, so he probably doesn’t have a
premium holding. Hence, you should call and expect to frequently see a flop in
position. You could also put in a small re-raise if you thought it would either induce
Dennis to play straightforwardly pre-flop or overly weakly post-flop, but he plays
well, so that is unlikely to happen.
422
423
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 1 c) 2 d) 3
With the unusual action, your 8-8 is almost always behind. You are no longer
getting the proper implied odds to continue, so you have an easy fold. If you could
fold out Dennis with a re-raise, you would be able to put in 1,300 more to go
heads-up with Villain1 for a 3,520 pot. But you have no reason to think Dennis has
a weak holding, and Villain1 could have slow played A-A or K-K, putting you in
bad shape even if you could put in 1,300 with amazing odds.
Summary
Villain1 had A-A this time, but you must analyze the situation against his perceived
range. He would probably make this same play with a few other premium hands,
such as K-K, Q-Q, J-J, A-K, and perhaps a few lesser holdings. Don’t assume he
will only hold A-A because this will lead you to commit errors, both in the game
and in your calculations away from the table.
Some people play exactly one hand, or perhaps a group of hands, in a specific,
unusual way. In this situation, perhaps Villain1 slow-plays only A-A and re-raises
other premium holdings. Perhaps his intention was to call with his entire range and
re-raise all-in with all hands better than 7-7 or A-10. It is difficult to say, based on
a one-hand sample. Over time you can figure out what hands a player shows up
with in an unusual situation.
424
Hand 28: Top Pair Turned to Rubbish
Hand: A -9
Position: MP1
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Gustav, the splashy LAG from Day One. He forgot to sleep last night,
playing nonstop instead. He is now 40 hours into his session. Gustav is down quite
a bit. He seems to be playing more passively than when you last battled.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
425
426
You raise to 60 and only Gustav calls. The flop comes 9 -8 -3 .
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
427
428
You bet 100 and Gustav quickly splashes 100 into the pot.
The turn is (9 -8 -3 )-J .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
429
430
You check and Gustav checks behind. The river is (9 -8 -3 -J )-Q .
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
431
432
You check and Gustav tosses in 300.
Question 5
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
433
434
You call and beat Gustav’s 8 -4 .
435
Answer 1
a) 8 b) 3 c) 10 d) 4
You can either fold or raise with marginal suited aces in MP1. Fold if you expect
your opponents to play well, re-raising and abusing their position after the flop.
Raise if you think they will play poorly, calling with most of their range before the
flop and playing with their hands face-up thereafter.
436
437
Answer 2
a) 2 b) 10 c) 4 d) 3
With top pair on a somewhat coordinated flop, you should make a standard
continuation bet of around 2/3-pot. If you bet 100 and Gustav raises to 300, you
should probably fold if he has been overly timid over the last few hours. Even if
you have the best hand at the moment, you will likely either be behind his range or
will face a wide range that your hand will play poorly against on later streets.
However, given you know he is capable of getting well out of line, folding if he
raised the flop would almost certainly be a mistake. Note that continuation bets on
coordinated boards in single-raised pots should usually be larger than on dry
boards in re-raised pots, as you have seen in some previous hands. Don’t rely on a
default continuation bet size in all situations.
438
439
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 7 c) 4 d) 2
The J is one of the worst cards in the deck, putting you behind most of the obvious
straight draws on the flop. Notice that Q-J, J-10, Q-10 and 10-7 all beat you now.
You only beat 7-6, and perhaps the lower gutshots. However, you still beat most
flush draws and most made hands Gustav might have on the flop. You could make a
small turn bet, hoping to get value from worse made hands and charge the draws,
but even wild players have a hard time calling with a marginal made hand, such as
A-8 in this situation, when an overly scary card turns. So you should check. The
main problem with checking is that you don’t know if Gustav is capable of bluffing
in his current state, which can cause you to err if he fires.
440
441
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 1 c) 2 d) 6
The Q is also terrible for your range. If you bet the river, you will be bluffing in
the hope that Gustav will fold all hands worse than perhaps two pair. Since he
could easily have two pair or a straight on this river, you should lean toward a
check. You will be in a tough spot if he bets.
442
443
Answer 5
a) 6 b) 10 c) 2 d) 5
When Gustav bets big on the river, his range is probably polarized between two
pair or better and a bluff. You have an easy fold if he is capable of value-betting
with a queen or jack, and he could hold many hands that included one of those
cards. However, most people just check behind with a queen or jack, hoping to win
the pot. Some passive players even check behind with most sets and two-pair
hands. Hence, you should tend to find a call if you think he’s capable of bluffing.
Summary
Your fairly passive line should have made it clear that you do not have a premium
hand. Gustav probably knows this, and therefore may bluff on this overly scary
river. Gustav has proven in previous encounters that he can bluff on the river with
similarly sized bets. This should encourage you to call. Facing a bet of this size
from a LAG who is capable of bluffing, you probably have the best hand around 35
percent of the time. You need to win 31 percent of the time to break even, so you
should find a close call.
You can try a scary looking check-raise if you think it might induce a fold, but he
could easily have a straight and you would probably not check the turn with a 10,
so that play would look quite bluffy.
I want to be clear that this is certainly not a standard call. You must know your
opponent is very willing to turn a bad made hand into a bluff when you could easily
have a bad, but still better made hand. If your opponent will check behind with a
bad 9, 8 or middle pair, you should strongly consider folding to a river bet because
he will have fewer combinations of bluffs in his large river betting range.
444
Hand 29: Repetition
Hand: A -J
Position: Button
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a TAG kid you have never seen. Villain1 raises to 60.
Question 1
What do you do with A -J ?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
445
446
You re-raise to 170 and only Villain1 calls.
The flop comes K -K -4 . Villain1 checks to you.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
447
448
449
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 7 c) 10 d) 4
As in previous hands, you should usually put in a normal re-raise with your
decently strong holdings to around 3 times your opponent’s initial raise. A large
raise to 5 times his initial raise will often steal the pot, but your A -J is usually
crushed when you get action. Turning a fairly strong holding into a weak semi-bluff
is not a good idea.
You could also just call the raise. As the initial raiser becomes tighter, either due
to being in early position or from simply being a nit, you should call more often
instead of re-raising.
Some players always re-raise when they think they are ahead, but this is often not
the best course of action. However, until your opponents start relentlessly 4-betting,
you can re-raise as often as you want if you don’t get too far out of line.
450
451
Answer 2
a) 3 b) 10 c) 8 d) 5
On dry flops in heads-up, re-raised pots, your continuation bet should usually be on
the smaller side, around the size of your pre-flop re-raise. If your opponent calls,
you should vary your play between betting again and checking, depending on what
you think of his check-calling range, along with his turn and river tendencies. If you
think his check-calling range is mostly A-high and pairs that will fold to additional
aggression, you can bet again on the turn, and perhaps on the river. If you think he
has that same range but will tend to call down, you should check behind on the turn,
hoping to improve when behind or to win unimproved at showdown.
Summary
Some say these small continuation bets on the flop almost never win the pot. While
this is simply not true, if your opponent check-calls with a wide range, you will
actually be betting for value with most of your A-high holdings in re-raised pots,
especially on dry boards. Good players must be willing to find profitable turn and
river bluffing opportunities. Many players know to aggressively re-raise before the
flop and continuation bet often, but they have no plan for proceeding from there.
They should formulate a clear idea of their opponents’ tendencies and how to
exploit them.
452
Hand 30: Meet Shelly
Hand: A -A
Position: MP1
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a tight, passive, middle-aged guy. Villain2 is Shelly, a loose lady who is
generally passive, although she sporadically gets well out of line. She usually trusts
her reads and feelings. She is not afraid to make a big call or run a huge bluff if she
thinks it will succeed. Villain1 and Shelly both limp.
Question 1
a) Call 20 b) Raise to 40 c) Raise to 110 d) Raise to 160
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
453
454
You raise to 110. Villain1 and Shelly call. The flop comes J -7 -5 .
Both players check to you.
Question 2
The pot is 360. Effective stacks are 590 with Villain1 and 1,890 with Shelly.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
455
456
You bet 150 and only Shelly calls. The turn is (J -7 -5 )-6 .
Shelly checks to you again.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
457
458
You bet 260 and Shelly check-raises to 640.
Question 4
The pot is 1,560. You face a raise to 640 and the effective stack size is 1,480. What
is your action?
a) Fold b) Call 380 more c) Re-raise to 1,100

d) Re-raise all-in for 1,740 total
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
459
460
You call. The river is (J -7 -5 -6 )-7 . Shelly checks.
Question 5
a) Check b) Bet 400 c) Bet 800 d) Go all-in for 1,100
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
461
462
You check behind and beat her A -5 .
463
Answer 1
a) 2 b) 0 c) 10 d) 7
Facing limpers with A-A, you should raise the same as you would with other
raising hands. A pot-sized raise is usually ideal, as it builds a pot while roping in
your opponents. Recall from Volume 1 that a pot-sized raise equals 3 times the big
blind, plus any additional money in the pot. In this case we have 3(20) + 10 + 20 +
20 = 110. The 10 is from the small blind. There is no reason to raise larger because
you want to get action with your A-A, not make everyone fold. A min-raise to 40 is
particularly bad because it allows your opponents to see a nearly free flop and it
reveals a lot about the strength of your hand. The last thing you want to do with a
hand that has huge reverse implied odds is to tell your opponent exactly what you
have. Of course, you could attempt to balance your min-raising range, but few, if
any, hands warrant a min-raise.
464
465
Answer 2
a) 2 b) 10 c) 7 d) 5
With a strong overpair on a somewhat coordinated board, you want to make a bet
that will likely keep an opponent in while allowing you to call a raise if someone
applies pressure. Notice if the turn brings a diamond, you are still in fine shape
because you will have the nut-flush draw plus the best overpair. If the board
contained two spades instead of two diamonds, you would probably want to bet a
bit larger, perhaps around 250.
466
467
Answer 3
a) 4 b) 10 c) 6 d) 3
The 6 is certainly not a safe card, but it’s not too bad. You always have some
equity even if your opponent has improved to a superior holding. If you decide to
bet, you should choose an amount that allows your opponent to easily continue with
marginal made hands, such as Q-J and A-7. If it becomes clear you want to pile in
your entire stack, Shelly may sense this and get off the hook.
468
469
Answer 4
a) 0 b) 10 c) 2 d) 5
When raised, remember that you now have a strong bluff-catcher with the nut-flush
draw. Shelly will have a hard time calling a re-raise with a hand you beat besides
perhaps an overpair or top pair with a strong flush draw. You are almost certainly
behind if Shelly is raising the turn for value. This should lead you to call. This
allows you to see the river while getting reasonable immediate pot odds. You will
be in a tricky spot if the river is a blank and Shelly pushes, because you only have a
bluff-catcher.
470
471
Answer 5
a) 10 b) 10 c) 3 d) 8
When Shelly checks to you on the river, she probably does not have a full house.
You must figure out if she would bet with a weak flush or straight. If she would
always bet with those hands, you should certainly put in a value bet, hoping to get a
call from a jack.
If you think she would check with them, you should probably check behind
because her check-calling range contains a number of hands that beat you. You have
no real information about her river tendencies, so you can go either way.
If you bet, you should usually make it small so she’ll feel like she must call with
her marginal made hands that you beat, unless you think a large bet will level her
into calling with a similar range. Some people really don’t like calling off on the
river for their entire stack, while others don’t mind.
Summary
You will occasionally encounter a player who is quite difficult to play against
mainly because he makes what seem to be irrational plays. Do not let these
strategies discourage you. If you figure out the lines they often take for value and as
a bluff, their play can become an open book. If it doesn’t become clear after a
while, assume their ranges are much wider than you would expect.
472
Hand 31: Bluff-catching Versus Shelly
Hand: 9 -9
Position: BB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Vincent, the weak, passive kid who occasionally slow-plays. Villain2 is
Dennis, the good LAG kid. Villain3 is Shelly, who seems to be steaming from the
previous hand. She just reloaded her stack to around 5,000. Vincent limps from first
position and Dennis raises to 100. Shelly calls in the small blind.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
473
474
You call, as does Vincent. The flop comes 7 -6 -5 .
Shelly checks to you.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
475
476
You, Vincent and Dennis all check.
The turn is (7 -6 -5 )-7 . Shelly bets 300.
Question 3
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
477
478
You decide to call. Vincent and Dennis fold.
The river is (7 -6 -5 -7 )-Q . Shelly quickly fires 660 into the pot.
Question 4
is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
479
480
You call and lose to Shelly’s K -7 .
481
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 3 d) 5
You are out of position with a decent pair, facing a first-position limper who could
be slow-playing and a second-position raiser who could easily have a strong hand.
You should usually call and hope to see a cheap flop. You can re-raise if you are
convinced both your opponents have weak ranges, but that will frequently result in
you seeing a flop out of position with a hand that will only flop marginally well.
482
483
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 8 c) 6 d) 2
Out of position against three somewhat strong ranges, you should check and see
what develops. You have an easy fold against a bet and a raise. If there is a bet and
a call, you should probably make a prudent fold as well. If someone bets and the
action folds to you, you should continue passively and see what develops on future
streets. You can lead into your opponents if you are confident they will play
straightforwardly, folding hands that have decent equity, such as A-K and Q-J. If
you think they will aggressively attack your lead, you should check when stacks are
this deep.
484
485
Answer 3
a) 6 b) 10 c) 2 d) 1
When the flop checks through, you cannot entirely discount pairs better than yours
from your early position opponents’ ranges, as some players will check scary flops
to see what develops on the turn. Considering also that Shelly could easily have a
premium holding, you should either call or fold. Ditch your hand if you get the vibe
that Shelly really likes her hand. Call if you think she is on tilt and is attacking what
she perceives as weakness.
486
487
Answer 4
a) 7 b) 10 c) 1 d) 3
While the Q may appear to be a scary overcard, it is actually a blank. Shelly is not
going to hold a queen unless she has a flush draw containing that card. Even then,
she might pot-control and not value-bet.
All the draws missed. Now you must figure out how often Shelly is value-betting
and how often she is bluffing. You need to win 40 percent of the time to break even,
so this is a fairly close spot. However, Shelly could be tilting and may view the Q
as a decent bluff card, so you should usually look her up, expecting to win about
half the time. Do not be afraid to fold if you think she would never bluff in this spot.
Summary
Note that Shelly failed to bluff the river in the previous hand. Some players notice
this and assume she never bluffs on the river. Others figure she will almost always
bluff on the river when she has the chance in the near future, not wanting to make
the same “mistake” twice. One of these thoughts is probably true, but you don’t
know which one. You should generally assume that tight, passive, unthinking
players will not adjust, while loose, aggressive, thinking opponents will do so.
You must make an educated guess. Sometimes you will be right, and sometimes
not. You will win money in the long run if you guess correctly more often than your
opponents.
488
Hand 32: Battling with Dennis
Hand: 10 -9
Position: CO
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Dennis, the LAG kid who seems to play reasonably well. You have not
played many hands with him recently. You both seem to realize your profit will
come from exploiting the various weak players at the table, and not from each other.
Dennis raises to 70 from UTG+1.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
489
490
You re-raise to 200 and only Dennis calls.
The flop comes 8 -6 -3 . Dennis checks to you.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
491
492
You bet 240 and Dennis calls.
The turn is (8 -6 -3 )-3 . Dennis checks.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
493
494
You bet 500 and Dennis calls again.
The river is (8 -6 -3 -3 )-9 . Dennis checks.
Question 4
a) Check b) Bet 800 c) Bet 1,200 d) Bet 1,800
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
495
496
You check behind and win against Q -J .
497
Answer 1
a) 2 b) 8 c) 10 d) 4
Both calling and re-raising are fine.
You have not messed with Dennis in a while. This is a prime opportunity to get a
bit out of line and exploit your positional advantage. You want to include some non-
premium holdings in your re-raising range, especially against strong players. It will
be much more difficult to play against you then because they can’t assume their
drawing hands will realize huge implied odds. Also, you could connect with any
flop instead of only those containing high cards.
Calling becomes a bit better if you expect Dennis to frequently 4-bet or fold if
you re-raise. But even then, you can easily call a 4-bet and take a flop in position
with your strong drawing hand.
498
499
Answer 2
a) 3 b) 4 c) 10 d) 7
When you re-raise, you should make a standard continuation bet on almost all flops.
With very deep stacks on a draw-heavy board, you should bet a bit larger than
normal. Having a premium draw should not alter your flop decision much because
you should bet with your entire range. You should bet a bit larger as the stacks get
deeper and the board gets wetter, so you can extract maximum value from your
opponent’s drawing hands.
500
501
Answer 3
a) 4 b) 10 c) 8 d) 7
The 3 is not a good card, but you should usually continue betting as you would
with an overpair. Again, you must focus on your entire range of strong value-hands.
You should mostly play your semi-bluffs similarly to premium holdings, at least
until the river.
This is a prime opportunity to semi-bluff again with a hand that has decent equity
if called. You should bet an amount on the turn that your opponent might assume you
would bet with an overpair. Bet big if he expects you’d do that. Bet half-pot if he
thinks you would do that to rope him in. Figure out how your opponent expects you
to act and size your bets to take advantage of that.
502
503
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 4 c) 3 d) 1
It’s probably best to check behind when you river some showdown value. Worse
hands probably won’t call another bet, while better hands are unlikely to fold. You
might consider a bluff if you think Dennis will assume you have K-K or better to
bet again on the river. This could force him off Q-Q, J-J or 10-10, but it probably
won’t.
Summary
If you failed to improve to a pair on the river, you should probably bet again,
hoping to make your opponent fold random draws that are better than your 10-high,
and also marginal made hands. It might seem scary to get well out of line against a
thinking opponent, but realize that betting again makes your hand look exactly like a
premium overpair. This should cause your opponent to at least consider folding
lesser hands.
Luckily for you, a club did not appear on the river. If you river a flush and
Dennis leads into you, you should just call. Dennis could have a flush draw and
will be unlikely to call a river raise with worse than that, so calling is the only
sensible play.
Assuming Dennis plays well and checks if a club comes, you should certainly
value-bet. A check-raise will put you in a nasty spot because your hand will be
only a bluff-catcher. You would have to figure out if Dennis is capable of a
somewhat maniacal river check-raise bluff, and also if he would overvalue a worse
made hand. You should probably call in either of those cases, but find a tight fold if
he would only check-raise with a strong flush. You should tend to call against good
LAGs, and almost always fold against tight, uncreative players.
504
Hand 33: The Goods Keep Coming
Hand: A -A
Position: UTG+1
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Vincent, the tight, passive kid who likes to slow-play. You have played
few hands with him, mainly because he rarely puts money in the pot without a
premium hand.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
505
506
You raise to 60 and Vincent re-raises to 260.
Question 2
is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
507
508
You re-raise to 660 and Vincent quickly calls.
The flop comes 10 -5 -4 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
509
510
You bet 640 and Vincent quickly folds.
511
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 4 d) 2
You should make a standard pre-flop raise to 3 big blinds from all positions when
you are first to put money in the pot. There is no justification for raising larger with
A-A, either to get more money in the pot or to make opponents fold junky hands.
It’s also bad to limp with the intention of re-raising. You will usually win a small
pot if someone raises. If he calls your re-raise, you will be out of position against a
disguised range with deep stacks, which is bad for you. If a few people limp and no
one raises, you will see a flop out of position against murky ranges with super-deep
stacks, which is also bad for you.
512
513
Answer 2
a) 0 b) 5 c) 10 d) 8
A large re-raise from a tight player usually indicates a premium hand he doesn’t
plan to fold. This should lead you to make a sizable re-raise. Your main concern
with good players is keeping them in the pot, so you should put in a small re-raise.
However, Vincent will probably not fold to a large re-raise. Your goal is to extract
as much value as possible while he still thinks he has a premium hand.
Calling is out of the question because you should be able to build a really big
pot. There is no point in keeping the pot small when you can grow it exponentially.
Looking back, I think I made a small error sizing my re-raise. Vincent probably
would have called a re-raise to 760 or so. I probably left 100 on the table because I
didn’t want him to fold. I should have been greedier.
514
515
Answer 3
a) 2 b) 7 c) 10 d) 5
The flop is terrible, since Vincent’s range contains mostly big pairs and A-K, most
of which will have a flush draw, but you should continuation bet with the intention
of betting again on non-heart turns. Bet an amount that he can reasonably call with
pairs that do not contain a flush draw. He might find a tight fold with J -J if you
bet too much. Checking makes little sense. It allows him to draw to a possible flush
for free. You might also let him off the hook if he has an overpair and a heart
comes.
Summary
You should probably go all-in if Vincent raises on the flop, depending on the size of
the raise. His flop raising range will probably consist of the nut flush, K-K with a
heart, Q-Q with a heart and A-K with the A , most of which you do fine against.
He will probably call your all-in with this entire range, allowing you to get a
decent amount of money in as a small favorite. It’s never fun to face a hand that has
a lot of equity, but sometimes you have to gamble.
516
Hand 34: Gambling with Shelly
Hand: 5 -5
Position: MP1
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Shelly, the spewy lady who appears to be on tilt. Villain2 is a loose,
passive, middle-aged player. Shelly raises to 80 from UTG+1.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
517
518
You call, as does Villain2. The flop comes 10 -4 -3 . Shelly bets 150.
Question 2
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
519
520
You call and Villain2 folds. The turn is (10 -4 -3 )-A . Shelly checks.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
521
522
You decide to check behind. The river is (10 -4 -3 -A )-2 .
Shelly checks.
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
523
524
You bet 360 and Shelly calls with J -J .
She looks disgusted as she flings her cards into the muck.
525
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 3 d) 1
You should strive to see cheap flops with small and medium pairs when deep-
stacked, in position against someone who may be tilting. You don’t want to re-raise,
which would give Shelly the opportunity to 4-bet to force you off your hand. Some
weak players think they should fold small pairs because they will often miss the
flop. They are not thinking about their huge implied odds.
526
527
Answer 2
a) 7 b) 10 c) 5 d) 1
This is a tricky situation because Villain2 has position on you. If you were heads-up
with Shelly, you would clearly call. You must do your best to figure out if Villain2
has a strong hand. Fold if he seems to like his cards; call if he seems uninterested.
You could raise if you thought it would cause both players to fold most of their
range, which might be the case here. However, there is probably more value in
keeping Shelly in the pot with her entire range, allowing you to confidently catch
bluffs on the turn and river.
528
529
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 2 c) 8 d) 6
The ace is a fun card because it gives you a gutshot draw and should scare Shelly.
It’s probably best to check, hoping to either improve or win unimproved at
showdown, but turning your hand into a bluff is also a strong option. If you decide
to bluff the turn, you should certainly bluff again on the river, trying to make Shelly
fold all hands worse than an ace. It is important to assess whether Shelly would
likely pot-control or value-bet if she turned an ace. She is probably on tilt, and
might look you up with a somewhat wide range, perhaps much wider than only an
ace. The multi-street bluff would probably be best against a more standard
opponent.
530
531
Answer 4
a) 0 b) 6 c) 10 d) 2
You should definitely bet your rivered straight for value. Shelly probably doesn’t
have an ace because she checked the turn and river. Knowing this, only small and
medium bets make sense. If Shelly is tilting, she might call any bet she views as
normal. An abnormally small bet could lead her to assume you are trying to extract
value, which might let her off the hook. This should lead you to make a bet of
around 360 unless you are confident she will view a large bet as a bluff.
Summary
Whenever you witness your loose, spewy opponent angrily throw her cards in the
muck, buckle up and get ready for some action.
532
Hand 35: Marginal Flop
Hand: J -J
Position: SB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a tight, passive player. Villain2 is Vincent, the tight, passive kid who
likes to slow-play. Villain3 is Dennis, the good LAG kid. Villain4 is a random guy.
Villain1 and Vincent limp. Dennis raises to 100 from MP2. Villain4 calls.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
533
534
You decide to call. Villain1 and Vincent call as well.
The flop comes K -K -3 .
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
535
536
You check. Villain1 and Vincent check to Dennis, who bets 150.
Villain4 folds.
Question 3
The pot is 670. You face a bet of150 and the effective stack size is 4,900. What is
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
537
538
You decide to fold, conceding the pot. As it turns out, Vincent had A-K and ended
up doubling through Dennis, who had K-Q.
539
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 3 d) 7
You are out of position with a strong hand. Given the action, you should tend to call
and see a cheap flop. When you do this, you must realize and accept that you will
frequently lose the pot.
Some players believe they deserve to win with what they perceive to be good
pre-flop cards. In reality, you are hoping to flop a set or for your jacks to be an
overpair on a board that sees timid action from your opponents.
Out of position in multiway pots, you must be extremely careful with marginal
post-flop holdings such as decent overpairs. If you re-raise pre-flop, at least one of
your opponents, namely Dennis, will call, and you will have to play a bloated pot
with a somewhat obvious range. That is the exact opposite of what you want. Some
players think a giant re-raise will usually win the pot before the flop. While that is
true, your jacks will typically be crushed when you get action. Risking a lot to win
a little is rarely a good idea when an opponent could easily have a premium hand.
540
541
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 6 c) 3 d) 2
Checking is easily your best move when first to act after the flop. It allows you to
see what everyone else does, gaining you vital information. You could possibly
lead with a small bet of around 200 if you’re confident your opponents will play
exceedingly straightforwardly. But that is not the case here, so you should check
and see what develops.
542
543
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 10 c) 3 d) 3
When the LAG makes what is probably a standard continuation bet on a dry board
into a multiway pot, you should try to figure out what the players yet to act plan to
do. If one of them appears happy, you should quickly ditch your hand. If everything
appears peaceful, you should call, hoping to induce Dennis to bluff on later streets.
Pay attention also to Dennis. Even LAGs are allowed to flop a real hand from time
to time.
Summary
In the actual hand, it was clear to me that Vincent was not folding to the flop bet.
Consequently, I made a fairly standard fold and ended up dodging a train wreck.
Sometimes you make a snug fold and it turns out your read was incorrect. Do not let
that discourage you. Continue working on your reading skills and accept that you
must work diligently to become a master.
Before releasing my cards, I note why I am about to make a tight fold. These
comments can help me formulate generic reads that improve my game. For example,
if I frequently make incorrect folds when the pre-flop raiser makes a tiny flop
continuation bet, over time I might decide that such a bet does not necessarily imply
strength. I can add and remove generic reads as I continue to make observations.
Note also that Vincent limped from UTG+1 and then just called a pre-flop raise
with A-K. You must continue to confirm reads on your opponents and be willing to
adjust them.
544
Hand 36: Finally, a Blind Battle!
Hand: Q -J
Position: SB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a 35-year-old guy who just got to the table. He appears as if he is not
going to let you push him around too easily.
Question 1
What do you do with Q -J ?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
545
546
You raise to 60 and Villain1 quickly re-raises to 180.
Question 2
The pot is 240. You face a re-raise to 180 and Villain1 has 620 left in his stack.
a) Fold b) Call 120 more c) Re-raise to 300 d) Go all-in for 620 more
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
547
548
You decide to go all-in. Villain1 looks at you as if you’ve broken some unwritten
rule, and then folds.
549
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 3 c) 10 d) 1
With a fairly strong hand when the action folds to you in the small blind, you should
usually make a standard pre-flop raise to 3 big blinds. Most players fold their big
blind far too often to small-blind steals. Players who regularly call tend to play
poorly after the flop, either drastically overvaluing or undervaluing their hand.
550
551
Answer 2
a) 2 b) 6 c) 3 d) 10
When your opponent re-raises, you have to figure out how often he actually has a
strong hand and how often he will fold if you go all-in.
Your hand has a lot of potential. If you think your opponent has a strong holding,
meaning he will rarely fold if you go all-in, you should tend to call with the
intention of not folding if you flop a strong draw or better.
Summary
Villain1 seems capable of re-raising with a wide range in an attempt to bully you
off what he perceives as a bluff. You should go all-in to force him to fold a large
part of that range. Notice he could easily fold some better hands, such as A-3 and
K-7. You will still have plenty of equity when he calls your all-in semi-bluff.
For a detailed treatment on the math involved with this scenario, check out my
book, Secrets of Professional Tournament Poker, Volume 1. Short-stacked
situations like this occur regularly in poker tournaments. Mastering this common
situation is necessary to be a strong tournament or short-stacked cash-game player.
552
Hand 37: Another Paired Board
Hand: 7 -7
Position: Button
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Dennis, the good LAG. Villain2 is Vincent, the slow-playing, passive
player. Villain1 raises to 70.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
553
554
You decide to call. Vincent calls as well. The flop comes Q -6 -6 .
Vincent checks, looking somewhat happy, and Dennis bets 150.
Question 2
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
555
556
You fold. Vincent again wins a nice pot from Dennis when his A-Q beats Q-J.
557
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 8 d) 5
It’s fine to either call or re-raise against a good LAG. You should mix up your play,
although it’s best to just call with small and medium pairs, especially in position,
because you will usually have a good idea on the flop if you have a premium hand.
Also, since Dennis raised from MP1, he probably has a strong range. He may
decide to 4-bet, since he now knows you sometimes re-raise with non-premium
hands. If you re-raise to around 200 and Dennis 4-bets to 600, you should call and
try to flop a 7 due to your large implied odds.
558
559
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 2 c) 3 d) 1
Vincent likely has a queen or a 6. Consequently, folding is the only sensible play.
Summary
Keep your eyes open if you want to maximize your profit at the poker table. If you
fail to realize when someone yet to act has a strong hand, you will bleed off small
amounts of money that add up to a fortune over time.
560
Hand 38: Catching a Set
Hand: 2 -2
Position: UTG+1
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Gustav, the loose, aggressive, wild guy. He seems to be playing

