PLAYER STRATEGY
POKER: Playing the Top 10 Hands on 4th Street
F
OURTH STREET IS THE TIME for you to use the information you’ve learned on the flop. And since the bets are doubled on this round of betting, a well-timed fold will save you at least two big bets. However, a well-timed raise may win the whole pot! If you think you have the best hand after the fourth card is turned up, you need to make a bet or a raise. If you’ve learned you are beaten, now is the time to fold. PROTECTING YOUR HAND
You have K-K. A jackal (loose, wild player) raises before the flop and you make it three bets (re-raise), and an elephant (fairly loose, a “calling station”) behind you calls the three bets “cold” (without having money invested in the pot). The jackal then calls the one additional bet. The flop comes 10-9-2 and the jackal bets, you raise and the elephant calls. The jackal also calls two bets. The turn card comes up a 2, for 109-2-2, and now the jackal bets out into you. At this point you should be thinking, “Raise it!” But you’re distracted and call the bet. The elephant calls the bet. This is a costly mistake, since you’ve now let the elephant call only one bet with his A-9, and the last card off is an A, for 10-9-2-2A. Now the jackal checks and you check because you fear the A may have hit the elephant. Then the elephant bets, the jackal calls and you call as well. The elephant says, “I have two pair, aces up.” You think, “I can’t believe he hit an ace on me!” Wrong! You need to raise after the two came up on fourth street, and the elephant would have been forced to throw his hand away! Your call on the end might also fall into the mistake category, because the one card you had legitimate reason to fear, the ace, hit the board and a bet and a call were already in front of you. Let’s rewrite the script, so you’re making the obvious raise on fourth street. A deuce comes off the deck for 10-9-2-2, and the jackal bets out into you. You don’t really think the jackal has a deuce, so you raise and the elephant folds. The jackal calls your raise. The river card is an ace, for 10-9-2-2A, and the jackal checks. You conclude that the jackal has a pair of tens, so you bet out and the jackal calls you. You say, “Pocket kings for me.”
by
PHIL HELLMUTH, JR.
As you pile your chips, the elephant complains, “I would have made aces and nines if I’d stayed in, but I couldn’t call because your raise on fourth street told me you had me beat!” This is about “protecting your hand” with a raise on fourth street. If you fail to do that, you give your opponents a chance to outdraw you for just one bet. KNOWING WHEN TO FOLD ‘EM
Two opponents have called the bet before the flop, and you make it two bets to go with J-J on the button. The big blind and both other opponents call the raise, and the flop comes 2-3-Q. The big blind checks, the first “limper” (caller) bets out and the second limper folds. You raise to find out “where you’re at” and the big blind calls. The remaining limper, who falls somewhere between that of a lion and a jackal, (he’s a fairly strong, yet sometimes unpredictable player) re-raises making it three bets to go. You call and the big blind calls as well. Fourth street brings 4, for 2-3-Q-4, the big blind checks and the limper bets out. You fold because you can’t beat a pair of queens or a flush, and you fear the limper and the big blind. What hand could the limper make it three bets with on the flop, and still be a hand you can beat? If he has a flush draw, then he hits his flush. If he has a pair of queens, then you’re already beat. If he has a “set” (trips made with a pocket pair like 2-2 and a 2 on the board) then you’re also beat. It’s possible that the limper is overplaying a pair of threes, but it’s very unlikely that he would re-raise with that hand. The only realistic hope for you is that the limper three-bet with A-K, a hand your jacks still beat. Are you willing to pay off big bets on both the turn and the river to find out if you’re right? If the limper is willing to push A-K on the turn, there’s a possibly that he will push one more time with it on the river. Suffice to say that you made the right play, because there is almost no hand that you can beat at this point. Chasing (calling) on the strength of the slight hope that the limper is playing like a maniac and pushing his A-K will gouge chunks out of your bankroll over the long run.
Phil Hellmuth, Jr. is a 13time World Series of Poker Champion, leading all other poker players in the world. He is the author of two New York Times bestsellers and his latest book, Deal Me In, is also widely popular. Visit philhellmuth.com to check out his clothing line, blog and exclusive gaming tips.
“IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE BEST HAND AFTER THE FOURTH CARD IS TURNED UP, YOU NEED TO MAKE A BET OR A RAISE.”
FOR MORE FREE POKER TIPS, VISIT SOUTHERNGAMING.COM/POKER 60
| SOUTHERNGAMING.COM