The question I have relates to the strategy for OOP after the 2nd draw, in 2-2, 2-3 and 3-2 spots. What should our strategy be when we improve to a one-card draw?

Example of spot:

Predraw: CO opens, we defend BB with 237xx, 2-2
Draw 1 (Flop): We don't improve, we check, CO checks back, 2-2
Draw 2 (Turn): We catch 4 to improve to 2347x.

Whats the play here and why?

We are obv pushing a bit of equity overall whenever IP also has improved to a 1-card draw, and we have a mound of fold equity whenever IP fails to improve and is forced to fold to a bet.
However, we will get raised all the times IP improves to a pat T or better and then we're putting in 2 big bets as a dog.

Of course the question isn't about this spot specifically but an overall strategy for ALL one-card draws in these spots AND how to balance this with pat hands.

Seems to me there's 3 strategies we could employ:
1. Bet 100% - with ALL 1 card draws, MIX bets and XRs with PAT hands.
2. Check 100% - check call with ALL 1 card draws and XR ALL PAT hands.
3. Some kind of mixed strategy (bet some/xcall some).
* This one seems super difficult to balance when NOT based on hand strength.

Strategy 1 allows you to bet/3b some strong pat hands and picks up the fold equity when IP fails to improve to a 1-card draw or pat hand that can continue.

Strategy 2 simplifies things but gives up the fold equity previously mentioned / allows IP to realize equity for free.

Thoughts on these strategies and how you guys approach these spots much appreciated.

I bet all 1 card draws on the turn here, but this whole hand was played too passively imo

Easy 3-bet pre, bet flop, bet turn

I use a mixed strategy though I don’t have anything set in stone as far as specifics to give. You can, however, have some 1cds in your x/r range though as you do have fold equity when they have not improved or have made very marginal improvement. There’s a price to pay for being OOP and this situation is one of them. By “trapping” with a 1cd when he would have folded is not great because while you made him put in a big bet at such a disadvantage he usually has around 30% applied to entire pot. Even though it is a small pot you are almost giving out one big bet.

I see no reason to bet the flop because given that you have not improved you are almost always an equity underdog. Then you can get raised as well.

Reraising pre draw is a little loose. In theory you probably need to be around at least a 58-60% equity favorite over his opening range for this to be profitable. Against the top of his range you will be re-raised which erodes you equity advantage. Then he has position which is worth a few equity points as well. For example say he has the same exact hand. He has certain playing advantages and might be 53% likely to win the pot which reduces you to 47%.

This is really bad. Don't 3b any 2cd from the BB except against the SB and never bet UI in 2:2

I tend to check this spot, especially against players that bet it too aggressively (many do) and call with my 1cd and raise with a nice assortment of pats and snows. Vs passive opponents bet much more often because a) they won't bet your hand for you b)you shouldn't k/r snow as often because their betting range is stronger and (maybe most importantly) c)they will play honestly vs your bet

Not a 3b for me pre without multiple blockers and other good reasons (vil has an open/fold history or is too vulnerable to snow), betting oop UI D2 v D2 is the most expensive way to play the flop when you fall behind and earns no more when you're even in the draw.

On the turn a bet goes in most of the time when you check, either because vilain will try to pick it up while still D2 or has improved, so betting is unnecessary. You can bet to protect a hand like T7 that has some flexibility if raised, and bet hands you want to b/3b, but betting a hand you've decided to draw to is unnecessary in most lineups. A bet is going in regardless, and you really only want one bet going in.

Because a bet is usually going in regardless, checking all of your hands on the turn has some merit, because you can c/r a balanced range (per RolledUpTrips), fold your nothing and call with D1s. In a passive lineup though you should bet some of the time, especially if villains can make folding errors with weak D1 hands that still have decent equity or would call and give you value for your weaker pat hands. In an aggressive lineup you can bet expecting to get raised sometimes with some value hands as well.

You don't think you are missing value by just calling with good D2s against a button raise? 237KQ can be a call but I think there's a bit too much value lost with a blocker or two. I'm not worried about giving out information as it is a D2 and that can develop in many ways and as previously stated 237KQ is a call but I'd re-raise 23832.

In a single raised pot there are 2.75 big bets on the turn when the flop checks through. In a re-raised pot there can be up to 3.75 big bets. Even if you think the IP player is betting too much when you check/call with a d1 when he would have folded you are handing him a big bet. That is pretty significant.

Thus as stated I think the mixed strategy is far superior but if you do employ the check all style I think it's a clear mistake to not c/r some of your d1s.

Thanks for all the replies guys. Seems like playing the vast majority of our range as a check has the most merit. I was way over betting in these spots for sure.

this spot is 100% check.

I just find it interesting that people don’t care that we give our opponent over a big bet in equity but get excited over trapping him for one partial bet when he’s drawing 2 and you are drawing one but he has position and 30% equity.

And if you really think he’s betting close to 100% which some seem to indicate just check calling all D1s is a pretty weak bad play imo.

By not c/r these hands the IP player can bet with impunity even if he knows your strategy.

Ok, I've calc'd some numbers under some horrid conditions for the IP player. Assume both players started with 238 and hero started with 238AA, caught KK on 1st draw and QQ on 2nd draw.

