Quiz of the week

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How good is your...

by firsttsunami

The start
of the new content week will be a good opportunity to test your poker knowledge
intensely. The following multiple-choice-quiz offers two hands in the style of
"How good is your Limit Hold'em", which will vary a little bit. The
opponent will always be of the same type, which is loose-aggressive in this
case.

After that
you will find a summary, which helps you calculate points for your answers. 3
points is the best, 2 points second best, 1 point the worst decision. Now get a
sheet of paper and a pen and write down your answers. Due to your score you can
judge your Hold'em knowledge. Have Fun.

Task 1.4. Abruptly and unexpected your cards become KQ. If you are raised in situation 1.2) , how will you play your flush draw? a) You play passively: You call the flop, call the turn and fold on the river being unimproved b) You play aggressively by 3-betting on the flop c) You fold due to his flop raise

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Solutions

Task 1.1.

a) Call - 1 point
b) 3bet - 3 points
c) Fold - 2 points

This situation is pretty close. You may only 3-bet or fold from the small
blind, thus a call gives 1 point only. We assume a button-stealing-range of 40%
for our LAG. Now we get an equity of about 48,5%. We only need 45-46% (43-44%
against weak opponents), thus we have to 3-bet.

A fold wouldn't be wrong either because small offsuited aces are not played easily
out of position against a LAG, who likes to see showdowns. If we hit the ace,
our implied odds will not be very high. If we hit the 5, we probably got a low pair.
Being unimproved we will hardly know what it is worth against a flop raise
because the opponent could raise with a draw, for example. In this case we
would be ahead with our high card but couldn't call profitably due to our
position and the outs, which support our opponent.

There is nearly no fold equity against a LAG, who will normally try to push us
out of the hand. It is rather advisable to 3-bet A5o against an opponent, who
plays his draws aggressively and is able to fold a better hand.

Task 1.2.

a) Call Flop check/raise Turn - 2 points
b) Bet/3bet flop - 3 points
c) Fold - 1 point

The 3-bet is definitely correct in this case. A call on the flop and a
check/raise on the turn is surely inappropriate due to several reasons:

• The opponent could get a free turn card
• He will call down any pair against a 3-bet
  on the flop because he is showdown bound and unable to fold a flush draw
• The strength of our hand justifies a 3-bet
  on the turn

You should always 3-bet a strong hand on a draw heavy board out of position!

Task 1.3.

a) Call - 2 points
b) 3-Bet - 3 points
c) Fold - 1 points

If we only hit top pair instead of 2 pair, we shouldn't play way ahead/way
behind against a raise on this board, but 3-bet directly. If we have a read on
the LAG, which tells us, that the LAG is rather unreasonable and likes to play
pure bluffs or many barrels holding a draw, a call down will be better. But
without further information we should keep playing aggressively because LAGs
are also able to fold on an AK-board. They will possibly fold because they
could have missed the flop completely and some of them do not tend to bluff
very often. Thus the flop raise could be something like a weak pair or a
gutshot draw with JT or QJ.

He will probably play a calldown with a pair. Being unimproved a gutshot also
tends to play for a free showdown because we will probably call any river after
having played call Flop call Turn. If we 3-bet on the flop, we will get
1 SB more from a gutshot draw because he will call on the turn due to his high
WTS value and the 4 clean outs.

Task 1.4.

a) You play passively: You call the flop, the turn and fold on the river
unimproved - 3 points
b) You play aggressively 3-betting on the flop - 2 points
c) You fold due to his flop raise - 1 point

There is no point in playing aggressively with K high. Only worse hands will
fold while there is no fold equity against pairs. You should play passively
with draws against showdown bound opponents, who are aggressive and make us
play an expensive draw by a raise on the turn.

Task 1.5.

a) 3-Bet - 3 points
b) Calldown - 2 points
c) Fold - 1 points

A fold is beyond question, but we have got two pair with an ace. His flop raise
and the turn raise after the suit card indicates a flush, but as we said in the
introduction, that the opponent uses to overplay his hands, he could have
raised any ace or he could have bluff-raised on the flop raising again with a
single . He could also raise a gutshot + flush draw. Thus his range includes
many hands we beat. Sometimes we lose additional 2 BB against a flush. But in
general a calldown with two pairs against an LAG would be too weak. The
possible flush doesn't justify an adjustment of your play against this kind of
player.

Task 1.6.

a) 3-Bet - 3 points
b) Calldown - 2 points
c) Fold - 1 point

This alternative turn card was set to mislead you somehow. You should think,
that a 3-bet in the hand before is only possible, if the flush is not
completed. This card is even an easier 3-bet, this is why you get 3 points for
it.

Task 1.7.

a) Donk/3bet - 3 points
b) Check/raise River - 2 points
c) Check/fold River - 1 point

This spot is not that easy, but a donk bet on the river is advisable after this
card against a LAG. You intend to be raised, in order to make a 3-bet then. A 5
on the river would make a different situation, but we definitely donk after
this ace because having the flush or the trips (with an ace) he will only call
a check/raise due to the action before.

