Outplaying the field

Limit Hold’em is a much more straightforward game than no-limit. It’s a disciplined game where odds and percentages play a great role in your decision-making process and in your commitment to a hand. But many players going from no-limit to limit cash games find post-flop play particularly difficult to adjust to, as they cannot just rely on pricing players out of a hand. In this article I will tackle two key post-flop skills: continuation bets and trapping.

Continuation bets

Whether or not to follow through with a continuation bet on the flop after you’ve shown strength pre-flop is one of the eternal questions of every limit hold’em player. Unlike no-limit, you do not have the ability to just push players off the hand with brute force. Even if you think they’re weak you can’t apply much pressure at all and your opponents will almost always have the odds to call. The key is to not be overly predictable in your actions and decisions.

EXAMPLE 1

In this hand you’re under the gun with K♣-K♠. You immediately raise as you want to isolate as few players as possible. You do not want to go to the flop with players holding hands like A-2 through A-J, as any Ace on the board could end your quest for this pot. You are called by both the button and the big blind.
THE FLOP IS Q♦–2♥–8♠ This is a great flop as you face no threat from flushes or straights and the Queen could easily have helped one or both of your opponents. The big blind checks. Now, this is one of the few instances in limit hold’em where I would consider checking with a made hand rather than value-betting the flop. With the button yet to act you don’t want to discourage action, thus you should check and hope the button bets. If you do get a bet from the button and a call from the big blind, you should check-raise in the hope of isolating one of the two as you go to the turn.

EXAMPLE 2

In this hand you are in mid-position with A♦-Q♦. You have one limper in the hand as the action works around to you. You raise. The button calls as does the limper from second position.
THE FLOP IS A♠–3♣–9♥ A pretty good flop for you. You have flopped top pair with the second-best kicker. You are tempted to check the flop, as the player from second position has checked to you. I do not recommend checking here. This is a good opportunity to value-bet the hand. If you get no callers you take the pot down. If you do get called you are ahead going to the turn. In the event you choose to check the flop, as do the other players in the hand, you may find yourself in a very difficult situation on the turn. Even though the board was rainbow on the flop, any spade, club or heart on the turn creates a significant draw possibility for any of your opponents playing a suited hand. Also a card like a King or a 10 could pose a problem for you as it could hit any suited hands in play like Q-J or J-10. So this is not a situation where you want to check as this may be your last opportunity to value-bet this hand.

EXAMPLE 3

You are in late position with A♣-A♠. There’s been a call and a raise, so you have called the raise. The player on big the blind calls as well, so it’s three to the flop.
THE FLOP IS 8♥–9♥–10♥ This is a very dangerous flop for you with two opponents. This is not the time to get aggressive. Even though your Aces may very well be the best hand right now, it will be almost impossible to move one of your opponents off of a hand, especially if they are holding a high heart, or a hand like A♦-J♥. It’s best in this instance to err on the side of caution and continue in the hand, but investing the minimum amount of chips. At the end of the day your Aces may hold up, but it’s best to win a small pot rather than lose a monster pot. I would simply check/call here and see how the hand develops.

EXAMPLE 4

You are on the button with 9;-9♠. A player from mid-position limps and you raise. You are called by both the small and big blind.
THE FLOP IS A♥–Q♥–J♣ Both players check aheas of you. You must definitely fire out a bet here. Even though the flop missed you, the lack of action from the small and big blind means an automatic bet on your part. They may have partially hit the flop with a hand like A-9 or K-Q but they may not be willing to invest any more chips. In the event you get check-called, you may want to change gears depending on what the turn card is. If you get check-raised, get away from the hand immediately.

EXAMPLE 5

You are in late position with 9♥-9♠. A player from middle position calls; you do likewise, followed by the blinds. Four players to the flop.
THE FLOP IS A♣–A♠–7♦ This is a dangerous and difficult flop for a lot of players. This is when your read on the table becomes key in determining your post-flop aggression. The flop is checked around to you. You bet out. Betting here accomplishes at least two things. First of all, it will let you know where you stand in the hand. Second, it makes it very difficult for others to continue in the hand when you are representing an Ace, without their own Ace or at least a 7 (in the event they fail to give you credit for the Ace). You may even get other pairs to fold that may otherwise beat you in the hand.

EXAMPLE 6

You are on the button with 9♥-9♠. A player from mid-position limps and you raise. You are called by both the small and big blind.
THE FLOP IS 2♥–7♣–10♦ Judging from the texture of this flop, it is difficult to believe that it could have helped either player. As such, I would continue with my pre-flop aggression and bet out.

Trapping

Post-flop play in limit hold’em can be dangerous, especially if one is contemplating a ‘trapping’ strategy. If you try to trap under the wrong circumstances, it can quickly blow up in your face. I personally prefer to be a great deal more creative pre-flop in limit hold’em rather than post-flop. I will mix up my hand selection based on position and I will also mix up my pre-flop action as to when I limp, raise or re-raise a hand pre-flop. In postflop play I always err on the side of aggression.

EXAMPLE 1

You are in mid-position with 8♥-9♥. You limp in as does the button. The small and big blind call.
THE FLOP IS K♥–8♦–7♠ Not the greatest flop for you but not the worst possible flop either. Both the small and big blind check. You decide to bet out with mid-pair. Here is a situation where your kicker plays a great role on how you continue in a hand in limit hold’em based on what redraws develop for you on the turn. Any 8 or 9 on the turn and you are most likely winning the pot. Any heart and you have picked up a flush draw. Any 6 or 10 and you are open-ended, and any 5 or Jack and you have picked up a gutshot. So there are numerous cards that can significantly improve your hand. As such, I would bet out here and see how the hand develops.

EXAMPLE 2

You are in mid-position with 8♥-8♠. The player under the gun raises, you call, everyone else folds. Even though you simply called the raise, the player raising managed to isolate one player going to the flop. Being out of position, it may very well be that the player under the gun is holding a huge hand.
THE FLOP IS J♦–8♠–2♠ A tremendous flop for you. This is the type of situation in limit hold’em where you can possibly trap a player. If you were first to act and the player to follow was aggressive, you would simply check/call here. Seeing as you are last to act you have to consider the type of player you are facing. If this player likes to take and keep the lead in a hand, then raise him. If you feel that a post-flop raise from you may deter him from betting on the turn then simply call the bet on the flop and raise him on the turn.