Why Aggression Pays Off

Let's start with an example. You are on the button and everyone has folded to you. You raise it up three times the big blind with Jh 9h and the big blind calls. The flop comes 2h 7s 8h and your opponents bets out ¾ of the pot. What do you do?

You have quite a few outs right now. Four tens give you the nut straight and eight hearts give you flush (total 12 outs). Furthermore, if your opponent only has top pair, you also have six outs giving you a higher pair.

 

If your opponent has Td 9c, you are an 80% favorite to win the hand; if he has Ac 8c, you are ahead with 62%, and if he has 8c 7d, you win 43% of the times. Either way you're in great, good or decent shape. What you really fear is a set (although many players, at least at the lower limits, would check with that) and a higher flush draw.

In this situation, you should definitely raise. In doing so you give your opponent the opportunity to make a bad decision, which quintessentially is what poker is about. You are prepared to push your stack into the middle with this hand, so if your opponent would raise you back, that wouldn't be a problem.

Let's look at what could happen when you raise:

• Your opponent folds: Never a bad result. But I had a great hand and just won a small pot? Well, if your opponent just took a stab at the pot, you would probably not win any more money anyway. In consequence, a call only gives your opponent a chance to hit something that beats you.

• Your opponent calls: This is a trickier situation. Now you know that your opponent has some sort of hand - either he has a pair or a draw. Your big decision is now what to do on the turn, but since you raised, chances are that it will get checked to you. If the turn doesn't improve your hand, you can choose to fire again or check to get a free card. But at least that's your decision. If you would have called the flop instead, you would probably face another bet, which is less pleasant.

• Your opponent raises: What can you do? You might be behind and you might be ahead. Nonetheless, you are not going anywhere with this hand. You are happy with pushing all-in, and even tough your opponent might have an advantage, risking your stack with this hand is not something that makes you a losing player. On the contrary.

Aggression Hides Strength

Sometimes players fear a call more than they fear a raise. Strangely enough a call can indicate a stronger hand than a raise.

Say that you call a middle-position raiser with 3h 3c on the button. The flop comes 3d 7c Kh and your opponent bets ¾ of the pot. You must now play this hand as if you have the nuts (the stacks must bee very deep for you to get away from a set).

Depending on your opponent's skill level, you now have to decide whether you want to raise right away or pop it up on the turn. If you are up against a skilled player, I strongly suggest that you raise it up right away to hide the strength of your hand. But how can a raise hide strength?

This is a very bluffable flop. There are no draws out there and to have a hand you must have hit something real. But chances are that both you and your opponent missed. Both players know that. So your opponent might think that you are just trying to steal the pot when you raise, and if he is tricky, he can even call or raise you back with a (in this situation) weak hand.

If your opponent holds a king, he probably won't be too afraid of your raise. He won't let you push him around on this obvious bluff flop. A perfect situation for you! If you call, on the other hand, chances are that you have a hand: perhaps a king, something like a pair of eights, or maybe a seven. But more importantly, you could have a monster.

Once again, you will feel disappointed when it's folded. But remember that you probably wouldn't have won any more money anyway. If your opponent made a continuation bet and you called, you must have some sort of hand and your opponent must give up the hand.

 

Conclusion

When you call you must have the best hand to win the pot, but when you bet and raise you can win although you are behind. A player who constantly calls can never be a winner - that is a fact. When you sense weakness you can choose to play aggressively no matter what you hold.

I'm not saying that you should never call, but generally, if you are pondering whether to call or fold you should usually fold, and if you don't know whether to call or rise, raising is often a better choice.