somewhat intelligently at the moment. He is clawing his way back to even after his
44-hour debacle. Villain2 is Dennis, the good LAG kid who may or may not be on
tilt after Vincent pummelled him.
Question 1
The action is on you in UTG+1.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
561
562
You raise to 60. Gustav and Dennis call.
The flop comes 9 -4 -2 . Dennis checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
563
564
You bet 110 and both opponents call. The turn is (9 -4 -2 )-3 .
Dennis checks.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
565
566
You bet 260. Gustav raises to 860 total. Dennis re-raises to 2,360 total.
Question 4
Dennis has 5,470 left in his stack. What is your action?
a) Fold b) Call 2,100 more c) Re-raise to 4,000 total

d) Go all-in for 7,830 total
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
567
568
You decide to fold. Gustav calls 1,500 more.
The river is (9 -4 -2 -3 )-6 . Dennis bets 2,000 with A -5 .
Gustav calls and wins with J -5 .
569
Answer 1
a) 8 b) 3 c) 10 d) 1
Folding, limping and raising are all acceptable with small pairs in early position.
Assuming you play well post-flop, you should usually raise exactly as you would
with the rest of your range. Limping is good if you expect a raise would often result
in a re-raise. It’s best to just fold if your opponents will play well against you,
fighting intelligently for pots and rarely paying you off when you make a set. With a
few aggressive players yet to act, your only legitimate options are to raise or fold.
570
571
Answer 2
a) 2 b) 10 c) 7 d) 3
You should certainly continuation bet with a set. Bet an amount that won’t fold out
worse made hands that are drawing dead. You should be mildly concerned about
the various draws, but straight draws typically make up only a tiny portion of your
opponents’ ranges. You will likely hear from anyone who happens to hit a flush on
the turn or river, and that will allow you to play well.
572
573
Answer 3
a) 3 b) 10 c) 6 d) 1
You no longer have the effective nuts, but your hand is almost certainly still best.
So, you should make another value-bet, sized to keep your opponents in with
numerous worse made hands. If you think your opponents will never fold a 9 to a
slightly larger bet, that size becomes ideal. Don’t bet so large that they will only
continue with an overpair or better, as those hands make up only a tiny portion of
their ranges.
574
575
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 2 c) 1 d) 2
When the action gets insane, you must assume you no longer have the best hand.
One of your opponents almost certainly has a straight, 9-9, 4-4 or 3-3. You’re not
getting the right price to draw to beat the straights, and the sets demolish you, so
you have an easy fold. Also notice that the other player either has a premium made
hand or a strong draw. If by some miracle you have the best hand, you will still be
against two premium draws with numerous outs. Folding a set is never fun, but it’s
the only logical play when you’re getting poor pot odds and your opponents’ ranges
crush you.
Summary
If Dennis had folded instead of re-raising to 2,360, you would be correct to call
Gustav’s raise to 860, intending to call if a diamond did not appear on the river.
You know that Gustav is quite capable of bluffing, so you simply have to pay him
off if he has a straight or set. If a diamond came on the river, your hand would only
be best if Gustav was stone bluffing or vastly overvaluing a weak two pair.
576
Hand 39: Day Three
Hand: K -6
Position: BB
Players: 2
Blinds: 10/20
This is the fifth hand of the day at a new 10/20 table. You are currently playing
heads-up. A few other players are buying their chips and getting situated at the
table. The button raised to 40 and the big blind folded in the four previous hands.
Note that heads-up, the button puts in the small blind, acts first pre-flop and acts
second on later streets.
Villain1 is Ron, a 35-year-old, standard TAG who thinks he is much better than
he actually is. He plays almost entirely straightforward, rarely getting out of line,
which makes him a prime player to exploit. You learned this by watching him play
during your entire time at the table on day two. He normally buys in much deeper,
but apparently thinks he knows how to play short-stacked, heads-up poker better
than you, which is probably not the case. Ron raises to 40 from the button.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
577
Answer
578
579
You re-raise to 100 and Ron decides to call. The flop comes 10 -10 -4 .
Question 2
The pot is 200 and the effective stack size is 500.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
580
581
You bet 100 and Ron quickly folds.
582
Answer 1
a) 1 b) 7 c) 10 d) 3
It’s fine to either call or re-raise against someone who plays straightforwardly after
the flop. Since you’ve folded to a min-raise the previous two times you were in the
big blind, you should certainly continue this time. Re-raising will often set up an
interesting dynamic such that Ron may start folding a fair amount of time from the
small blind, which would be ideal. Of course, you should quickly fold if you re-
raise and he shoves. Calling is also fine when getting 3-to-1, although K-6 usually
plays quite poorly post-flop, strengthening the case for a re-raise.
583
584
Answer 2
a) 2 b) 3 c) 10 d) 2
The flop is not good for your hand, but it’s also bad for Ron’s range. You know he
will play straightforwardly, so you should make a fairly small continuation bet,
expecting to win the pot whenever he misses the flop, which will be most of the
time. If Ron calls, you should probably give up unless you think he would play ace-
high this way, intending to fold if he sees additional pressure on the turn.
Summary
Live players tend to be deathly afraid of playing short-handed. This is a huge error.
You gain a huge amount of experience from short-handed play because you are
involved in many more decisions with marginal ranges. Once you develop a strong
short-handed strategy, you can play with fairly weak players who are looking to
gamble. To pass up on playing with weak opposition is clearly an error. Also, you
will find games typically fill up once a few players start playing, whereas it takes
much longer for a game to start if everyone refuses to play until six or more players
are seated.
585
Hand 40: Still Heads-up
Hand: A -J
Position: SB/Button
Players: 2
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Ron, the straightforward TAG.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
586
587
You raise to 40 and Ron quickly goes all-in for 500 total.
Question 2
a) Fold b) Call 460 more
(a) (b) Points: ……………
Answer
588
589
You call and chop with Ron’s Q -J when the board arrives
A -K -5 -Q -10 .
590
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 2 c) 10 d) 3
You should usually raise to 40 with all playable hands from the small blind with
short effective stacks. This saves money compared to a larger raise whenever your
opponent plays back at you when you intend to fold. With short stacks, you can
easily get all-in by the river whenever you want. Making a large pre-flop raise
costs you the difference between that and a small raise every time your opponent
takes an aggressive line and you fold.
591
592
Answer 2
a) 0 b) 10
Even though Ron went all-in for a fair amount, A-J is much too strong to consider
folding. Even if Ron were overly tight, your A-J would still be too good to release.
When you have a strong holding against a short-stacked opponent who you know is
capable of going all-in with a reasonable range, you simply must call, even when
you aren’t getting excellent pot odds.
Summary
Do not let it bother you that he got lucky to chop when you had him in bad shape.
Heads-up poker has high variance. Learn to enjoy the swings.
593
Hand 41: Dealing with a Raise over a Limp
Hand: K -J
Position: SB
Players: 6
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Shelly, the fairly LAG lady who is somewhat unpredictable. Villain2 is
a kid you have never seen who seems to employ a TAG strategy. Shelly limps from
first position and Villain2 raises to 70.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
594
595
You re-raise to 210 and both players quickly fold.
596
Answer 1
a) 2 b) 5 c) 10 d) 8
From the small blind when facing a raise over a limp, you should usually re-raise
or fold with most playable hands. Re-raising will give you control of the pot,
allowing you to win most of the time when all players have marginal holdings. If
you called instead, you would usually have to check-fold when you flopped poorly.
By re-raising, you win the pot when Villain2 has a weak pre-flop hand and most of
the time when he misses the flop. If Villain2 had re-raised, perhaps to 570, you
should usually fold. You might re-raise to around 1,300 if you thought your
opponent was capable of getting well out of line but would not want to risk his
entire stack with a huge pre-flop bluff.
Summary
Many short-handed pots are won without a showdown. This should lead you to take
aggressive lines that would normally be somewhat optimistic at a full table. If you
play well after the flop, the best course of action against fairly straightforward
players is to employ intelligent aggression.
597
Hand 42: Tough Flop
Hand: 9 -9
Position: UTG
Players: 7
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Shelly, the spewy lady. It comes to your attention that she forgot to sleep
last night, meaning she has been playing at least 20 hours.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
598
599
You raise to 60 and only Shelly calls. The flop comes A -J -3 .
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
600
601
You check; Shelly quickly checks behind. The turn is (A -J -3 )-8 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
602
603
You check and Shelly checks behind. The river is (A -J -3 -8 )-Q .
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
604
605
You both check. She wins with A -6 .
606
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 4 c) 10 d) 2
You should make your standard pre-flop raise to 3 big blinds with a premium pair
in first position. The fact that the table is seven-handed should not change that.
607
608
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 7 c) 5 d) 2
The flop is fairly bad for your hand, but it’s not too bad for your likely range. If you
bet, Shelly will almost certainly continue with any ace, jack or heart, all of which
will do well against your 9 -9 . She probably won’t put any money in the pot with
a worse hand, which will allow you to win at showdown.
It may be tempting to continuation bet with your entire pre-flop raising range, but
you should make a point to figure out what will happen if you bet. The only good
that could come from a bet would be to possibly fold out hands like K -10 .
609
610
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 5 c) 3 d) 1
The turn is good for your hand, but there is still no point in betting because Shelly
will always continue with an ace, jack or heart. Since you are close to showdown,
checking is an excellent play.
611
612
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 5 c) 8 d) 2
You should strongly consider firing out a bluff on this scary river. Shelly will
probably never fold a heart, which she probably has around 45 percent of the time,
so any bet of less than half-pot is acceptable. If you are going to bluff, you should
bet an amount that will cause her to fold most hands worse than a flush, while
saving you money when she has one. Do not bet so small that she will call with
non-flush hands better than yours.
Checking is the best play by far if you think Shelly may call any reasonable bet
with an ace or possibly a jack, hoping you are bluffing. Shelly may not be in the
folding mood due to a lack of sleep, so it’s probably ideal to check, expecting to
sometimes win the pot with your unimproved 9-9.
Summary
Some players feel as if they must fight for every single pot. Especially when you
have a reasonable amount of showdown value, it is often correct to simply check it
down, expecting to occasionally win.
613
Hand 43: Options
Hand: 6 -5
Position: MP
Players: 7
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a fairly tight 50-year-old who has yet to be out of line.
Question 1
The action is on you in middle position.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
614
615
You raise to 60 and Villain1 quickly re-raises to 180.
The action folds around to you.
Question 2

c) Re-raise to 560 d) Re-raise to 670
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
616
617
You decide to call. The flop comes 10 -5 -4
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
618
619
You check and Villain1 fires out 220.
Question 4
your action?
a) Fold b) Call c) Raise to 440 d) Raise to 640
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
620
621
You call. The turn is (10 -5 -4 )-9 .
Question 5
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
622
623
You check and Villain1 checks behind. The river is (10 -5 -4 -9 )-3 .
Question 6
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
624
625
You check. Villain1 bets 500.
Question 7
is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
626
627
You fold, conceding the pot to Villain1.
628
Answer 1
a) 5 b) 3 c) 10 d) 0
Folding is fine from early and middle position, especially if the players yet to act
are good and aggressive.
You usually want to be one of the most aggressive players at the table, so you
should generally make a standard pre-flop raise and see what happens. Creating a
loose image will help you to get paid off in the future when you actually have a
premium hand.
629
630
Answer 2
a) 6 b) 10 c) 3 d) 1
When a tight player re-raises, you must determine whether you are getting the
proper implied odds to continue. You want at least 20-to-1 implied odds to call
with suited connectors. That is certainly the case here, as you have to put in 120
more to potentially win 5,000. However, it’s a huge hindrance to be out of position
with suited connectors. You normally need to be in position to maximize value
when you connect well. Folding is acceptable if you expect your opponent to play
well after the flop.
Calling is probably fine because you are deep-stacked and Villain1 will be
unlikely to get away from A-A on a ragged board. If you are confident your
opponent is bluffing or will play poorly if you re-raise, there is merit in making a
fairly small re-raise, hoping to make him think you have A-A or K-K.
631
632
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 3 c) 4 d) 1
You should usually check and see what develops with a weak pair. The problem
with leading is that it allows your opponent to play well by continuing when he has
the best hand and folding when he doesn’t. He may raise with a wide range of
bluffs, against which you will be defenseless. He may also call the flop with a
muddled range against which you cannot profitably continue. Betting into the pre-
flop re-raiser leads to numerous nasty spots that are best avoided.
633
634
Answer 4
a) 4 b) 10 c) 2 d) 4
You’re facing what appears to be a standard continuation bet. With a pair and all
the backdoor draws, you should call and see what comes on the turn.
Check-raising is reasonable if you think you can make your opponent
immediately fold all hands worse than a 10. If he doesn’t fold, you can follow a
check-raise with turn and river bets if you think that will result in him folding an
overpair by the river. This is quite a strong play if it will pressure him into folding
all hands worse than two pair. Triple-barreling may seem overly risky, often
committing a huge portion of your stack with little equity. If you know your
opponent well, it can be hugely profitable, as you only lose a lot of money when he
improves, which will occur less than 15 percent of the time.
635
636
Answer 5
a) 10 b) 1 c) 3 d) 5
You check-called the flop. The turn is bad for your hand. Hence, you should tend to
check with the intention of folding if your opponent fires out another bet.
You can try leading the turn and betting again on the river if you think he might
fold an overpair on the river.
You can also check with the intention of raising the turn, representing two pair or
better. However, if your opponent calls your turn check-raise, you will be unsure if
you should make an additional bluff on the river. Take care not to attempt huge
bluffs that will rarely succeed.
637
638
Answer 6
a) 10 b) 2 c) 1 d) 4
When the turn checks through, there is no point in betting the river because your
opponent will only call with a hand better than yours. You could make an unusually
large bet to induce him to fold an overpair, but he probably won’t make that fold
often.
639
640
Answer 7
a) 10 b) 1 c) 4 d) 7
When your opponent bets the river, he is almost always betting for value, or
perhaps with random overcards he thinks cannot win at showdown, such as A-J or
K-Q.
A sizable check-raise becomes a powerful option if you think he will assume he
must be beat, especially since you could easily have 7-6. However, some tight
players will assume 7-6 is never in your range because it would never be in theirs,
so he could call your check-raise with most of his river betting range. Also, some
players simply never fold overpairs, regardless of the action. Know your opponent
and his tendencies.
Summary
You can see that when you are very deep-stacked, you can take many different lines
to hopefully force your opponent off almost his entire range. Remember, though, that
having options is not a good enough reason to exercise them.
641
Hand 44: Turning a Little Equity
Hand: K -10
Position: Button
Players: 7
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a 40-year-old who is new to the table. You know nothing about him
except that he did not play his first three hands. Villain2 is a weak, passive, 60-
year-old who rarely gets out of line. Villain3 is Shelly, the lady who forgot to go to
sleep. Villain1 and Villain2 limp.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
642
643
You raise to 100. Shelly and Villain1 call. Villain2 folds.
The flop comes J -7 -5 . Shelly and Villain1 check to you.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
644
645
You bet 150 and only Shelly calls. The turn is (J -7 -5 )-2 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
646
647
You bet 320. Shelly thinks for a minute before folding.
648
Answer 1
a) 2 b) 7 c) 10 d) 4
Both raising and limping are acceptable. You should raise with hands that have
reverse implied odds, such as A-9 and K-10, because you don’t particularly want
to see a multiway flop. If you think both blinds and the limpers will often call a
raise to 100, you should either limp or raise a bit larger to hopefully increase your
fold equity.
649
650
Answer 2
a) 8 b) 10 c) 8 d) 2
You flopped relatively little equity in a multiway pot, so both betting and checking
are good. If you think your opponents will call your flop bet with a wide range, it’s
fine to make a standard continuation bet, with the intention of betting again on most
turns that change the board. If you think your opponents will be overly sticky, rarely
folding any sort of made hand to multiple barrels, you should check behind and try
to improve on the turn. If you bet the flop, you should bet an amount that gives you
some fold equity while minimizing your losses when called.
651
652
Answer 3
a) 6 b) 10 c) 8 d) 2
The turn card drastically changed the board, reducing all of Shelly’s flopped made
hands to bluff-catchers. Hence, you should tend to fire out a second barrel. If she
calls your turn bet, you should usually check behind on the river, assuming she is in
a calling mood and is unlikely to fold any sort of decent made hand. You should
also check behind if you river a flush, because few worse flushes will pay you off.
You can easily ditch your hand if she check-raises on the turn, as you are likely
drawing thin or dead against her check-raising range.
Summary
When you are bluffing in position and the board drastically changes, making most of
your opponent’s check-calling range much weaker, you should usually continue
betting, hoping to force him off most of his range. Do not be afraid to make these
bets, as they allow you to steal countless pots.
653
Hand 45: Small Pot Until…
Hand: A -K
Position: SB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a loose, passive player who generally plays straightforwardly. You

know nothing about Villain2 and Villain3. Villain4 is Shelly, the somewhat wild
lady who randomly gets out of line. Shelly has made large raises over limps on two
previous occasions. Villain1 limps from first position. Villain2 and Villain3 limp
as well.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
654
655
You decide to call. Shelly raises to 280.
Villain1 calls. Villain2 and Villain3 fold.
Question 2
The pot is 620. The effective stack sizes are 1,480 with Villain1 and 2,980 with
Shelly. What is your action?
a) Fold b) Call 260 more c) Re-raise to 700

