Pot odds won me a BIG pot.

[Heshkak]

Hi all,

I haven't started a new thread in awhile, so I figured I'd share a hand I played last night at the $2/$4 limit table at noble poker.

I started the night buying in for $60 as I usually do, and built it to $80 in the first 30min, but had just taken a couple of beats and was back to my original buy-in.

Dealt 2♣3♣ in middle position, I initially wasn't sure if I wanted to play this hand. Sure, I had a suited connector, but it was LOW and pairing my 2 or 3 wasn't going to help much, also it desn't have much for straight power because you are always looking at the low end of any straight and the low side of any flush. However, when 3 players limp in in front of me, and it's likely that the small blind and big blind will let us see the flop cheap, I decided to limp in as well.

I wasn't particularly thrilled when the player to my left raises, but when it gets called in 5 other places in front of me, I had to toss in another $2 to see the flop. (Currently the pot is $4 x 7players = $28)

Flop comes out Q♣8♠7♣, which is a decent flop for me. I now have my flush draw.

We check to the raiser, and he fires $2 into the pot, which everyone but the small blind calls. This call was damn easy for me. (Current pot is $28 + $12 = $40)

Now the turn card is the 3♥. This card sucks. I'm still on a flush draw but I have only 1 card left and with 6 other players, I'm definately behind AND I may be looking at a bigger flush draw than mine. Also the bets are now $4 and I'm not sure if I want to be tossing in that $4 on a 22% shot.

We check to the raiser (who is on my immediate left), and he again fires $4 into the pot. I was hoping for a free card, but really didn't expect it to come.

Now, there are 3 callers after his bet and I'm the last one to act. I thought about this one for awhile, but after looking at my pot odds I HAD TO CALL.

POT = $40 + 4times $4 = $56.

So the pot is giving me 56/4 odds = 14-1

Which is HUGE odds for my flush draw.

I toss my $4 into the pot, and we see the river. A magical 9♣ comes on the river.

This was a great card for me. I made my flush, now all I have to worry about is the bigger flush.

It's checked to the raiser again who fires $4 and is called in two places. I at this point make a mistake. I SHOULD HAVE RAISED, but I was scared of that bigger flush.

I took down this HUGE pot, playing cards that I normally don't, it just happened that the pot odds were in my favor and convinced me into winning.


PS> After this night I have over $600 in my bankroll, my most ever, it's very cool being on the winning side of poker.

-Hesh

 

[twizzybop]

lol you bet with way less than a marginal hand and got lucky.

 

[Heshkak]

Yes I did. Not my usual style, but after looking at the pot all I could see was $$$$$

 

[Flipper33]

Pot Odds

I have noticed that playing pot odds seems to come up much more in limit/fixed games. Playing a fixed game, I almost always have pot odds in my favor. But I've noticed that's how fixed games can kill me.
Example: I hold K5 in big blind
Flop comes 5Q8
There is a $2 bet to me in a $12 pot
I have a 5 outs(2 fives and 3 kings) and a 21.5% chance of hitting one of those out. And I'm getting 6:1 on my money, which means I need at least a 14.3% chance of winning to make that call. So I call. I don't improve my hand and I'm faced with the same situation.
This is the same reason I stick to No Limit. It's alot easier to lay down low pairs.

 

[chicubs1616]

Flipper: You must have forgotten that you might always be beat in the situation that you described. Someone could hold KQ, which now makes your outs exactly 2.

You must also realize when making pot odds calculations that you should factor in probable betting on future rounds.

Heshkak got VERY LUCKY that he even picked up a draw with 23s. To hit his flush and NOT have a higher flush out there, especially in a multi-way pot, is very rare.

I would NEVER reccomend playing 23s at ANY time, except if you are playing NL, and are in wither the SB or BB and can see a flop for half price, or for FREE.

23s is a GARBAGE hand! Unless you can read your opponent and bluff him out, DO NOT PLAY 23s.

 

[maderj241]

only time i've ever won consistently with 23s is in an OH8 game, then they're a godsend

 

[impressthekid]

that was i very hard call i mean 23 is very low but suited is better but when you made your flush u should have raised i mean the guy that keep raising would put $4 every time if he had a flush he would have put more in i think but in the end it all worked out

 

[kbfunk]

i love limping in w/ thos below marginal hands and takin down a bigger hand...

