|
|
|
|
 |
|
Set Mining In Various Poker Cash Games
|
Author: Marc Weinberg
January 15 - Most novice poker players play to experience the thrill of winning the hand and raking in the pot. They particularly like it when they make a big play - flopping a set that was well disguised, usually because they started with a small pair. This process, known in poker as 'mining a set', has different value depending on the type of poker cash game you're playing...
If you are playing limit poker then holding a small pair has watered-down value compared to the same holding in a no-limit poker cash game. Let's explain this with a couple of examples.
Your opponent holds AK and you hold 55. It's a $25/$50 limit cash game. He raises and you call. Assume the best case scenario, namely the flop comes A-K-5 then xx and you win the pot. Your profit from this hand against an average player would be $375, assuming and extra 4 big bets.
There would be one pre-flop raise followed by slow playing on the flop, maximum betting on the turn, and one bet called on the river. Against a very good player you would make less and perhaps be able to sequeeze out some more bets from a weak aggressive player, but this is a fair average.
Now, if you are faced with the identical situation in a no-limit cash game the rewards are likely to be far greater. Assume that in a $25/$50 no-limit cash game that both protagonists start the hand with 40 big blinds in front of them or stacks of $2,000 each. The AK would lead out with a big pre-flop raise in the region of $200-$300. The small pair now wants to do some serious set mining and calls.
The pot is already at $525 when the flop comes A-K-5. At this point you can see that there will be a huge amount of money at stake, quite possibly the entire $4,000. It is very hard to get away from AK in this position and the true value of set mining is revealed. You have played a 10-1 shot for a potential return (implied pot odds) that dwarfs the odds and makes the play viable.
There are other complications playing small pairs in limit poker. If you're at a full table (10-handed or 9-handed) and the play is generally loose there is a good chance that you will face numerous opponents post-flop. In this case your small set may not even be the best hand! You could easily be up against straight and flush draws that will ultimately beat your set, or the most painful conclusion of set mining: the dreaded bigger set.
Set mining is also a very useful weapon in tournament poker, although it must be used sparingly in the right spots. There is no reason to look for this hand when you are in a comfortable chip position and face a limited return for your actions. It is a great play when the antes are small and you face highly aggressive opponents, however. That way you can get to see a flop relatively cheaply and escalate matters quickly if you hit your hand.
When you play cash game poker your goal is not simply to take down a pot, it is to take down big pots. You must maximize these wins and one way to do so is to realize the potential value of your starting hand. In limit games facing multiple opponents set mining is fun but not always lucrative. In no-limit games set mining is often a lethal weapon!
Related Poker Articles And News Items:
> Find The Choking Point In Online Poker
> A Radical Theory For No-Limit Hold'em Cash Games
> How To Read Hands In Poker
> Playing Suited Connectors In No-Limit Hold'em
> How To Deal With Maniacs At Your Table
|
|
 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