d) Go all-in for 2,720 more
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
656
657
You go all-in. Shelly happily calls, Villain1 folds and you lose to her A-A.
658
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 10 d) 7
Raising is a fine default option against likely weak limpers when you have a hand
that crushes their ranges. The one problem with raising is that you will be out of
position, probably against several opponents. Limping becomes an excellent tactic
if you play well after the flop. You don’t have to always raise simply because you
have a strong hand. Think about what is likely to happen. It’s usually not ideal to
play a 500 pot, out of position against three opponents, with a hand that will
typically have large reverse implied odds when you make top pair, top kicker.
659
660
Answer 2
a) 2 b) 4 c) 9 d) 10
Once the pot balloons to 620, calling loses much of its appeal because you will be
out of position and will have a difficult time stacking either of your opponents if
you hit top pair. Notice that Shelly probably won’t pay you off if she has a hand like
J-J and the flop comes K-5-2. You will almost always have to fold to a continuation
bet when an ace or king fails to flop. This means you will often lose when you miss
and rarely win a large pot when you hit.
Shelly has shown a propensity to raise huge over limps, so you should not
assume she has a premium hand. You can somewhat happily get all-in even if she
has a strong range of big pairs and A-K. Pushing may force her off some hands you
are flipping or chopping with. You can raise less than all-in if you think she might
make a huge blunder with marginal holdings such as A-J and K-Q. However,
lacking position, you should probably shove. Villain1 could have a premium hand,
but being fairly loose and passive, he probably has a good, but not amazing hand,
such as A-Q or 7-7, that he will fold to an all-in.
You should be fairly surprised to see Shelly turn up A-A, although this line
certainly makes sense from someone who is not an expert. Seeing her turn up this
hand should make you question your read that she is probably capable of raising
over limps with non-premium hands. Perhaps she is capable of making large raises
over limps both with junk and premium holdings, or maybe she only raises huge
over limps with premium hands. You can’t know for sure.
Summary
Looking back, if you knew Shelly could play A-A and K-K in this manner, you
should perhaps have folded to her 280 pre-flop raise. When the pot gets large and
you are against either a somewhat balanced range or a premium range, you certainly
do not want to play hands that have huge reverse implied odds from out of position.
Since she actually has A-A, this situation changes from a reluctant all-in to a nasty
spot where it is nearly impossible to come up with a good line. Until you know
otherwise, if she doesn’t constantly make huge raises over limps, it is probably best
to fold almost everything when she does this, assuming she probably has a mostly
premium range she is trying to “protect”.
661
Hand 46: Monotone Board
Hand: K -Q
Position: BB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Shelly. Villain2, Villain3 and Villain4 are all fairly straightforward. You
likely have a tilty image because you recently lost a large pot to Shelly. Shelly
limps from UTG+1, followed by Villain2, Villain3 and Villain4.
Question 1
What do you do with K -Q ?
a) Fold b) Check c) Raise to 120 d) Raise to 180
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
662
663
You decide to check. The flop comes K -Q -5 . Villain4 checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
664
665
You bet 100. Shelly quickly raises to 300. Everyone folds around to you.
Question 3
is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
666
667
You decide to call 200 more. The turn is (K -Q -5 )-10 .
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
668
669
You check and Shelly checks behind. The river is (K -Q -5 -10 )-4 .
Question 5
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
670
671
You check and Shelly again checks behind, winning with 8 -6 .
672
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 8 d) 5
Similar to A-K in the previous hand, both raising and checking are fine. Do not be
afraid to check and see a free flop. It disguises your range and keeps the pot small,
which is what you want when you are out of position.
673
674
Answer 2
a) 5 b) 7 c) 10 d) 3
Both leading and checking are acceptable, given that the board contains numerous
draws. If you decide to bet, make it a bit larger than normal to hopefully induce
your opponents to call instead of raise with their draws. Don’t bet too large; you
don’t want to force your opponents to only continue with the nut-flush draw and
flushes. The problem with checking is that you will allow a free turn card to arrive
that can beat you. Check-raising is not good because you will usually be out of
position in a large pot, with no clue where you stand.
675
676
Answer 3
a) 2 b) 10 c) 7 d) 1
When raised, you should assume Shelly’s range consists mostly of strong draws and
flushes. Against that range, you should call and see what develops on the turn. You
can make a small re-raise if you think she will give you 100 percent accurate
information about the strength of her hand, but since she is fairly spewy, that
probably won’t be the case, and you’ll be making incorrect folds.
677
678
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 7 c) 4 d) 1
While the turn isn’t too bad, you still lose to all flushes. She will almost never fold
the nut-flush draw if you bet, so you should check and see what happens. You
should probably call if she bets the turn, but realize you will be in a tough spot if
she also bets the river. If you lead the turn, you should tend to bet small, again
hoping to get accurate information.
679
680
Answer 5
a) 10 b) 2 c) 4 d) 7
Whenever the river is the fourth card of a suit, you should consider a sizable bluff if
you think you can get your opponent off bad flushes and hands worse than a flush.
You beat almost all non-flush hands, so you should tend to check, especially since
Shelly is not afraid to make fairly large calls. A bet of around 650 would make
sense if Shelly would assume that meant you had the nut flush. A small bet is not
effective because she will call with all flushes and fold most hands that you beat.
Summary
Luckily for you, Shelly let you off the hook by checking behind on the turn. Some
players check good, but not amazing made hands on the turn, and only put additional
money into a large pot with the nuts or a semi-bluff. If you were in Shelly’s shoes,
you would certainly want to bet around 450 on the turn, both for value and
protection. When deep-stacked, you must get value from made hands that have your
opponent’s range in bad shape.
681
Hand 47: Fighting Shelly
Hand: 8 -7
Position: CO
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1, Villain2 and Villain3 are all fairly passive and straightforward. Villain4
is Shelly, the lady who currently has your head spinning. Villain1, Villain2 and
Villain3 all limp.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
682
683
You raise to 110. Only Shelly and Villain3 call.
The flop comes 8 -4 -2 . Villain3 checks to you.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
684
685
You bet 200 and only Shelly calls. The turn is (8 -4 -2 )-K .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
686
687
You check and Shelly quickly fires 480 into the pot.
Question 4
is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
688
689
You call 480. The river is (8 -4 -2 -K )-6 .
Question 5
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
690
691
You check and Shelly checks behind, losing with 6 -5 .
692
Answer 1
a) 5 b) 7 c) 10 d) 2
Folding, calling and raising are all acceptable with a marginal hand in late position
when facing a few limpers who are probably weak. When you have position on the
limpers, you should usually raise enough to give yourself some fold equity. This
will often result in your stealing the pot pre-flop or seeing a heads-up flop. Just
limp if you think the limpers will all call a raise; you don’t want to be in a large,
multiway pot with a marginal hand. A giant raise is usually not good because it
risks too many chips to win too few.
693
694
Answer 2
a) 3 b) 10 c) 6 d) 1
You should certainly continuation bet with top pair in a multiway pot. Bet an
amount that can reasonably be called by worse hands. A large bet will probably
only be called if you are behind. Consider your opponents’ ranges when choosing a
bet size. You don’t want to bet an amount that will fold worse hands and get a call
from better ones. You could also check, but it’s better to bet for protection, since
both your opponents have reasonable equity with their entire ranges.
695
696
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 4 c) 2 d) 1
The king may appear scary, but it is actually not bad because Shelly will seldom
have a king. So, if you had the best hand on the flop, you probably still have the
best hand. Value-betting is not a good option because Shelly will have a tough time
calling a significant bet with most hands worse than yours. This should lead you to
check, allowing her to bluff or overvalue a worse made hand.
697
698
Answer 4
a) 3 b) 10 c) 2 d) 1
Sticking with the plan, when Shelly bets 480, you’re not going anywhere. When you
check to induce an aggressive player to bet, you must continue in the pot if your
hand does well against his betting range. You only have middle pair with a bad
kicker, but you crush Shelly’s range. Poker is extremely situational. Sometimes
middle pair is a premium hand and sometimes it is junk. Here, it is fairly strong.
699
700
Answer 5
a) 10 b) 3 c) 2 d) 1
You should check; you want to continue allowing Shelly to bluff. It’s hard to know
if she will bluff the river with a wide range. She will almost certainly fold worse
hands if you bet into her on the river, so checking is the only viable play.
Unfortunately, Shelly rivered a hand she thought had some value, so she checked
behind. She looked unhappy, perhaps thinking she could have gotten you off an 8
with a big bet. She actually saved a fair amount of cash.
701
Hand 48: The Best Draw
Hand: K -Q
Position: HJ
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is an Asian guy who has yet to get out of line. He seems to be an amateur
who plays with his hand face-up. Villain2 is Ron, the A-B-C player who thinks he
is good at poker. Villain1 raises to 80.
Question 1
The action is on you in the hijack.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
702
703
You decide to call; Ron calls as well. The flop comes K -Q -10 .
Ron bets out 150 and Villain1 raises to 500.
Question 2
your action?
a) Fold b) Call 500 c) Re-raise to 1,000

d) Re-raise to 1,400
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
704
705
You and Ron both call. The turn is (K -Q -10 )-5 .
Ron checks and Villain1 bets 800.
Question 3
is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
706
707
You and Ron decide to call. The river is (K -Q -10 -5 )-8 .
Ron checks and Villain1 bets 1,200.
Question 4
is your action?
a) Fold b) Call 1,200 c) Raise to 2,400

d) Raise all-in for 3,420 more
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
708
709
You and Ron fold, giving the pot to Villain1, who proudly shows his A -J .
710
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 8 d) 2
You are in position against the pre-flop raiser, so both calling and re-raising are
fine. You should usually call and see a flop against tighter opponents because you
don’t want to be re-raised. You should lean toward re-raising against loose,
aggressive players to extract value and gain initiative after the flop.
711
712
Answer 2
a) 8 b) 10 c) 2 d) 1
With top two pair, facing a lead and a raise, your only real options are to call or
fold. Notice that to re-raise is to put lots of money in against two very strong
ranges. This is not ideal when you have little equity against the hands that will
never fold. Fold if you are sure that Villain1 has squarely A-J or a set. Call if you
think he could have A-A, A-K, a pair with a jack or a flush draw. You’re not sure
where Villain1 stands, so it’s probably best to call and see what develops. You
know that Ron probably has a draw or a worse made hand if he calls.
713
714
Answer 3
a) 8 b) 10 c) 2 d) 1
When Villain1 bets again on the turn, you can be sure that A-J and sets are still in
his range. You should reluctantly fold if you think he would rarely bet again on the
turn with A-A, A-K or K-J. He’s an amateur who could easily be overvaluing A-A.
It’s probably best to call on the turn with the intention of folding on the river if he
bets into two opponents, assuming he would check with A-A and A-K.
715
716
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 3 c) 1 d) 0
When Villain1 bets again on the river, you should assume he has either A-J or a set,
and make a disciplined fold despite your good pot odds and the fact that Ron rarely
has you beat. Almost no one is capable of raising the flop and betting the turn and
river into two people as a bluff. Perhaps Villain1 is overvaluing A-A, but other
than that, he usually has you beat. If you knew he was capable of playing A-A and
A-K in a similar manner, you would probably be right to find a call.
Summary
After the hand, Ron pointedly discussed with the player next to him how he would
have stacked both you and Villain1 if his flush had come on the river. This is
clearly absurd, as he had no way of knowing that Villain1 would blindly pay him
off, or if you had a worse flush draw. He assessed your range incorrectly, as the J-
high flush draw is the only one you would ever be involved with. When you aren’t
actually good at poker, it is not a good idea to let your opponents know how bad
you are by opening your mouth and spouting nonsense.
717
Hand 49: Continuation Bet?
Hand: A -K
Position: SB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a 35-year-old TAG who has been in line so far. Villain2 is a LAG kid
who seems to play well. You have recently been involved in numerous aggressively
played pots. Villain1 raises to 70 and Villain2 calls.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
718
719
You re-raise to 260. Villain1 and Villain2 call. The flop comes 7 -4 -3 .
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
720
721
You elect to bet 320. Villain1 folds and Villain2 calls.
The turn is (7 -4 -3 )-5 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
722
723
Question 4
is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
724
725
You decide to fold, conceding the pot.
726
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 8 c) 10 d) 5
As always, you should vary your play between calling and re-raising. Since you
have recently been involved in many pots, you should probably continue playing
aggressively with your premium hands. While playing a large pot out of position is
never ideal, given your image and your strong hand, it is acceptable.
727
728
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 8 c) 5 d) 1
Multiway, you should expect your opponents to play fairly straightforwardly if you
continuation bet, continuing when they have something reasonable and folding when
they don’t. Your opponents will fold numerous hands worse than yours, but notice
that you’re out of position and you cannot realistically check with the intention of
calling a bet. Checking would be fine if you knew your opponents would only bet if
you checked with decent made hands, but that is not how most competent players
react to a pre-flop re-raiser’s check on medium- and low-card flops. Hence, you
should either bet, hoping a cheap bluff steals the pot, or check with the intention of
reluctantly folding to a bet.
Despite being the pre-flop raiser, you should often check with the intention of
folding when the flop is bad for your range in multiway pots, because competent
players will frequently call your flop bet. They could be floating, looking to steal
the pot on any sort of scary turn card, or they could already have the best hand. It’s
no fun to check-fold in a re-raised pot, but sometimes it is the right play.
729
730
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 3 c) 5 d) 7
The turn is not good for your range, so you should usually check with the intention
of folding if Villain2 bets. Villain2 will not often have a 6, but he is much more
likely than you to have a premium hand on this board. If you decide to bet, make it
big enough that he must have a strong hand to continue. A small bet may induce him
to bluff on this scary board, and you can’t stand much pressure.
731
732
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 0 c) 6 d) 2
Your opponent could have an overly wide range, but even a range of any two cards
has 60 percent equity against your A-high. Still, a small check-raise might convince
him that you have a straight. You can try that play if you think he might be convinced
by it.
733
Hand 50: Overpair Bluff-catcher
Hand: Q -Q
Position: HJ
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a loose, passive 50-year-old. Villain2 is a TAG kid who seems to try to
put money in the pot when he thinks he has a strong hand. Villain1 limps.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
734
735
You raise to 80 and Villain2 re-raises to 320. Villain1 calls 300 more.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
736
737
You call. The flop comes J -4 -2 . Villain2 bets 510 and Villain1 folds.
Question 3
is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
738
739
You call. The turn is (J -4 -2 )-9 . Villain2 bets 1,020.
Question 4
is your action?

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
740
741
You decide to fold, giving Villain2 the pot. He is kind enough to show you his K-K
before mucking.
742
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 3 c) 10 d) 8
With a premium hand facing a weak limper, you usually want to make a raise that
will keep the limper in while extracting value and growing a pot. Raising too large
will force him to fold most trash, which you have crushed.
743
744
Answer 2
a) 0 b) 10 c) 5 d) 2
Facing a powerful re-raise from a TAG and a weak call, which is usually some sort
of pair or decent ace, you should call and see what develops. If you re-raise, both
opponents will only continue with A-A, K-K, Q-Q and perhaps A-K, which is not
good for you. You would much rather call and see a flop in position, knowing you
will play well after that.
745
746
Answer 3
a) 2 b) 10 c) 3 d) 2
Your overpair only beats J-x, middle pairs and bluffs, all of which would have
been overplayed before the flop, along with A-K and A-Q. You should play your
hand accordingly and call. If you raise, your opponent will probably fold most
worse hands and continue with better hands. If he happens to be running a bluff, a
raise will result in either a fold or a re-raise, and you will have to concede to the
latter.
747
748
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 8 c) 2 d) 1
Villain2 probably isn’t messing around when he bets again on the turn. You only
lose to a small value range, namely A-A, K-K, J-J, and 9-9, but that is probably
what you are up against. You should be careful about quickly putting your opponent
on a range this tight, but sometimes you can make a snug fold and save a lot of
money. If your TAG opponent has the courage to run this bluff, he gets to steal the
pot.
Summary
This hand exemplifies why you must be keenly aware of your opponents’
tendencies. You could happily call down against a player you knew was loose and
aggressive. This player rarely, if ever, gets out of line when the pot gets large, so
you simply have to get out of the way and accept that you are usually saving money.
However, you’re probably getting bluffed far more often than you realize if you’re
frequently making big folds.
749
Hand 51: Overly Dry Multiway Flop
Hand: A -Q
Position: MP1
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Shelly, the wild lady. Villain2 is a loose, passive guy who likes to see
flops but then plays fairly straightforwardly.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
750
751
You raise to 60. Both Shelly and Villain2 call.
The flop comes 9 -4 -4 . Villain2 checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
752
753
You bet 110 and win the pot.
754
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 2 c) 10 d) 7
You should make a standard raise to 3 big blinds from all positions with a premium
hand. Raising to 4 big blinds may induce your opponents to play more
straightforwardly, but a smaller raise keeps them in with wider ranges that you
crush.
755
756
Answer 2
a) 4 b) 10 c) 7 d) 2
You should usually continuation bet with your entire range on an overly dry board.
You should have ideas of betting three streets as a bluff, representing an overpair
on a board this dry, where your opponents likely have a 9 at best. Of course, if an
opponent raises at any point, you should quickly ditch your A-Q and all hands
worse than a 9, unless you think he would blindly attack continuation bets on dry
boards.
757
Hand 52: Small Pot with Draws
Hand: J -9
Position: BB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Both Villain1 and Villain2 are fairly loose and passive.

Villain1 and Villain2 limp.
Question 1
What is your play with J -9 ?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
758
759
You decide to check. The flop comes 8 -6 -2 . Villain2 checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
760
761
You bet 40 and both Villains fold.
762
Answer 1
a) 10 b) 2 c) 5 d) 7
Both checking and raising are fine plays from the big blind. The better you play
post-flop, the happier you should be checking, looking to frequently steal small
pots. Mix up your play by occasionally raising an amount that gives you some pre-
flop fold equity.
763
764
Answer 2
a) 7 b) 10 c) 6 d) 1
This flop is not great for your hand, but it is probably not good for anyone else
either. Leading is excellent, given your overcards and all the backdoor draws.
There is no point in making a huge bet. Most players will fold when they have
nothing and call any reasonably sized bet if they have a piece of the flop. If you
check, it should usually be with the intention of check-raising due to your
substantial equity against most marginal made hands.
Summary
Poker is often not about running risky bluffs and playing gigantic pots with premium
hands. Most of the biggest winners in the game constantly fight for the small pots no
one really wants, enabling them to slowly chip up over time.
765
Hand 53: The Four and the Two
Hand: 4 -2
Position: BB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a good, TAG kid you do not know. You assume he is/was an online
player due to his relatively small bet sizes. Villain2 is unknown. Villain3 is a tight,
passive 50-year-old who seems to usually play in a straightforward manner.
Villain4 is a tight, passive guy. Villain1 raises to 50. Villain2, Villain3 and Villain4
call.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
766
767
You decide to call and see a flop. The flop comes A -9 -2 .
Question 2
The pot is 260 and the effective stack size is 1,950 or 4,950, depending on the
opponent. What is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
768
769
You decide to check. Villain1 and Villain2 check to Villain3, who bets 140.
Villain4 folds.
Question 3
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
770
771
You check-raise to 440. Everyone folds, giving you the pot.
772
Answer 1
a) 7 b) 10 c) 1 d) 3
You’re getting amazing pot odds, so it’s fine to call with hands that have even a
little potential. Nevertheless, you should fold junk such as J-3 and 10-2. When
taking a cheap flop with a hand that could easily be in bad shape, you must not get
too involved unless you flop a premium hand. You would be surprised how often
you run into a larger flush than yours when a lot of money goes into the pot.
773
774
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 3 c) 5 d) 7
It’s usually smart to check when out of position against a number of players who
could easily have an ace or 9. If you lead, your opponents can happily call with a
wide range of made hands, putting you in difficult turn and river situations if you
fail to improve. Your opponents could fold their made hands even if you improve,
meaning you win a small pot when you hit and lose a big one when you miss. If you
check, someone bets and another player raises, you should quickly ditch your pair
plus flush draw, as you are likely facing two premium made hands or a made hand
and a better draw.
775
776
Answer 3
a) 0 b) 7 c) 10 d) 6
You should look to apply pressure with your strong semi-bluffs when it is likely
that only one person has any sort of made hand. Notice that if you call your
opponent’s bet and hit on either the turn or river, you will have a tough time
winning a large pot because you’re out of position. Since Villain3 will only have
1,510 left if he decides to call, you should usually apply plenty of pressure on the
turn, trying to make him fold almost his entire range. If he goes all-in over your flop
check-raise, you should reluctantly call, expecting to see either a strong made hand
or draw.
Note that you should not be willing to blindly get your stack in on the flop if
stacks are much deeper, say 200 big blinds. If your opponent has a good enough
hand to blast his entire stack in on A -9 -2 , he almost certainly has two pair or a
set, drastically diminishing the quality of your draw. When stacks are roughly 100
big blinds or less, you can usually be happy to get in with any pair plus flush draw
in a heads-up pot, but you need to be more conservative as stacks get deeper. If
stacks are 200 big blinds deep, you should probably still check-raise on the flop,
but you have to think about folding if Villain3 puts in a sizable re-raise.
777
Hand 54: The Return of Gustav
Hand: A -Q
Position: Button
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a new player who seems inexperienced. Villain2 is Gustav, the wild guy
who loves trying to outplay you. This is his first hand at the table for the day. He
seems to be well rested, which is uncommon from what you’ve seen. Villain1 posts
a blind of 20 in the cutoff and checks his option.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
778
779
You raise to 80. Gustav re-raises to 300. Villain1 folds.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
780
781
You elect to call. The flop comes K -Q -8 .
Gustav quickly fires 400 into the pot.
Question 3
The pot is 1,030. You face a bet of400 and the effective stack size is 4,700. What is
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
782
783
You decide to call. The turn is (K -Q -8 )-7 . Gustav bets 1,020.
Question 4
is your action?

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
784
785
You call. The river is (K -Q -8 -7 )-2 . Gustav checks.
Question 5
a) Check b) Bet 1,000 c) Bet 2,000 d) Go all-in for 3,280
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
786
787
You decide to check, beating Gustav’s 8 -5 .
788
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 2 c) 10 d) 3
Because Villain1 checked, he likely has a range that is weaker than any two cards.
You should happily raise, looking to build a pot in position with a powerful
holding.
789
790
Answer 2
a) 0 b) 10 c) 8 d) 2
Folding is out of the question when Gustav re-raises. You have position and a hand
that almost certainly crushes his range. You have to figure out whether 4-betting or
calling will maximize your expectation. Calling is probably best if you think you
can call down on at least the flop and turn with A-high if you fail to connect with
the board. It’s probably best to 4-bet if you are comfortable getting all-in before the
flop. Your main concern should be keeping Gustav in with a wide range and not
putting yourself in a situation where his range is so strong that you have to fold.
791
792
Answer 3
a) 0 b) 10 c) 4 d) 1
While middle pair is certainly not a premium hand, Gustav is so wild that you
cannot fold. Raising is reasonable due to the many possible draws, but you won’t
be too happy if you raise and he continues in the pot. When you are up against
someone who is more than capable of bluffing, especially when you have a strong
bluff-catcher, you want to keep him in the pot, which often means not raising.
793
794
Answer 4
a) 2 b) 10 c) 2 d) 3
The turn doesn’t change much unless Gustav happened to make two pair or a set.
You can start to consider folding if you believe Gustav would rarely continue
betting on the turn either as a bluff or semi-bluff. Given your experience with him,
you should assume he is more than crazy enough to pull the trigger again.
795
796
Answer 5
a) 10 b) 4 c) 2 d) 2
You could consider a small bet. This might induce Gustav to call with a worse
queen or perhaps make an overly ambitious check-raise bluff. But checking behind
is a fine play that keeps you out of trouble. That said, you should be looking for
ways to get a lot of value from guys who suspect you’re trying to outplay them. A
small bet, or possibly a shove, could level them into thinking you have a missed
draw.
Summary
When someone verifiably wild shows up at the start of the day, it is often difficult
to ascertain his mood. Some people play perfectly sanely until they lose a large pot.
Others act overly aggressively at the start and tighten up as the day progresses.
Note each player’s tendencies so you can make profitable decisions against them in
the future.
The river is a tough spot because you likely planned to call if Gustav made a
sizable bet, due to his crazed image. It is difficult to tell if your plan to call was
bad because Gustav had a hand he likely perceived to have some showdown value.
Perhaps he would have gone all-in with total air. If instead of 8-5 he had shown
down 5-4, your plan to call a river bet would have almost certainly been incorrect.
797
Hand 55: Good for Your Range
Hand: K -J
Position: Button
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is loose, passive and straightforward. He seems to play normally. Villain1

