Quiz of the week - Drawing hands
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Drawing Hands
from MiiWiin
Drawing hands are an interesting part in poker. You have a nice hand, unfortunately it is only worth anything if it completes on the board. If we have to decide whether to call or raise with draws, odds and outs as well as implied odds and fold equity are very important to consider. We will deal with two examples today.
Note: All hands were played on a NL100 shorthanded table.
| QUIZ HAND 1 |
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Assignment 1.1.
Stacks & Stats
Preflop: Hero is BU with 4 How do you continue to play?
a.) folds
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, 5|
Assignment 1.2.
Stacks & Stats
Preflop: Hero is BU with 4 Flop: ($4.50) 3 How do you continue to play?
a.) fold
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(4 players)|
Assignment 1.3.
Stacks & Stats
Preflop: Hero is BU with 4 Flop: ($4.50) 3 How do you continue to play?
a.) folds
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Assignment 1.4.
Stacks & Stats
Preflop: Hero is BU with 4 Flop: ($21.00) 3 How do you continue to play?
a.) folds
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| QUIZ HAND 2 |
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Assignment 2.1.
Stacks & Stats
Preflop: Hero is BU with J How do you continue to play?
a.) folds
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, T|
Assignment 2.2.
Stacks & Stats
Preflop: Hero is BU with J Flop: ($15.50) Q How do you continue to play?
a.) folds
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Assignment 2.3.
Stacks & Stats
Preflop: Hero is BU with J Flop: ($4.50) Q Turn: ($13.50) 2 How do you continue to play?
a.) checks behind
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Assignment 2.4.
Stacks & Stats
Preflop: Hero is BU with J Flop: ($4.50) Q Turn: ($13.50) 2 River: ($13.50) A How do you continue to play?
a.) folds
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| » QUIZ |
Solutions
| 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.4 | |
| a) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| b) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| c) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| e) | 1 |
| QUIZ HAND 1 |
Assignment 1.1.
a.) folds (0 Points)
b.) calls (3 Points)
c.) raises (1 Point)
In such situations many different opinions exist. You could list all the advantages of raising. For example isolating the loose UTG-player. Furthermore you would have the initiative on the flop to win the hand unimproved more often. However if you hit you will be paid off very well too. On the other hand you have a nice drawing hand that you could be playing in position postflop
If UTG was the only player who limped, an isolation raise would be the best solution. Since CO limped as well, I think a call would be the best thing to do here because the BB is very loose himself. Furthermore we get a nice multiway pot while holding a strong drawing hand that we can play in position.
A fold is out of the question. Our options postflop are simply too great to fold.
Assignment 1.2.
a.) folds (0 Points)
b.) calls (3 Points)
c.) raises (1 Point)
Hero hit the flop reasonably well. We picked up a decent flush draw. Not the best one though. The unknown MP bets. It is too weak to fold to this bet straight away. We are in a 4-handed pot though and can't determine what the BB and UTG are going to do in the rest of the hand. However we classified them as calling stations by using the stats. We therefore don't assume anyone to raise, which would ruin our odds completely.
As calling stations tend to call too much and because there are actually two of them in the hand, a raise wouldn't be very profitable because our fold equity is very low. Furthermore, MP could be holding a very strong hand because he bet into 3 players. Calling is definitely the best choice here.
Assignment 1.3.
a.) folds (1 Point)
b.) calls (3 Points)
c.) 3-bets (0 Points)
MP is unknown and his check raise is very hard to classify. It could mean that he has a very strong hand, maybe only top pair or a draw though. We are in bad shape against a better flush draw, but calling in position is definitely ok. The implied odds should be enough.
Folding directly seems to be a little weak, but wouldn't be the greatest mistake in this situation. I think a 3-bet is wrong. Our draw isn't that strong and we shouldn't overplay a marginal hand against an unknown opponent in an unraised pot.
