How Bet Size Tells Expose Opponents' Range (Pro Hack)

Summary

In this poker discussion, Bart and Bob analyze a hand played at Bay 101 in San Jose, California. The hand involves a limp-calling strategy, a significant pot, and a tense decision-making process on betting sizes and player ranges. The conversation dives into the psychology of poker, considering the villain's possible holdings and the hero's stack depth. The hand culminates in a river bet, a jam, and a reveal of pocket fours, sparking a debate on optimal play and the importance of reading opponents in high-stakes poker games.

Takeaways

• 😀 The conversation is about a poker game taking place at Bay 101 in San Jose, California.
• 🎲 The game features a bad beat jackpot, which has increased the drop to $7, a point of contention for some players.
• 👤 A player named Joe, who is easily identifiable due to playing in a wheelchair, is mentioned as possibly being at the game.
• 💺 The game being played is a 2/3/5 No-Limit Hold'em game with a buy-in cap ranging from $2 to $800.
• 🃏 The hand discussed involves a player in the small blind with Ace of Spades and Ace of Clubs, making a pre-flop raise to $25.
• 🤔 The flop reveals a board with potential flush and straight draws, leading to a size-up bet by the small blind player.
• 🚀 A raise to $115 by the hijack player suggests a strong hand or a draw, prompting speculation about their range.
• 🛑 The turn brings a brick (five of spades), leading to a check from the small blind and a subsequent bet of $175 by the hijack player.
• 🔢 The river is the five of hearts, and the small blind player decides to jam the pot, suspecting the hijack player might have a weaker hand.
• 🏆 The hijack player calls with pocket fours, resulting in a full house and a loss for the small blind player.
• 🤷‍♂️ The discussion includes strategic considerations about betting patterns, hand ranges, and the importance of stack depth in decision-making.

Q & A

What is the location of the poker game being discussed?

The poker game is taking place at Bay 101 in Sunny San Jose, California.

What is the buy-in cap for the game being played?

The buy-in cap ranges from 2 to 800, but for the hand being discussed, the effective stack is 700.

Why was the drop increased to $7 in the game?

The drop was increased to $7 due to the institution of a bad beat jackpot.

Who is the player known as 'Joe' and how is he identified?

Joe is a poker player who is easily identifiable as he plays in a wheelchair.

What hand does the hero make a pre-flop raise with from the small blind?

The hero makes a pre-flop raise with Ace of Spades and a Queen of Clubs from the small blind.

What is the flop in the discussed hand of poker?

The flop consists of the Queen of Diamonds, 10 of Diamonds, and four of Clubs.

What is the significance of the turn card being a five of Spades?

The five of Spades is a blank, meaning it does not improve the hand of the villain and allows the hero to continue with their betting strategy.

What is the final bet size by the villain on the turn?

The villain bets 175 on the turn, which is a significant bet and not the same as the previous betting round.

What is the river card and how does it affect the hand?

The river is a five of Hearts, which pairs the board and changes the dynamics of the hand, making it more difficult for the villain to have a good hand.

Why does the hero decide to jam all-in on the river?

The hero decides to jam all-in on the river because they believe the villain might check back value hands like Queen 10, and the hero wants to extract value from worse hands.

What hand does the villain have that leads them to snap call the all-in bet?

The villain has pocket fours, which makes a full house and leads them to snap call the all-in bet.

Outlines

00:00

🎲 Poker Strategy Discussion

This paragraph discusses a poker game scenario at Bay 101 in San Jose, California. The conversation revolves around the game's structure, including blinds and the bad beat jackpot. It introduces a player named Joe who plays in a wheelchair and is easily recognizable. The buying cap is mentioned, ranging from 2 to 800, and the current hand's stack is at 700 due to a previous loss. The hand's action begins with a limp from the hijack position and a subsequent raise by the hero in the small blind. The flop contains a Queen and two diamonds, prompting a continuation bet by the hero and a raise by the villain, indicating a possible draw or a pair of Queens. The discussion touches on the villain's potential hand range and the hero's decision-making process.

05:03

🃏 Deep Stack Poker Decision Making

The second paragraph continues the poker narrative, focusing on the hero's decision to call a raise on the flop with a deep stack. The conversation speculates on the villain's hand range, considering the possibility of top pair or a draw. The turn brings a brick, prompting a check from the hero and a substantial bet from the villain. The discussion explores the implications of the bet size and the potential hands the villain might hold. The hero decides to call, considering the stack sizes and the likelihood of the villain having a hand like Queen-10. The river card is a five, which changes the dynamics of the hand, and the hero decides to jam, or go all-in, based on the belief that the villain might check back with a weaker hand. The villain calls and reveals a full house, leading to a debate about the hero's decision to jam and the villain's hand range.