raises to 70 from the hijack.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
798
799
You decide to call 70 and everyone else folds. The flop comes 6 -5 -3 . Villain1
bets 100.
Question 2
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
800
801
You call. The turn is (6 -5 -3 )-6 . Villain1 decides to check.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
802
803
You bet 230 and Villain1 reluctantly folds.
804
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 8 d) 3
With a reasonably strong hand, you should either call or make a standard re-raise.
Your passive opponent should have a strong pre-flop raising range. This makes
calling slightly better than re-raising because you avoid the potential of facing a 4-
bet.
805
806
Answer 2
a) 3 b) 10 c) 7 d) 2
Both raising and calling are acceptable. The flop is not too great for your hand but
if should be decent for your range. Also, you are in position with overcards and a
backdoor flush draw.
You can lean more toward calling a standard continuation bet in position,
especially if you expect your opponent to check-fold most weak hands on the turn.
Raising is perhaps better if you are unsure about his turn betting frequencies. Had
you been out of position, check-raising would be vastly superior to check-calling.
807
808
Answer 3
a) 4 b) 5 c) 10 d) 6
When your opponent shows weakness on the turn, you should bet with ideas of
betting fairly large on the river, trying to look as if you have a 6 or better and are
looking to get value from your opponent’s likely overpair.
Summary
When you float and your opponent shows weakness, do not be afraid to apply
pressure. If you learn that he frequently pot-controls in this situation, opting to
check-call down with a wide range of made hands, you should probably raise the
flop instead of calling. You must constantly assess how a hand might play out and
act accordingly on the early betting rounds to avoid tough spots on later streets.
When you call before the flop in late position with a strong but not amazing hand,
you should plan to win the pot in one of two ways. You can hit and make the best
hand. Or, when you miss, you can sometimes represent a strong hand on boards that
are good for your perceived range.
Do not fall into the habit of playing straightforwardly when you miss the flop,
especially when the flop should be good for you and bad for your opponent.
809
Hand 56: Missed Again in Multiway Pot
Hand: A -K
Position: CO
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a TAG kid who seems to usually stay in line. Villain 2 is Shelly, who
recently lost most of her stack. Villain1 raises to 60.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
810
811
You re-raise to 170. Shelly elects to call, as does Villain1. The flop comes 9 -7
-2 . Villain1 checks to you.
Question 2
The pot is 540. The effective stacks are 4,830 with Villain1 and 530 with Shelly.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
812
813
You check. Shelly checks behind. The turn is (9 -7 -2 )-4 .
Villain1 bets 350.
Question 3
The pot is 890. You face a bet of 350. The effective stacks are 4,830 with Villain1
and 530 with Shelly. What is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
814
815
You and Shelly fold, giving Villain1 the pot.
816
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 6 c) 10 d) 8
With a strong but not incredible hand, it’s always an option to call in position
against a player who tends to raise with a tight range. However, you should usually
re-raise A-K in position for value unless the initial raiser is overly tight.
817
818
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 4 c) 5 d) 1
The board is not good for you and could easily be good for your opponents. You
should probably check with the intention of folding to a bet. Shelly’s short stack
should also induce you to check; the amazing pot odds would force you to call if
you made a bet and she pushed. There is no point in putting her all-in because that
allows Villain1 to reap the rewards of your large bet size when he has a strong
hand. If you suspect both opponents have missed the flop, consider a reasonably
sized continuation bet, such as you would make with premium hands, hoping to take
down the pot immediately.
819
820
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 1 c) 3 d) 2
You have a trivial fold to a sizable turn bet from a TAG. You could occasionally get
frisky and raise, but you are representing few hands besides slow-played sets.
Summary
Villain1’s bet on the turn is a strong play that will frequently pick up the pot. You
and Shelly checked behind on the flop, so he can assume you are both fairly
polarized. That is, you are either slow-playing a premium made hand, or you have a
marginal holding that you would fold to significant aggression on the turn and river.
Knowing this, he should bet with most of his junk if he is not concerned with
balance, and bet with his entire range otherwise. If you think either of these is the
case, you should strongly consider either continuation betting the flop or raising his
turn bet.
821
Hand 57: Fighting Hard with Gustav
Hand: A -K
Position: Button
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Both Villain1 and Villain2 are loose, weak, passive players who play in a face-up
manner. They both tend to limp with the intention of calling a raise, hoping to see a
flop. Villain3 is Gustav, who recently had A-A and doubled up through a TAG’s Q-
Q, all-in pre-flop. Villain1 and Villain2 limp.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
822
823
You raise to 110 and Gustav re-raises to 380.
Villain1 and Villain2 get out of the way.
Question 2
The pot is 550. You face a re-raise to 380 of and the effective stack size is 6,890.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
824
825
You re-raise to 740 and Gustav quickly calls.
The flop comes 10 -9 -9 . Gustav checks.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
826
827
You bet 600 and Gustav immediately calls. The turn is (10 -9 -9 )-A .
Question 4
The pot is 2,740 and the effective stack size is 5,660. Gustav checks.
a) Check b) Bet 1,100 c) Bet 1,800 d) Bet 2,200
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
828
829
You check behind. The river is (10 -9 -9 -A )-2 .
Gustav quickly checks.
Question 5
a) Check b) Bet 1,100 c) Bet 1,800 d) Bet 2,200
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
830
831
You bet 1,100. Gustav instantly calls and tables his 8 -8 , losing the pot.
832
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 2 c) 7 d) 10
You should clearly raise for value with a strong hand, in position against two weak
limpers. You want to keep them in the pot, so consider raising a bit smaller than
usual. Betting smaller when you want action and larger when you don’t is
exploitable, but people who frequently open-limp from late position won’t even
notice, let alone adjust.
833
834
Answer 2
a) 0 b) 6 c) 10 d) 8
Facing a re-raise from a loose, spewy opponent, you should usually 4-bet to an
amount that almost guarantees he stays in the pot. The goal when you re-raise with
premium hands before the flop is not to take down the pot. You want to extract
value and set yourself up to win the pot after the flop, regardless of whether you
flop well. Consider calling and seeing a flop in position if you think Gustav might
fold to a re-raise. Whatever you do, don’t re-raise so much that he gets off the hook.
835
836
Answer 3
a) 5 b) 10 c) 8 d) 3
The flop is not good for your hand or range, but given Gustav’s likely wide range,
you should probably make a small bet, as you would with premium hands, and see
what develops. You can easily release your hand to a check-raise. A small bet will
probably induce Gustav to stay in the pot with a wide range. Knowing this, you
should look to steal the pot on most scary turn cards.
837
838
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 6 c) 4 d) 2
The ace is perhaps the perfect turn card; your hand is almost surely the best if
Gustav does not have a 9. You thought Gustav’s range was wide on the flop and that
he would fold to a reasonable turn bet, so you should not bet on this scary turn
because you don’t want him to fold.
When you’re demolishing your opponent’s range, you should do everything you
can to keep him in the pot. You will occasionally be outdrawn, but it is well worth
the risk to allow Gustav to commit a sizable error on the river. You should happily
call if he bets into you on the river.
Checking behind on the turn extracts value from worse made hands, induces
bluffs and saves money when you’re beat. It is beautiful.
839
840
Answer 5
a) 0 b) 10 c) 5 d) 8
When Gustav checks the river, it is safe to assume he does not have a 9. You should
make a bet that you think he will call with most of his weak made hands.
Bet small if you think that’s the only bet he’ll call. Bet big if you think he’ll
assume you only bet large when you want him to fold. A medium-sized bet is the
worst option because he probably won’t call with junky made hands and you won’t
induce him to think you want him to fold.
While Gustav may think you are trying to level him with a large bet, it is
probably best to take the guaranteed money and bet small.
When you bet small, be aware that some overly wild opponents will assume you
are value-betting a marginal made hand and will fold to a raise. If Gustav check-
pushes all-in over your small river bet, you should almost certainly call, expecting
to see nearly all bluffs. On the other hand, when facing a nit, you would have an
easy bet planning to fold to a raise.
841
Hand 58: Try Again?
Hand: 10 -9
Position: HJ
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a weak player who frequently limps from the early positions. Villain2 is
Gustav. Villain1 limps from first position.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
842
843
You decide to raise to 70. Gustav and Villain1 call.
The flop comes Q -6 -3 . Villain1 checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
844
845
You bet 110. Gustav and Villain1 call.
The turn is (Q -6 -3 )-A . Villain1 checks.
Question 3
The pot is 570 and the effective stack size is 6,820. Villain1 checks.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
846
847
You and Gustav check behind.
The river is (Q -6 -3 -A )-J . Villain1 checks.
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
848
849
You check and Gustav checks behind, winning with K -Q .
850
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 6 c) 10 d) 7
Facing a limp from a weak player with a likely wide range, you should raise to set
yourself up to win a reasonable pot both when you flop a good hand and when you
miss. You should usually put in a somewhat small raise to keep Villain1 involved,
as you will frequently win post-flop with no contest.
851
852
Answer 2
a) 7 b) 10 c) 6 d) 2
The flop is awful for your hand, but it’s not too bad for your perceived range, and
neither is it good for your opponents’ ranges. Given the board’s dryness, a small bet
is ideal to keep one opponent in with a wide range of marginal made hands. You
should be able to blow the caller off most of his range on the turn with a sizable
bet. Always be aware of the strength of your opponent’s probable flop calling
range. This will help you decide whether to continue barrelling on the turn and
river.
853
854
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 3 c) 7 d) 4
When both players call, your default plan should be to give up because one of them
likely has a queen. Don’t try to bluff a player off top pair unless you know he is
particularly weak or he assumes you only bet with premium holdings on the turn.
When the A falls on the turn, you have a reasonable opportunity to fire out another
bluff, representing an ace. This play has merit, but one of your opponents is likely
to hold either an ace or queen and won’t fold. If you bet on the turn, you should
certainly fire again on the river, assuming the pot is heads-up, hoping to make your
opponent fold almost his entire range.
855
856
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 1 c) 3 d) 5
When you fail to bluff on the turn, you should usually not bluff on the river when the
board doesn’t change. Someone probably has a queen or better and will almost
always call a bet. If you do bet, make it a larger one to ideally get your opponents
off most marginal made hands. A small bet will almost always get a call from one
of your opponents, which is the exact opposite of what you want.
857
Hand 59: Blind Dispute
Hand: A -3
Position: SB/Button
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
You don’t know much about Villain1; he has been fairly tight and passive so far.
Villain1 raises to 40 from the small blind.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
858
859
You call. The flop comes 8 -5 -2 .
Question 2
The pot is 80 and the effective stack size is 2,960. Villain1 checks.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
860
861
You check behind. The turn is (8 -5 -2 )-4 .
Villain1 quickly fires out 120.
Question 3
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
862
863
You call. The river is (8 -5 -2 -4 )-6 . Villain1 bets 400.
Question 4
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
864
865
You decide to call, beating Villain1’s J -10 .
866
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 8 d) 3
You should happily call in position and see a cheap flop. Strongly consider re-
raising if you think your opponent is overly weak or will play well post-flop from
out of position if you just call. Most players re-raise in this situation with an ace.
To call is a powerfully deceptive play that will often cause the small blind to make
faulty assumptions about your range.
867
868
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 8 c) 9 d) 6
Both betting and checking are fine. If you think your opponent will check-fold
almost his entire range, you should make a small bet and win the pot with no
contest. If you think he is capable of check-raising with a balanced range, you
should probably check behind and try to get closer to showdown. With an overcard
and a gutshot, checking behind will rarely be bad, whereas betting may
occasionally end poorly, especially if you are clueless about your opponent’s
tendencies.
869
870
Answer 3
a) 0 b) 10 c) 7 d) 5
Weak players who bet more than the pot are usually quite polarized. You lose to the
nut straight, and sets have lots of equity against you, so raising makes no sense
against the premium portion of Villain1’s range. Nor does it make sense if he is
bluffing, because you want to keep him in the pot in that case. This should lead you
to call.
871
872
Answer 4
a) 2 b) 10 c) 2 d) 1
He’s bet more than the pot again. You have to figure out if your opponent is capable
of bluffing or if he almost always has the straight. Given the read on the turn that he
is polarized, you still only realistically lose to the turned straight, which is fairly
difficult to have, since he would probably have bet with an open-ended straight
draw on the flop. You need to win roughly 36 percent of the time to break even, so
you should probably call, given that you are playing blind-versus-blind. Your
opponent could also be randomly losing his mind, assuming you simply cannot have
a premium holding. It is worth noting that if your opponent would turn marginal
made hands, such as 9-6, into bluffs on the river, you should be a bit more inclined
to fold.
Summary
Despite Villain1’s tight image, you should not assume he’s tight in all situations.
Normally straightforward players sometimes run uncharacteristic bluffs in blind
battles. If you learn to foresee these implosions, you will be in an excellent position
to reap the rewards.
873
Hand 60: Underpair
Hand: 7 -7
Position: CO
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a LAG kid who likes to see flops. He tends to play well after the flop.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
874
875
You raise to 60 and only Villain1 calls.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
876
877
You bet 70 and Villain1 calls.
The turn is (10 -10 -9 )-J . Villain1 checks again.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
878
879
You check behind. The river is (10 -10 -9 -J )-A . Villain1 checks.
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
880
881
You check behind, losing to Villain1’s A -8 .
882
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 4 c) 10 d) 6
With a strong hand from late position, your only reasonable option is to make a
standard raise to 3 big blinds, as you should with your entire range of playable
hands.
883
884
Answer 2
a) 8 b) 10 c) 7 d) 3
Your opponent plays reasonably well post-flop, so you have two viable options.
Continuation bet if you think you can realistically fold to a check raise. Check
behind if you think you can call down if he bets on the turn and river. While both
options have merit, you should usually err on the side of aggression, especially in
position. If you thought Villain1 would frequently check-raise the flop, bet the turn,
then bet the river, you should check behind, opting for pot-control.
885
886
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 3 c) 3 d) 4
The J is almost certainly a great card for Villain1’s range. He either had the best
hand on the flop or made a pair or premium hand on the turn. You are almost surely
way ahead or way behind at this point, and you can’t continue if you get check-
raised. Hence, it is usually best to check behind, opting to see what develops on the
river. You should usually fold to a river bet if the board does not change, even
though you could have the best hand, because most of your opponent’s possible
draws got there on the turn.
887
888
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 2 c) 3 d) 4
While you could easily have the ace, it makes little sense to bet because Villain1
will likely realize the ace provides a decent bluffing opportunity and will call with
most made hands. If you decide to bet, you should make it a bit large to try to make
him fold a 9, or possibly a jack.
Summary
Note that Villain1 check-called the flop with A-high, out of position, which was a
fairly weak play. He will usually win the hand only when he improves or makes a
big call-down with A-high, as you should frequently continue betting on the turn and
river when you have no showdown value. As you gain more experience with each
player, you will learn to recognize if this is a line they frequently take with A-high,
allowing you to bluff when it makes sense.
889
Hand 61: Scared Overpair
Hand: 10 -10
Position: MP1
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a kid you do not know; he appears to be fairly LAG. Villain2 is Gustav,
the wild guy.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
890
891
You raise to 60. Villain1 and Gustav call.
The flop comes 7 -4 -2 . Gustav checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
892
893
You bet 110 and Villain1 quickly raises to 330. Gustav folds.
Question 3
is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
894
895
You decide to call. The turn is (7 -4 -2 )-J .
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
896
897
Both you and Villain1 check. The river is (7 -4 -2 -J )-8 .
Question 5
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
898
899
Question 6
is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
900
901
You call and lose to Villain1’s 8 -7 .
902
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 4 c) 10 d) 5
The only sensible play is a standard raise to 3 big blinds with a strong pair from
early position. You could occasionally limp if you really wanted to mix up your
play, but that begs for trouble.
903
904
Answer 2
a) 2 b) 10 c) 8 d) 3
You should definitely bet the flop for value with your overpair. You need to bet an
amount that many worse made hands can call. Betting too large will force most
weak hands to fold, drastically decreasing your equity against your opponents’
calling ranges.
905
906
Answer 3
a) 0 b) 10 c) 6 d) 2
When your opponent raises, his range most likely consists of sets, which have you
crushed; marginal made hands, which you crush; and draws, in which case you’re
slightly ahead. You are getting excellent pot odds, so you should continue unless
you think his raising range is strongly weighted towards sets.
Pay attention to your opponent when he raises the flop. Some players routinely
raise with both premium made hands and draws. If you know your opponent only
raises the flop as a semi-bluff, you can continue with a much wider range of made
hands than if his range is balanced.
907
908
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 4 c) 2 d) 2
The turn completes the main draw, so you should tend to check. There is no point in
leading because it allows your opponent to play well. You will be in a tough spot if
he bets. You still beat all weak made hands, and he may opt to turn one of these into
a bluff. You also beat the straight draws. Your turn calling frequency should depend
entirely on how often you expect your opponent to continue barrelling the turn when
he misses.
909
910
Answer 5
a) 10 b) 3 c) 2 d) 1
The river is also fairly bad, as you now lose to the obvious straight. This should
lead you to check, as you did on the turn.
You might believe your opponent has a marginal made hand because he would
almost always continue semi-bluffing on the turn with draws. In this case there
might be a hint of merit in making a small value-bet.
911
912
Answer 6
a) 8 b) 10 c) 1 d) 3
Your opponent’s small river bet probably represents a well-balanced range
containing a few busted draws, such as 5 -3 and A -3 , or almost entirely value
hands. Most players do not take this line primarily as a bluff because bluffs tend to
be larger as an inducement to fold. You need to win 25 percent of the time to break
even. You should probably find a reluctant call against a loose, aggressive player
who is capable of getting out of line. You would best fold to a tight, passive player.
Summary
While it is never fun to be shown the winner in a sizable pot, you will find that if
you are always shown the worst hand when you call a river bet, you are calling
way too tightly. It is seldom a huge error to make somewhat speculative calls
against players who are capable of a river bluff.
913
Hand 62: Juicy 20/40 Game
Hand: K -10
Position: Button
Players: 7
Blinds: 20/40
You went to dinner and returned to find a juicy looking 20/40 game starting. While
the game does not look amazingly soft, a few players appear weak. There is only
one player you know to be world-class. Villain1 is a 30-year-old guy you do not
know. Villain2 is Peter, a 50-year-old Asian guy you have never seen.
Question 1
The action folds to you on the button.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
914
915
You decide to raise to 120. Villain1 calls.
Peter thinks for a minute before re-raising to 460.
Question 2
is your action?
a) Fold b) Call 340 more c) Re-raise to 1,020 d) Re-raise to 1,400
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
916
917
You re-raise to 1,020, forcing both opponents to fold.
918
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 2 c) 10 d) 3
You should typically raise with an overly wide range from the button, especially if
you are unsure how your opponents will react. You can fold your junky hands if you
know they will aggressively re-raise with a wide range. Even then, K-10 is more
than good enough to raise.
919
920
Answer 2
a) 8 b) 2 c) 10 d) 2
Facing a re-raise with a hand that does not flop well, your only realistic options are
to 4-bet or fold. Given your position and the fairly deep stacks, plus the fact that
Peter could be squeezing to try to take down the pot when both you and Villain1
have weak holdings, you should probably put in a small 4-bet. There is no point in
4-betting large because Peter will likely continue only with premium hands in any
case. You want to save as much money as possible if he 5-bets.
Summary
If Peter had called your 4-bet, you probably would want to make a continuation bet
of around 1,000 on most flops, intending to give up on later streets unless you
improve to a strong hand. Calling is also reasonable if you plan to aggressively
attack most flops that are bad for Peter’s range. Calling is usually better when you
have some potential to flop a reasonably strong hand, which K -10 does not.
It is not uncommon for players to get a touch out of line with pre-flop aggression
when a new table starts, hoping to see what you are capable of. It is usually wise to
let them know you will not be pushed around.
921
Hand 63: Middle Pair
Hand: Q -10
Position: Button
Players: 8
Blinds: 20/40
Villain1 is a 40-year-old guy you do not know. So far, he has limped one time in
two orbits with A-J, so you have no reason to think his limping range is overly
weak. Villain2 is a 30-year-old guy and Villain3 is Peter, the 50-year-old Asian.
Villain1 limps and everyone folds around to you.
Question 1
What do you do with Q -10 ?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
922
923
You decide to call. Both Villain2 and Peter see a limped pot.
The flop comes K -Q -5 . Everyone checks to you.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
924
925
You bet 120 and only Villain1 calls.
The turn is (K -Q -5 )-9 . Villain1 checks.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
926
927
You check behind. The river is (K -Q -5 -9 )-8 . Villain1 bets 200.
Question 4
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
928
929
You call and beat Villain1’s Q -6 .
930
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 8 d) 3
Both raising and limping are acceptable. Not knowing if Villain1’s limping range is
strong or weak, it is best to see a cheap flop in position with a hand that flops well.
If you knew Villain1’s limping range was weak, raising to 180 would become the
best option.
931
932
Answer 2
a) 7 b) 4 c) 10 d) 1
When it’s checked to you, your hand is likely best. The board that contains
numerous draws so it’s usually best to value-bet with the intention of folding to a
check-raise. If you think an opponent is planning to check-raise, usually due to
some sort of physical tell, it becomes best to check behind to get closer to
showdown.
933
934
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 7 c) 5 d) 2
The turn is not too bad, but it will be hard to extract additional value from most of
your opponent’s range. He will probably only call another bet with a king, queen or
strong draw. Against that range, your Q-10 is not in great shape. You need not fear a
check-raise, but you must consider the possibility. Checking behind on the turn will
occasionally allow your opponent to outdraw you, but it is the best way to get an
additional street of value from a wide range of inferior made hands, and also to
induce the occasional bluff.
935
936
Answer 4
a) 4 b) 10 c) 2 d) 6
Your opponent bets half-pot on the river, so you only need to win 25 percent of the
time to break even. You beat all bluffs as well as a few poorly played made hands,
such as 10-10 and J-9, so you should often call. When you check behind on the turn
for pot-control with a decent made hand, be aware that you must call most
reasonable river bets if the river card does not change the board. If the river were
perhaps the A or the 10 , you’d probably be wise to fold to a bet.
Summary
It is always difficult to assess an unknown player’s limping range. Because he
showed up with A-J the first time he limped, you should initially assume he is not
limping with junk, especially from early position. Sometimes you will be surprised.
937
Hand 64: Not Much
Hand: K -Q
Position: MP2
Players: 9
Blinds: 20/40
Villain1 is Peter, the 50-year-old Asian who seems to be fairly tight and
aggressive, although you still have very little experience with him.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
938
939
You raise to 120 and only Peter calls. The flop comes 10 -5 -2 .
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
940
941
You bet 160 and Peter calls. The turn is (10 -5 -2 )-7 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
942
943
You decide to bet 380. Peter calls. The river is (10 -5 -2 -7 )-3 .
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
944
945
You check and Peter checks behind, claiming the pot with Q -10 .
946
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 3 c) 10 d) 1
With K -Q before the flop, you should almost always make a standard raise to 3
big blinds from all positions when the action folds to you.
947
948
Answer 2
a) 2 b) 10 c) 7 d) 3
The flop is certainly not good for you, but it’s probably not too good for your
opponent either. This should lead you to continuation bet around half-pot, hoping to
pick up the pot whenever Peter has a weak holding. When you continuation bet
fairly small, Peter will likely call with a fairly wide range, perhaps A-high and
better. Keep this in mind as you proceed to later streets.
949
950
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 9 c) 6 d) 2
While the turn did not change the board, it is often smart to continue barrelling,
hoping to get Peter off most hands worse than a 7. Of course, you must use your best
judgement to determine if he will fold marginal made hands such as 5-4 and A-J. If
he will call with A-high and better, which should be most of his flop calling range,
it is probably smart to give up. Betting is best if you think he will fold most of his
weak made hands. Still, it is often wise to give up when the board doesn’t change
because most players will continue in the pot with their entire flop calling range. If
you bet the turn, you should at least consider bluffing again on the river.
951
952
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 6 c) 9 d) 2
When the board does not change, you have to decide if Peter will fold most of his
made hands worse than a 10 to a sizable bet. Getting Peter to fold a 10 will be
nearly impossible, as he only loses to overpairs and sets, which should make up a
small part of your range. If you bet, choose an amount that will almost always make
him fold his marginal made hands. If you bet too small, he will probably call with
his entire turn calling range.
Summary
I got the vibe that Peter was not folding to a river bet. Otherwise, I certainly would
have put in a fairly large wager. It’s not fun to check the river out of position,
knowing you will lose, but it’s the only sensible move if you are confident a river
bluff will have little fold equity.
953
Hand 65: Being Aware
Hand: 7 -7
Position: Button
Players: 9
Blinds: 20/40
Villain1 is a strong TAG kid who has yet to get too far out of line. You have not
battled with him. Villain2 is a 25-year-old who seems to be in well over his head.
He bought in for 5,000 and has been ground down to 3,200 by calling flop
continuation bets and folding to pressure on the turn and river. He seems a bit
frustrated. Villain1 raises to 120 and Villain2 calls.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
954
955
You re-raise to 500. Villain1 folds and Villain2 calls.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
956
957
You bet 500 and Villain2 quickly calls.
The turn is (8 -4 -2 )-6 . Villain2 checks.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
958
959
You decide to check behind.
The river is (8 -4 -2 -6 )-10 . Villain2 quickly goes all-in for 2,200.
Question 4
(a) (b) Points: ……………
Answer
960
961
You decide to call. Villain2 quickly mucks his hand and is out of the casino before
the dealer has time to push you the pot.
962
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 8 c) 10 d) 3
With a hand that flops extremely well, especially in position, your primary goal
should usually be to avoid getting blown off your hand, so that you can realize your
implied odds. However, since Villain2 seems to be fairly loose and passive, it is
probably smart to re-raise, expecting to frequently force Villain1 to fold and
Villain2 to call. A re-raise is often ideal when it’s highly likely to force a strong
player to fold and a weak player to see a flop out of position.
963
964
Answer 2
a) 4 b) 10 c) 7 d) 2
You should be fairly happy with your hand despite an overcard flopping. When a
standard bet of around 2/3-pot would force your opponent to put a large part of his
stack in the pot, it is usually wise to bet a bit smaller to hopefully induce him to
stay in with a wide, weak range. A larger bet forces him to play well by folding
hands you crush.
965
966
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 7 c) 4 d) 2
Both checking behind and betting small have a lot of merit. If you think Villain2
will only call a turn bet with a decent pair or better, it is probably smart to check
behind, allowing you to extract additional value on the river from bluffs and
overvalued made hands you beat. Value-betting is ideal if you think he will call a
small turn bet with a wide range of worse made hands. Villain2 has folded before
the river on a few previous occasions, so checking behind is probably smart.
967
968
Answer 4
a) 2 b) 10
Villain2’s big river push is almost certainly either a premium made hand or a bluff.
Your hand probably looks weak due to your turn check. Most thinking players
would bet small with their strong hands, hoping to extract a bit of value. This
should lead you to assume he is bluffing to try to force you off your entire range of
marginal made hands. Since he probably wants you to fold, and you only have to
win 33 percent of the time to break even, you should call.
Summary
After I finished stacking my new chips, someone at the table mentioned that I had
made an awesome call. In my mind, it seemed super standard. The player who
made the comment thought the kid was incapable of bluffing, given that he had
continuously folded to aggression in previous hands. But this hand was different.
Instead of being aggressive, I checked behind on the turn, giving him a huge
opportunity to make a mistake. I knew exactly what I was inducing and was not
afraid to make a big call with a marginal hand for a fair amount of money.
969
Hand 66: Tough Turn
Hand: K -Q
Position: UTG
Players: 6
Blinds: 20/40
After you busted the kid on the previous hand, your table started to collapse.
Villain1 is a tough kid who plays well. He tends to be a bit sticky, rarely folding to
a simple continuation bet. He is not afraid to get well out of line and fight for pots.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
970
971
You raise to 120 and Villain1 calls in the big blind.
The flop comes Q -4 -4 . Villain1 checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
972
973
The turn is (Q -4 -4 )-A . Villain1 leads into you for 400.
Question 3
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
974
975
You call. The river is (Q -4 -4 -A )-8 . Villain1 checks.
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
976
977
You decide to check, losing to Villain1’s A -9 .
978
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 3 c) 10 d) 0
With a strong hand at a short-handed table, you should certainly make a standard
raise to 120. That’s the only reasonable play.
979
980
Answer 2
a) 1 b) 7 c) 10 d) 4
You have a strong hand and your opponent likes to fight for pots. You should make a
fairly standard continuation bet purely for value, intending to bet on all three streets
if he goes into call-down mode. There is no point in slow-playing. You will have a
tough time getting value if you check behind on the flop and then raise over a turn or
river bet. Quite often, especially against a sticky, aggressive kid, the best line to
maximize value is to bet your strong hands in a straightforward manner.
981
982
Answer 3
a) 7 b) 10 c) 2 d) 2
Both calling and folding are acceptable, depending on what you think about
Villain1’s turn leading frequency. Of course, he is squarely representing an ace or 4
with this bet, not wanting to let you check behind on the turn with most of your non-
ace range. He is probably capable of making this bet with both a draw and total air,
so you simply must continue to the river.
983
984
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 5 c) 2 d) 4
You should be happy to check behind and often win the pot with a hand that has
significant showdown value against a polarized range. You would have been in a
tough spot had Villain1 bet the river, as he would be fairly polarized between an
ace or better and busted draws or air. Being unsure of the range he would bet with,
you should probably find a crying call, given the likely excellent pot odds. Make an
exception and fold if you believe he thinks you have squarely an ace you will never
fold, meaning he must have a hand that can beat an ace.
The table broke after this hand. There was a long waiting list to get back in a
10/20 game, so I packed it up and went home for the evening.
985
Hand 67: Day Four
Hand: 5 -5
Position: MP1
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
This is the fourth and final day of your cash game trip. Villain1 is Paul, a splashy,
LAG, 50-year-old Asian who is not scared to get out of line.
Villain2 is Dennis, the good LAG you’ve played before.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
986
987
You raise to 60. Paul and Dennis call.
The flop comes K -6 -5 . Dennis checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
988
989
You bet 110. Paul folds and Dennis calls.
The turn is (K -6 -5 )-4 . Dennis checks.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
990
991
You bet 240 and Dennis calls.
The river is (K -6 -5 -4 )-10 . Dennis checks.
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
992
993
You bet 600 and Dennis quickly folds.
994
Answer 1
a) 3 b) 2 c) 10 d) 4
From middle position with a small pair, you should usually make a standard pre-
flop raise to 3 big blinds. Consider a snug fold if your table is particularly tough.
995
996
Answer 2
a) 2 b) 10 c) 7 d) 1
You must bet for value and protection with a set on a draw-heavy board. Someone
may well have a king that will never fold on the flop. While your goal is to extract
value, you don’t mind folding out hands such as 9 -7 because they will probably
only give you significant action if they improve to a straight, in which case you
lose. When sizing your bet, try to imagine which hands will likely call. Any king or
decent draw will call 2/3-pot, making that size ideal. Perhaps you could bet a touch
larger, around 4/5-pot, but that may turn your hand face-up as a strong value hand if
your opponents pay close attention to your flop betting patterns.
997
998
Answer 3
a) 1 b) 3 c) 10 d) 7
While you obviously lose to 8-7, you should continue betting for value and
protection. Few people can fold a king or a flush draw to a reasonable bet. Call if
you’re check-raised, and call again on most safe rivers, since you beat almost all
made hands except a straight. If your opponent was weak and straightforward
instead of good and aggressive, you would call the turn raise with the intention of
folding to a river bet if you failed to improve, unless you knew he was likely to
overvalue two pair.
999
1000
Answer 4
a) 0 b) 6 c) 10 d) 7
You still only lose to 8-7, so continue betting for value. Don’t bet too large and
force Dennis off all of his one-pair hands, which make up almost his entire river
calling range. If Dennis gets frisky and check-raises, you should probably call due
to his LAG nature.
1001
Hand 68: Rough Flop
Hand: J -8
Position: CO
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Both Villain1 and Villain2 are TAG middle-aged guys who have yet to get out of
line.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1002
1003
You raise to 60 and both Villain1 and Villain2 call.
The flop comes Q -7 -5 . Both opponents check.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1004
1005
You bet 110 and only Villain1 calls.
The turn is (Q -7 -5 )-9 . Villain1 checks to you.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1006
1007
You check behind. The river is (Q -7 -5 -9 )-K . Villain1 checks to you.
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1008
1009
You decide to check behind, losing to Q -J .
1010
Answer 1
a) 2 b) 3 c) 10 d) 8
It’s perfectly acceptable to raise J -8 from the cutoff when the action folds to you.
You should only fold if you picked up some serious physical tells of strength from
players yet to act. While you may want to raise slightly larger with marginal hands,
you should maintain balance by raising to 3 big blinds, as you would with your
entire raising range.
1011
1012
Answer 2
a) 6 b) 8 c) 10 d) 2
It’s reasonable to either check or continuation bet. Without all the backdoor draws,
you should probably check behind with the intention of giving up unless you
improve on the turn. Betting is probably better with the backdoor draws. A small
bet of 60 is an excellent play if it will give you a realistic shot at stealing the pot on
the flop. If you choose a small bet, be prepared to fire again on most turns because
your opponents’ flop calling ranges will probably be quite weak. Go with a larger
bet if you think it will give you fairly accurate information, meaning you will
frequently be against a reasonable made hand if it’s called.
1013
1014
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 2 c) 8 d) 3
Whenever you turn a reasonable amount of equity, you should strongly consider
betting again as a semi-bluff. If you think your opponent’s flop calling range
consists mostly of made hands, you will have to follow up a turn bet with another
bet on any scary river, hoping to get him off his entire range. Your hand will look
fairly weak if you check behind on the turn, so you should probably give up on most
rivers.
1015
1016
Answer 4
a) 8 b) 3 c) 10 d) 8
The K is an excellent bluff card. You can now represent a wide range of plausible
hands that beat top pair. Hence, you should make a fairly standard-sized bet that
your opponent believes you think he would call if he had a queen. A bet this size
will hopefully convince him to fold all hands worse than a king, which should be
most of his range. Of course, checking behind and conceding the pot becomes best
if you think your opponent will call any reasonable bet with most of his made
hands, assuming the K is a card you will frequently bluff. If you feel like
experimenting with over-bets, perhaps a bet of 750 will force Villain1 off almost
his entire range. Then this would easily be the best play.
In the actual hand, I got the vibe that Villain1 was planning to call if I bet the
river. While I would usually fire out a sizable bet, I elected to give up, probably
saving around 250.
1017
Hand 69: Marginal A-K
Hand: A -K
Position: HJ
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a LAG 60-year-old who seems to like playing big pots with a wide
range of hands. His standard opening raise is 120. Villain2 is Shelly, the lady who
is often involved in the action. She forgot to sleep last night. Villain3 is a TAG
middle-aged guy who has not gotten out of line so far. Villain1 raises to 120 and
Shelly calls.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1018
1019
You decide to re-raise to 380. Villain3 quickly puts in a re-raise to 1,100. Villain1
goes all-in for 3,000 total. Shelly folds.
Question 2
(a) (b) Points: ……………
Answer
1020
1021
You decide to fold. Villain3 happily calls with K-K, beating Villain1’s A-K.
1022
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 5 c) 10 d) 6
With a premium hand against a LAG opener who is more than capable of playing
large pots with marginal holdings, you should re-raise with the intention of getting
all-in. Shelly should not concern you much, as she usually re-raises with premium
holdings. You must size your bet so you do not force Villain1 to fold most of his
marginal range. You want action when you’re in position with a hand that has both
of your opponents in bad shape.
1023
1024
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 1
You should find an easy fold when Villain3 re-raises, even if Villain1 folds. Almost
all middle-aged TAG players who 4-bet in this situation have a premium range,
consisting of perhaps only A-A, K-K, Q-Q and A-K. That range crushes A-K. You
should have been much more tempted to call, or even 5-bet, had Villain3 re-raised
to around 820 instead of 1,100, because it would appear as if you had a little fold
equity. That would have been an excellent result for Villain3, as K-K destroys your
range. But you should probably still find a disciplined fold against any 4-bet from
that player. His 4-bet to 1,100 allowed you to easily wiggle off the hook. Of course,
given that Villain1 pushed, your fold becomes super simple, as even the wildest
players would realize that Villain3 must have a strong range.
Summary
Straightforward players usually assume they must re-raise to around 3 times the last
bet with their premium hands. While they still get unlimited action from weak
players, they lose tons of equity to the pros without ever realizing their huge
blunder. Villain3 could patch this gigantic leak by 4-betting in this case to 820 with
a range consisting of around 75 percent premium hands and 25 percent bluffs. This
would make him much more difficult to play against and would get him at least
some action from strong players who pay attention.
1025
Hand 70: Marginal Top Pair
Hand: J -10
Position: Button
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a 40-year-old TAG who has mostly been in line. Villain2 is somewhat
wild Shelly. Villain3 is Paul, the splashy Asian. Villain1 raises to 60. Shelly and
Paul both call.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1026
1027
You decide to call. The flop comes J -9 -9 .
Villain1 bets 150. Shelly and Paul call.
Question 2
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1028
1029
You fold, electing to fight another day.
1030
Answer 1
a) 3 b) 10 c) 3 d) 1
With a decent hand on the button, you should almost always see a cheap flop,
especially if you know how your opponents play. You’re somewhat familiar with
all your opponents, so this is a prime situation to see a flop.
1031
1032
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 3 c) 4 d) 2
When someone bets and two players call, you must assume you are against three
ranges consisting mostly of made hands and draws. You lose to most made hands
and are only slightly ahead of the draws, so you can make a fairly trivial fold with
top pair. You should probably fold even with A-J. While you will occasionally be
folding the best hand, you will usually be in bad shape, perhaps drawing nearly
dead. I would likely muck J-10 even if there was a bet and just one call. It is
usually wise to avoid spots where you could easily be drawing dead.
Summary
After you folded, Villain1 bet on a (J -9 -9 )-4 turn. When a TAG like him bets
into multiple opponents twice on a somewhat scary board, you can safely assume
he has at least K-J, and probably a strong overpair.
1033
Hand 71: The Aces
Hand: A -A
Position: MP1
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Shelly, who seems to be mixing up her game. Villain2 is Dennis, the
good LAG kid. Villain3 is Paul, who likes to splash around. Villain4 is a solid
TAG. Shelly limps from first position.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1034
1035
You raise to 80. Dennis, Paul, Villain4 and Shelly all call.
The flop comes Q -J -3 . Villain4 and Shelly check.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1036
1037
You bet 250. Only Dennis calls. The turn is (Q -J -3 )-10 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1038
1039
You check and Dennis checks behind. The river is (Q -J -3 -10 )-Q .
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1040
1041
You check and Dennis also checks, giving you the pot.
1042
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 3 c) 10 d) 3
You probably should not limp with aces unless you are confident someone yet to act
will raise. Even then, you would rather be driving the action. You should not make
a giant raise that will force lots of weak hands to fold. The only play that makes
sense is to make a standard raise that allows a number of players to see a flop,
while also getting a bit of money in the pot.
1043
1044
Answer 2
a) 3 b) 10 c) 5 d) 1
While you missed your set in a five-way pot, you should still continuation bet. If the
action gets wild, do not be afraid to ditch your hand. In general, if you bet and get
one or two callers, you should assume you have the best hand and proceed
accordingly. If you bet, someone raises and another player continues in the pot, you
can confidently get out of the way. The only difficult situation is when you bet and
face a raise from someone capable of applying pressure with a wide range. In that
situation, you have to use your best judgment as to whether you should continue.
1045
1046
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 5 c) 7 d) 2
The 10 is a scary card that most weak players wouldn’t fear. You now lose to
numerous marginal made hands that would almost certainly have called your flop
bet. Also, a player with a hand like K-J just picked up lots of additional equity. The
10 almost certainly gives your opponent the best hand, or enough equity to
continue against a turn bet. When you are unsure where you stand against a creative
LAG, it is usually best to control the pot size by checking with the intention of
calling down. If you decide to bet, you should usually bet big enough to make
Dennis play somewhat straightforwardly, raising when you are beat and calling
when he is still drawing.
1047
1048
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 4 c) 2 d) 1
The Q is also a bad card for you, as you now lose to one of the main hands
Dennis would call with on the flop. This should lead you to check. Your intention
against a good LAG should probably be to call if he bets, but it would not be an
easy decision. All the flush draws missed. Dennis may think you have a marginal
made hand such as A-J. He could try to bluff you off all your marginal hands, which
he could easily think make up your entire range. Of course, he could also just have
a queen. If you decide to bet the river, you should usually bet fairly small, hoping to
get value from A-J and K-J.
1049
Hand 72: Is Leading Finally an Option?
Hand: K -9
Position: BB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Dennis, the good LAG. Villain2 is an unknown TAG. Dennis raises to 60
and Villain2 calls.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1050
1051
You decide to call. The flop comes 6 -3 -2 .
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1052
1053
You check. Dennis and Villain2 check as well. The turn is (6 -3 -2 )-8 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1054
1055
You bet 120 and pick up the pot with no contest.
1056
Answer 1
a) 2 b) 10 c) 6 d) 1
It’s usually a good idea to take a flop with a marginal hand that has reasonable
post-flop potential. However, you must proceed with caution when you flop a one-
pair hand, because your hand is quite susceptible to domination. You could re-raise
before the flop to around 240, which would give you a reasonable chance to pick
up the pot or see a heads-up flop with the initiative.
1057
1058
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 3 c) 8 d) 6
Leading is a fine option with a flush draw and overcards. However, going for a
check-raise is probably best if you think an opponent is likely to bet the flop. As a
good LAG, Dennis will be inclined to fire on flops he thinks are bad for his
opponents’ ranges, which is certainly the case when three innocuous small cards hit
the felt. If you lead, bet an amount that gives you some fold equity. A small bet will
get calls from opponents with hands that are slightly better than yours. That is not a
huge problem if you know you can frequently make them fold by the river with
additional aggression. It’s better to bet a bit larger, building a pot that you plan to
steal later if you miss your flush or top pair.
1059
1060
Answer 3
a) 3 b) 3 c) 10 d) 7
You can assume neither of your opponents has a pair when the flop checks through.
Knowing this, you should bet the turn with the intention of barrelling on most rivers
to force them to fold most hands worse than top pair, as A-high may decide to float
the turn. (I feel obligated to plug my training site, FloatTheTurn.com.) Size your bet
to represent an attempt to get value from and protect a hand you think is currently
best. If someone raises your turn bet, you should probably call if you think his
raising range is strong, or re-raise if you think he’s trying to bluff you off a marginal
made hand.
1061
Hand 73: Battling with Paul
Hand: J -J
Position: BB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Paul, the middle-aged Asian LAG. You have battled with him a bit, re-
raising him twice, resulting in two folds. He seems to be tiring of your aggression.
Paul raises to 70 from the cutoff.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1062
1063
You re-raise to 210. Paul thinks a minute before re-raising to 770.
Question 2
is your action?
a) Fold b) Call 560 more c) Re-raise to 1,300

