Q&A #94: Putting Someone On A Range Of Hands
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STU350 started what became an excellent thread about playing big no-limit pots. I’ll quote the original question, but you should also go read the thread, because I think the whole thing is well worth it.
Let me show you a hand when I was ‘way ahead of his range’ …
No-Limit Hold’em, $0.25 BB (6 handed)
BB ($51.90)
UTG ($50.35)
MP ($51.10)
*CO* ($34.04)
*Hero* ($31.80)
SB ($55.25)Preflop: Hero is Button with Kc, Ad.
2 folds, CO raises to $0.5, Hero raises to $2, 2 folds, CO calls $1.50.Flop: ($4.35) Qs, 8d, Kh (2 players)
CO checks,…Bingo! What’s his ‘range’ here? His VP$IP from the cutoff is 65%. Pre flop raise 25%. Time for Pokerstove …
I’m a pessimist so let’s say any PP, AQ+, and KQ (4%). That gives me just over 50% equity …
… Hero bets $4.25, CO raises to $13.25,
Now what’s his range? It’s pump or dump it time. I shoved, it ended badly.
Here’s another …
Poker No-Limit Hold’em, $0.25 BB (3 handed)
Hero ($24.90)
BB ($7.95)
Button ($43.30)Preflop: Hero is SB with Ac, Kh.
Button calls $0.25, Hero raises to $1.5, 1 fold, Button calls $1.25.Flop: ($3.25) 6s, Kc, 9c (2 players)
Hero bets $3, Button calls $3.Turn: ($9.25) Td (2 players)
Hero checks, Button bets $4.25,Don’t need Pokerstove here. I’ll tell you what his range is: 87 (I still stacked off).
I have become a set miner, a nut peddler. I don’t want to be one. The reason I play like this is because everyone I play against is.
In NLHTP, David/Ed wrote two things I remember without needing to go get the book.
Big pots are for big hands.
Don’t give action to tight, trapping players. (everyone I play against)So why is what I’m doing (the nut peddling) wrong? Because if I had never heard of the word ‘range’ I would be 7 more buyins up this month.
I am certain, and I’ve gone through my database – not just my hands but all the hands I have, that if someone gets stacked it’s either two big hands or a big hand and an idiot. And I never seem to get the idiots.
Have I misunderstood range, or should I keep doing this until I have the bankroll to play at a level where players are not transparent and I need to put people on a range hands?
First, I’d like to thank Todd for his excellent input in this thread and many others. I think his comments in the thread are really on target.
I have just a few thoughts.
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Tags: all-in pots, big-pots, no-limit-holdem, poker, range of hands

Thanks for the kind words Ed.