In NL HE The pot can go from scratches to monster in a sec. So in many occasion you have to be careful so the pot doesnt control you.
Often in PL you will know if your adversary is holding something or not because the patterns are more clear. If hes building the pot, then you know he as some kinda hand. (Experienced player will often make you think there building the pot as a bluffing strategie, if they believe you can see the nuance. At that point you have to know your players.
PL HE you will get players with a higher propensity to stay in with less than they would have in NL HE, simply because they can calculate with greater accuracy what the raise(s) behind them will be. Similar to a 2-5, or a 5-10 game at a casino. So, you will see a lot more back door flushes and straights being made.
Terrific observation FrogKing. Big Bet poker in general (pot limit/no limit) is all about controlling the size of the pot. One of the first questions you should ask yourself when getting involved in a hand is "how big of a pot do I want to play here?"
With regard to the original poster's question, PLHE does play differently from NLHE. Unless the money is very deep, MTT NLHE is basically a 2, sometimes a 3 move game. In other words, you bet, there is a raise, and you either stack off or fold. MTT PLHE can be a 4 or 5 move game depending on the size of the blinds and the depth of the money. Therefore, you need to think ahead with regard to how big of a pot you want to play, and bet accordingly. Let's look at two examples where you would play similar hands slightly differently:
Suppose you have T20000 and the blinds are 400-800 (25x the BB). There is an EP limper for 800 and then the cutoff raises to 2000. Cutoff has T26000. Limper has approximately T20000. You have AA on the button.Â
In NLHE you may very well want to smooth call, giving the EP limper a chance to make an isolation/information reraise with hands that you dominate (77, 88, 99, TT, AK, AQ). If the EP player reraises and the cutoff calls (hooray), you will have the chance to stack off preflop for a big pot, with the EP reraiser caught in the middle.
If you smooth call and the EP player folds, you have position on the preflop aggressor, which means he will most likely bet out no matter what comes on the flop, and you will be able to control the size of the pot while in position with AA (either letting the aggressor bluff bet his chips off by calling, or raising him and getting him to commit to a big pot if you read him for a strong pocket hand KK/QQ/JJ overpairs, etc.).Â
Alternatively, if you want to play for a smaller pot, you could reraise the cutoff's preflop raise to say 6000 to go, looking to win the pot right now. However, if you get called, your remaining stack ratio, and that of your opponent (when compared to the size of the pot) virtually requires you to move Allin on the flop.  Â
In PLHE, you should be more reluctant to smooth call the cutoff on this depth of money. A raise to say 4500 to go should force the EP player to fold. Now the cutoff is faced with a dilemma. If he has KK QQ he probably should reraise you (which you welcome). If he has AK AQ,TT, 99, 88 etc. he has to now put in about 18% of his stack out of position heads up against a preflop reraiser. This is a bad situation for him.
Let's assume he just calls your reraise. There is now T11000 in the pot. Cutoff has 21500, you have 15500. Flop is K92 rainbow. Cutoff checks. If you bet about 4000, the cutoff will raise with AK or better, maybe even with KQ. He will call/reraise with KQ TT JJ QQ, and probably fold everyting else. If you bet the pot on the flop, he is forced to move Allin or fold, and he may fold hands you want him to call with such as QQ JJ KQ. Accordingly, making the smaller bet on this non-threatening flop is more likely to get you paid off. Let's say he calls the smallish bet. On the turn, you can stack off, and he may feel you are trying to buy the pot with a hand like TT JJ QQ yourself, and pay you off with a hand like AK KQ. Â
Another example.
Say you have T5000 and blinds are 100-200. There are 5 limpers and you see the flop in the BB with 56dd. Flop us 347dd, giving you a flush draw and the nut straight. In NLHE, you will want to bet this flop, and if raised, smooth call. You want to represent a draw or top pair, and if a non- flush card hits the turn, you can once again bet out small in the hope you will be raised (so you can checkraise Allin), or checkraise Allin your opponent's autobet. In PLHE, you need to build this pot, so you may very well check the flop in order to checkraise, and then take the lead by betting out on the turn. This allows you to charge any higher flush draws a premium price, or better yet, get them to reraise you Allin with a much weaker hand. It also allows you to build the pot to a level that enables you to stack off on the turn or river. Â
Comments
In NL HE The pot can go from scratches to monster in a sec. So in many occasion you have to be careful so the pot doesnt control you.