10:05

🤔 Post-Hand Analysis and Betting Strategy

In the final paragraph, the discussion shifts to a post-hand analysis of the betting strategy and the thought process behind the hero's actions. The conversation delves into the potential outcomes on different river cards and the hero's rationale for jamming the pot. It also considers the villain's possible hand ranges and the likelihood of them holding a hand like Queen-Jack or Queen-Nine. The analysis concludes with a reflection on the turn bet size and its implications for the villain's hand strength, as well as the hero's satisfaction with the river card and the decision to go all-in.

Keywords

💡Bay 101

Bay 101 is a well-known poker room located in San Jose, California. It is a significant location in the poker community and is often mentioned in poker discussions. In the script, it is the setting for the poker game being discussed, indicating the environment where the events are taking place.

💡Bad Beat Jackpot

A Bad Beat Jackpot is a special side bet in poker that rewards players when an exceptionally strong starting hand loses to an even stronger one. It adds an extra layer of excitement to the game. In the script, the introduction of the Bad Beat Jackpot at Bay 101 is mentioned, which has increased the drop to $7, affecting the game dynamics.

💡Small Blind

In poker, the small blind is the first forced bet made by a player in a hand, usually half the amount of the big blind. It is a key part of poker betting structure. The script mentions the small blind to describe the player's position and the betting action that begins the hand.

💡Drop

The drop in poker refers to the amount of money that goes into the pot from the dealer's tips and the rake taken by the casino. It is a measure of the game's profitability for the casino. In the script, the term is used to describe the increased amount due to the Bad Beat Jackpot.

💡235 Game

The '235 game' likely refers to a poker game with a structure where the small blind is $2, the big blind is $3, and the ante (a forced bet from each player) is $5. This structure is common in poker rooms. The script mentions this to specify the stakes of the game being discussed.

💡Buying In

Buying in is the act of exchanging money for chips at the beginning of a poker game. It sets the player's initial stack size. The script mentions a buying cap range, indicating the maximum amount a player can buy in for, which is $800 in this case.

💡Effective Stack

Effective stack size in poker refers to the total amount of chips that can be put into the pot by all players in a hand, considering their current chip stacks. It influences betting strategy. In the script, the effective stack is mentioned as 700, which is important for understanding the betting decisions.

💡Hijack Position

Hijack position in poker is a late position relative to the dealer, often used for strategic plays due to its ability to act after many other players have made their decisions. The script refers to a player in the hijack position limping, which is a significant action in the hand.

💡Limp Call

A limp call in poker is when a player checks and then calls a bet when it is their turn. It is a passive play that can indicate a weak range of hands. The script describes a player in the hijack position limping, which is a key part of the hand's dynamics.

💡Flop

The flop is the first three community cards dealt face up in the center of the table in Texas Hold'em. It is a critical part of the game where players assess their hands and the board. The script details the flop and how it affects the players' actions and hand ranges.

💡Check-Raise

A check-raise occurs when a player checks and then raises after another player bets. It is a strong play often indicating a strong hand or a bluff. In the script, the villain's check-raise to $115 on the flop is a pivotal moment in the hand's strategy.

💡Value Bet

A value bet is a bet made with a hand that is likely the best but not necessarily a bluff. It is used to extract more money from weaker hands. The script discusses the possibility of the villain making a value bet with a hand like Queen-Jack offsuit.

💡Bluff

Bluffing in poker is the act of betting or raising with a hand that is not the best, with the intention of making opponents fold better hands. The script explores the possibility of the villain bluffing and the hero's response to it.

💡River

The river is the final community card dealt in Texas Hold'em, and it concludes the board. Players make their final decisions based on this card. The script mentions the river card and how it affects the outcome of the hand.

💡Jam

Jamming in poker means to push all-in, or bet all of one's remaining chips. It is a high-risk move often made when a player believes they have the best hand or are attempting to bluff their opponent. The script describes the hero jamming on the river, which is a critical decision in the hand.

💡Full House

A full house in poker is a hand consisting of three of a kind and a pair. It is a strong hand that often wins pots. In the script, the villain has a full house, which is revealed when they snap call the all-in bet, illustrating the unpredictability of poker.

Highlights

Introduction of the setting at Bay 101 in San Jose, California with a $2 button and a bad beat jackpot resulting in a $7 drop.

Mention of Matrix also having a $7 drop due to the bad beat jackpot.

Description of the game being played, which is a $2-$3 with a buy-in cap ranging from $2 to $800.

Discussion about a player named Joe who plays in a wheelchair and might be easily recognized.

Hero's hand situation described, having lost a pot with pocket Queens and now playing with a $700 stack.

Pre-flop action with the hijack limping and the hero in the small blind making it 25, only the limper calls.

Flop description: Queen of Diamonds, 10 of Diamonds, and four of clubs, with a discussion on the hero's hand strength and possible opponent's holdings.