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1064
1065
You decide to go all-in. Paul thinks for around three minutes and folds.
1066
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 3 c) 10 d) 7
It is criminal not to re-raise with a premium hand against an opponent with whom
you have an aggressive dynamic. You develop an aggressive image with the
purpose of exploiting it. The payoff comes when you wake up with a strong hand.
You could consider calling if Paul were tight or if you thought he would almost
certainly fold to a re-raise without a premium hand. Do not develop the habit of
playing aggressively with junk and passively with strong holdings.
1067
1068
Answer 2
a) 0 b) 3 c) 9 d) 10
Paul could certainly make this large re-raise with a wide range, perhaps as wide as
his entire pre-flop open-raising range.
Calling is bad because you are out of position with fairly shallow stacks and a
hand that does not flop too well. Your viable options are to make a small re-raise
or to shove.
If you think a small re-raise will induce Paul to do something insane, that play
becomes ideal. The only problem with a small re-raise is it may result in Paul
calling with hands he views as too weak to push, allowing him to play well after
the flop. You shouldn’t mind if he folds K-Q, and you want him all-in with 9-9. Re-
raising small may lead to lost value and a nasty flop situation. However, a small re-
raise is by far the best play if Paul will shove over the top with almost his entire
range.
Summary
Most wild players will rarely shove over the top of a small 5-bet, and will call an
all-in somewhat wide, perhaps as wide as 7-7 and A-J, thinking you must be trying
to push them around. If that’s the case with Paul, going all-in becomes the best
option.
It is always difficult to determine which of your options your opponent will view
as the weakest. As you gain experience with a player, you will learn what he
perceives as strong or weak. You should usually take the line he views as weak
with your strong hands until you think he will adjust his thinking about you, which
may or may not occur. Whatever you do, do not set up an aggressive dynamic,
induce your opponent to bluff, then chicken out and fold.
1069
Hand 74: Unfortunate Spot
Hand: A -Q
Position: HJ
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Shelly, the spewy lady who seems to be playing somewhat tight at the
moment. Villain2 is a TAG kid who recently joined your table. He seems
straightforward so far, raising when he has strong hands and calling with marginal
hands. Shelly raises to 60.
Question 1
The action is on you in the hijack. What do you do with A -Q ?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1070
1071
You decide to call. Villain2 re-raises to 250.
Shelly thinks for a while and calls.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1072
1073
You make a tight fold.
1074
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 8 d) 3
While you do not have a particularly aggressive dynamic against Shelly, your hand
is certainly strong enough to re-raise. However, it’s fine to call. She typically limps
from early position with her marginal hands, but she raised this time, so her range
may be stronger than normal. When you have a good, but not amazing hand, do
everything in your power to keep your opponents in with a wide range of hands that
you dominate while not putting in lots of money against premium ranges.
1075
1076
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 8 c) 2 d) 1
This is a tough spot because you are unsure about either player’s range. While you
have a reasonable relative position, meaning you will get to act after Shelly if
Villain2 makes a continuation bet on the flop, you cannot be thrilled if you flop top
pair. You will be out of position against Villain2 throughout the hand and you could
easily have huge reverse implied odds, so it is probably prudent to fold.
My main concern is that calling Shelly’s raise before the flop might have induced
Villain2 to make a squeeze play with a wide range I have crushed. But even if he is
squeezing often, I still have to play out of position against a muddled range. I
considered re-raising, but that would let Villain2 play perfectly. If he decided to
call my re-raise, I would again have no clue about his range. I am a big fan of
getting out of harm’s way before any significant damage is done. While I
occasionally fold incorrectly before the flop, it keeps me out of overly difficult
post-flop situations, which helps minimize variance, even if it slightly reduces my
win rate.
Summary
Funny enough, Villain2 ended up having K-K and Shelly had A-Q on a Q-5-2 flop.
Shelly got stacked and I sidestepped a beautiful setup. I am not sure if in real time I
got some sort of vibe that Villain2 had a premium hand, but at least this time, my
nittiness kept me out of trouble.
1077
Hand 75: Good for Your Range
Hand: A -3
Position: CO
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a 50-year-old guy who seems to play a fairly LAG strategy. You have
little experience with him. Villain1 raises to 70.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1078
1079
You decide to call. Everyone else folds.
The flop comes J -7 -6 . Villain1 bets 140.
Question 2
your action?
a) Fold b) Call 140 c) Raise to 380 d) Go all-in for 1,790 more
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1080
1081
You raise to 380. Villain1 quickly goes all-in for 1,550 more.
Question 3
(a) (b) Points: ……………
Answer
1082
1083
You fold and Villain1 claims the pot, proudly tabling his K -J .
1084
Answer 1
a) 2 b) 10 c) 10 d) 3
It’s fine to either call or re-raise with a decent drawing hand, in position against
someone you don’t have a solid read on. It’s generally better to call against
opposition you think will be somewhat weak. You can often steal the pot later with
little risk whenever the flop is bad for your opponent’s range. Still, applying pre-
flop pressure will often allow you to steal the pot before the flop, or with a post-
flop continuation bet. Try to mix up your play in similar situations so your
opponents have a difficult time nailing down your pre-flop range.
1085
1086
Answer 2
a) 6 b) 4 c) 10 d) 0
You totally missed the flop, but you should probably bluff. You have two weak
backdoor draws plus an overcard, and the flop should be much better for your
range than for your opponent’s. While both calling and raising are options, raising
is usually ideal due to your opponent’s rather short stack. Raising puts him in a
tough spot unless he has top pair or better. If you call, he may continue barrelling on
the turn with marginal made hands. You will have to put in a huge chunk of his stack
if you want to float the flop, intending to bluff the turn by raising his turn bet. When
bluffing in spots like this, you want to put in a small number of chips to force your
opponent to either fold or put in his entire stack. The only way you can reasonably
do this is to raise the flop.
1087
1088
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 0
Folding is your only option once it’s clear that your opponent has a strong hand
against which you could easily be drawing dead.
Summary
With K -J , your opponent almost certainly made a huge blunder by going all-in
instead of calling. Facing his all-in, you would always call with a premium hand
and fold with worse hands. Villain1 is forcing you off hands with little equity while
getting his entire stack in nearly dead when you have A-J or better.
1089
Hand 76: A High Flop
Hand: J -J
Position: HJ
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Paul, the middle-aged LAG. Villain2 is a random, tight, passive player.
Villain3 is a 50-year-old TAG who seems to stay in line. Paul and Villain2 both
limp.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1090
1091
You raise to 110. To your surprise, only Villain3 calls.
The flop comes A -8 -2 . Villain3 checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1092
1093
You bet 130 and Villain3 disgustedly folds K -K face-up.
1094
Answer 1
a) 2 b) 7 c) 10 d) 3
With a premium hand facing two weak limpers, you should almost always make a
pot-sized raise, both building a pot and likely gaining you position throughout the
hand. While a smaller raise may keep more players in the pot, raising full-pot leads
to much easier situations post-flop because you will have position against only a
few weak ranges. There is no point in raising really big because that will often gain
you only the dead money in the pot when everyone folds, which is not your goal.
1095
1096
Answer 2
a) 7 b) 10 c) 5 d) 2
You should usually make a small stab at the flop, even though the ace on the board
is terrible for you. You should do this with your entire range, winning the pot most
of the time when your opponent does not have an ace, while perhaps extracting a
hint of value from various marginal made hands and draws.
Summary
A primary benefit from betting ace-high boards with your entire range is that you
make it fairly difficult for your opponent to bluff you on the turn. If you check
behind on the flop, aggressive opponents will often make sizable turn and river
bets, putting you in tough situations with the standard range most players check
behind on A-high boards, mainly A-x and underpairs. Betting helps you avoid this
situation while forcing your opponent to commit to a fairly large check-raise from
out of position if he wants to run a bluff.
After the hand, Villain3 said he was slow-playing K-K because he thought either
Paul or Villain2 would re-raise. Some players have concepts so ingrained in their
minds, such as “always slow play with big hands pre-flop”, that they miss out on
fairly standard actions that would yield much more profit. If he had simply re-
raised before the flop to around 280, you would have called and folded to a flop
continuation bet, allowing Villain3 to win a hefty 16 big blinds with little risk.
Instead, he outplayed himself. Remember that most of your profit comes from your
opponents’ poor decisions, not your great ones.
1097
Hand 77: Searching for Value
Hand: K -J
Position: HJ
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Paul, the Asian LAG. Villain2 is a tight, passive player who seems to
never get out of line. The player UTG straddles for 40.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1098
1099
You raise to 120. Both Paul and Villain2 call.
The flop comes J -10 -9 . Villain2 checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1100
1101
You decide to bet 220. Paul calls and Villain2 folds.
The turn is (J -10 -9 )-2 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1102
1103
You check and Paul quickly checks behind.
The river is (J -10 -9 -2 )-K .
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1104
1105
You check. Paul thinks for a while before checking behind with A -K , giving you
the pot.
1106
Answer 1
a) 2 b) 7 c) 10 d) 3
You should make a standard pre-flop raise to around 3 big blinds with most
reasonable hands from middle position. When there is a straddle, you should make
it around 3 times the straddle. Some players raise larger, perhaps to around 160 or
180, when there is a straddle, hoping to win the pot with no contest, but realize that
the player most likely to see a flop with you is the one in the straddle. You don’t
mind if he sees a flop out of position with a wide range.
1107
1108
Answer 2
a) 7 b) 10 c) 5 d) 2
With a vulnerable top pair, you should usually make a value-bet that has a
reasonable chance of keeping one of your opponents in with a worse made hand or
draw. As you start betting larger, you induce your opponents to fold their marginal
made hands and weak draws. A large bet will lead to easier decisions because a
player who continues must have something strong. It is usually best to try to extract
value from numerous worse hands.
1109
1110
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 8 c) 6 d) 2
Paul likely has a mediocre range, so betting again for value is a fine option. The
turn did not change the board at all, so there is probably reasonable value in betting
somewhat small again, hoping to keep him in with a wide range. The problem with
betting the turn is that if Paul raises—and you know he can—you will have to fold
what could easily be the best hand. Betting would be ideal if you did not fear a
raise, but it’s probably best to check against a player who may put you in a difficult
spot. Checking can either induce a bluff or keep Paul in with his entire flop calling
range.
I hope you see that Paul’s aggressive image enables him to see many more free
river cards than a passive player would. There is more value in being aggressive
than most people realize.
1111
1112
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 7 c) 6 d) 2
The river improves your hand to two pair, but it also completes one of the most
obvious draws. If you think Paul will call a bet with various one- or two-pair
hands, throwing in a bet is probably a good idea. Checking, and hopefully inducing
a bluff, is best if you think Paul would realize you have few bluffs in your range and
would make a disciplined fold to a bet. Your plan against a splashy LAG should
usually be to check-call the river, although you might have to make a tough fold if
you get the vibe that he has the straight.
1113
Hand 78: Go for the Bluff?
Hand: Q -J
Position: CO
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a tight, passive player who has limped in from early position with
premium holdings. Villain2 is Paul, who has recently been quite splashy, although
not too aggressive. Villain3, Villain4 and Villain5 are all unknown. Villain1 limps,
followed by Paul.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1114
1115
You, Villain3, Villain4 and Villain5 all call.
The flop comes J -9 -5 . Everyone checks around to you.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1116
1117
You decide to bet 80. Villain3, Villain1 and Paul call.
Only Villain4 and Villain5 fold. The turn is (J -9 -5 )-6 .
Everyone again checks around to you.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1118
1119
You decide to check, as does Villain3.
The river is (J -9 -5 -6 )-8 . Villain1 checks and Paul bets 300.
Question 4
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1120
1121
Everyone folds, giving Paul the pot.
1122
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 2 d) 6
You normally want to make roughly a pot-sized raise over weak limpers. In this
case, you know Villain1 is capable of limping in with strong hands, so you should
instead call. This will allow you to see a cheap flop, in position, with a hand that
flops extremely well. If you raise, be aware that Villain1 will sometimes make a
sizable re-raise. You will usually be getting the correct implied odds to call and
see an expensive flop in position. If you take that line, you must look to
occasionally steal pots when the flop is good for your perceived range.
1123
1124
Answer 2
a) 3 b) 6 c) 10 d) 8
You should probably make a reasonably sized bet, both for value and protection,
when everyone checks to you on the flop.
You can’t be sure you have the best hand when someone calls your bet, but you’ll
usually be ahead, facing some number of outs.
If several players call, one of them will likely outdraw you on the turn even
when it is not so obvious, such as when the 6 falls. This means you should try to
get to a cheap showdown. Of course, you are almost certainly beat if a spade falls.
You should probably value-bet again if a particularly good turn card comes, such as
the J , with the intention of folding if someone check-raises.
Checking on the flop is weak. You almost certainly will not have the best hand on
many turn cards if you allow each opponent to draw to some number of outs. When
everyone has around 7 outs, it’s highly likely that one of your five opponents will
connect.
As you see, it is important to have a plan before you decide how to proceed
given various outcomes. Simply betting because you think you have the best hand is
not nearly good enough.
1125
1126
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 3 c) 5 d) 1
When the spade falls on the turn, you should usually check and concede the pot. If
you got the idea that everyone was unhappy with the turn, you could bet as if you
had the nut flush and were trying to extract value from worse flushes. However,
facing three opponents, you can be fairly confident one of them has a flush and will
not fold.
1127
1128
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 1 c) 3 d) 4
You should almost always fold when Paul bets the river, assuming he is value-
betting with a flush. However, you know Paul can get out of line, so you could
perhaps raise, representing the nut flush. But you checked behind on the turn, so he
probably won’t believe you. He also won’t assume you would raise the river with
the K or the Q , meaning he will probably assume you are bluffing, allowing him
to easily call a river raise with his entire river value-betting range. Also, people
don’t like to fold good flushes. Expect most opponents to call a river raise with the
K or Q without much thought.
1129
Hand 79: Turning Equity
Hand: 9 -8
Position: UTG+1
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Paul, the Asian LAG. Villain2 is Shelly, the splashy lady. Both have
been seeing lots of flops recently and taking unconventional lines.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1130
1131
You decide to raise to 60. Only Paul and Shelly call.
The flop comes 10 -2 -2 . Shelly checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1132
1133
You bet 110. Paul calls and Shelly folds. The turn is (10 -2 -2 )-5 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1134
1135
You bet 240. Before mucking, Paul gives you a speech about how you’d better be
careful in the future.
1136
Answer 1
a) 9 b) 4 c) 10 d) 1
Both raising and folding are fine from early position. The main purpose of raising
with suited connectors and small pairs from early position is to make you tougher to
play against by muddling your range. You should tend to fold suited connectors and
small pairs against overly tough opponents, perhaps raising them around 20 percent
of the time. With both splashy and extremely straightforward players at your table,
it is probably smart to raise with good suited connectors and small pairs almost
every time, even from early position.
1137
1138
Answer 2
a) 5 b) 10 c) 6 d) 2
On a completely dry flop, as the pre-flop raiser, you should usually take a stab at
the pot when you are against one or two opponents. Choose a bet size that gives you
fairly clear information about your opponents’ calling ranges as well as an
opportunity to win the pot on a later street. If you bet large and get called, you will
know the caller has something decent, but you will have no idea about his hand’s
strength. When you bet small, you can be fairly confident either of your opponents
will call with a wide range including any 10, small pair, A-high, and perhaps
various unpaired cards. Knowing you are against a wide flop calling range, you can
confidently barrel numerous turns, expecting to frequently pick up the pot whenever
the caller does not have a 10.
1139
1140
Answer 3
a) 3 b) 5 c) 10 d) 7
You should continue betting, especially when you turn equity. Even if you did not
turn outs, given the size of your flop continuation bet, you should probably fire
again because you know Paul’s range is likely weak. Unless you plan to make a
sizable bet on the river, you should size your turn bet such that your opponent
cannot easily call with his entire weak range. When you make a fairly large bet on
the turn, you should usually give up on the river if you do not improve, unless you
are confident Paul will call a large turn bet with a wide range of junk. Always think
about which hands make up your opponent’s calling range and decide if you can
make him fold on a future street.
1141
Hand 80: Getting it All-in
Hand: A -A
Position: BB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Paul, who seems to be getting fed up with you. Villain2 is a tight,
passive short stack who is playing amazingly straightforwardly. Paul raises to 70
and Villain2 calls.
Question 1
a) Call 50 more b) Re-raise to 140 c) Re-raise to 210

