Using the GAP Theory to define your hand.

2nd time writing this post, had a power cut half way though the first one

Lets look at a problem hand. Its the mid stages of an MTT, im deepstacked with 10K, the tournament chip leader is in middle position, im on the button, with the blinds at 100/200.

I look down to see AJo. Not a bad hand on the button, first instinct is to raise.

BUT HOLD ON the chip leader raises 600 pre-flop, the table folds to me. Leaving me the 3 options that we all face in poker. Call/Fold/Raise. In all cases the chip leader is holding AA.

Calling : While I dont know my oppoents holding i could speculate here and call for 600 to see if i hit the flop hard. My hand is OK, I was going to raise 600 myself so calling is the same isnt it ? I call, the flop comes A J 2 rainbow, doh.............. we go broke, but how could I have gotten away from it ?

Fold : Ok the GAP concept states that we need a stronger hand to call with than raise with, MP could have KQ and im ahead, or AA and im behind, just not worth the risk.

Re-raise : Im a loose aggressive player and i want to play here.But I want to define my opponents hand, im deepstacked at this stage, he could have KQ and im ahead, or AA and im behind. If I reraise ONLY a bigger hand is calling AK would call (maybe) here, so would AQ (maybe) and hope to hit the flop. I can make my decision now on the flop much easier if he comes out betting on the flop, unfraid of my pre-flop reraise, defining his possible holdings much better.

But wait, what if he re-raises again ? Then i KNOW, with an accurate degree of certainty that im facing a monster hand, and i can safely fold, leaving me with 8K behind, still deepstacked.

I raise 1,200 more, the chip leader shoves, I fold easy decision, Im still in the game, didnt make the 2nd best hand and got away relatively cheaply.

The re-raise was used to great effect there, we tested the chip leader and got our answer, we used the fact that only a better hand than ours is raising, and the specluative hands that most strong players raise with will usually fold.

Hope this makes sense, btw 2K posts now

Edit: I have a present for ye all, check the gallery.

Well you said you were going to make 2000 a good one. You are not liar.
Nice post.

Sensei TB, nice post.

Good post TB. I agree; raise early while you've still got a chance to dump it should you feel your behind, and you don't get caught with a falsely nice flop like AJx

Then again Chip leader could dick around and smooth call your raise and trap you on a 'good' flop for you...if he's feeling risky. Just a thought...


@pic: ahhh yeh drunk buggers Good to match faces to you guys...

But it has cost you nearly 20% of your stack to find out... wouldn't it be better just to bin it and tangle with someone smaller, with a better hand?

I agree, its not the point of the OP though. You could replace the AJ with a hand like 10 10 / JJ etc

Excellent example of the GAP concept, bravo. Combating re-raises is a tough thing to do with a stealing hand like AJ.

deepstacked im folding my ajo to the chipleader bro. im looking to pick on shortstacks!

As the chip leader has only raised the usual 3x the BB you could also consider that he may be trying to nick the pot and so a re-raise should indeed test him out.

Although AJ = urgh, not a nice hand in many of times - with this i would have to consider just how he has been playing previously.

with a better read (him bullying) i will obviously not fold immediately. this was a decision without much of a read.

* tenbob wishes he NEVER gave an EXAMPLE hand.

Replace AJ with QQ if you like

Thats a better one lol