Pot Odds

redlude2k

Wondering what you think good pot odds are. if you are dealer and everyone calls and you have lets say 56 suited, would you call?

I am usually thinking that since everyone called, they may be on high cards or pairs, so the chances of a low flop are a bit higher. I would probably call if everyone limped in and there was no raise.

is that a bad strategy?

also if there are alot of people in and you are little blind with garbage, should you call?? you may hit 2 pairs or trips? you already have half in and for a little more you can win a pot that 6 or more people have called on.

thx.

ScottyZ

With a speculative hand like 56s, you are not so much concerned with pot odds as you are with implied odds. That is, the money you can win in future betting rounds if you do make a big hand, such as a straight or flush.

I am usually thinking that since everyone called, they may be on high cards or pairs, so the chances of a low flop are a bit higher.

This is probably both incorrect, and too small of an effect to be meaningful if correct.

also if there are alot of people in and you are little blind with garbage, should you call??

Generally, no. It depends on what the garbage actually is, and how big the small blind actually is. With a 2/3 SB, I play every hand for the completion (i.e. with no raise). With a 1/3 SB, I play very tightly.

Bob Ciaffone really set me straight on this one. His basic idea is not to get fooled by "big" pre-flop pot odds. The more important thing which is big pre-flop is the number of opponents you have to overcome to win the pot.

You can certainly loosen up some from the SB, but don't get carried away. I'd say if you're playing J3o from the SB that's probably too loose, and if you're folding 85s from the SB, that's probably too tight. (Assuming 1/2 size SB, and facing no pre-flop raise.)

ScottyZ

wader

Easy call for me 56s lots of limpers

Dave Scharf

No really a pot odds question since you don't know what your outs are. As ScottyZ says, this is an implied odds question. IN the situation you describe it's an easy call.

I have a "7-1 rule" pre-flop. That is, if I am getting 7-1 to see the flop I will see it with "any two." So, if I am the big blind are there are three players in for two bets I will call with any two. I use the same thinking for the small blind. If it is 1/2 the big blind then I will complete the bet against two callers (the big blind counts as a third caller).