d) Re-raise to 280
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1142
1143
You re-raise to 280. Paul thinks a while and re-raises to 720. Villain2 folds.
Question 2
The pot is 1,070. You face a re-raise to 720 and Paul has 1,380 left in his stack.
a) Call 440 more b) Re-raise to 1,160 c) Re-raise to 1,300

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1144
1145
You go all-in for 1,380 more and Paul quickly folds.
1146
Answer 1
a) 3 b) 6 c) 8 d) 10
You should almost always re-raise with the nuts before the flop, especially when
you expect to get significant action due to your opponent’s propensity to play back
at you. While it may be ideal in a vacuum to re-raise fairly small, perhaps to 210,
hoping to induce action with your premium hands, it is probably best to re-raise to
around the size of the pot with your entire range, making you difficult to read.
1147
1148
Answer 2
a) 8 b) 10 c) 8 d) 10
Once your opponent puts in a third of his stack, it is tough to go wrong as long as
you don’t fold. There is no need to remain balanced in situations that almost never
occur. Take the line you think will get the rest of your opponent’s stack in the pot
with his entire range. If you think he is bluffing with all sorts of junk, it is certainly
ideal to re-raise to around the minimum, giving him almost the correct odds to see a
flop and a tiny bit of room to go all-in with some ill-conceived idea of fold equity.
It’s best to push all-in if you think a min-re-raise may induce him to make a hero-
fold with some of his worst hands that he initially thought were good enough to get
all-in.
Summary
Notice that you will profit by around 1,580 if you get all-in pre-flop for 2,300 plus
the dead 70 with A-A versus a range that has roughly 17 percent equity. Instead, you
made only 790 when he folded to your all-in. Pay close attention to your opponent
and his tendencies to determine which line is most likely to get you action.
1149
Hand 81: Acceptable Flop
Hand: 2 -2
Position: MP1
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a loose, passive player who seems overly weak. Villain2 is a TAG kid.
Villain3 and Villain4 are both unknown. Villain1 limps.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1150
1151
You decide to call 20. Villain2 raises to 130.
Villain3, Villain4 and Villain1 all call.
Question 2
The pot is 560. You face a raise to 130 and the effective stack size is 4,980 with
a) Fold b) Call 110 more c) Re-raise to 600

d) Re-raise to 800
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1152
1153
You call 110 more. The flop comes A -J -2 .
Villain4 and Villain1 check to you.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1154
1155
You decide to check, and both Villain2 and Villain3 check behind.
The turn is (A -J -2 )-J . Villain4 and Villain1 again check to you.
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1156
1157
You bet 300. All your opponents quickly muck.
1158
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 8 d) 3
It is often best to limp behind with a small pair after a short-stacked player has
limped in from early position. If you raise, someone yet to act will often call,
leaving you to play a fairly large pot out of position with a hand that will usually
miss the flop. Even if only Villain1 calls your raise, he can easily check-raise all-in
over your default small continuation bet on various flops. By limping, you’re
almost sure to see a flop in a spot where you seldom need to continuation bet,
giving you reasonable implied odds with relatively little risk.
1159
1160
Answer 2
a) 2 b) 10 c) 2 d) 1
When you call, someone yet to act will raise a fair amount of the time. While some
players fear a raise, this is actually not a bad result due to the relatively deep stacks
of the players yet to act. Given the deep effective stacks with the raiser, you can
happily call and see a flop. If Villain2 had a much shorter stack, perhaps 1,000 or
less, it would be best to fold to his raise even in a multiway pot because it would
be difficult to get the implied odds necessary to set-mine.
1161
1162
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 8 c) 7 d) 2
You should usually check with a set when out of position against the pre-flop raiser
on a board that should be excellent for his pre-flop raising range. You are hoping to
check-raise over his probable continuation bet. With several players in the pot, you
should expect the pre-flop raiser to often check behind when he misses. Checking is
still usually your best move, given the board. Leading is only a good option if you
have a strong read that the pre-flop raiser plans to check behind. Especially on A-
x-x boards, it is often a disaster to let an innocuous card, such as a 6, 5, or 4, peel
off, as those cards could easily improve another player to a larger set. There is no
point in slow-playing when most hands that will give you action on a later street
beat yours. This is often the case on A-x-x boards. You’ll be unlikely to get
significant action if someone improves to one bad pair, whereas an opponent can
easily improve to top pair on a board containing three low cards..
1163
1164
Answer 4
a) 3 b) 10 c) 7 d) 2
The turn situation is quite similar to the flop, except the pre-flop raiser’s check tells
you he almost certainly does not have a strong hand. This should lead you to make a
fairly small bet, hoping to get action on both the turn and river from various A-x
hands. Notice that your opponents all could easily have a weak A-x hand, given the
passive action. It may be tempting to bet large, but you will only get action on both
the turn and river when someone has exactly a jack, which will often not be the
case, given the passive play.
Summary
Checking the turn is particularly bad because no one can improve to a hand that is
worse than yours and is better than top pair, besides a straight. It is certainly not
good to allow someone to improve to a hand that beats yours on the river and gives
you no action when he misses. For example, you would much prefer that your
opponents fold hands such as 4-4 because those hands will only put money in on the
river when they improve to beat your bottom set.
1165
Hand 82: Draw Versus a Nit
Hand: 10 -8
Position: CO
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1, Villain2 and Villain3 are all fairly straightforward, splashy players who
like to see flops. Villain4 is a tight, passive player who rarely gets out of line.
Villain1, Villain2 and Villain3 all limp.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1166
1167
You decide to call. Villain4 raises to 140.
Villain1 and Villain2 fold. Villain3 calls.
Question 2
is your action?

c) Re-raise to 360 d) Re-raise to 500
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1168
1169
You call. The flop comes K -9 -2 . Villain4 bets 250 and Villain3 folds.
Question 3
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1170
1171
You call. The turn is (K -9 -2 )-6 . Villain4 bets 600.
Question 4
is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1172
1173
You decide to call 600.
The river is (K -9 -2 -6 )-A . Villain4 bets 1,800.
Question 5
The pot is 3,980. You face a bet of 1,800 with 3,210 left in each player’s stack.

d) Go all-in for 5,010 total
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1174
1175
You fold, conceding the pot.
1176
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 4 d) 9
It’s fine to do one of two things. You can call to see a cheap flop with decent
position. Or, you can raise, hoping to thin the field and win the pot with a
continuation bet. A pot-sized raise is probably best if you expect to sometimes steal
the pot before the flop. Calling is best if you can recognize huge implied odds when
you flop well. Against weak players who will incorrectly pay you off post-flop,
limp with a wide range of hands that flop well, especially against calling stations
who will make it hard to steal the pot after the flop if you raise.
1177
1178
Answer 2
a) 3 b) 10 c) 2 d) 1
You should almost certainly call a tight player’s raise and see a flop in position
with a hand that has huge implied odds. You should fold if the stacks were around
2,000 or shorter, but otherwise, you should be happy to speculate, since you are
almost certainly facing a strong range that will probably pay you off if you make a
straight or flush. When you see a flop with a drawing hand, don’t commit too much
money when you flop only one pair. You should probably call a continuation bet if
you flop one pair, hoping to improve. Fold to a turn bet from your tight opponent if
that doesn’t happen.
1179
1180
Answer 3
a) 1 b) 10 c) 7 d) 4
You should certainly continue with a flush draw when you’re getting decent odds in
position. Call if you think your opponent has an overly strong range that he will
almost never fold to a raise. Raising becomes ideal if you think it will get him off
all hands worse than a king, assuming some of those hands are even in his flop
continuation betting range. Your opponent is a tight, passive player, so he almost
certainly has a strong range, making a call the correct move.
Don’t always play your draws in exactly the same manner. Raising is sometimes
best, but it is often better to call so you can see what happens on the turn with no
risk of being re-raised off your hand.
1181
1182
Answer 4
a) 2 b) 10 c) 4 d) 1
You failed to improve, but going to the river, you still have 12 outs that are almost
certainly good if you hit. Your opponent is starting to ramp up his bet size, so he
probably thinks his hand is quite strong. He’s likely to pay you off on the river if
you make your straight or flush. Most tight, passive players can’t fold top pair or
better, even on a scary board. While normally a powerful play, raising the turn with
a draw is probably not good because your opponent almost certainly has a strong
hand. It’s usually not wise to attempt to bluff someone off a range that consists
almost entirely of top pair or better.
1183
1184
Answer 5
a) 10 b) 0 c) 1 d) 1
You have a sure fold when your opponent blasts the river. Still, it’s good to see him
do this, because that means you probably had fairly large implied odds. Attempting
a bluff would be akin to lighting money on fire, as your opponent’s range is almost
certainly A-A, K-K, and A-K.
Summary
You’d be in a tough spot if your opponent checked the A river because you lose to
everything. Some creative opponents will check A-A, K-K and A-K on the river,
but you should probably make a fairly sizable bet to hopefully force him off all
hands worse than K-Q. If you bluff and he calls with an ace or better, take note and
realize that player is capable of inducing bluffs on the river.
1185
Hand 83: Multiway with A-A
Hand: A -A
Position: HJ
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20/40
Villain1 is a weak, passive player who likes to see flops. He rarely folds pre-flop
when he limps. Villain2 and Villain3 are both TAG players who seem to be in line.
Villain4 is Paul, the splashy Asian. The UTG player, who is fairly active, elects to
straddle to 40. Villain1 calls.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1186
1187
You raise to 160. Villain2, Villain3, Villain4 and Villain1 all call. The flop comes
K -Q -4 . Villain4 and Villain1 check to you.
Question 2
The pot is 850. The effective stack sizes are 560 with Villain1 and 4,840 with
everyone else. What is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1188
1189
You bet 400 and everyone folds.
1190
Answer 1
a) 7 b) 10 c) 6 d) 1
You should almost always raise over a middle-position limp with the nuts.
However, limping becomes viable if the limpers are weak, a splashy player
straddles and you think someone yet to act might raise. Most players will discount
premium hands from your range. This will enable you to bloat the pot and extract
lots of value after the flop.
Of course, if you raise when it first limps to you, someone yet to act might think
you’re trying to pick Villain1’s limp. If such a player re-raises, the pot could
become gigantic, which is exactly what you want.
1191
1192
Answer 2
a) 5 b) 10 c) 8 d) 6
You could easily be in bad shape against a flopped flush or set, but you should still
continuation bet an amount that can easily keep your opponents in the pot with a
wide range of hands that you crush. Notice that betting large would force your
opponents to play well, folding marginal hands consisting of a pair plus a weak
flush draw.
You should be fine getting all-in if someone raises. You certainly have either the
best made hand or the best draw. Your nut-flush draw and overpair have only 38
percent equity against a range consisting of realistic flopped flushes, sets and K-Q.
Of course, you never want to get all the money in with 38 percent equity. But that
should be the worst case, and there’s a ton of dead money in the pot, so you should
be fine getting in.
You should find a snug fold if you bet, someone raises and a third player re-
raises, since you’re likely drawing thin against two premium ranges. You have only
20 percent equity against either two flushes or a flush and a set. That’s not enough,
even with excellent pot odds.
Summary
The last situation will rarely occur, but you need to know the math like the back of
your hand. You’ll often call or fold incorrectly if you’re confused about this. For
example, with shorter stacks it could be ideal to continuation bet the flop and still
get it in when two players want to put their stacks in, given all of the dead money
and your 20 percent equity.
If you don’t know the math, you will make errors. Make a point to diligently
study the numbers away from the table so you are not lost when tricky situations
arise.
1193
Hand 84: Finding a Draw
Hand: 10 -6
Position: BB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a bad, tight, passive player who refuses to fold if he has top pair or
better. Villain2 is Paul, who has been splashing around quite a bit. Villain1 raises
to 60 and Paul calls.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1194
1195
You decide to call 40 more. The flop comes A -Q -7 .
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1196
1197
You check, as do Villain1 and Paul. The turn is (A -Q -7 )-8 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1198
1199
You bet 120. Villain1 and Paul fold.
1200
Answer 1
a) 7 b) 10 c) 2 d) 1
You should almost always fold to a pre-flop raise when out of position with a junky
drawing hand. However, you know Villain1 vastly overvalues any reasonably
strong made hand, so you should put in 40 more and try to flop well. If the stacks
were around 2,000 or less, you would certainly want to fold due to poor implied
odds. You should constantly look for opportunities where you can invest a tiny
portion of your stack for a potentially huge payoff.
1201
1202
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 2 c) 1 d) 0
You have no hand, and only marginal backdoor draws. The board should be
excellent for Villain1’s range, so you should almost always check with the intention
of folding to any bet.
1203
1204
Answer 3
a) 6 b) 10 c) 7 d) 1
When the flop checks through, it’s likely that neither of your opponents has an ace.
Otherwise, one of them would probably have bet the flop for value and protection.
This means your opponents’ ranges are likely capped at a queen. Notice you could
easily have an ace in your range, as you would rarely lead into the pre-flop raiser
with top pair. Especially when you turn a lot of equity, you should bet the turn with
the intention of betting again on the river if one player calls your turn bet.
Attempting a check-raise is fantastic if you sense that one of your opponents will
bet the turn if you check.
Summary
Note that you would probably best play the hand the same way, betting the turn and
river, if you had turned a weak draw instead of a premium one. Don’t be afraid to
take a strong line, hoping to force your opponents off all their possible holdings, if
you’re pretty sure they both have middle pair or worse.
1205
Hand 85: Decent Overpair
Hand: J -J
Position: UTG
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a 40-year-old, loose, passive short stack who seems to act in a

straightforward manner after the flop.
Question 1
The action is on you under the gun.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1206
1207
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1208
1209
You bet 80 and Villain1 calls. The turn is (8 -5 -4 )-9 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1210
1211
You bet 130. Villain1 folds.
1212
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 2 c) 6 d) 10
With a premium hand, even from early position, you should simply make a standard
pre-flop raise to 3 big blinds. Raising the minimum is usually not ideal because you
want to build a pot with your entire range. Min-raising is strong mainly when the
action folds to you in late position and your opponents are short-stacked. You
usually should min-raise when you want to open with a wide range and get away
cheaply when someone re-raises.
1213
1214
Answer 2
a) 2 b) 10 c) 7 d) 3
You should certainly make a standard continuation bet with an overpair. Villain1
may fold when he has nothing, but he will certainly call at least one bet with a
fairly wide range, perhaps containing all hands better than K-high. You should bet
small enough that he will stay in the pot with a wide range of junk.
1215
1216
Answer 3
a) 1 b) 10 c) 8 d) 3
The turn is not amazing for you, but it is fairly safe, so you should bet again, both
for value and protection. There is no reason to bet large. You will easily be able to
go all-in on the river even after a small turn bet. The main purpose in betting around
2/3-pot or more on the turn is to prepare to make a large river bet. You can bet
much less when the effective stack size is small compared to the size of the pot,
ideally roping your opponent in with a much wider range that you have crushed.
Unfortunately, Villain1 folded. He probably called the flop with a weak hand,
which justifies your small flop bet. If you bet larger, you probably would have
missed out on 80 almost free dollars.
1217
Hand 86: Backdoors
Hand: 9 -7
Position: MP2
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1, Villain2 and Villain3 are all fairly straightforward TAGs.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1218
1219
You raise to 60. Villain1, Villain2 and Villain3 all call.
The flop comes Q -6 -2 .Villain3 checks to you.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1220
1221
You bet 160 and everyone folds.
1222
Answer 1
a) 5 b) 2 c) 10 d) 8
You should usually make a standard pre-flop raise to 3 big blinds from middle
position with a hand that has a lot of potential. You can also raise a bit larger,
assuming you frequently make it 4 big blinds before the flop, which I do not
recommend.
You might consider folding if your opponents play particularly well, as you will
usually be out of position. You might also fold if you picked up a read that someone
yet to act had a strong hand. With the bottom portion of your pre-flop raising range,
your action should often be determined by the players yet to act and any tells of
strength or weakness.
1223
1224
Answer 2
a) 7 b) 5 c) 10 d) 5
The flop is clearly not good for your hand, but you should probably make a
reasonably sized continuation bet. Betting into three opponents with air is usually
not advisable. However, you should take a stab on an overly dry board that may
present turn and river barrelling opportunities. Of course, you should check with
the intention of folding if you get the notion that one of your opponents has a strong
hand. If you continuation bet and get one caller, you should strongly consider betting
again if the turn is any spade, heart, A, K, 9, 8, 7 or 5.
Summary
Even multiway, you should probably continuation bet if your hand will have
reasonable equity or bluffing potential on lots of turns, the latter depending on your
having reasonable fold equity.
1225
Hand 87: Weak Pair
Hand: 10 -10
Position: HJ
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a loose, passive middle-aged player who seems to like taking flops and
playing in a straightforward manner.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1226
1227
The flop comes K -J -3 . Villain1 checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1228
1229
You decide to check behind. The turn is (K -J -3 )-7 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1230
1231
You check behind again. The river is (K -J -3 -7 )-4 . Villain1 checks.
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1232
1233
You bet 40. Villain1 thinks for a while and calls.
You table your 10 -10 and win the pot.
1234
Answer 1
a) 2 b) 7 c) 10 d) 8
You should certainly make a standard raise with a strong hand from the hijack. The
size of your raise is not critical, although you should usually maintain your default
raise amount, which should be 4 big blinds or less.
1235
1236
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 6 c) 4 d) 1
When the flop brings two overcards to your pair, you should vary your play
between continuation betting and checking behind, depending almost entirely on
your opponent and his tendencies. Check behind if you think he will rarely bluff on
the turn, meaning you can confidently fold to a turn bet. You should probably make a
standard continuation bet if you think your opponent will bet the turn with a well-
balanced range against which you cannot defend well.
In my experience, in this situation most weak players either always bet or never
bet on the flop, which is a huge error. If you do not constantly think about your
opponent’s tendencies on the next betting round, you are not playing correctly.
1237
1238
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 8 c) 5 d) 1
You should probably continue checking even though the board did not change.
Consider a small value-bet if you know for a fact that your opponent will usually
bet the turn with a jack or better. However, you probably don’t know his tendencies
that well. Checking behind will get you closer to showdown with a hand that is
likely good if very little money goes in the middle.
1239
1240
Answer 4
a) 6 b) 10 c) 3 d) 2
Your opponent’s continued display of extreme weakness indicates that he almost
certainly has a hand worse than a jack. You must determine whether he can call a
river bet with any hand in his range. Most players will fold bad pairs and A-high to
a large bet, but will call small bets with lots of junky hands that have a bit of
showdown value, especially since you have shown nothing but weakness so far.
This should lead you to make a small value-bet, expecting to have the best hand
quite often when called, although you should usually win the pot with no
showdown. Do not be surprised or disappointed if your opponent calls with a
weakly played jack. A small value-bet is in order even if he has some jacks in his
range. For every jack your opponent could have, he could have many more sevens,
fours and A-highs. Don’t mindlessly check behind. There is often value to be won.
Summary
If you’re playing someone tough who may view your small bet as an obvious thin
value-bet, you should call if he decides to check-raise. Some of the best players
will take this line with various kings and jacks, but your opponent will usually be
running a stone bluff. Be aware of what you are inducing and act accordingly.
1241
Hand 88: Bad Bluff-catcher
Hand: 6 -6
Position: MP1
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is Shelly, the loose, splashy lady who randomly gets well out of line.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1242
1243
You raise to 60 and only Shelly calls.
The flop comes K -K -9 . She checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1244
1245
You bet 80 and Shelly calls. The turn is (K -K -9 )-2 . She checks.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1246
1247
You check behind. The river is (K -K -9 -2 )-Q . Shelly bets 230.
Question 4
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1248
1249
You fold.
1250
Answer 1
a) 2 b) 2 c) 10 d) 0
Folding would have some merit if you were UTG or UTG+1, but you should almost
always raise small pairs as you get into the middle positions, even against tough
opponents. You will slowly get blinded off if you play too tight before the flop.
1251
1252
Answer 2
a) 7 b) 10 c) 4 d) 1
You only have a weak pair, but you should probably continuation bet, both for value
and protection. Shelly could easily call with a wide range of weak draws and A-
high hands. Consider checking behind if you think she will often check-raise with a
balanced range against which you cannot defend well. However, continuation
betting will lead to much easier decisions on future streets, especially if you are
unsure how Shelly will react on the turn if you check behind on the flop.
1253
1254
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 8 c) 6 d) 2
Betting has some merit. You turned a weak draw and could perhaps force Shelly off
some better made hands and get a call from some draws you currently beat.
However, she might check-raise with a wide range to force you off what could
easily be the best hand. Unfortunately if you check behind, you often won’t know
what to do if she bets on every river besides a K, 9 or 6. This is a difficult situation
that is quite hard to analyze. It is often smart to go with your reads, if they are
reasonably accurate.
1255
1256
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 8 c) 3 d) 3
You should strongly consider calling with a decent bluff-catcher against wild
opponents on four-flush boards, but it’s often best to go with your read. The math
dictates that you call. Aggressive players will usually bet with almost their entire
range on four-flush rivers. That means your opponent will bluff about half the time,
so you will only need to win 31 percent of the time to break even, based on the pot
odds. Nevertheless, you should make a sound fold if your opponent likely has a
strong value hand, based on tells or general tendencies. Don’t assume he either
always or never has the nuts. You are committing a costly error if you always call
or always fold in these situations. Note also that you should almost always fold if
your opponent is tight and straightforward.
Once you mucked, Shelly made a comment about how you always have her
number. She then turned the A face up and disgustedly mucked it, kindly
confirming your read.
1257
Hand 89: Valuable?
Hand: 8 -8
Position: BB
Players: 9
Blinds: 10/20
Villain1 is a TAG, middle-aged player who seems to play straightforwardly.