Often in PL you will know if your adversary is holding something or not because the patterns are more clear. If hes building the pot, then you know he as some kinda hand. (Experienced player will often make you think there building the pot as a bluffing strategie, if they believe you can see the nuance. At that point you have to know your players.
Hope this help (a little)
Terrific observation FrogKing. Big Bet poker in general (pot limit/no limit) is all about controlling the size of the pot. One of the first questions you should ask yourself when getting involved in a hand is "how big of a pot do I want to play here?"
With regard to the original poster's question, PLHE does play differently from NLHE. Unless the money is very deep, MTT NLHE is basically a 2, sometimes a 3 move game. In other words, you bet, there is a raise, and you either stack off or fold. MTT PLHE can be a 4 or 5 move game depending on the size of the blinds and the depth of the money. Therefore, you need to think ahead with regard to how big of a pot you want to play, and bet accordingly. Let's look at two examples where you would play similar hands slightly differently:
Suppose you have T20000 and the blinds are 400-800 (25x the BB). There is an EP limper for 800 and then the cutoff raises to 2000. Cutoff has T26000. Limper has approximately T20000. You have AA on the button.Â
In NLHE you may very well want to smooth call, giving the EP limper a chance to make an isolation/information reraise with hands that you dominate (77, 88, 99, TT, AK, AQ). If the EP player reraises and the cutoff calls (hooray), you will have the chance to stack off preflop for a big pot, with the EP reraiser caught in the middle.
If you smooth call and the EP player folds, you have position on the preflop aggressor, which means he will most likely bet out no matter what comes on the flop, and you will be able to control the size of the pot while in position with AA (either letting the aggressor bluff bet his chips off by calling, or raising him and getting him to commit to a big pot if you read him for a strong pocket hand KK/QQ/JJ overpairs, etc.).Â
Alternatively, if you want to play for a smaller pot, you could reraise the cutoff's preflop raise to say 6000 to go, looking to win the pot right now. However, if you get called, your remaining stack ratio, and that of your opponent (when compared to the size of the pot) virtually requires you to move Allin on the flop.  Â
In PLHE, you should be more reluctant to smooth call the cutoff on this depth of money. A raise to say 4500 to go should force the EP player to fold. Now the cutoff is faced with a dilemma. If he has KK QQ he probably should reraise you (which you welcome). If he has AK AQ,TT, 99, 88 etc. he has to now put in about 18% of his stack out of position heads up against a preflop reraiser. This is a bad situation for him.
Let's assume he just calls your reraise. There is now T11000 in the pot. Cutoff has 21500, you have 15500. Flop is K92 rainbow. Cutoff checks. If you bet about 4000, the cutoff will raise with AK or better, maybe even with KQ. He will call/reraise with KQ TT JJ QQ, and probably fold everyting else. If you bet the pot on the flop, he is forced to move Allin or fold, and he may fold hands you want him to call with such as QQ JJ KQ. Accordingly, making the smaller bet on this non-threatening flop is more likely to get you paid off. Let's say he calls the smallish bet. On the turn, you can stack off, and he may feel you are trying to buy the pot with a hand like TT JJ QQ yourself, and pay you off with a hand like AK KQ. Â
Another example.
Say you have T5000 and blinds are 100-200. There are 5 limpers and you see the flop in the BB with 56dd. Flop us 347dd, giving you a flush draw and the nut straight. In NLHE, you will want to bet this flop, and if raised, smooth call. You want to represent a draw or top pair, and if a non- flush card hits the turn, you can once again bet out small in the hope you will be raised (so you can checkraise Allin), or checkraise Allin your opponent's autobet. In PLHE, you need to build this pot, so you may very well check the flop in order to checkraise, and then take the lead by betting out on the turn. This allows you to charge any higher flush draws a premium price, or better yet, get them to reraise you Allin with a much weaker hand. It also allows you to build the pot to a level that enables you to stack off on the turn or river. Â
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