FL: Switching to Shorthanded

Question 1.

0.50 / 1.00 Fixed-Limit Hold'em (4 - handed)

CO: passive Fish who plays tight pre-flop - (21/8/1.3/48)
BU: loose aggressive - (42/28/2.0/39)
SB: Hero
BB: Maniac – (64/30/1.8/52)

Preflop: Hero is SB with Q, J
CO calls, BU raises, Hero ?

You find yourself on a short-handed table for the first time, but the table quickly turns 4-handed. You are holding QJs in the SB and the passive fish limps from the CO while theh LAG tries to isolate him. What do you do?

• Answer A: You cold-call because you have a good playibility with your suited connector and in a probable 4-handed pot you can call suited connectors for approximately 4:1.

• Answer B: You make an isolation 3-bet because you have a good equity against the LAG's huge isolation-range and you can generate dead money. The LAG might even fold the better hand after the flop with K or A high from time to time.

• Answer C: You get rid of the check in the "auto-post blinds" box and leave this table as soon as possible, with no regard of this hand.

Question 2.

The next 6 questions will deal with pre-flop decisions. Of course it's possible to solve them in the theoretical way by just applying the pre-flop charts offered on PokerStrategy.com. On the other hand, solving them without help by following your own thought patterns might further your own game more.

MP2: 45/10/1,0/42
CO: 40/5/0,6/51
Blinds: unkown

Preflop: Hero is BU with A, 7
MP2 calls, MP3 folds, CO calls, Hero ?

Question 3.

MP2: 45/10/1,0/42
Blinds: unknown

Preflop: Hero is CO with Q, T
MP2 calls, MP3 folds, Hero ?

Question 4.

MP2: 45/10/1,0/42

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with K, T
MP2 calls, Hero ?

Question 5.

The average stats on the table are 48/5, so you are surrounded by fish.h

Preflop: Hero is CO with A, A
MP2 calls, MP3 folds, Hero ?

Question 6.

MP2: 30/5/1,6/35

Preflop: Hero is CO with T, 9
MP2 calls, MP3 folds, Hero ?

Question 7.

BB: 52/4/1,0/45

Preflop: Hero is SB with 6, 5
4 folds, Hero ?

Question 8.

You will pass a third of your SH life in theh blinds where you will have to make a stand against your opponents with random hands and out of position.

The BB defense chart (or the 3-bet chart respectively) are easy to print out and apply, while remaining easy to adjust to the PFR of the open-raiser.

What happens if there is a cold-caller, though, or if the raise was supposed to be an iso-raise and you suddenly find yourself in a 3-handed pot?

Preflop: Hero is BB with 7, 7
2 folds, CO raises, BU folds, SB calls, Hero ?

Question 9.

Preflop: Hero is BB with A, 4
MP2 folds, MP3 raises, CO folds, BU calls, SB folds, Hero ?

Question 10.

Preflop: Hero is BB with Q, 5
MP2 folds, MP3 calls, CO raises, 2 folds, Hero ?

Question 11.

MP2: LAG 36/25/2,8/41
MP3: Fish
CO: Hero
BU: TAG
SB: unknown
BB TAG

0.50 / 1.00 Fixed-Limit Hold'em (6 - handed)
Preflop: Hero is CO with 8, 8
MP2 raises, MP3 calls, Hero ?

Question 12.

MP2: LAG 36/25/2,8/41
MP3: Fish
CO: Hero
BU: TAG
SB: unknown
BB TAG

0.50 / 1.00 Fixed-Limit Hold'em (6 - handed)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 8, 8
MP2 raises, MP3 folds, Hero ?

Question 13.

MP2: LAG 36/25/2,8/41
MP3: Fish
CO: Hero
BU: TAG
SB: unknown
BB TAG

0.50 / 1.00 Fixed-Limit Hold'em (6 - handed)

Preflop: Hero is CO with 8, 8
2 folds, Hero raises, BU 3-bets, 2 folds, Hero ?

Question 14.

MP2: LAG 36/25/2,8/41
MP3: Fish
CO: Hero
BU: TAG
SB: unknown
BB TAG

0.50 / 1.00 Fixed-Limit Hold'em (6 - handed)

Preflop: Hero is BU with 8, 8
3 folds, Hero raises, SB folds, BB 3-bets, Hero ?

Question 15.

BB = unknown

0.50 / 1.00 Fixed-Limit Hold'em (6 - handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with A, J
MP2 folds, Hero raises, 3 folds, BB calls

Flop: (4.50 SB) Q, 6, 3 (2 players)
BB checks, Hero bets, BB raises, Hero ?

You open-raise AJo from the CO and the BB defends his blind. You make a continuation bet on the flop where you can usually take the pot right away. There are hardly any draws possible and you can sometimes even get hands with 6 clean outs (like KT) to fold due to the Q. Unfortunately, you don't win the pot and you get check-raised instead.

What's your line?

Question 16.

0.50 / 1.00 Fixed-Limit Hold'em (6 - handed)

Preflop: Hero is CO with A, 7
MP2 folds, MP3 calls, Hero raises, BU calls, SB calls, BB calls, MP3 calls

Flop: (10.00 SB) A, J, T (5 players)

SB bets, BB raises, MP3 calls, Hero ?

You isolate a limper with A7s and get 2 cold-callers as well as a call from the BB and the initial limper. You have a top pair on the flop when SB suddenly donks, only to see the BB raise and the MP3 cold-call.

What's your plan now?

Question 17.

MP2: TAG

0.50 / 1.00 Fixed-Limit Hold'em (6 - handed)

Preflop: Hero is CO with A, A
MP2 raises, MP3 folds, Hero 3-bets, 3 folds, MP2 caps, Hero calls

Flop: (9.50 SB) 9, 6, 3 (2 players)
MP2 bets, Hero ?

You 3-bet your AA in the CO against a MP2 open-raise. After your opponent has capped, he bets into you on a ragged rainbow flop. You still have your overpair.

How do you play this?

Question 18.

CO = TAG

0.50 / 1.00 Fixed-Limit Hold'em (6 - handed)

Preflop: Hero is BB with T, 9
2 folds, CO raises, 2 folds, Hero calls

Flop: (4.50 SB) J, 7, 2 (2 players)
Hero checks, CO bets, Hero ?

According to standard, you passively defend your BB against a CO raise with T9o and you flop a gutshot. How do you proceed against a TAG?

Question 19.

BU = TAG

0.50 / 1.00 Fixed-Limit Hold'em (6 - handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with A, T
MP2 folds, Hero raises, CO folds, BU 3-bets, 2 folds, Hero calls

Flop: (7.50 SB) J, 7, 3 (2 players)
Hero checks, BU bets, Hero ?

You open-raise ATs from MP3 and get a 3-bet from the BU. The blinds both fold and you take a look at the flop OOP.

MP3 makes his continuation bet and you get 8.5:1 odds for a call. You need 5 outs in order to stay in the hand. How do you react?

Question 20.

0.50 / 1.00 Fixed-Limit Hold'em (6 - handed)

Preflop: Hero is MP3 with 8, 8
MP2 folds, Hero raises, CO folds, BU calls, SB folds, BB calls

Flop: (6.50 SB) T, 6, 4 (3 players)
BB bets, Hero ?

You make a standard open-raise with your 88 and see a 3-handed flop where the BB suddenly donks into you.