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SPR Question when Raised on Flop

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  1. #1

    Default SPR Question when Raised on Flop

    SPR is a concept that I've been vaguely aware of over the years, but I've only recently started reading about it and trying to apply to my game. Looking at this hand from an SPR perspective once I'm raised on the flop confuses me a little.

    If my math is right, once villain raises all-in, I have an SPR of 1.37. According to what I've read, any SPR under 2 makes me generally pot committed. So does that mean that I call here every time with this hand?

    Or is it only when I'm the one betting/raising that I need to be concerned about SPR for actions on the future streets?

    (Side note - Is my flop bet too small? I'm thinking I should have been closer to pot??)


    Full Tilt No-Limit Hold'em, $0.02 BB (9 handed) - Full Tilt Converter Tool from http://www.flopturnriver.com

    UTG ($1.68)
    UTG+1 ($5.10)
    MP1 ($2)
    MP2 ($2.66)
    MP3 ($0.79)
    Hero (CO) ($2.08)
    Button ($3.47)
    SB ($2.01)
    BB ($2)

    Preflop: Hero is CO with Q, Q
    1 fold, UTG+1 raises to $0.06, 3 folds, Hero raises to $0.19, 3 folds, UTG+1 calls $0.13

    Flop: ($0.41) 9, J, 3 (2 players)
    UTG+1 checks, Hero bets $0.23, UTG+1 raises to $4.91 (All-In), Hero??
    Last edited by PrairieMuffinKicker; 11-30-2016 at 07:44 PM.
  2. #2
    You're not "pot committed" unless you're getting the right pot odds, and generally we'd determine that by putting villain on a range, and calculating our equity relative to that range.

    First off, yes your flop bet is too small. Go at least 70% on this texture flop, especially in a 3bet pot.

    You need to know what pot odds you have. You're facing a $1.66 call for a $2.30 pot. You have 1.37:1, this number is your pot odds, not your SPR.

    Your SPR is way more, you have $1.66 behind, and the pot is $0.64, giving you an SPR of around 2.6 (your stack is 2.6 times bigger than the pot).

    You're certainly not pot committed here. That said, you do have an overpair, so you might be able to call this.

    So, to give villain a range... do you have any reads? Is villain positionally aware? By that, we mean is he playing wider in early position than he should be? Does he tend to fold to 3bets? Does he overplay top pair? What about flush draws, or even QT? How does he play monsters in this spot, such as JJ/99/33? Does he even have 33 in his range?

    Until you can answer these questions with a degree of confidence, you're kind of guessing whether or not we have the right pot odds. With this hand, if I had no reads on villain, I would probably call him, because at these stakes I'm seeing top pair and flush draws make this play. I'd also be inclined to think that a set would not want to scare away hands like QQ+.

    I'd need solid reads that villain is not playing top pair and flush draws like this, but is playing hands like J9/99/JJ like this, before I fold this spot. I would likely be calling this.

    But not because of SPR. It's because I believe villain's range is weak enough that our hand is ahead. If we're outright ahead of villain's range, we're always getting good pot odds.
    Quote Originally Posted by wufwugy View Post
    ongies gonna ong
  3. #3
    Thanks Ong.

    So is it fair to say then, that we use pot odds as a tool to help us make decisions during the streets, and SPR determines how committed we are going into the future streets?

    For example, when pre-flop action ends, and we have an SPR of 9-12 going into the flop, we can get away from a hand easily, but if we have an SPR of less then 3 we are pretty much committed regardless of flop? Barring exceptional circumstance perhaps?

    I'm trying to really wrap my mind around SPR and it's usefulness/purpose.
  4. #4
    it feels like a set of jacks or nines or AhKh to me, as can't see lower pairs calling a 3bet and even the AhKh has decent equity if we call. Some stats on opponent would help narrow down a range for him .
  5. #5
    I wouldn't worry so much about SPR at 2nl, and focus more on range and pot odds. Your SPR doesn't tell you you must call when it's a set figure. It is better as a guide as to how much to bet at any given time, assuming we're trying to get all the chips in over the course of the hand. It serves as a tool for hand planning, not as a marker for being "pot committed". It's probably more important in tournament games, rather than cash games, since we should always have at least 100bb in cash games and therefore maintain a high SPR. It can be applied in hand planning for cash games, but really it's beyond the realm of the vast majority of 2nl players.

    Pot odds and equity are what determine if you're pot committed or not. This is much more important at 2nl.

    Keith, of course this guy can r/c small pairs from this position. It's 2nl and he looks like a fish to me. Your range is too strong, you're talking yourself into folding a clear call imo. If he plays a set like this, chances are he drools with top pair and any flush draw he calls pre. Unless I've got some decent reads by now, I'm assuming he has all Axhh, some junk hh, AJ, some KJ, some other suited JQ/JT/J9, and sets. Less likely JJ than 99/33 since someone who is this aggro on the flop is more likely to overplay JJ pre flop. This is a clear call for me. If he has a set, nh reload etc.
    Quote Originally Posted by wufwugy View Post
    ongies gonna ong

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