Translated with the help of AI. We apologize for any errors and would appreciate your help in correcting them.
One of the conditions for making a decision in poker (both pre-flop and post-flop) is the player's position. It is advantageous when the player is “in position” (IP, in position), i.e. makes a decision after the opponents. The opposite of this is the “out of position” (OOP) position, when the player is forced to make his move first. In this article, we will touch on the game “without a position” and tell you what strategies should be used in different situations. Most often, OOP in the draw is a small and big blind, as well as early (EP, early position) positions at the table.
1. Disadvantages of playing without a poker position
Poker is a game with incomplete information, so the main disadvantage of playing without a position (OOP) is that the player is forced to make his move before his opponents, without having any data on the strength of the opponents' combinations . At the same time, you have to rely on the strength of your hand (preflop), as well as the released board (postflop). Players who make their move later (that is, who are “in position”) will be in a better position, since they have more information to make a decision.
Profitable bluff is also an important aspect of poker. And the next disadvantage of playing without a position (OER) is that bluff in such a situation becomes much more difficult.
Vulnerable to pressure are also low pocket pair, as well as weak matches that a player without a position (OOP) can get on the flop. All these hands can hardly reach the showdown, in most cases they will have to be fold on the subsequent streets.
2. How to play post-flop without a position (OOP) when you are a racer
Let's consider in detail the entire decision tree for each of the possible distribution scenarios.
“bet on the flop” line
If you are a pre-flop racer, at low limits, it is usually the right decision to always make a standard extended bet on the flop (both value and as a bluff):
- In a dry board - 30% of the pot;
- In the board with the highest card no higher than 10 and the fractional board - 50% of the pot. At the same time, an extended bet in a bluff as a bluff on the flop will be beneficial under the following conditions:
- Against 1 opponent - you can always bet an extended bet;
- Against 2 opponents - betting an extended bet makes sense only in dry board (uncoordinated board without flush draw);
- We do not bluff against 3 or more opponents .
On the turn and river, the preflop racer makes decisions depending on the strength of his hand and the outgoing runouts. And also evaluates the plus board for bluff. At the same time, the "Bet-Bet-Bet" line (3 barrels, 50-70% of the bank) will be standard with vellya-hands. As a bluff, the preflop raiser can continue to put only in suitable situations, for example, in dry board with one high card (A, K, Q). It is also worth paying attention to the opponent's statistics: indicators such as an increased Fold vs C-bet or a high WWSD score make bluffing more profitable.
Bet-Check-Bet line
The “Bet-Check-Bet” line is more balanced, and can be used both on the velly and as a bluff. The preflop-raiser range here consists of middle vellyu-ruk, which are not ready to put three barrels, and strong semi-bluffs, ready to play check-call on the turn. Also in the range is part of the full bluff, with which we put an extended bet on the flop and were ready to play a check-pass on the turn. However, if the villain on the turn did not take the initiative and also waited, then another bluff bet in most textures on the river has a good chance of taking the pot.
Line "check on the flop". The balance of the check from the preflop aggressor
With the increase in limits, the strategy of the pre-flop-raiser without a position (OER) begins to change. Opponents become more experienced, better oriented in the opening ranges of the pre-flop racer and, being in the position, throw less on the continued bet on the flop. Thus, continued bets on the flop without a position become less profitable, and the pre-flop racer is forced to rebuild his game, not only using the line with the check on the flop more, but also balancing his check strategy.
The check balance on the flop is called check-band protection through check-raise and check-call.
At the same time, the balanced statistics of the preflop-raiser strategy in the game without a position (OOR) on the flop should strive for 40-35-25 indicators, where the check-raise of the flop is 25%.
Check-raise on the flop. Being a preflop aggressor of OOP check-raise is quite profitable to play, especially starting with limits of $22 and above.
In doing so, we achieve the following objectives:
- Hiding the power of the hand;
- Collecting of value from the bluff;
- Protection against draw.
Check-call on the flop. If we are a preflop aggressor, then by check...