Hero bets $40 on the flop, and the villain raises to $115, indicating a possible hand range including draws and top pairs.

Hero calls the raise with a deep stack, considering the villain's potential hand range and the dynamics of the hand.

Turn card is a five of Spades, a blank, leading to a discussion on check-raising strategies and hand ranges.

Villain bets $175 on the turn, prompting a discussion on the implications of the bet size and potential hands.

Hero calls the $175 turn bet, considering stack sizes and future play on the river.

River is a five of Hearts, changing the hand dynamics and leading to a discussion on the best play against Queen 10.

Hero jams the river, betting all-in, based on the perceived range of the villain and the board texture.

Villain snaps off, revealing pocket fours for a full house, leading to a discussion on the hero's play and the villain's range.

Analysis of the villain's possible holdings and the hero's decision-making process throughout the hand.

Discussion on the implications of the villain's betting patterns and the hero's stack size on the river.

Reflection on the hand and the thought process behind the hero's final jam on the river.

Transcripts

hello Bob what's going on hey Bart can

you hear me okay I can where you playing

out of Bob so this is at Bay 101 in

Sunny San Jose California 101 heavily

dropped heavily dropped environment with

a small blind on the button right that's

right yeah it's a $2 on the button and

uh yeah the drop is now $7 that they

instituted a a bad beat jackpot so it's

even a bigger drop now I heard that

actually I heard that from a buddy of

mine who uh was not pleased when they

instituted that do they have the bed

beat over at Matrix too uh they do now

yes so it's $7 over there as well so

what what size game are you playing this

is 235 235 you might know my buddy uh I

think I don't know if he plays in the

bay his name is Joe and he plays in a

wheelchair so he's easy to spot I don't

know if you ever see a guy playing in a

wheelchair who's a r there but yeah I

don't know um I don't know him off hand

but uh yeah I think there is a guy who's

in a wheelchair um yeah and he he needs

some help putting chips in the pot I

don't know the same great guy Joe he's

probably early 50s what's the uh what's

the cap in the game what's the buying

cap ranges from 2 to 800 um I always buy

in for the for the max but for this hand

we're at 700 because I I lost a pot with

pocket tween Queens earlier okay so 700

effective and we're e-hand

okay so pre flop holds over to the

hijack and he limps okay and then it

folds over to the hero in the small

blind and with a of of clubs Ace of

Spades hero makes it 25 to 25 okay and

only the limper calls limper calls so a

late position

limp and you make it 25 limper calls and

your head's up yeah the pots 50 after

the drop okay the Flop is Queen of

Diamonds 10 of diamonds four of

clubs and again you guys started 700

effective so fairly deep okay

all right so I'm first to act and this

board has a lot of connection with I

think a lot of his limp call range

there's also two diamonds on board so

unless he has some small pocket pair I

think I think he's going to connect with

this and so I size up and uh make it 40

I like it we talk about that

in single race pots a two flush draw

Broadway board like to size up

especially when heads up so herob bets

40 okay and after not too much thought

the villain makes it

115 so hijack

raises

to

115 interesting so what do you think the

hijacks range is here when he bumps it

up here to

115 so I think there's a lot of draws

out there

but I think he might also have a hand

like Queen Jack offit or queen9 suited

and might be just trying to figure out

whether his hand is good or not you mean

making like a little bump up raise here

with top pair yeah yeah I mean it could

be that you don't have the ace of

diamonds I mean his late position limper

maybe some combo draws like Jack D of

diamonds King jack of diamonds then for

value of course we wouldn't think queens

or tens but maybe Queen 10 Queen 10 off

I'm thinking yeah Queen 10 is big part

of his value range here I mean obviously

I'm not folding now I think I call I

mean you're definitely deep enough here

to call and see what develops and then I

mean planning ahead kind of like a chess

match here if you do think that this is

might consist some some top pair types

of raises although it might be a little

bit large for that if it gets checked

through on a blank turn like if it's

like an off like a black three and you

check and check check I mean value bet

all day right on the on clean runouts on

the river oh for sure yeah I would think

that um if he is drawing that um he'd be

happy to take his free card on the turn

so you call I do call so it looks like

the pot's now

280 that's what I have yeah okay turn is

a five of Spades so that's a pretty big

brick this is exactly what we're talking

about here right yeah so I check and

villain goes he didn't take too long and

puts out

175 well that's definitely not a small

bet here not even the same bet talk

about CLP same bet when somebody there a

lot of when somebody check raises you

actually as opposed to raise in position

but you could make the same case here

where if someone raises on a subsequent

Street and you've got the betting lead

like in an exact spot like that if they

follow up with the same bet or less it

usually is not strength on a blank and

we have a blank here but 175 is

certainly not a same bet got to do a

little math here so if you make the call

the pot's going to be

630 and you guys have put in over 300 of

your stack so it's like you would have

what 400 left if you call just under 400

