Core Modules 5-10: Preflop

Question 1

Why is preflop the most important street?

Answer 1

• you have to make a preflop decision in every hand you play
• a preflop decision will have an impact on your decisions in later streets; decisions on the turn/river are impacted by how you played preflop

Question 2

Why is it important to have a good preflop strategy?

Answer 2

• if you don’t have a solid preflop strategy, you can’t build a winning poker strategy on later streets
• any change/adjustment to your preflop strategy will have a ripple effect on later streets and your overall game
• when we analyze our hand we need to know how we played preflop.

Question 3

First 2 Rules of Preflop Ranges

Answer 3

1) the fewer players that are left to play, the more hands you can play
2) Once a hand is played from a position, it will be played in all subsequent positions

Question 4

3 possible outcomes after you RFI

Answer 4

1) You will win if everybody folds
2) You face a 3bet
3) 1+ callers and you’ll see the flop

Question 5

Why is it important to player tighter vs. a raise?

Answer 5

1) most (decent) players tend to have tighter ranges in earlier positions
2) there are still more players left to act, and therefore more potential hands that can beat you (especially multi-way)

Question 6

RFI sizing tips in tough/soft games

Answer 6

Tough (mostly online) games: 2.5x raise is better especially if there are a lot of 3bettors after you. We reduce their profits when they 3bet us and we have to fold

Softer (mostly live) games: 3-4x raise is better if there are not a lot of 3bettors and you have a lot of loose/passive gentlemen callers

Question 7

When facing 3bets, what should you ask yourself?

Answer 7

• What’s your position?
• Did your position influence you opponents to re-raise you? And if so, how?
• What is the size of the raise? Min-3bet then go ahead call with all your range, if it’s a shove then probably fold.

Question 8

What is not a good attitude to have concerning RFI? What is?

Answer 8

A bad attitude is: “I don’t want to bluff, I got caught bluffing, I want to have good hands.” Your attitude should be bluff AND value bet to protect your holdings. You have to strike a balance. Don’t be afraid but don’t be too reckless either. There is a line and act appropriately.

Question 9

Why is calling risky?

Answer 9

• we are not closing the action, we did not have the initiative
• it caps our range
• provides others an opportunity to enter into the pot

Question 10

Why is 3betting from the SB a good idea? 2 reasons:

Answer 10

1) We will be OOP for the entire hand;

2) We force the BB out of the hand very often

Question 11

Why are BB calling ranges different than other positions? 2 reasons:

Answer 11

1) We already have 1bb invested and therefore good pot odds

2) We close the action before going to the flop, we are IP preflop

Question 12

Why is 3betting better than calling?

Answer 12

Because, in theory, it gives us a better chance to win the pot before the flop, and it also decreases our opponent’s equity to call

Question 13

4 Categories of hands Playing vs RFI

Answer 13

1) 3bet (value): great hands with great value and we bloat the pot b/c we have a good chance to win
2) Call: have enough equity to call (given the pot odds) even if others call or 3bet us; they might be good enough to 3bet but better served if we call with them
3) 3bet (bluff): mixing it up as our 3bets will be hard to read; even with speculative hands we will still have at least 30-40% equity
4) Fold: garbage crap hands, that’s it, fold!