Poker is a Game of Odds - Not Cards!
This is part two of an an exclusive interview with poker coach Matt Cheverton.
Paul: Matt can you explain some common misconceptions regarding tournament poker.
Matt: Tournament poker is all about taking good odds when they are offered by your opponents and laying bad ones. When we are taking about odds we are referring to express odds and the much misunderstood concept of implied odds. Express odds are not affected by stack sizes and the ability of your opponents but implied odds are.
Paul: That's great as a concept but the novice has no idea what that means can you provide an example?
Matt: Here is an example. Say we are playing a tournament with $10/$20 blinds and $1500 stacks. It's the very first hand and we are dealt 22 on the BTN. The UTG player open raises for $60 and you call. What hand do you want your opponent to have in this situation? Well the ideal scenario is that your opponent has AA and they are a bad player who doesn't understand odds. As if that's the case then your 22 is better than their AA. As when you hit a set you will be able to get all of the money in on the flop as a huge favorite and when you don't hit a set you can just fold having invested only $60 of your $1500 stack.
However, if your opponent has open raised utg with a hand like 77 or AJ and you call with 22 and the flop is say K92 then it is unlikely you will win much money although you will usually win some. Also if you opponent has AA and you call their $60 raise pre flop and flop is K92 with 3 different suits it's unlikely you will win their whole stack if they are a good player who understands that they can't lay reverse implied odds.
Paul: That's heavy stuff but that really just applies to spots where you are "set mining" and such what about more general spots.
Paul: That's heavy stuff but that really just applies to spots where you are "set mining" and such what about more general spots.
Matt: Yes that's true the above was a simple example of implied odds when you are "set mining" with medium and small pocket pairs. But almost every decision you make pre flop, on the flop and on later streets should be related to express and implied odds when playing tournament poker.
Paul: So basically in all spots math rules and emotions need to stay in check.
Matt: Exactly if you want to winning player!
This is part two of an an exclusive interview with poker coach Matt Cheverton.
Paul: Matt can you explain some common misconceptions regarding tournament poker.
Matt: Tournament poker is all about taking good odds when they are offered by your opponents and laying bad ones. When we are taking about odds we are referring to express odds and the much misunderstood concept of implied odds. Express odds are not affected by stack sizes and the ability of your opponents but implied odds are.
Paul: That's great as a concept but the novice has no idea what that means can you provide an example?
Matt: Here is an example. Say we are playing a tournament with $10/$20 blinds and $1500 stacks. It's the very first hand and we are dealt 22 on the BTN. The UTG player open raises for $60 and you call. What hand do you want your opponent to have in this situation? Well the ideal scenario is that your opponent has AA and they are a bad player who doesn't understand odds. As if that's the case then your 22 is better than their AA. As when you hit a set you will be able to get all of the money in on the flop as a huge favorite and when you don't hit a set you can just fold having invested only $60 of your $1500 stack.
However, if your opponent has open raised utg with a hand like 77 or AJ and you call with 22 and the flop is say K92 then it is unlikely you will win much money although you will usually win some. Also if you opponent has AA and you call their $60 raise pre flop and flop is K92 with 3 different suits it's unlikely you will win their whole stack if they are a good player who understands that they can't lay reverse implied odds.
Paul: That's heavy stuff but that really just applies to spots where you are "set mining" and such what about more general spots.
Paul: That's heavy stuff but that really just applies to spots where you are "set mining" and such what about more general spots.
Matt: Yes that's true the above was a simple example of implied odds when you are "set mining" with medium and small pocket pairs. But almost every decision you make pre flop, on the flop and on later streets should be related to express and implied odds when playing tournament poker.
Paul: So basically in all spots math rules and emotions need to stay in check.
Matt: Exactly if you want to winning player!
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