Pre-Flop Action: Positional Power-Raise

Unlike "stealing" from position, where we expect to win blinds, a positional power-raise is designed to win blinds AND extra money from players who have already put money in the pot. It is a showy way to represent a very strong starting hand to all your opponents.

Example:

You get K♦- 10♦ in cut-off position. The middle phase of the tournament begins. The blinds are 400-800, you have 20,000. Two players before you get into the pot, everyone else folds. The pot is 2800, what do you do?

It would not be a completely tragic move to stick it in either, as it sounds very tempting to see a flop inexpensively. However, it would be very difficult to play this hand correctly after the flop. The limpers probably have hands of similar or even better capacity. They may have hands like K-J, Q-J, J-10, A-10, and after the flop if you catch a pair you may be behind because you have a weaker kicker.

Instead of licking, it's better to try power-raising here. Instead of playing your hand, play the fact that your opponents only have medium hands and raise the stakes. Since the pot is already at 2800, I would suggest raising to 4000, which would cost the limpers another 3200 to see the flop. Unless one of the players behind you wakes up with a very strong hand, everyone will fold, as usually players with hands they have stuck with for 800 won't want to pay an extra 3,200 to see the flop.

What if the limper still responds to your raise? First, you have to give him a range of hands that he will do so with. Second, you have a positional advantage. Third, you can use one of several pre-flop actions that I will outline in future articles to get him to fold.

Tip: Fear, raise it. Don't let it in.

Ask yourself this question: will your bet strike fear in the heart and mind of your opponent? If the answer is yes, do the following. If the answer is no, is there an action that would do this?

If your opponent makes a bet that causes you fear, ask yourself whether it is true or false, remembering that fear is often just a Badly Recognised and False Emotion. Is he bluffing? Semi-bluffing? Answering his bet can often stop him, and beating it can even make you cower in the corner in fear.

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