Floating

[Tmoney999]

How often do you find yourselves floating a flop with nothing to possible hit or just take down on later streets because you feel your opponent isn't strong. I do it in some spots. it works out nicely sometimes but others you just end up feeling like a complete fish. What are some good spots that you do this in and does it work more often or not for you?

 

[pentazepam]

In general do it against players that often continuation bet but are willing to give up turn (or sometimes river).

So often a relatively tight aggressive player that do the standard CB and then is more honest on the turn. And some players that are loose PF and flop but are able to fold later.

Mostly on dry boards if I don't have a draw myself.

Not against calling station.

Not against nits that only bets with a good hand.

I would seldom float with total air but have some outs.

Heads up only.

In position.

 

[Collin Moshman]

How often do you find yourselves floating a flop with nothing to possible hit or just take down on later streets because you feel your opponent isn't strong. I do it in some spots. it works out nicely sometimes but others you just end up feeling like a complete fish. What are some good spots that you do this in and does it work more often or not for you?

One of my favorite spots to float is in the big blind postflop when the small blind limped or raised pre and I’ve flopped at least a backdoor draw. The combination of having position against an opponent on a wide range, and also having a chance of turning a strong draw, makes it a nice spot to float.

 

[frnandoh]

I think a float happens when you has no good draws to win the hand, planning to bet for bluff in future streets. Most times when you know that the villain has no good value in his range and he is able to fold later

 

[Tmoney999]

One of my favorite spots to float is in the big blind postflop when the small blind limped or raised pre and I’ve flopped at least a backdoor draw. The combination of having position against an opponent on a wide range, and also having a chance of turning a strong draw, makes it a nice spot to float.

Thanks, i have been floating like this a while now and find it to be pretty good ev, win in alot of spots floating like this i was just curious how others perform floats. Do you think there is a difference in a tourney or cash or basically the same standard??

 

[goaldriversv]

i think this is one area i continue to improve in. my main reason for floating is because i know the villain's tendencies very well. do i get caught? sometimes, but it's been a +ev move for me.

 

[tagece]

I think it's a good play when you know your opponent. And if you don't have to compromise a significant part of your stack.

 

[BoyNamedSude]

I did very well in improving my performance by not playing hands i did not have a strong feeling to play...floating has often led me to see my chips gradually decrease without a meaningful win possibility...
So I started playing like a rabbit...jumping hard, or sitting still... people get excited, worried and scared when confronted by stiff opposition... that is a life lesson...
If I have cards i believe I can defend an all in with... and my range is very wide... I'm all in...and i'll be happy if everyone folds and i take the blinds...
in general, playing with serious players, they run their math, and make sane decisions... they will fold... and i will win
Floaters are for toilets...

 

[Eric Salvador]

I try to avoid hands with no equity. If my opponent is very passive I’d make the exception but I try to maintain my ranges and continuations as closely as designed

 

[martinf1971]

My biggest leak in the game is when i hit a open ended straight or flush draw these hands knock you out of tournaments because you miss them more than you hit them.
But you are in a situation that your mind is saying but if you hit it you get a big pot. But if you miss it you clear your stack out. So what do you do ?

 

[Shrops]

Rare

I rarely float. I like to have some sort of draw to continue in hands.

 

[KuprinMA]

How often do you find yourselves floating a flop with nothing to possible hit or just take down on later streets because you feel your opponent isn't strong. I do it in some spots. it works out nicely sometimes but others you just end up feeling like a complete fish. What are some good spots that you do this in and does it work more often or not for you?

The main thing is not to confuse the float with the phone-сall. This is a fine line. It all depends on the effective stack.

 

[KuprinMA]

I think it's a good play when you know your opponent. And if you don't have to compromise a significant part of your stack.

Float implies a bet after the aggressor checks. In any case, about 10 bb is required.

 

[Tmoney999]

Float implies a bet after the aggressor checks. In any case, about 10 bb is required.

This is the definition of a float......

Float is poker slang, which means to call a bet regardless of hand value with the sole intention of setting that player up for later in the hand. ... Against a predictable opponent, it can be profitable to call a bet just to see what occurs on the turn.

 

[Tmoney999]

I rarely float. I like to have some sort of draw to continue in hands.

Understandable, it is not the best thing to get into a habit of doing to regularly, but if you have some sort of read or feeling of a player, it is not the worst thing to do, just have to make sure you do it with a plan in mind and aren't just calling to "hit" with nothing, even though this might just happen and it could improve your hand to the winner. You are right though, I would rather call with a bit of something then a whole lot of nothing on the flop. There's just those certain times that it feels right against certain opponents.

 

[Tmoney999]

I try to avoid hands with no equity. If my opponent is very passive I’d make the exception but I try to maintain my ranges and continuations as closely as designed

Fair enough, but what do u consider no equity, under 30 percent? Most hands have a little bit of equity, some more than others....

 

[Tmoney999]

i think this is one area i continue to improve in. my main reason for floating is because i know the villain's tendencies very well. do i get caught? sometimes, but it's been a +ev move for me.

I agree here, for the most part depending on your knowledge of the opposing player, it can be a +ev play for sure. You certainly don't want to over-do it though, this could lead to problems in my opinion, but the every once and a while seems to be a fine play, especially when you know your opponent and his ways.

 

[Eric Salvador]

Fair enough, but what do u consider no equity, under 30 percent? Most hands have a little bit of equity, some more than others....

Hands like Th9h on a As2dKd flop have almost no equity. A 3 or 4bet pot and I’m holding 99 on a AKT flop. There are very few circumstances I’m continuing here.

 

[GrannySmit77]

Depends how gambly you like to play. I usually prefer to float with a hand that would have a playing equity post flop. Random, not connected cards just don't work for me. I think on the long term it's a better strategy to play playable poker hands rather that play any 2 cards and expect to hit big.