Villain2 is Paul, the splashy guy. Villain3 is Shelly, the spewy lady. Villain4 is an
unknown TAG. Villain1 raises to 60. Paul, Shelly and Villain4 call.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1258
1259
You decide to call 40 more. The flop comes 9 -6 -3 .
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1260
1261
You check, as does everyone else. The turn is (9 -6 -3 )-6 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1262
1263
You bet 200 and only Shelly calls. The river is (9 -6 -3 -6 )-3 .
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1264
1265
You and Shelly check. You win the pot.
1266
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 6 d) 7
It’s usually best to call and see a flop with a medium pair when out of position. You
can re-raise if you think you have reasonable fold equity pre-flop, or if you think
your opponents will play particularly poorly after the flop in a re-raised pot. But
calling is almost always superior.
Most amateurs mistakenly make a large re-raise before the flop, hoping to take
down the pot immediately. They often see a flop out of position with a hand that
will rarely connect with the board. Playing large pots out of position with marginal
holdings is not ideal.
1267
1268
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 3 c) 5 d) 1
You didn’t hit your set on the flop, so you should check and see what develops,
possibly continuing if only one player bets and everyone else folds. If someone bets
and there is any additional action, the prudent move is to get out of the way, even
though you could have the best hand. When out of position with a marginal hand, it
is usually best to avoid trouble.
1269
1270
Answer 3
a) 4 b) 6 c) 10 d) 2
Once the flop checks through, you can reasonably assume no one has a hand better
than top pair unless someone turned trips. This should induce you to bet, both for
value and protection. Do not bet too small. You don’t mind if your opponents
concede the pot. You will have a tough time continuing if anyone applies pressure
on the river. If you bet and someone raises, you should quickly ditch your hand.
1271
1272
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 4 c) 2 d) 1
Even though the river is fairly safe, it is probably smart to check, especially against
Shelly, who may decide to make an ill-timed bluff. Unless she has exactly 7-7 or 5-
5, she is not likely to call a river value-bet with a worse made hand, even if you bet
small. If you think Shelly would always call the turn with trips, you could consider
folding if she bets after you check, but she will most likely have some sort of busted
draw or overvalued made hand, allowing you to somewhat happily check-call.
1273
Hand 90: Decent Turn
Hand: A -K
Position: BB
Players: 9
Blinds: 20/40
Your table decided to increase the blinds to 20/40, as everyone is apparently

looking for action. Villain1 is Paul, the LAG Asian. Paul raises to 120.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1274
1275
You re-raise to 360 and Paul calls. The flop comes 10 -7 -3 .
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1276
1277
You bet 480 and Paul calls. The turn is (10 -7 -3 )-J .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1278
1279
You bet 1,000. Paul thinks for a while before folding 8-8 face up.
1280
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 7 c) 6 d) 10
Both calling and re-raising are fine options. Knowing Paul is fairly wild, you
should re-raise for value, expecting him to see a flop with a rather wide range.
With stacks 200 big blinds deep, you should not make a tiny re-raise that will allow
him to see a cheap flop. If he re-raises to around 1,100, you should probably make
a small 5-bet with the intention of getting all-in. If you were instead playing versus
a nit, you should call a 4-bet and see a flop, although you will often be in tricky
situations even if you flop top pair.
1281
1282
Answer 2
a) 4 b) 5 c) 10 d) 6
It is probably ideal to make a continuation bet, even though the flop is fairly bad for
your hand and good for Paul’s range. Checking would be best if you knew Paul
would only bet the flop with a strong made hand. You should bet if you think a
check could lead him to stab at the pot with a wide range that you can’t defend
against, taking that play away from him. Choose your bet size based on whether you
plan to bluff again on the turn. A small bet is probably best if you plan to bet once
and give up. Bet a bit more if you plan to barrel. You could easily have a premium
holding, so it’s likely best to continuation bet a bit large and blast off on the turn,
hoping to force him off his non-nut range.
1283
1284
Answer 3
a) 7 b) 4 c) 10 d) 7
The J is an excellent turn card to continue betting on, since Paul will probably
only continue with top pair or better, which he likely doesn’t have. Bet on the larger
side because he may call a small bet with a bad made hand that beats you. If you bet
small and he calls, you must bet again on the river, hoping to push him off most of
his non-nut range. If you bet big on the turn and he sticks around, you’d best give up
on the river because he’ll probably call down with a strong made hand.
1285
Hand 91: Fair Flop
Hand: J -9
Position: CO
Players: 9
Blinds: 20/40
Villain1 is a loose, passive player who seems fairly straightforward.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1286
1287
You decide to raise to 120. Only Villain1 calls.
The flop comes 9 -3 -3 . Villain1 bets 180.
Question 2
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1288
1289
You call. The turn is (9 -3 -3 )-Q . Villain1 checks.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1290
1291
You bet 240 and Villain1 quickly calls.
The river is (9 -3 -3 -Q )-10 . Villain1 checks.
Question 4
a) Check b) Bet 320 c) Bet 720 d) Go all-in for 1,860
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1292
1293
You check behind and chop the pot with Villain1’s 9 -8 .
1294
Answer 1
a) 3 b) 2 c) 10 d) 0
With a decent hand in late position, you should make a standard pre-flop raise to
around 3 big blinds when the action folds to you. Raising slightly smaller would be
ideal if all the players yet to act had around 2,500 or less.
1295
1296
Answer 2
a) 0 b) 10 c) 3 d) 5
You probably have the best hand when Villain1 leads into you. Players tend to lead
with marginal made hands to “find out where they’re at”. Don’t raise. Villain1 will
probably assume you have the best hand and will fold numerous hands that you
beat. You can raise for value if you believe he’ll think you’re attacking his lead and
will call, but he’ll likely fold most of the time. When you’re way ahead, you want
to keep your opponent in the pot and not allow him to fold.
1297
1298
Answer 3
a) 6 b) 10 c) 4 d) 2
Villain1’s turn check says he has a 9 or worse. You should make a small value-bet,
hoping to keep him in the pot with that entire range. A big bet could force him to
fold some weak made hands, such as 7-7 and A-J, which you crush.
Always pay attention to your bet sizing. Check behind if you think Villain1 will
fold all hands worse than a 9 to a turn bet, which should be most of his range, and
try to get a small amount of value on the river.
1299
1300
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 3 c) 5 d) 7
The river is a particularly bad card for you because you now lose to a lot of nines
that your opponent could reasonably have, and he will probably fold a hand worse
than a 9 to a value bet. You should check behind if you think he will only call a
value bet when you are chopping or losing.
Summary
You could consider turning your hand into a bluff. A big bet, or even an all-in, will
almost always win you the pot if Villain1 will release all hands besides trips or
better. But some players will view an all-in as an obvious bluff and will call with a
wide range of hands that beat you or chop with you. You can start to make
adjustments on the river, allowing you to steal some pots, as you learn more about
your opponent’s tendencies.
1301
Hand 92: Dealing with Weakness
Hand: 10 -9
Position: CO
Players: 9
Blinds: 20/40
Villain1 is tight and passive. Villain2 is Paul, the LAG. Villain3 is a kid you don’t
know; he’s playing a short stack, so he’s likely not too good. Villain4 is a TAG 50-
year-old. Villain1 and Paul both limp.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1302
1303
You limp behind. Villain3 raises to 220. Villain4, Villain1 and Paul call.
Question 2
The pot is 960. You face a raise to 220. The effective stack size is 1,780 with
Villain3, and much more with the other players. What’s your action?

c) Re-raise to 500 d) Re-raise to 1,000
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1304
1305
You call. The flop comes Q -10 -5 . Everyone checks around to you.
Question 3
The pot is 1,140. The effective stack size is 1,780 with Villain3; it is much more
with the other players. What is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1306
1307
You decide to check, as does Villain3.
The turn is (Q -10 -5 )-6 . Everyone checks to you.
Question 4
The pot is 1,140. The effective stack size is 1,780 with Villain3 and much more
with the other players. What is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1308
1309
You decide to bet 460. All of your opponents quickly fold, giving you the pot.
1310
Answer 1
a) 6 b) 10 c) 8 d) 4
Folding, calling and raising could all be best. Fold if you think your opponents will
play well after the flop. Call if you think they will play poorly post-flop, either
allowing you to steal pots or overplaying weak made hands. Raise if you think
you’ll have some fold equity and you know how your opponents will react versus a
continuation bet.
As in most marginal situations, your play depends entirely on your opponents’
tendencies.
1311
1312
Answer 2
a) 7 b) 10 c) 0 d) 0
You’re getting excellent immediate pot odds, so you should probably call despite
the tough spot you’re in. Your implied odds aren’t good against Villain3, but they’re
excellent against the other players.
Call only if you play well after the flop. It’s better to fold otherwise. However,
your post-flop skills never improve if you refuse to get involved in tricky
situations.
1313
1314
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 2 c) 2 d) 1
While your marginal one pair could be good, it is certainly ideal to check with the
intention of folding if Villain3 bets. Your middle pair fares quite poorly against
Villain3’s pre-flop raising range if he makes a continuation bet. Leading has
essentially no merit. One of your four opponents almost surely has you beat and
will not fold.
1315
1316
Answer 4
a) 7 b) 10 c) 6 d) 2
It’s likely no one has a queen or better after the flop and turn checks though. This
means that you only have to worry about being behind J-J and better tens. Knowing
this, you should probably take a stab at the pot, both for value and protection. If
someone calls, you should try to check behind on most rivers, expecting to see
some mix of marginal made hands, both better and worse than yours, and decent
flush draws. Of course, you should fold if someone raises your turn bet.
Summary
You must look for spots where you can pick up pots when no one seems to have a
premium hand. Don’t be afraid to take a stab when everyone has nothing.
1317
Hand 93: Premium Draw?
Hand: 10 -9
Position: BB
Players: 9
Blinds: 20/40
Villain1 is an unknown 50-year-old guy. Villain2 is a TAG kid. Villain3 is Paul, the
splashy Asian. Villain1 raises to 120. Villain2 and Paul both call.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1318
1319
You decide to call 80 more. The flop comes J -5 -2 . Paul bets 300.
Question 2
The pot is 780. You face a bet of 300. The effective stacks are 7,880 with Paul and
2,880 with Villain2. What is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1320
1321
You, Villain1 and Villain2 call. The turn is (J -5 -2 )-10 . Paul bets 900.
Question 3
The pot is 2,580. You face a bet of 900. The effective stacks are 7,580 with Paul
and 2,580 with Villain2. What is your action?
a) Fold b) Call 900 c) Raise to 2,600

d) Go all-in for 6,680 more versus Paul and 1,680 more versus Villain2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1322
1323
You fold and let your opponents fight for this pot. Villain1 raises to 2,400, Villain2
folds and Paul calls. The river is (J -5 -2 -10 )-Q . Both players check. Paul
shows A -Q , thinking he’s gotten lucky on the river, but Villain1 scoops the pot
with J -10 .
1324
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 3 d) 4
Out of position, with a premium drawing hand against players you do not know, it is
often best to call and see what develops post-flop. Re-raising is only a good option
if you think your opponents will often fold before the flop or play straightforwardly
after it.
Remember that you want to play small pots out of position and large pots in
position.
1325
1326
Answer 2
a) 3 b) 10 c) 7 d) 2
Both raising and calling are acceptable with a marginal flush draw, depending on
how strong you think Paul’s betting range is.
Raising is an awesome play if you think he’s betting with a marginal hand to find
out where he’s at. This will usually fold everyone out. Even with A-A, Villain1 or
Villain2 would be in bad shape looking at a bet and a raise.
If you’re unsure about his betting range, call and try to complete your flush on the
turn. You should probably make a snug fold if you suspect someone yet to act is
planning to raise. You don’t particularly want to put in 300 when you know you
will face a raise from a strong range.
1327
1328
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 5 c) 3 d) 1
The cautious, intelligent play is to fold. You turned a pair to go with your flush
draw, but Paul has made a sizable turn bet and you could well be against a better
flush draw and a better made hand. A pair plus flush draw is normally a premium
holding, but you could easily lose even if you improve on the river.
Summary
With deep stacks, you must figure out when you are drawing thin. If your marginal
flushes often run into bigger flushes in multiway pots, you probably are not paying
attention to your opponents’ ranges.
This hand is difficult to analyze because you are playing against opponents with
drastically different stack sizes. Getting all-in for an additional 2,000 or so on the
turn would be acceptable, but you do not want to get in for 7,000 more. When
playing against drastically different stack sizes, you should usually be concerned
with the deepest effective stack.
1329
Hand 94: Tangling with Paul
Hand: A -A
Position: Button
Players: 9
Blinds: 20/40
Villain1 is a weak, passive player who has yet to get out of line. Villain2 is Paul,
who has lost a few hands in a row, going from an 8,000 stack down to 5,000.
Villain1 limps. Paul raises to 140.
Question 1
a) Call 140 b) Re-raise to 240 c) Re-raise to 380 d) Re-raise to 600
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1330
1331
You re-raise to 380. Villain1 folds and Paul calls.
The flop comes 6 -2 -2 . Paul checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1332
1333
You bet 480 and Paul quickly check-raises to 1,100.
Question 3
The pot is 2,440. You face a raise to 1,100 and the effective stack size is 4,140.

c) Re-raise to 1,720 d) Go all-in for 4,620 total
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1334
1335
You decide to call 620 more.
The turn is (6 -2 -2 )-3 . Paul bets 2,800.
Question 4
The pot is 5,860 and Paul has 720 left in his stack.
a) Fold b) Call 2,800 c) Go all-in for 3,520 total
(a) (b) (c) Points: ……………
Answer
1336
1337
You go all-in. Paul instantly calls and tables his 6 -5 as if it were the nuts. The
river comes (6 -2 -2 -3 )-10 and you scoop the giant pot.
1338
Answer 1
a) 3 b) 5 c) 10 d) 6
It may be tempting to call and slow-play against your loose, splashy opponent, but
it is usually smart to put in a standard re-raise so you can start to build a pot in
position with the nuts. If you thought Paul was overly weak and would fold to a re-
raise, then you would be correct to call so you could keep him in the pot with all
his junk. However, a player like Paul will almost always call a re-raise, so that is
your best play.
1339
1340
Answer 2
a) 7 b) 5 c) 10 d) 1
The flop is about as good as it gets for your hand, so you might be tempted to slow-
play. But Paul may (correctly) assume you would continuation bet this board with
your entire range, and checking could tip him off to your strong hand. Also, Paul
could have a reasonably strong, but vulnerable hand such as 8-8 that could get
significantly worse on some turns. Paul may also give you action with A-high or run
an insane bluff with a hand such as Q-J if you bet. Checking may trick the worst
maniacs into bluffing off their stacks on future streets, but most of the time, you
should continuation bet around half-pot, as you would with your entire range.
1341
1342
Answer 3
a) 0 b) 10 c) 3 d) 7
When Paul check-raises the flop, you should call to keep him in the pot with his
entire range. You should only re-raise if you know for a fact that he had a premium
hand he would never fold to a re-raise. He may now overvalue decent made hands
and improve to a pair you still beat on the turn if he is bluffing with overcards.
Also, if he is bluffing, he could continue bluffing on the turn. Re-raising dissuades
him from both bluffing and overvaluing marginal made hands. Showing extreme
strength is the last thing you want to do when playing against a LAG who is
applying significant pressure when you have effectively the nuts.
1343
1344
Answer 4
a) 0 b) 7 c) 10
When Paul puts in almost his entire stack on the turn, it is usually smart to put the
rest of the money in the pot. If you think he is attempting a stone bluff, then it’s
better to call and induce him to make one last, hopeless river bluff. If you think he
has any semblance of a draw or made hand, you should go all-in, as he will almost
certainly contribute the rest of his stack while drawing almost dead.
Summary
Interestingly enough, Paul had a vastly overplayed top pair. He should have folded
to your pre-flop re-raise, but he continued in the pot and misplayed his hand after
the flop.
This is a prime example of why you do not check-raise the flop with marginal
made hands, especially against strong competition.
1345
Hand 95: Flush Draw out of Position
Hand: 6 -5
Position: BB
Players: 9
Blinds: 20/40
Villain1 is a 50-year-old TAG. Villain2 is a weak, passive player who seems

extremely straightforward. Villain1 and Villain2 limp.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1346
1347
You elect to see a free flop. The flop comes A -7 -3 . Villain2 checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1348
1349
You bet 100. Villain1 calls and Villain2 folds. The turn is (A -7 -3 )-2 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1350
1351
You bet 220 and Villain1 calls. The river is (A -7 -3 -2 )-K .
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1352
1353
You check and Villain1 quickly checks behind, giving you the pot.
1354
Answer 1
a) 10 b) 3 c) 5 d) 7
Both checking and raising are acceptable. Checking is always good when out of
position with a hand that flops fairly well. Raising has a lot of merit because
Villain2 almost certainly has a hand he will fold to a raise, and Villain1 could also
be weak. However, you should usually check, assuming you can intelligently
navigate tricky post-flop situations.
1355
1356
Answer 2
a) 6 b) 7 c) 10 d) 3
Attempting a check-raise would be a fine play if you suspected Villain1 would bet.
However, Villain1 limped in, and so is somewhat unlikely to bet. Limpers tend to
play much more passively than raisers. You should certainly go for the check-raise
if Villain1 had raised before the flop. So betting is the only sensible option. You
usually want to make a substantial bet that gives you at least some fold equity. If
someone calls your flop bet, you should usually bet again on the turn even if you
miss, because you want the option to make a large river bet when you complete
your draw.
1357
1358
Answer 3
a) 3 b) 8 c) 10 d) 5
When you turn what is effectively the nuts, you should usually continue to value-bet,
especially if your opponent could realistically have a strong hand or draw. Since he
could easily have an ace or a pair with a flush draw, you should bet on the larger
side, hoping to extract significant value. Your opponent may call either a full- or
3/4-pot bet with a similar range of hands, but he will be much less likely to pay you
off on the river in the former case, assuming your range is mostly premium made
hands.
1359
1360
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 2 c) 2 d) 1
Whenever the river turns your hand into an awful bluff-catcher, your only choice is
to check if you don’t think you can make your opponent fold many better hands by
betting. No one folds a reasonable flush, even to a large bet, so bluffing is out of the
question.
Summary
You would have been in a tough spot had Villain1 bet the river. In general, when a
seemingly straightforward TAG bets on a four-flush river, you should assume he has
a decent flush, and so you should fold. However, some players—even some TAGs
—will toss out a bet to try to force you off weak flushes and decent non-flush
hands. You should generally fold to a TAG’s river bet, but you should call from
time to time, especially when you sense larceny. Of course, Villain1 simply
checked behind without a flush, so it’s almost certainly best to fold if he bets on the
river.
1361
Hand 96: Button Straddle
Hand: 9 -9
Position: SB
Players: 9
Blinds: 20/40
Villain1 is Paul, the splashy Asian who seems to be on tilt. Paul straddles to 80
from the button. In this game, that forces the small blind to act first before the flop.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1362
1363
You raise to 260 and the only caller is Paul on the button.
The flop comes Q -Q -6 .
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1364
1365
You decide to bet 380 and Paul calls. The turn is (Q -Q -6 )-7 .
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1366
1367
You check and Paul bets 1,000.
Question 4
is your action?

c) Raise to 2,200 d) Raise all-in to 6,360 total
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1368
1369
You call 1,000. The river is (Q -Q -6 -7 )-4 .
Question 5
a) Check b) Bet 1,000 c) Bet 2,000 d) Go all-in for 5,360
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1370
1371
You check and Paul mucks his hand, conceding the pot.
1372
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 6 c) 10 d) 7
Even though you have the worst position at the table, it is usually smart to raise,
allowing you to take control of the action. Limping is also acceptable, although it is
hard to determine your plan should someone raise. Both re-raising and calling have
merit, although calling is probably best. You aren’t exactly looking to get all-in for
7,000 with 9-9, but that will often be the outcome if you limp-re-raise.
1373
1374
Answer 2
a) 3 b) 7 c) 10 d) 5
You should make a fairly standard continuation bet with what is almost certainly the
best hand. You would usually bet around half-pot, but Paul seems happy to call
larger bets, so go ahead and bet a bit more to extract additional value.
Always consider your opponent’s calling tendencies when choosing your bet
size.
1375
1376
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 8 c) 6 d) 2
Betting again would be great if you thought Paul could reasonably call on the turn
with a 7 or worse. However, he could have easily floated the flop with a wide
range of junk, so it’s probably smart to check and give him the opportunity to bluff.
1377
1378
Answer 4
a) 2 b) 10 c) 4 d) 1
If Paul trails your 9 -9 , he almost certainly has some well-concealed outs with
his entire range. But raising would induce him to play perfectly, continuing only
when he has a Q or better. Calling gives Paul the option to bet again on the river. It
also makes it difficult for you to lose a gigantic pot when you have the worst hand.
1379
1380
Answer 5
a) 10 b) 4 c) 4 d) 0
Leading would be slightly better than checking if you thought Paul might call a river
bet with his entire range of marginal made hands. However, he could easily have a
wide range of air that would not call a river lead but might bet if you checked to
him. Checking gives him one last opportunity to make a huge mistake.
Summary
When the button straddles, you should play quite tightly in the blinds due to your
terrible pre-flop position. You’re getting a great price to limp, but someone yet to
act will frequently raise, putting you in a tough spot. Simply fold your marginal and
bad hands, unless your table is overly nitty, which probably isn’t the case if people
are straddling on a regular basis.
1381
Hand 97: Tricky Turn
Hand: K -J
Position: CO
Players: 9
Blinds: 20/40
Villain1 is a middle-aged guy around whom the game is built. Despite this, he is
currently up around 10,000 since the game started. He is splashy before the flop
and has proven he is capable of running large post-flop bluffs.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1382
1383
The flop comes J -7 -7 . Villain1 checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1384
1385
The turn is (J -7 -7 )-10 . Villain1 checks.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1386
1387
1388
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 2 c) 10 d) 6
You should know by now that with a strong hand from late position, your only
reasonable play is to make a standard pre-flop raise to around 3 big blinds. It is
worth mentioning that as stacks get deeper, you have the option to raise a bit larger,
perhaps to as much as 4.5 big blinds. The purpose of that raise size is to build a
larger pot in which you have an edge, while also inducing your opponents to play
straightforwardly. If you can induce your opponents to give you accurate
information simply by raising a little larger, it is probably a good idea. However, a
standard raise is vastly superior if raising larger causes your opponents to fold
most of their junk.
1389
1390
Answer 2
a) 4 b) 10 c) 7 d) 3
With top pair, second kicker, you should usually make a continuation bet. Another
fine option is to check behind. You know your opponent may check-raise with a
wide range. If he does so, your top pair shrivels into a decent bluff-catcher. But you
should still continuation bet, usually with the intention of seeing a showdown as
long as the action remains reasonable.
1391
1392
Answer 3
a) 4 b) 6 c) 10 d) 3
It’s fine to either bet or check the turn. Again, if you bet, you must be prepared to
deal with a check-raise. You can confidently call a check-raise with your top pair
and strong flush draw, with the intention of calling most river bets. Checking
becomes best if you think Villain1 will rarely give you action without a strong
hand. Given his tendencies and the board, that probably isn’t the case.
Summary
By simply running a few post-flop bluffs in the recent past, Villain1 set himself up
to have huge implied odds whenever he flops a strong hand against competent
players who will assume he has a reasonable amount of air in his range when he
takes aggressive lines. Be aware of how your opponent thinks you perceive him, as
that can drastically alter your strategy. For example, if your opponent thinks you
believe he constantly runs wild post-flop bluffs, he may apply significant pressure
against you only with premium holdings, while still bluffing less observant players.
This may lead you to make the potentially disastrous error of assuming your
opponent plays the same way against you as he does against others.
1393
Hand 98: Facing a Super LAG
Hand: A -2
Position: HJ
Players: 9
Blinds: 20/40
Villain1 is Paul, who is clearly on tilt due to his own poor play. Villain2 is a hyper-
aggressive kid who recently joined the table. He has yet to mess with you, but he
re-raised four times before the flop during his first orbit at the table.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1394
1395
You decide to raise to 120. Villain1 calls and Villain2 re-raises to 560.
Question 2
The pot is 860. You face a raise to 120. The effective stacks are 10,880 with
Villain2 and 4,880 with Villain1. What is your action?