 

[stahly_cc]

I have noticed that playing pot odds seems to come up much more in limit/fixed games. Playing a fixed game, I almost always have pot odds in my favor. But I've noticed that's how fixed games can kill me.
Example: I hold K5 in big blind
Flop comes 5Q8
There is a $2 bet to me in a $12 pot
I have a 5 outs(2 fives and 3 kings) and a 21.5% chance of hitting one of those out. And I'm getting 6:1 on my money, which means I need at least a 14.3% chance of winning to make that call. So I call. I don't improve my hand and I'm faced with the same situation.
This is the same reason I stick to No Limit. It's alot easier to lay down low pairs.

True, you are getting sufficient odds to call the 2$ bet, but that isn't going to be the only bet, most likely. You have to consider the implied odds of making this call. That is, account for future bets, which are going to be 4$, in calculating the odds you are getting to stay in the hand. Those odds would justify a fold to the original 2$ bet.

 

[j1a1m1]

pot odds can make or break you, by playing them you are usually convincing yourself that your substandard hand is worth the longshot bet because the payout is bigger than the longshot. The thing that is forgotten here is that it is still the longshot. Nice to go for once in a while if u have a feeling but dont make a habit of it

 

[PakoToons]

What pot odds does everyone consider "good" enough to call a flush or straight draw????

This seems to be my toughest call, and sure enough when I don't call - it hits.

Could use the advice.

~pako

 

[b huey]

Hi all,

I haven't started a new thread in awhile, so I figured I'd share a hand I played last night at the $2/$4 limit table at noble poker.

I started the night buying in for $60 as I usually do, and built it to $80 in the first 30min, but had just taken a couple of beats and was back to my original buy-in.

Dealt 2♣3♣ in middle position, I initially wasn't sure if I wanted to play this hand. Sure, I had a suited connector, but it was LOW and pairing my 2 or 3 wasn't going to help much, also it desn't have much for straight power because you are always looking at the low end of any straight and the low side of any flush. However, when 3 players limp in in front of me, and it's likely that the small blind and big blind will let us see the flop cheap, I decided to limp in as well.

I wasn't particularly thrilled when the player to my left raises, but when it gets called in 5 other places in front of me, I had to toss in another $2 to see the flop. (Currently the pot is $4 x 7players = $28)

Flop comes out Q♣8♠7♣, which is a decent flop for me. I now have my flush draw.

We check to the raiser, and he fires $2 into the pot, which everyone but the small blind calls. This call was damn easy for me. (Current pot is $28 + $12 = $40)

Now the turn card is the 3♥. This card sucks. I'm still on a flush draw but I have only 1 card left and with 6 other players, I'm definately behind AND I may be looking at a bigger flush draw than mine. Also the bets are now $4 and I'm not sure if I want to be tossing in that $4 on a 22% shot.

We check to the raiser (who is on my immediate left), and he again fires $4 into the pot. I was hoping for a free card, but really didn't expect it to come.

Now, there are 3 callers after his bet and I'm the last one to act. I thought about this one for awhile, but after looking at my pot odds I HAD TO CALL.

POT = $40 + 4times $4 = $56.

So the pot is giving me 56/4 odds = 14-1

Which is HUGE odds for my flush draw.

I toss my $4 into the pot, and we see the river. A magical 9♣ comes on the river.

This was a great card for me. I made my flush, now all I have to worry about is the bigger flush.

It's checked to the raiser again who fires $4 and is called in two places. I at this point make a mistake. I SHOULD HAVE RAISED, but I was scared of that bigger flush.

I took down this HUGE pot, playing cards that I normally don't, it just happened that the pot odds were in my favor and convinced me into winning.


PS> After this night I have over $600 in my bankroll, my most ever, it's very cool being on the winning side of poker.

-Hesh

I say you were very lucky to not have been beaten by the bigger flush! I would not have called this with that hand.
B Huey

 

[smith300]

Good hand. I would have been crazy to be called that many times by someone with a 2 3. I am never that brave. I am going to try mixing it up a little more. Thanks for sharing your story.

 

[Bryan The Jew]

Nice job on that hand. The calls you made were not questionable in my mind due to the outrageous pot odds. Also, your mistake of not raising was not a mistake. All that raising could have done would get you in more trouble if someone had you beat.

Nice hand

 

[tmccauley06]

pot odds dont win pots. pot odds make a decision for you. i never use them. the only term i know is pot commited