Part: Part Two - Playing Styles & Starting Requirements
Position over raw strength
Pre-flop
A solid player raises from middle position and it folds to you on the button with A♣T♣.
Solid MP raises to 600 (3 BB); you hold A♣T♣ on the button. Best play?
WhyCall. By the gap concept, A-T suited isn't strong enough to re-raise a solid opener for value - you'd fold out worse and get action from better. But it flops well (top pair, flushes, straights) and you have position, so calling to play a controlled pot in position is ideal. Folding wastes a playable, suited, position hand.
What happensYou call; the blinds fold. Heads-up in position. Pot: 1,500 (7.5 BB).
Flop
Flop: A♦ 8♥ 4♣ - top pair, plus a backdoor flush. The solid player c-bets.
You flop top pair (ten kicker) and the solid opener c-bets 900 (4.5 BB). Best?
WhyCall. Top pair with a ten kicker is good but not a hand to build a huge pot with against a solid opener who can hold A-K or A-Q. In position you can call to control the pot, keep his bluffs in, and re-evaluate later. Raising bloats the pot as a likely underdog when he has a better ace.
What happensYou call. Pot: 3,300 (16.5 BB).
Turn
Turn: 2♠ - a blank, and now the solid player checks to you.
He checks the turn. With top pair, decent kicker, in position, what's best?
WhyMake a modest bet. His check suggests he doesn't have a strong ace, so a small-to-medium bet gets value from worse aces and middling pairs and denies free cards to draws. Keep it controlled - you're value-betting a medium hand, not stacking off.
What happensYou bet 1,600 (8 BB); he calls. Pot: 6,500 (32.5 BB).
River
River: 7♦ - a blank. The solid player checks to you again.
River bricks and he checks. With top pair, ten kicker, in position, best?
WhyCheck behind. You already took value on the turn; a third barrel with a medium hand (top pair, ten kicker) mostly gets called by better aces and folds out worse - and it risks a check-raise. Take the showdown. Controlling the pot with a medium hand in position is the whole point.
What happensYou check behind; your top pair is good at showdown. You win.
You declined to re-raise a hand that plays better as a call, used position to control the pot, and value-bet thinly when your opponent showed weakness. Position turned a medium hand into a clean, profitable pot.
The gap concept: you need more to raise a raise than to open. With playable hands in position, calling and outplaying often beats re-raising.