c) Re-raise to 1,300 d) Re-raise to 2,400
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1396
1397
You re-raise to 1,300. Villain1 quickly folds. Villain2 thinks for around three
minutes before releasing his hand.
1398
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 2 c) 10 d) 3
You should make a fairly standard pre-flop raise when your hand has significant
post-flop potential. You might consider folding if both the cutoff and button were
absolute maniacs, frequently re-raising with the intention of applying extreme pre-
and post-flop pressure.
1399
1400
Answer 2
a) 7 b) 2 c) 10 d) 1
It’s acceptable to fold, especially if you think Villain2 has a strong hand, which
probably isn’t the case, given his play so far.
Summary
It’s usually not smart to call a sizable re-raise out of position, unless you frequently
plan to check-raise bluff the flop. Calling would be a much better option if you
were in position.
Your best move is likely to re-raise to the smallest amount that gives you a
decent amount of pre-flop fold equity. If you make a giant re-raise, Villain2 will
almost certainly play in a straightforward manner, but you lose too much when he
continues in the pot.
I actually expected Villain2 to call and see a flop a decent amount of the time.
My plan was to continuation bet around 1,300 on most flops. If he called my flop
continuation bet, I would have probably played straightforwardly on the turn and
river. Most players are not looking to call a 4-bet, float the flop and put in around
half their large stack on the turn as a bluff.
You need to immediately let the LAG players know you are not the guy they
should be messing with. Do not be afraid to take advantage of someone who clearly
is getting well out of line. Of course, I probably would have folded if Villain2 had
5-bet, absent an insane read. Even if he 5-bets and you fold, you let him know you
are going to fight for pots, and if he wants to apply pressure against you, he must be
prepared to play a huge pot.
1401
Hand 99: Nice Looking Flop
Hand: J -10
Position: BB
Players: 9
Blinds: 20/40
Villain1 is an Asian kid you haven’t seen. His stack of 10,000 is an indicator that
he is likely a strong player. Villain1 raises to 120 from the cutoff.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1402
1403
You elect to call. The flop comes J -9 -7 .
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1404
1405
Question 3
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1406
1407
You call. The turn is (J -9 -7 )-2 .
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1408
1409
Question 5
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1410
1411
You call. The river is (J -9 -7 -2 )-7 .
Question 6
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1412
1413
Question 7
is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1414
1415
You call and beat Villain1’s Q -10 .
1416
Answer 1
a) 4 b) 10 c) 3 d) 8
It’s fine to fold when you’re out of position with a marginal hand, especially if you
think Villain1 plays well. However, it is usually a bit too weak against a player
who seems to be somewhat LAG. You should mix up your play between calling and
re-raising. If you re-raise, it should be fairly large, giving you decent fold equity
and dissuading your opponent from 4-betting without a strong hand. A small re-
raise is not good because he will call almost every time in position. With deep
stacks, this is not what you want.
1417
1418
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 5 c) 7 d) 2
You can either check or lead with top pair and a gutshot straight draw. If you lead,
you should bet an amount that will extract value from Villain1’s many possible
worse made hands, and keep him in the pot with a wide range that you beat. You
should lean toward checking against someone who frequently continuation bets—
which will be most of your opponents—allowing him to build the pot for you.
Checking allows you to grow the pot without exposing yourself to a raise.
1419
1420
Answer 3
a) 0 b) 10 c) 6 d) 3
Villain1’s fairly small bet indicates that he probably doesn’t have a premium hand
he wants to protect. You probably have the best hand, so you should call and keep
him in the pot. Villain1 would likely have a tough time calling a check-raise on the
flop, followed by turn and river bets, with a worse hand than yours. Your call will
result in your occasionally being outdrawn by random weak draws and overcards,
but it’s well worth this risk to keep your opponent in the pot with his entire range.
1421
1422
Answer 4
a) 10 b) 3 c) 4 d) 2
You should usually check to your opponent, as you did on the flop. A lead gives him
the option to raise, which would be a disaster. Notice that your hand is almost
certainly ahead if you continue to check-call, whereas your hand will do much
worse if you bet and he raises, and you will be playing a larger pot. It’s not smart to
bloat the pot with marginal made hands from out of position. Checking guarantees a
manageable pot.
1423
1424
Answer 5
a) 0 b) 10 c) 3 d) 1
Your opponent probably has something, but it could easily be a weak draw or
worse made hand. He will almost certainly play perfectly if you check-raise,
calling with most better made hands and strong draws while folding everything
else. An option is usually bad if it induces your opponent to play well.
1425
1426
Answer 6
a) 10 b) 3 c) 4 d) 1
Leading on the river only has merit if you think Villain1 will check behind with
most marginal made hands that you beat but will call with them if you bet. He could
easily have a better jack or a 7, so leading is not a good idea. As on previous
streets, if you bet, you open yourself up to a raise. A check controls the size of the
pot and gives him another opportunity to bluff or value-bet a worse made hand.
1427
1428
Answer 7
a) 3 b) 10 c) 2 d) 1
Villain1 is probably polarized to strong made hands and bluffs when he bets
proportionately larger on the river than on the flop and turn. Your hand is now
squarely a bluff-catcher, but you should almost certainly call, mainly because your
opponent is young and likely capable of three-barrel bluffing. You should consider
folding if your opponent was 80 years old, but it would be close even then, given
the pot odds. Whenever you take a line that appears weak, expect your opponents to
occasionally bluff.
Summary
Check-raising the river is almost always bad because your opponent either has a
strong made hand or he doesn’t. But check-raising as a bluff is a strong play against
a good, aggressive player who is capable of betting this amount with premium
hands, air and marginal made hands that beat you, such as A-J and Q-J.
Check-raising would almost certainly be best against that river betting range with
a weaker made hand, such as 9 -8 , as you lose to a large part of that range. This
play will often steal the pot from players who think you will only check-raise the
river with a slow-played premium hand or a rivered 7.
Never be afraid to let your aggressive opponents hang themselves.
1429
Hand 100: Strong Made Hand plus a Draw
Hand: A -J
Position: CO
Players: 9
Blinds: 20/40
Villain1 and Villain2 are both competent kids who are usually on the tighter side,
although they are capable of anything. Villain3 is Paul, the LAG Asian who seems
to be on tilt.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1430
1431
You raise to 120. Villain1, Villain2 and Paul call.
The flop comes J -6 -5 . Villain2 and Paul check to you.
Question 2
The pot is 480. The effective stacks are 9,880 with Villain1 and Villain2 and 4,880
with Paul. What is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1432
1433
You bet 240 and Paul calls. The turn is (J -6 -5 )-K . Paul bets 480.
Question 3
is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1434
1435
You decide to call. The river is (J -6 -5 -K )-10 . Paul bets 960.
Question 4
The pot is 2,880 and the effective stack is 4,160. What is your action?
a) Fold b) Call 960

c) Raise to 2,000 d) Go all-in for 3,200 more
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1436
1437
You call and beat Paul’s A -2 .
1438
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 2 c) 10 d) 0
With a powerful hand from late position, a standard pre-flop raise to 3 big blinds is
in order.
1439
1440
Answer 2
a) 0 b) 10 c) 7 d) 3
You should clearly bet for value with a premium made hand. You may be tempted to
slow-play, but there are actually loads of bad turn cards for your hand, including
any heart, K, Q, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3 or 2. In a multiway pot, you almost always want
to force out hands with a few clean outs that will only give you action if they
improve and beat you. A bet of around half-pot should force out those hands with
gigantic implied odds that you want to fold, while still extracting value from worse
made hands and reasonable draws. You could bet a bit larger to extract more value
if you thought your opponents would call with that same range.
1441
1442
Answer 3
a) 0 b) 10 c) 3 d) 2
It’s hard to know what Paul is doing when he leads into you on the turn, as most
players rarely take that line. It probably polarizes his range to draws and made
hands that beat yours, although you can’t be certain. With a premium draw and a
strong bluff-catcher, you should call and see what develops on the river.
1443
1444
Answer 4
a) 3 b) 10 c) 0 d) 1
The 10 could easily improve Paul to a better made hand, but you’re getting around
3-to-1 against a player who is capable of wild bluffs, so you have to call.
Summary
A lot of players probably fold on the river because they don’t want to be calling off
and when the bad news arrives, feeling like they “knew” that was going to happen.
Even if you have the worst hand 70 percent of the time, you should be happy calling
with 3-to-1 odds.
You will make better decisions, with a correspondingly better win rate, when
you understand that it’s acceptable to lose.
1445
Hand 101: Combat with Paul
Hand: A -Q
Position: Button
Players: 8
Blinds: 20/40
Two players at your table recently announced they would be quitting in 30 minutes.
While this may or may not alter your opponents’ decisions, it is something to be
aware of. Villain1 and Villain2 are tight, straightforward players who raise with
strong hands and limp with marginal holdings. Villain3 is Paul, who is clearly
losing his mind. Villain1 and Villain2 limp.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1446
1447
You raise to 220. Paul calls from the small blind. Villain1 and Villain2 fold.
The flop comes J -9 -5 .
Question 2
The pot is 560 and the effective stack size is 4,780. Paul checks.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1448
1449
You bet 280 and Paul calls. The turn is (J -9 -5 )-9 . Paul checks.
Question 3
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1450
1451
You check behind. The river is (J -9 -5 -9 )-J . Paul bets 1,000.
Question 4
is your action?

c) Raise to 2,200 d) Raise to 3,300
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1452
1453
You call. Paul shows 2 -2 , playing the board. You win with A-high.
1454
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 2 c) 10 d) 4
Facing two limpers whose hands are almost certainly weaker than yours, you
should make a standard pot-sized raise, allowing you to build a pot in position.
There is no point in making a large raise because you will make it nearly
impossible for the limpers to give you action unless they have hands that fare
decently well against your A-Q. Be sure to bet an amount that they can call with a
wide range of junk.
1455
1456
Answer 2
a) 7 b) 10 c) 5 d) 2
This is one of the rare times you should consider not continuation betting on the
flop. Checking is fine when the board contains two or three middle cards in a spot
where your range should contain mostly high cards, especially if you know how to
react if your opponent bets on the turn. You will have no clue how to react on the
turn if the maniacal Paul bets, so you should probably continuation bet and make
your future decisions much easier. You know that Paul probably has a made hand or
decent draw if he check-calls or check-raises the flop, allowing you to make easy
decisions in the future.
1457
1458
Answer 3
a) 10 b) 3 c) 5 d) 2
Paul likely has some sort of made hand or draw. You should probably check behind
unless you think he can continue calling with his draws that you beat while folding
some of the junky made hands that beat you. Being fairly wild, he might decide to
look you up with a weak made hand, with the intention of calling down, and he
might check-raise with his draws, putting you in a bad spot. This should lead you to
check behind, electing to see a free river in a spot where you may or may not have
the best hand.
1459
1460
Answer 4
a) 3 b) 10 c) 0 d) 0
When Paul blasts a river that is terrible for all drawing hands and some of the
worst made hands, you should probably call unless you have a read that he only
bets this size with premium hands in this situation. Folding would be reasonable if
Paul were a nit instead of a super LAG. But even then, when your opponent makes a
polarizing bet after you have shown weakness by checking on the previous street,
you should strongly consider calling when you beat most of his bluffs.
1461
Hand 102: Reasonable Flop
Hand: 4 -4
Position: Button
Players: 7
Blinds: 20/40
After losing the previous hand, Paul changed seats and put all the money in his
pockets on the table. Villain1 is a good, TAG kid. Villain2 is Paul. Villain3 is tight
and passive. Villain1 raises to 140 and Paul calls.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1462
1463
You decide to call 140. Villain3 also calls. The flop comes Q -10 -4 . Everyone
checks to Paul, who bets 300.
Question 2
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1464
1465
You raise to 800 and everyone folds, giving you the paltry pot.
1466
Answer 1
a) 0 b) 10 c) 3 d) 2
You should call and see a flop when you have a hand with huge implied odds,
especially when facing a strong opener and a tilty player who might re-raise if you
decide to squeeze. Re-raising would gain some merit if you had reason to believe
both your opponents had marginal hands they would fold to a squeeze, but that
certainly is not the case.
1467
1468
Answer 2
a) 0 b) 5 c) 10 d) 3
A flop bet from someone other than the pre-flop raiser means that player probably
has a somewhat strong range, even when the pre-flop raiser declined to
continuation bet. That, combined with the overly draw-heavy board, should lead
you to raise to an amount that will allow Paul to stay in the pot with all of his
reasonably strong holdings, which should be most of his range.
Summary
To your surprise, Paul folded. It seems like you let him off the hook, but raising the
flop is the only play that has merit. Raising gives you full value whenever Paul has
a strong hand, which is your goal. Even if you miss a little value when he has air,
your primary goal should be to stack him, especially while he is on tilt. To
oversimplify, if you had to pick between winning 2,000 from Paul 100 percent of
the time, 15,000 from him 30 percent of the time or 3,000 from him 70 percent of
the time, you want to win 15,000 from him 30 percent of the time, because that has
the greatest EV.
1469
Hand 103: Welcoming Shelly Back
Hand: K -9
Position: BB
Players: 7
Blinds: 20/40
Villain1 is Shelly, the spewy lady who randomly gets out of line. She seems quite
tired and agitated. Villain2 is Paul, who is currently on massive tilt. He’s changed
seats again, giving you position on him. He appears to be searching for his “lucky
seat”. Shelly limps, as does Paul.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1470
1471
You check. The flop comes Q -7 -3 . Paul checks to you.
Question 2
The pot is 120. The effective stack sizes are 1,960 with Shelly and 12,960 with
Paul. What is your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1472
1473
You decide to check, as does Shelly.
The turn is (Q -7 -3 )-K . Paul checks.
Question 3
The pot is 120. The effective stacks are 1,960 with Shelly and 12,960 with Paul.
What is your move?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1474
1475
You check again. Shelly bets 100. Paul folds.
Question 4
your action?
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1476
1477
You decide to call. The river is (Q -7 -3 -K )-J .
Question 5
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1478
1479
You check; Shelly bets 300.
Question 6
your action?
a) Fold b) Call 300

c) Raise to 800 d) Go all-in for 1,560 more
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1480
1481
You decide to call, losing to Shelly’s Q -J .
1482
Answer 1
a) 10 b) 3 c) 8 d) 4
It’s usually best to simply check and see a free flop from the big blind when facing
two fairly wild limpers. Raising fairly large becomes a strong play if you think it
will give you significant fold equity. Playing out of position with junky hands is not
ideal, even as the aggressor.
1483
1484
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 2 c) 4 d) 5
When you totally miss the flop, it’s usually a good idea to check with the intention
of folding if someone bets. However, if you get the vibe that Shelly is not interested
in the pot, then you only have to worry about Paul, and betting becomes a strong
play that can often win a pot you normally would concede.
1485
1486
Answer 3
a) 7 b) 2 c) 10 d) 6
You should almost always bet for value when you turn top pair, even though few
worse made hands can realistically call. Bet fairly small so you can keep those
junky hands in the pot.
I don’t know why I checked on the turn; I most likely thought Shelly had a decent
hand. I tend to check when I am unsure if my good, but not amazing hand is best. I’m
willing to miss value in exchange for keeping the pot under control and making it
difficult to get blown off my hand.
1487
1488
Answer 4
a) 0 b) 10 c) 7 d) 1
Even though you think Shelly has a strong hand, your top pair is still much too good
to fold. Check-raising is not a good move if she has a strong hand, because you’ll
usually be in bad shape if she continues. But it’s not a bad play if you think she
could have a jack, or that she’ll call with a wide range of bad made hands, perhaps
A-high and better.
1489
1490
Answer 5
a) 10 b) 2 c) 5 d) 3
Checking is the only sensible play if you still think Shelly has a strong hand. If you
lead, you should bet an amount that will be called by worse made hands and raised
only when you are beat, allowing you to both extract value and get reasonably
accurate information.
1491
1492
Answer 6
a) 8 b) 10 c) 0 d) 1
Shelly is almost certainly polarized when she pots the river. She could realistically
have very few draws, so she is probably betting for value. This makes folding a
strong option. However, you only need to win around one third of the time to break
even. She must think your hand is fairly weak, so calling is acceptable. You made a
losing call, unlike in the previous hand. While this situation was obviously more
speculative, calling is fine. Don’t be bothered because you lost the pot.
1493
Hand 104: Getting Frisky
Hand: K -5
Position: Button
Players: 7
Blinds: 20/40
Villain1 is Paul, who seems quite unhappy at the moment.

Paul raises to 140.
Question 1
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1494
1495
You re-raise to 400 and Paul quickly calls.
The flop comes A -10 -3 . Paul checks.
Question 2
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1496
1497
You bet 480 and Paul mucks.
1498
Answer 1
a) 3 b) 8 c) 10 d) 9
In position against someone tilting, you can get away with doing almost whatever
you want if you have a good idea of how he will react. Paul is the type of player
who could 4-bet pre-flop or check-raise after the flop with a wide range. Still, it is
often good to apply immense pressure to a tilting player with a deep stack to push
him over the edge. Re-raising slightly larger than normal could drastically increase
your pre-flop fold equity. This depends on how you expect Paul to react. He may
sense weakness and decide to 4-bet, which would not be a good result. So you
should either make a standard re-raise or just call. Calling is often not an amazing
option, but it’s acceptable, since you are in position against a tilting player. Your
hand usually won’t flop too well, so a fairly standard re-raise is probably best.
1499
1500
Answer 2
a) 0 b) 3 c) 10 d) 6
When checked to on the flop, you should almost always make a standard
continuation bet of around half-pot on A-x-x boards, which are excellent for your
range. If you get a read that Paul doesn’t plan to fold on the flop, you can give up.
Don’t adopt the habit of assuming your opponent always has a strong hand on the
flop. Failing to continuation bet when you miss is to play in a straightforward
manner, which is a sign of a terrible player.
1501
Hand 105: Junk in a Multiway Pot
Hand: Q -J
Position: MP
Players: 7
Blinds: 20/40
Villain1 is Shelly, who just added some money to her stack, bringing it to 10,000.
Villain2 is a TAG, middle-aged guy. Villain3 is Paul, who has again changed seats.
Villain4 is a TAG kid who seems way too tight before the flop. Shelly raises to
120.
Question 1
The action is on you in MP.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1502
1503
You call, as do Villain2, Paul and Villain4.
The flop comes 9 -7 -6 . Villain3, Villain4 and Shelly all check to you.
Question 2
The pot is 600 and the effective stack size is around 9,880.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1504
1505
You decide to check, as does Villain2. The turn is (9 -7 -6 )-7 .
Villain3, Villain4 and Shelly again check to you.
Question 3
The pot is 600 and the effective stack size is around 9,880.
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1506
1507
You bet 300. Only Shelly calls.
The river is (9 -7 -6 -7 )-10 . Shelly checks to you.
Question 4
(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………
Answer
1508
1509
You bet 700. Shelly thinks for a while before folding A -K face up, rewarding
you with the pot.
1510
Answer 1
a) 3 b) 10 c) 7 d) 1
Calling and re-raising are both fine with a premium drawing hand. Re-raising is
easily best if you expect that a call will frequently elicit a squeeze by someone yet
to act. Calling is ideal if you expect several players to call and see a somewhat
cheap flop. You could consider folding if you thought Shelly’s first-position raising
range was overly strong, but with deep stacks and position, you should call and
play your hand purely for its huge implied odds.
1511
1512
Answer 2
a) 10 b) 6 c) 4 d) 2
With only overcards on a flop that could hit most of your opponents’ ranges, you
should usually check with the intention of giving up if Villain2 takes a stab at the
pot. If you were confident Villain2 was not interested in winning the pot, you could
make a small bet, hoping to steal the pot immediately.
1513
1514
Answer 3
a) 5 b) 10 c) 7 d) 3
When everyone checks to you again on the turn, you can be fairly sure no one has a
strong hand, and you should make a bet that you would make with most of your
value range. You’re bluffing, and you never know if the players in the blinds have
nothing. Betting on the smaller side, around half-pot, is probably a bit better than a
larger bet because it saves you some money when you get multiple calls.
1515
1516
Answer 4
a) 2 b) 4 c) 10 d) 7
You should strongly consider betting again when your opponent’s turn calling range
is abnormally weak and the river changes the board, which the 10 certainly does.
You want Shelly to fold all hands worse than a 10, which should be most of her
range. Notice if you make a tiny bet, she may look you up with hands as weak as A-
high, and if you bet large, she may assume you missed a draw, inducing her to call
with that same range. Especially against players who think they are decent hand
readers, you should choose a bluff size you think they will assume must be a value-
bet. Betting slightly more than half-pot makes sense.
Summary
You usually shouldn’t bluff in a multiway pot, but don’t fear getting out of line when
everyone clearly has a weak range. When your turn bluff is called and the river
card is scary, have the courage to fire again, especially if your opponent’s turn
calling range is almost certainly weak.
1517
Conclusion
I hope you have enjoyed playing along with me as I battled my various opponents.
While I certainly could have played a few spots differently, I think I performed
about as well as possible during the four-day stretch. I must admit, after putting in
around 55 nearly continuous hours at the table, I was ready for a break!
If you have questions or comments about any of the hand examples in this book,
feel free to post them on the forums at my poker-training site, FloatTheTurn.com. I
am more than happy to reply to all of your questions.
Please let me know if you enjoyed this book by using the contact form at
JonathanLittlePoker.com. I am happy to write a similar book in the future if there is
enough demand.
Thank you for investing the time to experience these sessions with me.
Remember to think about your opponents’ tendencies and adjust accordingly.
Good luck!
1518
1519

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Copyright © 2015 Jonathan Little

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

ISBN: 978 1 90945 735 5

All sales enquiries should be directed to D&B Publishing:

Cover design by Horatio Monteverde.

This book is quite similar to Secrets of Professional Tournament Poker, Volume 3,

Villain1 appears to be a 30-year-old LAG amateur. Villain2 is an older, weak

a) Fold b) Call 60 c) Re-raise to 220 d) Re-raise to 450

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Check b) Bet 80 c) Bet 150 d) Bet 300

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Check b) Bet 200 c) Bet 375 d) Bet 500

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Fold b) Call 550 c) Raise to 1,100 d) Raise to 1,600

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

Villain1 is a 25-year-old kid who seems competent. Villain2 is a middle-aged guy

a) Fold b) Call 20 c) Raise to 60 d) Raise to 120

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Fold b) Call 260 c) Re-raise to 660 d) Re-raise to 1,000

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Fold b) Call 1,440 more

(a) (b) Points: ……………

Villain1 is a 50-year-old amateur who just arrived at the table. Villain2 is a

a) Fold b) Call 90 more c) Re-raise to 220 d) Re-raise to 460

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Check b) Bet 100 c) Bet 220 d) Bet 340

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Fold b) Call 240 c) Raise to 580 d) Raise to 1000

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Check b) Bet 200 c) Bet 440 d) Bet 660

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Fold b) Call 480 c) Raise to 1,000 d) Raise to 1,480

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Check b) Bet 400 c) Bet 800 d) Bet 1,200

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Fold b) Call 20 c) Raise to 60 d) Raise to 200

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Fold b) Call 150 c) Raise to 350 d) Raise to 450

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Fold b) Call 320 c) Raise to 800 d) Raise to 1,300

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Fold b) Call 1,200 c) Raise to 2,600 d) Go all-in for3,270

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Fold b) Call 60 c) Re-raise to 220 d) Re-raise to 320

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Check b) Bet 220 c) Bet 340 d) Bet 450

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Fold b) Call 360 c) Raise to 720 d) Raise to 1020

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Check b) Bet 300 c) Bet 600 d) Bet 900

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

Villain1 is a standard young TAG. Villain2 is a random player. Villain3 is a weak,

a) Fold b) Call 60 c) Re-raise to 220 d) Re-raise to 360

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Fold b) Call 60 c) Raise to 230 d) Raise to 400

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Check b) Bet 250 c) Bet 500 d) Bet 770

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

a) Check b) Bet 250 c) Bet 640 d) Bet 1,100

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………

Villain1 is a tight, passive 40-year-old. Villain2 is Gustav, the semi-maniac who is

a) Fold b) Call 20 c) Raise to 90 d) Raise to 160

(a) (b) (c) (d) Points: ……………