Shortstack strategy: Flopplay

1. Introduction

After you have learned in the article "Evaluate your hand on the flop" what kind of hands you can hold on the flop - made hands, draws or trash hands - the question is how to play these hands.

Like you will notice later on the best play does not only depend on the character and quality of your hand but also on the size of the pot and the size of your stack.

In this article we will differentiate between two cases:

1. You raised before the flop.
2. You are in the big blind and see a flop for free because none of your opponents raised before the flop. You got a so called freeplay.

2. How to play after a raise

This part of the article deals with all the situations where you raised before the flop. For each of the three categories made hands, draws and trash hands you will find recommendations for the most profitable style of play in any given situation.

Made hands and draws

According to the Shortstack strategy you play made hands and draws the same. In both cases your hand is so strong that it is your goal to move all-in.

If an opponent raises behind you, you also move all-in.

Trash-Hands

It is more difficult to play a hand which is neither a made hand nor a draw because you can only win with a bluff. How you proceed depends on the number of your opponents and from the amount of money which you have left in your stack.t.

That means the only situation in which you bet with a trash hand is when you are up against one single opponent who did not bet. In every other situation the hand is over for you and you fold unless the pot is already too big so that you cannot fold anymore.

3. How to play on turn and river after a raise

The game on turn and river is very easy. Also in this part of the article the recommended style of play deals with the situations where you raised before the flop.

• If you have a made hand or a draw on the turn you go directly all-in.
• If you have a made hand on the river you go directly all-in.
• In all other cases you do not bet and fold against a bet of your opponents.

4. How to play after a freeplay in the big blind

Sometimes you are in the big blind, no opponent raised in front of you and you can see the flop for free without investing more money. In this case the best play can be summarized the following way:

• If you have a made hand you bet 2/3 of the pot. If a player in front you made a bet or someone raises behind you, you go all-in.
• Every other hand even draws and top pair with a weak kicker have to be folded.

You play the same on turn and river.

5. Examples

Your cards	Flop

Pot at the beginning of the betting round: $1.00
Your stack: $1.60
Number of opponents: 1
Situation: According to the SHC you raised before the flop. A player behind you calls your raise. On the flop you get three of a kind queens, which is a made hand. You are first to act.

According to the rules you have to bet 2/3 of the pot in this situation. Hence you bet $0.70. If your opponent raises you go all-in.

Your cards	Flop

Pot at the beginning of the betting round: $1.90
Your stack: $1.60
Number of opponents: 3
Situation: You have raised with a pair of nines in late position before the flop. Three opponents call your raise. On the flop you hit a really strong hand - a full house. All opponents check to you without betting any money.

You will definitely bet here and probably find someone who will pay you off on this flop. Because your remaining stack of $1.20 is less than 1.5 times the pot of $1.90 you go directly all-in.

Your cards	Flop

Pot at the beginning of the betting round: $0.30
Your stack: $1.80
Number of opponents: 2
Situation: You are in the big blind. Before the flop two players only called the big blind without raising which means that you can see the flop for free giving you a top pair of tens.

You will not play this hand. In the case of a freeplay in the big blind top pairs are only playable if you have an ace or a king kicker. For this reason you will not bet here and fold to a bet of your opponents.

Your cards	Flop

Pot at the beginning of the betting round: $0.85
Your stack: $1.60
Number of opponents: 1
Situation: According to the SHC you raised AQ in late position. The player in the big blind calls your raise. You do not hit anything on the flop. The player in the big blind checks to you.

The hand you are holding is a trash hand. If you have an opponent who did not bet the rule is: Bet around 2/3 of the pot. In this case $0.60. If your opponent raises behind you, you can easily fold your hand.

Your cards	Flop

Pot at the beginning of the betting round: $1.65
Your stack: $1.50
Number of opponents: 2
Situation: Before the flop you raised in middle position with AK. A player in front of you and the player in the big blind call your raise. On the flop you hit your top pair kings. The player in the big blind who is first to act, bets $0.20. The other player calls his bet. Now you have to decide what to do.

In this situation you go all-in. You have a made hand and an opponent in front of you made a bet. In this situation you will go all-in again and again.

Your cards	Flop

Pot at the beginning of the betting round: $0.50
Your stack: $1.90
Number of opponents: 4
Situation: You are in the big blind. Four players call the big blind without raising and you get a freeplay. The flop brings you a flush. The player in the small blind checks to you. Three opponents are behind you.

With a made hand in this case you bet 2/3 of the pot. Hence you bet $0.30. If someone raises behind you, you go all-in.

Your cards	Flop

Pot at the beginning of the betting round: $0.35
Your stack: $1.70
Number of opponents: 2
Situation: Also in this situation you are in the big blind and get a freeplay. On the flop you have an open-ended-straight-draw.

Although your hand looks strong you will not play draws after a freeplay. Only made hands. For this reason you do not bet and fold to a raise from your opponents.

Your cards	Flop

Pot at the beginning of the betting round: $2.40
Your stack: $1.00
Number of opponents: 1
Situation: One opponent raised before the flop. According to the SHC you made another raise with your pair of kings, which has been called by your opponent. An ace appears on the flop. Your opponent who acts in front of you bets $1.00.

Following the rules the pair of kings is a trash hand because it is not a top pair or an overpair since the ace appeared on the flop. Normally you would have to fold.

But the situation is that the pot at the beginning of the betting round was twice as big as your remaining stack. You have $1 left and the pot was $2.40. In this case the following rule is essential: You go all-in even with trash hands if the pot is at least twice as big as your remaining stack. You call the raise of your opponent and go all-in.

6. Conclusion

In this article you have learned how to play with the Shortstack strategy after the flop. Now you have a first strategic basis which allows you the first steps to build a bankroll and to become of a successful poker player.

In the course of the time when you are getting more and more experience and have started to understand what happens beneath the surface you are able to make your own adjustments. At the beginning it is essential that you internalize the Shortstack strategy and try to understand the principles, mechanisms and internal structure because it will help you later in your poker life.

7. Appendix: Answers

Question 1: What is decisive for your play after the flop has been dealt?
Answer a is correct. The size of the pot and the size of your stack is decisive.

Question 2: What is your goal with a draw or a made hand?
Answer c is correct. With a made hand or a draw you want to go all-in on the flop if you raised before the flop.

Question 3: You have a made hand and nobody made a bet in front of you. What do you do?
Answer a is correct. You bet 2/3 of the pot or go all-in if your remaining stack is less than 1.5 times the size of the pot.

Question 4: When do you go all-in with a trash hand no matter what?
Answer a is correct. If the pot at the beginning of the betting round is at least twice as big as your remaining stack.

Question 5: Your stack is twice as big as the pot. You have a trash hand and one single opponent who did not bet. What do you do?
Answer c is correct. You bet 2/3 of the pot. If your opponent raises you have to fold.

Question 6: What are you doing if you hold a trash hand on the turn or river?
Answer c is correct. You do not bet anything and fold against a bet of your opponents.

Question 7: In which case do you go all-in on the turn, if you raised before the flop?
Answer b is correct. If you have a made hand or a draw.

Question 8: You got a freeplay in the big blind. You have an ace and a seven. The flop brings another ace meaning you have a top pair of aces. What do you have?
Answer c is correct. You have top pair with a seven kicker. In the case of a freeplay this is a trash hand.

Question 9: You got a freeplay in the big blind and hit a flushdraw. How do you play?
Answer b is correct. You don't bet and fold to a bet of the opposition.