Sports & Gaming
Postflop, Part 2
Lesson time 20:10 min
Knowing when to shut it down is just as important as knowing when to go in for the kill. Phil discusses the dangers of overplaying a hand and explains how to avoid costly mistakes on the river.
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Topics include: Reasons to Fold, Even When the Math Doesn’t Add Up · Hand Review: Overplaying a Hand · Anticipate Adjustments Triggered by the Turn Card · Taking Advantage of Scare Cards · Betting to Avoid a Check Back · Shutting Down Vs. Going for Thin Value · Hand Review: When to Check the River · Go After Small Pots
Preview
[MUSIC PLAYING] - The best way you learn how to make big folds is from when you make calls, and something's telling you not to make this call, and you make this call anyway, and you're wrong. So once you do that a couple times, then you'll start to learn, OK, well, I need to fold here. And here are the reasons why I need to fold. Even though the math is telling me not to fold, here are the reasons why I should fold. And a reason may be because this guy doesn't bluff in this situation. I've never seen him bet here and not have it. I've never see him bet when this discard hits is completed a three straight, or completed a flush, and him not have the hand. So you may have a set or you may have something, two pair, but you're up against a guy who's not value betting. He's not betting second pair. He's not even betting top pair. He's just checking it down. So you'll learn to make those big folds based off your opponent and how your opponent's playing. There's been times where I've folded enough flush when the boards paired in a river, when I've bet and I moved all in, and I folded. A lot of times, I've been right, but sometimes I've been wrong. Some people just, you know, go basically by the math, but I'm the type of person that really likes to go with how I'm feeling, and what I think, and how I feel at the time. A lot of people believe in their reads, but a lot of people don't act on it. And what will happen is sometimes your reads will be more right than wrong, and you'll believe in your read, and you'll be wrong this one time, and that will really stop you from go ahead and really believing in yourself. So I think you really need to just really believe in yourself and go with what you believe in, because a lot of poker is very instinctual. And I think it's really important to trust your instincts, and trust your reads, and be able to pull the trigger when necessary. [MUSIC PLAYING] I believe this hand was played in London around 10 to 12 years ago against Phil Hellmuth. This is back when I was relatively new to . And I think a lot of players were just kind of learning how to play . I mean, he had more experience than all of us, because he'd been playing the longest. So again, a lot of us were very green. A lot of us are learning as we go. It's kind of fun to look back at these hands now. ANNOUNCER: You're on. It's going to be 4 to the flop. 4s, 8, ace/jack, and ace/10. The racer with the worst hand. ANNOUNCER: Pot is nearly $25,000. Jack, 10, 9. Now, Helmut comes out and bets right away, and he bets $13,000. We get a call from Phil Ivey. PHIL IVEY: So here's an example of really overplaying one pair. Now, you have ace/jack out of the little blind. The flop was jack/10/9. Those textured flops, you need to be extremely careful on. Because there's just so many ways you can be beat. I mean, somebody could already have a straight, somebody can have a set, somebody could have jack/10,...
About the Instructor
At age 38, Phil Ivey became the youngest player to win 10 World Series of Poker bracelets. Now the man known for his enigmatic table presence—and widely regarded as the world’s best all-around poker player—gives you unprecedented access to his mental game. Learn poker strategy, pick up new poker tips, and review hands with the player who’s won more than $26 million in live tournament earnings.
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Phil Ivey
Phil Ivey opens up for the first time about his poker strategy and teaches you how to make smarter moves at the table.
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