Poker Forum

Over 1,246,000 Posts!

Subscribe to FTR web feed
Already Registered?      Username:    Password:   Remember      Forgot Password
  >    > 

When the kicker matters less... maybe

  
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
LeFou
Old 10-26-2004, 05:31 PM     Post subject: When the kicker matters less... maybe #1 (permalink)  
LeFou's Avatar
4-of-a-Kind

Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Dallas, TX
Posts: 2,361
LeFou
A discussion with Mike made me realize that I have a theory -- never made conscious until now but affecting my strategy:

The importance of your kicker is directly proportional to the rank of the pair.

This evolved from a hand like this:
Me: 5d3d
5 or so limpers, inc. me

Board: 2h 4h 5s

Opp bets 80% of pot.
All fold but me.

My kicker sucks but that doesn't seem like a big issue to me. The reasoning is: when people pair up nines, tens, and whatnot it's usually because they're playing big cards. When they pair up sixes and down it'll be the little suited connector guys, and (we love them) the Ax crowd.

Of course you have to sniff for the Ax, but you just don't see a lot of K5, Q5, J5. So a hand like the one above isn't likely to be a kicker battle. Your thoughts?

(for the curious, he was an Axer -- A4 as it turns out -- and made quad fours by the end. ick.)
Reply With Quote
Join the FTR Poker Forum to disable these banners and start posting!
Krapp
Old 10-26-2004, 06:10 PM #2 (permalink)  
Flush

Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 313
Krapp
sounds good to me. However, when you are holding a top pair thats low, you have other problems to worry about.
- Over pairs (pocket pairs)
- The turn/river cards will most likely be an overcard

Personally, I wouldnt mind folding these hands and waiting for something better. Although, HtoH they are fairly strong... In your situation I would of raised or fold. You have an open-ended striaight and top-pair
Reply With Quote
DrNoChance
Old 10-27-2004, 02:51 PM #3 (permalink)  
DrNoChance's Avatar
Flush

Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 411
DrNoChance
I would have folded. There are more hands that he could be betting that beat you than hands that you beat. I assume he's not stupid enough to lead bet bluff into a multiway pot and the 4 flush out there, so he's probably got top pair or better. You've just got top pair. He could easily have A5s, 45s, 22, 44, 55, 66-99, or (ugh) 36s. All of these beat you. What were you hoping he was betting with? A4s? I think this is a fold, although I suppose a raise to "find out where you're at" is not horrible. I think you know where you are at anyways though without a raise. Probably behind.

Edit: I failed to notice you had the str8 draw too. That makes a semi-bluff raise a very acceptable play.
Reply With Quote
mike4066
Old 10-27-2004, 03:23 PM #4 (permalink)  
mike4066's Avatar
4-of-a-Kind

Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,943
mike4066
If you have an "unlikely pair" then I believe you can remove some of your worry about a kicker. Such as your hand above. How likely is it that someone has your pair?

Now if you had K5, and the board was K42 then your kicker is probalby no good, but in the above situation I think you can remove some of your kicker concerns.
Reply With Quote
okietalker
Old 10-28-2004, 03:08 PM #5 (permalink)  
okietalker's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Party 100/200NL
Posts: 53
okietalker
Doyle wrote about this in his book. I think it was related to a pair on the board (so you have an exposed set). But, he talks about what a "reasonable" player should be holding.

I think I would have folded here and found a better place to get all my money in though.



8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)
Reply With Quote
lonnie
Old 10-28-2004, 03:22 PM #6 (permalink)  
lonnie's Avatar
Full House

Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 923
lonnie
Quote:
I think it was related to a pair on the board (so you have an exposed set). But, he talks about what a "reasonable" player should be holding.
Right...he's just saying when the board pairs with small cards, he plays his hand as if it didn't. When big cards pair the board, he slows down. Still gotta worry about a pocket pair hitting the full in this case though. What he says makes sense if you don't put your opp on a pocket pair.
Reply With Quote
Reply
Latest Poker News
KoRnholio Old 05-26-2012, 03:08 PM    Australia Legalized Online Poker coming up in next 6 to 12 Months
According to an email sent out by Mark Bryan, a gaming analyst at Merrill Lynch, the Australian government plans to legalize online poker sometime in the next six to 12 months. This move will coincide ...

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



All times are GMT. The time now is 10:07 PM.


FTR Testimonials

All content
© FlopTurnRiver.com
Advertising  |   Partners  |   Testimonials  |   T&C  |   Contact Us  |   FTR News & Press  |   Site Map  |   Search FTR

Full Tilt  |   Titan Poker  |   UltimateBet  |   Poker Stars  |   Ladbrokes Bonus  |   Sportsbook  |   Cake Poker  

Play Texas Holdem Online, Online Texas Holdem Strategy, & Poker Forum
This is not a gambling website.