I mean you definitely have enough stack

depth to call I guess my question comes

in is that do you have a plan for rivers

are you ever check folding on complete

brick runouts and what I would say by

complete brick runouts would be like

offsuit deuce offit 3 probably down to

like maybe offit seven types of Holdings

here yeah I think I would just have to

close my eyes and and flip it in there

if it's one of those cards if he's got

all the queen tens I'm not sure so you

call I do yeah all right so here are

calls and again now we are at

6:30

okay the river is the five of Hearts oh

I remember this now remember this now so

five of Hearts here on the

river and so what is that change

obviously you beat Queen 10 right yeah

right you beat Queen 10

one thing of note is that 5x of diamonds

If You Ever Raised with a hand like that

like if you had five four that would be

two pairs so 5x of diamonds comes in

that beat you now but I think if I

remember correctly you actually do

something a little bit different here

and it caused me a little bit of thought

because obviously usually like the

standard Play here's the thing if the

villain is always going to Value bet

Queen 10 here anyways and sometimes it's

have Bluffs in the play is to check call

sometimes too I check call right because

he could be value owning himself with

Queen 10 however it kind of a low stakes

hack if a guy is not a thin value better

here and won't bet Queen 10 because the

board pairs now even though he beats any

other Queen I mean in all honestly like

I'm betting Queen 10 at the end here I'm

not just always scared that you've got

Aces or or Kings but a lot of guys are

just going to check it back then you

might want to bet yourself especially if

you don't think there's going to be like

a fre a lot of frequency because you've

called the whole way down of him

bluffing I I'll repeat that again so if

he's not going to Bluff that much and

check back Queen 10 you might want to

bet up front yourself if he is betting

Queen 10 and he is betting some Bluffs

and obviously the play is to check yeah

I was pretty happy with this run out

because I put Queen tan as a as a big

part of his value range here and I was

worried that like what you said is that

if if I just check here that he's going

to check back a lot of times I think

even Queen Queen 10 that I wouldn't I

would lose some value because he would

certainly I think call off a bet if he

had Queen 10 or maybe even something

like king queen off suit you mean oh

because you think him he's still like

driving forward like sometimes on the

turn so let me just throw a quick at you

what if the river was an offsuit deuce

or an offsuit three I think I would

probably check well I think that that

you should for sure because you're

losing to Queen 10 so that's the

difference here and again he might have

slivers or 5x of diamond so what did you

do

here so because I was worried about him

checking back value here I decided to

jam Jam ah so hero

jams and again I mean for this first of

all I I kind of agree with Bob's

thinking he's always going to call with

Queen T now the question is is that does

he have Queen T off that limp calls if

he does there's nine combos of it right

if it's only Queen 10 suited there's

only three there are three combos

obviously of you know pocket fours right

that you lose to so that's kind of

really the cross and then if you do

think he might have some Queen X here

but again you know you go back to the

fact that it was a late position limp so

he probably doesn't have Ace Queen I

don't know if he's doing this with king

queen you know what I'm saying yeah it

depends on the player if you think he

does have some Queen X I actually and

again this is 235 the way that the hero

has played this hand for this line if a

guy limp calls and plays king queen in

this fashion let's say if he has king

queen and gets her I don't think he's

folding so there is that so it is fairly

close depending on how much Queen 10 I

think that the guy has and like I said

just go back three or four minutes of

what I talked about why I would bet

versus why I would check thinking about

his range so you jam here yeah and what

happened he snaps oh snaps huh yeah and

has pocket fors for the Full

House well we don't necessarily DET I

mean that that doesn't even tell us

anything necessarily about this hand

right because we always know that he's

calling with pocket force and we know he

has three combos of it right right so I

don't think that your play is terrible

if you think that what I said about

Queen 10 and if you think that he might

have some Queen X because again if Queen

X is played in this manner it is is

going to get called but I'm not I I I

don't necessarily get on board with you

that he does have Queen X here like in

the form of Queen Jack or queen n has

played okay I just don't know if it

raises and then follows up with 175 here

on the turn I mean maybe he thinks that

sometimes you've got a that would be

really way more consistent with a

smaller bet on turn like I could get on

board with this play a lot more if the

turn bet was like he rised a 115 on the

Flop and then the turn bet was 115 or

less like me he went to

115 and now in the turn he bet 100 I

really get on with this play if that was

the case for his turn bet this one's

pretty close though because of the 175

on turn so that's that that's kind of I

think the Crux of this hand all right so

the smaller bet on the turn would

indicate that maybe it was some sort of

blocker with a marginal made hand I

think it would lean more towards Queen X

yes okay yeah so thank you very much for

the call appreciate it Bob