Assignment 1.4.
a.) folds (1 Point)
b.) calls (3 Points)
c.) 3-bets to $45.00 (1 Point)
d.) pushes all in (1 Point)
Hero decided to raise preflop. Two players call and he hits his flush draw. The unknown MP-player donks about ¾ of the pot. In a three handed raised pot this could definitely mean that he has a strong hand he wants to protect because he puts the loose UTG player on a draw and is scared of hero checking behind to give UTG a free card.
A 3-bet commits us. This means that we have to call a push due to the odds. We are an underdog against a made hand as well as a higher flush draw. Since UTG is in the hand as well the fold equity is very low. I would prefer to call due to the position and the implied odds because UTG will call enough of the time. A fold is possible but too weak.
| QUIZHAND 2 |
Assignment 2.1.
a.) folds (0 Points)
b.) calls (2 Points)
c.) raises (3 Points)
Hero holds a suited connector on the button. This time he has JTs, the strongest suited connector. JT has the maximum chance to make a straight as well as a jack high flush draw. This flush draw obviously has more potential than for example 54s. A call wouldn't be wrong in this situation, but since we have some high card value as well, meaning that we could hit a top pair that might be good, I think a 3-bet would be more suitable here than in example 1.1.
A fold is obviously out of the question.
Assignment 2.2.
a.) folds (3 Points)
b.) calls (1 Point)
c.) pushes all in (0 Points)
Hero raises preflop and isolates the very loose UTG-player. We hit a straight as well as a backdoor flush draw. Stunningly, villain check raises, which he usually doesn't do.
The question of what a passive player check raises with is always hard or even impossible to answer. It is tough to put these kinds of players on hand ranges. We can assume that we are up against some kind of made hand though. Maybe we are up against a flush draw (looking at his AF this is unlikely, he would probably play check/call with a flush draw), but we don't have any fold equity either way.
By looking at our outs we notice that both our 
outs aren't clean. The backdoor flush draw plays a role though. We have 7, relatively clean, outs. We would need some fold equity in order to be able to push. The push is therefore unprofitable in this situation.
A call is very close, but definitely possible due to the implied odds. A fold would be the best option.
Assignment 2.3.
a.) checks behind (3 Points)
b.) bets $10.50 (1 Point)
Hero decided to limp preflop. He called the bet from CO with 7 outs on the flop. His draw expands to 15 outs and everyone checks to him.
Hero has the option of taking the free card or trying to semi bluff. The question is what the CO bets the flop but checks the turn with. We know that the UTG player has a hard time folding hands. CO might have been trying to steal the pot on the flop. Maybe he is holding a draw too, he would mostly fold a marginal pocket pair.
It is hard to put UTG on a specific hand. Furthermore we don't know whether he would actually fold a middle pair.
Our 15 outs create perfect equity for us, however we don't have any show down value. A semi bluff lives off the fold equity, which is very low in this case. It will be easy to extract value if one of our draws completes on the river, since we are in position. I would prefer to take the free card than bet.
Assignment 2.4.
a.) folds (3 Points)
b.) calls (1 Point)
c.) pushes all in (0 Points)
Hero took the free card and hit one of his 15 outs on the river. However the A not only completed his straight but also completed a possible flush draw. In a 3-handed pot, as mentioned, a flush draw isn't that unlikely.
The passive UTG player bets and the CO raises. The likelihood of one of our opponents holding the flush is probably quite high. Even though it is very painful, I would probably just fold the hand. Anyone who doesn't think much of these players should call to enable UTG to make an over call. If we decide to push, UTG would basically only call with a flush.
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| » QUIZ |
Evaluation
| 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.4 | |
| a) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| b) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| c) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| e) | 1 |
Drawing hands are your favourite hands. You know exactly how to play them.
Dealing with a draw is relatively difficult and dependent on the opponents, but you seem to have understood the fundamentals. A little more concentration for future decisions and things will go your way.
Especially in dependence of different types of opponent you frequently don't know the value of your draw and can't estimate villains fold equity properly. Try to work on this a little more.
Basically just too little. Try to deal with the theory again thoroughly.