Can someone please explain/give links to preflop pot odds/math

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pat3392

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I'm quite confused with when I should call a preflop raise with any two cards when I'm on the BB. Let's say for example, I have a M of 15 and I'm on the BB. The BB is 1000 chips and everyone folds, except the SB who goes all-in: I look down and see 27o. I'm getting pot odds of 3-1; is this a mathematically correct call/fold?

In these scenarios I never really know what to do and it would be great if someone could help me out here
 
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bigjoker66

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look at twodimes.net That will give you the actual odds. Then you can compare them to pot odds.

or use pokerstove where you can enter a range.
 
dj11

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look at twodimes.net That will give you the actual odds. Then you can compare them to pot odds.

or use pokerstove where you can enter a range.

In this particular scenario, no range is necessary.

You will be a dog to ATC always with 72o. It is unclear what the stack sizes are here, and I will guess that you will find that unless you are the big stack and have 10 times the bet, your best action will be to let sb steal this hand. But lets assume you have 12k chips to the sb's 1k chips. So that you are only playing the odds.

Looking at it in one particular odd way, you are risking 9% (approx) of your stack with a (probably) 90% chance you will double up your villain. In the case of 72o, I still personally fold regardless of what the pot odds are. However, with any connectors (sooted or otherwise) other than 2-3, 3-4, I'm very likely to call based not on pot odds but more on the 10-1 rule Harrington talks about. It deals with the value derived by knocking out a villain in late stages of tourney play.

Keep in mind that even if you find the pot odds that tell you they approve of calling here, doesn't, or shouldn't make things automatic. The odds you determine are only another piece of information you can use, but should not make the decision for you.
 
SavagePenguin

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I'm quite confused with when I should call a preflop raise with any two cards when I'm on the BB. Let's say for example, I have a M of 15 and I'm on the BB. The BB is 1000 chips and everyone folds, except the SB who goes all-in: I look down and see 27o. I'm getting pot odds of 3-1; is this a mathematically correct call/fold?

In these scenarios I never really know what to do and it would be great if someone could help me out here

Blinds are 20/40.
You have 900 chips for an M of 15. (No quite 1,000 but keeps to your M of 15)

If the SB shoves and gives you 3:1 that means he had 60 left in his stack after posting the SB.

Folder to SB with 60 in a 60 pot. SB shoves, making the pot 120.
BB with 900, and costs 40 to win the 120 on the table.

I usually call. Against a random hand you are a 1:2 dog. You are getting 3:1 on your call.

If this isn't near the bubble or anything, and I have been playing tight, I let this go. I want to keep my image and losing 40 chips ain't no thing compared to what people seeing me call with 7/2 will do to my image. (Most micro stakes players will only see that you were an idiot who called with 7/2, not realizing you had the odds to call with 7/2).

For "bug squashing" you call shorties with just about anything as long as you have 10X+ their stack. You do this when moving up in the payoff scale is important. Knocking people out generally isn't important until the bubble though.
 
Poker Orifice

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Blinds are 20/40.
You have 900 chips for an M of 15. (No quite 1,000 but keeps to your M of 15)

If the SB shoves and gives you 3:1 that means he had 60 left in his stack after posting the SB.

Folder to SB with 60 in a 60 pot. SB shoves, making the pot 120.
BB with 900, and costs 40 to win the 120 on the table.

I usually call. Against a random hand you are a 1:2 dog. You are getting 3:1 on your call.

If this isn't near the bubble or anything, and I have been playing tight, I let this go. I want to keep my image and losing 40 chips ain't no thing compared to what people seeing me call with 7/2 will do to my image. (Most micro stakes players will only see that you were an idiot who called with 7/2, not realizing you had the odds to call with 7/2).

For "bug squashing" you call shorties with just about anything as long as you have 10X+ their stack. You do this when moving up in the payoff scale is important. Knocking people out generally isn't important until the bubble though.

I agree with alot of this ^, BUT I think when we make a call w atc's... it is actually good for our image - - > it'll keep other's from aggressing on our blinds.

OP, typically things you'd want to consider are: does making the call create such an impact to your stack that it'd greatly affect how you'll be able to play (ie. if you've got say 20bb's & it's 4bb to call, then you'll still be sitting with a re-steal-sized stack so I probably make the call here).
Let's say the call takes us from 30bb down to 18-23bb's... I probably don't bother with it (losing will effect my stack size to a degree where it's limiting stuff I can now do).

A guideline to go by for calling in BB
If you're getting 2:1 you can call with Top40%
2.2:1 - 'Trashy' but nice, ie. 74s
2.5:1 - atc (any two cards)

Old school thinking is that you make the call (regardless of odds) if it's <10% of your stack. Personally I don't go with those guidelines (old Harrington stuff).

..as with alot of poker-related situations/scenarios... it's often situationally specific so it'd be difficult to 'put it in a box' make it 'black & white'... call/fold, etc.
 
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