Utilizing the Cheap Flop in Poker
When you are on either of the blinds you want to see as many cheap flops (unless you hold a monster hand and want to raise it up) as you can. If you have an average hand, say 9 : 10 hearts, if the action gets to you and everyone has limped in, the right play is arguably to check. Don't try and do any more in case anyone is slow playing a monster hand. Check and you will get the chance to see a flop for cheap. If you get lucky and hit your straight or flush, you will have the chance to take down a big pot, especially if your opponent is sitting on a big pair.
If someone is sitting on a pair of bullets and you raise just because everyone has checked, you will very likely see a re-raise hoping that you have a high pair (hoping that you will call). By checking your 9/10 you have the chance to hit a straight, flush or your 2 pair. If you hit any of these your opponent will find it very difficult to lay down a big pair, especially if they have 2 over cards (and even more so when they have Aces or Kings).
Whilst cheap pots are great, at times just when you think that you are going to get to see a flop for the price of the big blind, someone raises behind you. So much for the cheap flop. Lets look at this. You have to make a decision of whether you want to call the raise or not.
It really depends as to whether you are getting value for the call. Don't be shy to lay your hand down. The last thing you want to do is commit too many chips to the pot with an average hand. The way you should look at it is that if you are on the big blind and someone raises behind you, you should ask yourself if you would have committed the same amount on the pot in the same situation if you had not been on the big blind. It is very easy to commit chips to pots that you had no intention on being part of. The blinds are part of the game so don't let them dictate your play (too much).
This is common and players find that being on one of the blinds somehow warrants that they should be part of the hand. Remember, your stack is everything and as such you need to protect it. If you keep putting chips in the pot with weak hands your stack will dwindle away.
As a general rule : you should always call one raise as you have a legitimate hand (or you would have thrown the hand in). You should only call 2 raises if you have AA, KK or AKs. Remember the rule for suited cards and pocket pairs - don't overvalue them. Try to see a flop for as little of your money as possible, if you hit you will likely make money, if you miss, throw them away, there will be other chances.
Remember that the more flops you see the more chance that you have of hitting big. It therefore stands to reason that you should try to get in as cheap as possible. If every time you are involved in a pot it costs you a large chunk of your stack, without some divine intervention, poor hands will cost you your stack in the long run!
Copyright © 2003 - Top15Poker.com- Top for Poker Strategy Guides.