Under these conditions OOP has a pat jack or better around 32% of the time, and 1cd to a ten or better around 42% of the time. Taking snow pats out of the equation for the time being this is a defense % of 74%.

However, IP players is betting 1 into a pot of 2.75 which needs to work only 27% of the time thus it is almost breakeven if his cards spontaneously bust in flames if he is called. And this is the nut low situation in which to bet.


When the OOP calls with a 1cd the weighted average equity for the IP is around 38%. Now this is high because his cards are live.


If they weren't live he would have a lower equity vs one card draws, however, the % of the time his opponent is pat or has a 1cd would be reduced and thus his bet would be instantly profitable.


All things considered I think the IP should be betting around 85% of the time here.

By the way if you are OOP I don’t think you need to ever snow pat. Just check raise queen pats. This is 100% the better play if you think a player may look you up on the river with a jack or better. So with a queen you have showdown value and can save the river bet.

Nice posts Scotch.

So lets say we are OOP and bet with all our 1 card draws, for arguments sake.

Using your calcs:

- 26% (IP doesnt improve) - We bet 1 and win uncontested a pot of 2.25 BB
- 32% (IP improves to pat J+) - We bet 1 and get raised to 2
--------- Now we must call 1 to win pot of 5.25 BB, we need 19% equity, and are gonna have like 30-40%? (guessing)
- 42% (IP improves to 1 card draw) - We bet 1 and get called where we are basically flipped

These number are rough and math is hard so lmk if i made a mistake but how is this not a good argument for betting as OOP?

Well a few things, the numbers above are kind of unrealistic just meant to illustrate that even when we have the same hand and all of the cards are live that it is still somewhat hard to defend enough OOP even under this example.

Also I would bet some pats and c/r some D1s as part of mixed

So maybe he's UI around 35% and betting out is a big win as opposed to checking with 1cds and giving him 35% equity which is over a big bet

He's pat less and would sometimes run into our better pat

And in last scenario where we both have a D1 one bet is going in on the turn which is the same had we checked

So #3 is a wash. #1 is a big win over what would have occurred had we checked. #2 is a slight loss of partial bet although we are betting some pats. And I think with more realistic assumptions #1 has more probability than #2.

Also, I just want to add that I don't completely discount a 100% check strategy if you c/r at least some D1s for slim value over other d1s and most importantly fold equity. But everyone above said they were just check-calling them.

In addition, the 2.25 pot size only occurs if you were in big blind and there was a single raise. Pot can also be 2.75 or 3.75 where issue #1 costs more to check.

Btw I used Flopzilla to calc these numbers. Put cards from the hands into dead cards and you can then click on the Hold’em hands to sum up combos and possibilities

Just in case anyone was wondering or if they think I pull numbers out my azz lol

I’ve made/been making every possible mistake in this spot, both IP and esp OOP. I think it’s the toughest spot to play in a hu srp. Almost all of my frequent misplays in this spot are the result of being too aggressive, weak patting, and/or overplaying marginal hands. Also, most of the time, my opponents balance their ranges better in ring than I. The snow catching radar always gets turned up on the turn play of your example.

The mix strat seems the most sound option, w an emphasis on more passive play OOP. Basically what rolledup said. It feels as though I have more options and will lose less when I check most of my D1s. The FE seems to evaporate online against players better than me. If I think someone plays really weak tight in these spots, I’ll bet 100%, but I should prob be checking like 70-80% or something OOP against good players, if I’ve improved to a 1 cd draw. Though 2347x is prob a hand I b/c. Something like 2679x seems like a x/c and D1 though. But I’m still really guessing here and can’t do math like scotch or some others. Like 26789 I’ve no idea what to do with. Gl

I strongly disagree that opponent is always betting turn after checking the flop.

I also think we're missing loads of equity by checking the best d1 in the game, especially when we've let the pot sit so tiny thus far. We have a great hand, build the pot.

Right he’s not especially if we are “training” him to check it we employ a 100% check strategy.

So once he’s “trained” to check we must evolve to a mixed strategy. And since the mixed strategy of betting and checking is probably better anyway I would just implement it right away

Just to be clear when we bet the 2347 we are rooting for a fold as he’s doing just fine with a 1cd ten draw. Which is why I would include some pats in my bet out range

I mean we're rooting for a fold just about any time we bet in a limit poker game (unless we hold a hand so strong that our opponent will never, or almost never, beat it).

But the next best thing is for them to call at an equity disadvantage.

sometimes it's also good to risk passing on some thin value to preserve some semblance of balance to your game. if you're betting everytime you improve, villain would be correct to bet 100% when you check.
in other words, if the vbet your'e making is so thin as to be hoping for a fold, it's not worth destroying your range over imo.

By definition the mixed strategy means that we are both checking and betting when we improve. But we when we check when we continue on we are check-raising.

Anyway we are not betting out 2347 for thin value we are betting to take villain off around 35% equity should he be UI

When we both have D1s usually one bet is going in on the turn no matter what our strategy is

Anyway I think there should be some D1s in your check-raising range...at some point I plan to spec out specifics but have a few other projects going on right now