Our donk bet does not represent strength to many opponents. A flush will
definitely raise here, the trips will often do that as well. A donk bet is the
best move in this case! The check/raise is advisable against rather tight
opponents (e.g. who have 1.5 AF).

Task 2.1.

a) Call - 3 points
b) 3-bet - 2 points
c) Fold - 1 point

We should just call in this situation. We've got an equity edge with A4, but a
simple call improves our playability. Moreover we must invest 2 SB only.

We can raise or call good flops and fold on bad flops. 3-betting we always pay 4SB
and our possible actions on the flop are reduced to a continuation bet. We
should just call with small aces, especially against aggressive and showdown
bound opponents, because we don't have to take the initiative with this hand:
The highcard strength gives us showdown value. Additionally we have position
and can confidently let our opponent make a bluff bet.

Task 2.2.

a) Yes - 2 points
b) No - 1 point

The solution of hand 2.1. nearly explained this hand. With JTs we should make a
3-bet because the J has less highcard strength thus less showdown value, if we
don't improve. Better hands like K - A high can be folded. Holding A high we
will be ahead quite frequently, if the opponent is also unimproved. A pair is
never folded by a LAG. Thus A high does not have such a big advantage of being
able to take the initiative as hands like JT or 89.

Task 2.3.

a) Raise - 2 points
b) Call - 3 points
c) Fold - 1 point

We can't fold such a strong hand. We've got ace high and two backdoor draws.
The backdoor flush draw could even become the nuts. We could assume, that we
are likely ahead in this situation, thus a protective raise would be
appropriate.

In theory this is correct., but our hand is not
strong enough for calling down a flop-3-bet by the LAG. The board is draw heavy
and we don't want to be 3-bet. There are many possible straight draws like 68
T8 T9 69, which 3-bet here.

We should call the flop because our hand is
good enough to see a showdown. A raise would definitely be called by a better
hand - he wouldn't fold a pair here. We should evaluate this hand on the
turn again.

Task 2.4.

a) Bet - 3 points
b) Check behind - 2 points
c) Fold - 1 points

We should definitely bet on the turn. You might say, no better hand will fold
here, so why should I bet? These are the reasons for a bet:

• We've got many outs and a check/raise by
  him doesn't cost too much. The additional costs will be counterbalanced by
  higher implied odds.
• The danger of a check/raise isn't that big
  because any pair would have 3-bet on the flop. Moreover hands, which would
  improve with a 9 like T8 T9 89, would have been played more aggressively.
  Hence there is a good chance of being ahead in this situation.
• He would call many worse hands like a 6,
  an 8 or a T. He would also call with a single flush draw.
• We would like to have a free showdown on
  the river. Check behind could provoke an unwanted donk bet on the river.

Our bet often is a value bet because we should
be ahead and are also called by worse hands.

Task 2.5.

a) semi bluff the turn with your strong draw by raising - 2 points
b) just call the turn - 3 points
c) fold on the turn - 1 point

We've got a strong draw on the turn, but we should prefer a call in this
situation, mainly because a better hand wouldn't fold. A LAG won't fold a
better ace. Furthermore we would risk the chance of seeing the showdown. We
could induce a 3-bet, which could make us fold the best hand because there are
many draws he 3-bets on the turn. Weak hands in position against a LAG should
just be called.

We should call a blank card on the river. Blank
cards are 6 7 5 J 2 3 in this case.

If there is an 8 on the river, we should play raise/call. We should fold being
confronted with a river bet and a 9, a T, a Q or a K.

Task 2.6.

a) Call - 3 points
b) Raise - 1 point
c) Fold - 2 points

This spot shouldn't be too tough. A raise is the worst option in my opinion
because we bet an additional BB and no worse hand will call us. The raise would
be a nonsensical, pure bluff. A fold would be too weak with this hand because
the aggressive opponent played quite passively in this case. He probably donks
a busted draw on the river. Thus a call gives 3 points here.

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Evaluation

You are obviously not willing to win money at the table because you folded too
often. You nearly gave no correct answer. Either you should check your glasses
or get a different hobby. You definitely failed in this one!

You've understood the basic concept of poker and seem to be an attentive player,
but you are still insecure being confronted with a difficult situation. You
still play too passively out of position. Being able to estimate the strength
of your hand and to balance the reasons for a correct decision is not easy to
learn. Your play is skilled, but you still need to improve it. Stay on the
ball, keep on learning the theory, post hands in the forum. Next time you will
be one of the best!

Your knowledge about the game is far developed. You play confidently and are able to find the
correct reasons for a correct decision - even in difficult situations. You know
how to play against aggressive players and how to exploit their extreme
aggressiveness. Your skills are sufficient to beat the mid stakes or even
higher stakes with a good win rate. But keep in mind: You've never learned
enough.