Jonathan Little: Control pot

In recent years, Jonathan Little was one of the best players in the tournament and has nearly five million dollars in live and online tournaments, including two victories and the World Poker Tour. He was always a proponent of teaching and poker school, and in the recent past has brought his first book, "Secrets of professional poker tournaments. Now you can learn some interesting things from him in this interview with PokerNews, we developed some ideas in the book, including the concept of control of the pot.

What prompted you to write a book about poker tournaments?

Well not really so many good books on tournament poker account. The latest thinking is that Harrington on Hold'em, which occurred about five to six years and which many now know it from cover to cover. Everyone learned how to play in a disciplined and aggressive style, and this time not just win a poker tournament. If everyone does the same thing that you need to change something. My book teaches you how to play against all ideally.

What are some of the most important concepts for beginners tournament you're talking about the book?

I think beginners should first realize that you have to play differently depending on the size of the stack of chips. If you have 10 blinds available, you have to play very differently than when you have 100 blinds in front of you. In particular small and medium-stakes tournaments, you will see many players who pay a raise with a stack of ten blind and hand-colored 10-8 or something. Then go to check-fold on a flop that missed a combination. That is certainly a big hole in their game. Also, do not think players can maintain control of the pot with a book like the best pair, best kicker. I'm ready to put blinds on the table 100 in the early stages of the tournament, and if you do this, you will be removed each time.

Let's discuss in detail a concept that you mentioned: control pot. For those who do not know what you can refine estimates than the reverse (reverse IMPLIED odds) and how they relate to control the pot?

Basically, the inverse estimates are when you have a hand like ace-ten and catch the biggest flop pair, or an ace or a ten, it is most likely to win a little or lose a big one. This is because if your opponent is determined to play against you, chances are good to have a better hand than yours. It will be very hard to win a big pot, so in this case, for example, on a table that is an ace, it will be difficult to bet to maximize the victory more than two streets.

Whenever you  on a table  and you get a check-raise, or you're way ahead or way behind you opponent. Therefore, it is better to try to get to a showdown and see in what situation you were. That if you have not "read" your opponent.

So if you bet on two streets that you check and why?

You can either check on the flop to give or to bet on the flop and you check the turn. Both works pretty bime. Whenever there are many possible combinations on the flop, you should think about what kind of opponent you face. If you play against someone who uses the check raise on many combinations of cards that must be finalized on the turn and / or river, would soon be a check on the flop to give back. If it is more likely to use a check-call, you should bet on the flop. Basically, you just want to bet on two streets, whether it's the flop or turn, and river flop or turn and river. Once you bet on three streets to two-thirds of the normal betting can be very difficult to find someone to pay with a card lower than yours.

Also, by check, you induce a bluff. If you check the flop with an ace, your opponent will think you missed the flop. You might bet on the turn if you checked the flop. The same applies if you prefer a check on the turn. So not only do you control the pot and get closer to a showdown, but they do and the players to try a bluff against you.

Pot control bet benefits beyond protection or fairness?

Opponents give them a chance to see some free books and you'll lose pots, but if something catches your opponent on the flop, you will not lose too much pot that you have control. Maybe that will recover least one free card on the turn or river, but mostly everything will remain with the second hand value. Let's revisit the previous example, the as-ten-flop on a 4-2 and 9-98 playing against a player in hand. Both give and the tower could check to catch an 8 or a 9, which could lead you to believe that asset. In UIN way, everything is equivalent. You have exceeded about 15% of the time playing in this way, but on the other hand lost pots will not matter much because it will be relatively small.

Would you like to add something about your book?

In principle, a standard book on how to play poker. Most players are either too reserved and only play top hands or pockets broken. " You must find the middle ground. My book teaches you how to play aggressively when you stand against the opponent and play more closely and care when you have position. While doing this and think about your opponent's range, rarely make many mistakes. The book talks about how to make decisions very easily and is harder to make mistakes, and if you make fewer mistakes than the rest, you really can succeed.