Texas Holdem | Pot Management

Question 1

Hand Probabilities

What are the odds of being dealt a pocket pair preflop?

Answer 1

1 in 17 (about 5.9%)

Question 2

Hand Probabilities

What are the odds of flopping a set with a pocket pair?

Answer 2

About 11.8%

Question 3

Hand Probabilities

What are the odds of hitting a flush draw by the river with 2 cards to come?

Answer 3

About 35% (9 outs)

Question 4

Hand Probabilities

What are the odds of hitting a straight draw by the river (open-ended)?

Answer 4

About 31.5%

Question 5

Preflop Hand Strength

What is the strongest starting hand in Texas Hold’em?

Answer 5

Pocket Aces (AA)

Question 6

Preflop Hand Strength

What are premium starting hands in Hold’em?

Answer 6

AA, KK, QQ, JJ, AKs

Question 7

Preflop Hand Strength

What are suited connectors?

Answer 7

Consecutive cards of the same suit (e.g., 9♠ 10♠)

Question 8

Preflop Hand Strength

What makes a hand speculative?

Answer 8

Hands with potential but low immediate strength (e.g., 7♠ 6♠)

Question 9

How do you calculate pot odds?

Answer 9

Call / (Pot + Call)

Question 10

Pot Odds & Implied Odds

What are you comparing pot odds to?

Answer 10

Your chance of hitting a winning hand (i.e., outs)

Question 11

Pot Odds & Implied Odds

What are implied odds?

Answer 11

Potential future winnings if your draw hits

Question 12

Pot Odds & Implied Odds

What is Expected Value (EV) in poker?

Answer 12

The long-term profit/loss of a decision

Question 13

Expected Value

EV formula?

Answer 13

EV = (Win % × Pot) - (Lose % × Bet)

Question 14

Expected Value

What does it mean if EV is positive?

Answer 14

The action is profitable in the long run

Question 15

Equity & Ranges

What is equity?

Answer 15

Your share of the pot based on current hand strength

Question 16

Equity & Ranges

What is a hand range?

Answer 16

All possible hands an opponent could hold

Question 17

Equity & Ranges

What tool is used to calculate equity?

Answer 17

PokerStove or Equilab

Question 18

Post-Flop Strategy

What is a continuation bet (c-bet)?

Answer 18

A bet made on the flop by the preflop raiser, regardless of whether they improved.

Question 19

Post-Flop Strategy

When should you check-raise the flop?

Answer 19

When you want to build the pot or force folds with strong hands or draws.

Question 20

Post-Flop Strategy

What is the concept of “fold equity”?

Answer 20

The chance that your opponent folds to your bet or raise.

Question 21

Post-Flop Strategy

What is a value bet?

Answer 21

A bet made when you expect to be called by worse hands.

Question 22

Post-Flop Strategy

What is a semi-bluff?

Answer 22

A bluff with a hand that can improve to the best hand.

Question 23

Post-Flop Strategy

What factors influence post-flop betting strategy?

Answer 23

Board texture, position, hand strength, stack sizes, opponent tendencies.

Question 24

Post-Flop Strategy

What does a “wet” flop mean?

Answer 24

A flop with many possible draws (e.g., 8♣ 9♣ 10♦).

Question 25

# Post-Flop Strategy What does a “dry” flop mean?

Answer 25

A flop with few drawing possibilities (e.g., K♠ 7♦ 2♣).

Question 26

# Bluffing Math What is the minimum success rate needed for a bluff to break even?

Answer 26

Risk / (Risk + Reward)

Question 27

# Bluffing Math You bluff $50 into a $100 pot. What % of the time must your bluff succeed?

Answer 27

33% (50 / (100 + 50))

Question 28

# Bluffing Math What makes a bluff profitable?

Answer 28

If it succeeds often enough to outweigh the losses when called.

Question 29

# Bluffing Math What factors increase bluff success?

Answer 29

Board texture, opponent tightness, position, prior action.

Question 30

# Bluffing Math What is a blocker in bluffing?

Answer 30

A card in your hand that reduces the likelihood your opponent has a strong hand.

Question 31

# Tournament Strategy What is ICM (Independent Chip Model)?

Answer 31

A method to calculate a player's equity in a tournament based on chip stack and payouts.

Question 32

# Tournament Strategy How does tournament play differ from cash games?

Answer 32

Stack preservation is key; blinds increase; payouts aren't linear.

Question 33

# Tournament Strategy What is a good shove range in late position with <10 BB stack?

Answer 33

Any Ace, any pair, suited connectors, K9+, Q9+.

Question 34

# Tournament Strategy What is the bubble in a tournament?

Answer 34

The stage just before players begin receiving payouts.

Question 35

# Tournament Strategy Why should you tighten up on the bubble?

Answer 35

To avoid busting before the money.

Question 36

# Tournament Strategy What is a re-steal?

Answer 36

A 3-bet shove over a loose raiser to win the pot preflop.

Question 37

# GTO vs Exploitative Play What does GTO stand for in poker?

Answer 37

Game Theory Optimal – a strategy designed to be unexploitable.

Question 38

# GTO vs Exploitative Play What is the goal of GTO play?

Answer 38

To balance your range so opponents can’t exploit your decisions.

Question 39

# GTO vs Exploitative Play What is exploitative play?

Answer 39

Deviating from GTO to take advantage of opponents' weaknesses.

Question 40

# GTO vs Exploitative Play When should you favor exploitative play?

Answer 40

When you have strong reads or population-level data.

Question 41

# GTO vs Exploitative Play What is the main risk of exploitative strategy?

Answer 41

You become exploitable if opponents adjust.

Question 42

# GTO vs Exploitative Play How do solvers help with GTO study?

Answer 42

They compute balanced strategies based on ranges and board texture.