Don't Make Big Pots Without Big Hands

I heard this phrase awhile ago when reading a article by John Juanda at the Hendon Mob site. I think it especially makes sense in tournament play, I've tried to apply it there as well as I can.

I think you should never be all in in a tournament unless its preflop, with less than a set. If you're in preflop you should be in it with at least KK and with only one other person. This of course changes when you're short stacked. Anyone think this is too loose or tight? Should two pair be included? Top two pair?

I think small hand/small pot is a good thing to keep in mind in big bet games.

I think we can do away with always/never thinking, except in very specific situations.

"It depends" really is the best answer for most poker questions. Knowing what it depends ON is how we profit.

We won't be open to what that is with always/never rules in our thinking.

Yeah I think thats always true, a set on a flop with three suited cards isnt something you want to get all in with unless ur on a really loose table.

You got it a little wrong...
Hand strengths aren't absolutes. Against some fish TT pre-flop = the nuts. Against some nits QQ preflop = -1 buy in.
Same thing post flop, you can't have a rule that you wont put all of your chips on the line with less than a set, because sometimes TPTK is the nuts and sometimes a set is crushed.


The general principle behind the line is that let's say you have AJ on an A5Tr flop against your average TAG, you've got a really good hand which is probably best. However it's good for one and at most two streets of value because there is nothing that he can have that you beat that he'll put a lot of chips in with.
Heads up AJ on that flop is the effective nuts on that flop, but the more money that goes into the pot the more it's value diminishes.

Ive also heard the phrase, "You win small pots with big hands, and big pots with little ones" or something like that.

If people like Durrr stuck to this rule, they would be so much easier to beat

This is a good rule for overall play, but I suppose it depends.

I agree that hands strengths aren't absolutes, but TT is never the nuts... the biggest fish you're going to meet are the ones that think an ace is always good, meaning if they're playing A9 or less they have a 30 percent chance to win preflop, honestly all pocket pairs are so weak postflop, preflop play puts the gamble in poker....

If you think they'll put a lot of chips in pre-flop with Ax, TT is a hand you're playing for value regardless of how many chips go in.

For the OP, how much of your stack are you willing to risk on a probable race such as AK vs 99 ?

-Raymond

I try my best to see a flop with AK first... too many races where i knew i would have folded if I had seen a flop. If it came down to it and i knew my opponent had 99 (impossible to really know, IMO) I would probably shove half my chips in without a second thought if I was past the bubble. I would also shove if i was shortstacked.

I'm almost always getting in on a flop like this. You got to figure there are so many hands that are willing to get in here that you got beat. Two pair hands over pairs as well as flush draws and even under sets are all willing to get in here. Yes there will be made flushes here as well but you still got outs even if they got a made flush. As for the rule it is a good one. Also always trying to make a big pot with a big hand is a good rule too. If you got a big hand I find it best to bet right out most of the time to build a big pot.

I agree with above poster, top set is usually good in that situation

Almost every really good mtt pro disagrees with you here. If you're against good players you need to have bluffs in your range to balance and against bad players you should be betting with weaker hands like top pair and stuff because they're going to call you with worse. Also everytime you call with AK to see a flop with less than 30 big blinds baby Jesus kills a kitten. Even with more it's rarely the right play unless you're playing against Nitty McNitterson and sometimes then it's just a fold.