Decision Making

#1 September 19th, 2019, 11:12 AM

What type of questions do you (should you) ask yourself before placing or calling a bet? Do you have some type of decision tree or flow that you leverage to make your decisions? I recently learned to start with two:

1. Why am I calling/betting?
2. Why is my opponent calling/betting?

I'm finding it helps to stay focused on the hand if I can remember to consistently puzzle these questions during a game. It reduces boredom and complacency which I think are my two biggest issues when it comes to losing play.

Obviously, answering one question can lead to more questions; and I think it's important to couple these questions' answers with the actions your opponents take...

In any case, I'm curious as to which questions you more seasoned players use to make your decisions to play a hand, and how you play it.

Thanks in advance to all those who reply and as always best of luck at the tables! Decision Making

#2 September 19th, 2019, 2:33 PM

Originally Posted by bellicoso

1. Why am I calling/betting?

In my experience, for many people playing low stakes the only question is Why not? Decision Making

#3 September 23rd, 2019, 9:16 PM

Originally Posted by bellicoso

What type of questions do you (should you) ask yourself before placing or calling a bet? Do you have some type of decision tree or flow that you leverage to make your decisions? I recently learned to start with two:

1. Why am I calling/betting?
2. Why is my opponent calling/betting?

I'm finding it helps to stay focused on the hand if I can remember to consistently puzzle these questions during a game. It reduces boredom and complacency which I think are my two biggest issues when it comes to losing play.

Obviously, answering one question can lead to more questions; and I think it's important to couple these questions' answers with the actions your opponents take...

In any case, I'm curious as to which questions you more seasoned players use to make your decisions to play a hand, and how you play it.

Thanks in advance to all those who reply and as always best of luck at the tables! Decision Making

1. Why am I calling/betting?
2. Why is my opponent calling/betting?

If you want to win the chips you should call/bet also fold Decision Making

#4 September 23rd, 2019, 9:32 PM

My first three questions are:
1. Who am I?
2. Where am I?
3. What am I doing here? Decision Making

#5 September 23rd, 2019, 9:45 PM

You are thinking way too much like the rest of these bozo's in here and no wonder they take so long just to fold, Slow folders are a dead giveaway an easy target. Geeze e peezy's That's my tip to you watch next time slow folders suck.

#6 September 24th, 2019, 5:57 PM

Originally Posted by bellicoso

What type of questions do you (should you) ask yourself before placing or calling a bet? Do you have some type of decision tree or flow that you leverage to make your decisions? I recently learned to start with two:

1. Why am I calling/betting?
2. Why is my opponent calling/betting?

I'm finding it helps to stay focused on the hand if I can remember to consistently puzzle these questions during a game. It reduces boredom and complacency which I think are my two biggest issues when it comes to losing play.

Obviously, answering one question can lead to more questions; and I think it's important to couple these questions' answers with the actions your opponents take...

In any case, I'm curious as to which questions you more seasoned players use to make your decisions to play a hand, and how you play it.

Thanks in advance to all those who reply and as always best of luck at the tables! Decision Making

Thank U 4 Posting

Your questions are good. It is surprising how few players think why am I or the villains betting or calling.

You should start your tree with the questions what is my villain's range from their position and what is my range from my position? Then ask should I be betting (raising) or calling?

On each street we repeat the range questions. The community cards change the ranges for both players.

Hope this helps
Decision Making

#7 September 24th, 2019, 10:01 PM

I would also be thinking about how I'm going to react if they raise - am I prepared to fold in this spot or call down? What cards coming next will I continue to bet on, or check/call or check/fold?

#8 September 24th, 2019, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by eetenor

Thank U 4 Posting

Your questions are good. It is surprising how few players think why am I or the villains betting or calling.

You should start your tree with the questions what is my villain's range from their position and what is my range from my position? Then ask should I be betting (raising) or calling?

On each street we repeat the range questions. The community cards change the ranges for both players.

Hope this helps
Decision Making

You can ad who has the range advantage?

#9 September 24th, 2019, 10:21 PM

Many good players know before their play what their line will be and how they will react accordingly to the next card, specially in turn and river. You should always put your opponents in a range based on his pre flop action(open raise - from which position? / flat / 3bet-4bet pre flop etc) and post flop play(3bet my cbet / check / size of the bet etc)

1.What can I make him fold?
2.Is he ever folding here his second pair for example?
3.What combinations do I beat? etc

Also very important is to know before the action the sizing of your bet and try to understand the SPR and the odds you are giving your opponent(Struggling with this at the moment).Of course I am talking here playing against good opponents.

Interesting question Decision Making

#10 September 24th, 2019, 10:25 PM

Poker playing is like trying to tell a story and does it make sense. Why is my opponent re-raising so big on the river when they haven't showed any interest, even pre? You watch how people play certain hands and tell their story. You can than put that in your memory and say to yourself, "Well? I saw this is how they play, so with my two pair I feel like they didn't catch their flush, and just has an over pair." Just collect the knowledge and info you get and put it to use later in hands.

#11 September 24th, 2019, 11:54 PM

Those are some solid points. I started putting my decision to a percentage before I follow through with the decision.
For example,
1) What's the likelihood that I have the best hand or that villain is bluffing
2) How certain am I of this choice I'm about to make
Putting my choices into numerical percentage when evaluating seems to keep the tilts at bay

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Decision Making

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