We want to achieve the following:
- Collecting of value from the opponent's bluff with our hands of medium strength;
- Receipt range protection.
Check-call is a more complex action, since the villain can continue to bet further, and it will be difficult for us to make a decision. Therefore, I advise you to start training to protect the check range with a fairly wide check raises. For check-raises, any small draw board that we can attack on almost any low-limit cards is suitable. Any over cards with or without backdoors are great for this. You can also aggressively play draw combinations and mix it all with a vulnerable value range.
3. Features of the game of 3-bet sweats without a position with initiative
Usually, the situation when we find ourselves in a 3-bet sweat without a position, but with an initiative, arises when we 3-bet from the positions of SB and BB and receive a call from an opponent. At the same time, the range of the opponent-collar can be quite wide, differs depending on the position, but in general consists of pocket pair (with permissible stack depth), suited aces with a high map, suited broadway cards and suited connectors.
The standard solution for us in this case will be the continuation of aggression on the flop.
On the vellya value:
- Bet 30% in dry board structures;
- Bet 50-70% on dangerous dro-structures.
As a bluff:
- Bet 30% on any flop.
Further decisions are made depending on the strength of the hand and the exit runouts. At the low and medium limit, it is profitable to put a lot of second barrels in 3-bet sweat. In fact, we can put 70% on the turn in almost any board.
Exceptions for the second barrel as a bluff:
- 3-flush board with flop;
- Any paired board with a flop or with a thorn;
- If the runout of the turn closed the straight draw and flush draw at the same time.
In other cases, you can put two barrels in a 3-bet sweat.
4. How to play without a position as a colleague
- Without a position (OER) as a collier on the flop, we find ourselves when we enter the bank with an SB or BB pot.
Determining for our actions on all streets will be:
- The strength of our hand;
- Structure of the board;
- Opponent's actions.
Flop
- Colour solutions on the flop can be represented as a structure of 3 lines:
check-raise
- We have a strong vellya value
- The board is not very suitable for the opponent's range and is favorable for check-raising (for example, a board with one high and two low cards is
great for bluff, but few people know this); - We have a weak value or an additional value that we do not want to play through a check-call (for example, a weak match vulnerable to barreling), while the opponent puts a small extended bet (30% or less);
- Usually bluff are made only against small sizing c-bet
- For bluff check-raises, small draw structures
, structures with a small spark 
and small 3 flush board are still suitable 
Check-fold
- We don't have any value;
- The board fits the range of the open-raiser;
- Villain makes a large continued bet.
Check-call
- We have a weak and medium value with which we are ready to play a call from 1 to 3 streets.
Turn
- The solutions of the collier on the turn can be represented as a structure of 5 possible actions:
Check-fold
- We have a weak hand, the villain continues the aggression.
Check-call
- We have an average velly (middle pair or top pair) with which we want to reach the river or showdown
- The turn card gave us an additional equity that we want to play passively. For example, straight draw.
Check-raise
- The thorn map strengthened our vellya or we originally had a strong vellya that was slouplely value.
- You can find good spots to play a bluff as a bluff or a semi-bluff through the check-raise of a thorn. But this should be done only with full understanding, and not when it pleases. For example, when K comes out, to a low board, the villain will always put all the bluff barrels in it, realizing that you can bluff the check-raise in this runout. But it is more desirable to learn how to do such an action first with at least a small equity (3rd pair, gutshot, low straight draw or low flush draw).
Donk-bet
- The turn card “spoiled” the board, we do not expect that the villain will bet a lot, but we also do not want to give him a free card. For example, when we have a top pair on a heavily draw wood board.
- The turn card strengthened our value, we reached the straight, the second pair, or thrips - in this case, it is worth immediately taking the initiative if we are without a position.
- Bluff donk betas are relevant in board, in which we initially see little value in the range of the opponent, and the thorn map potentially helped us. (Paired board of the middle or lower board pair, the output of the card giving the calling of streets and gutshots)
Sizing of donk-beta — 30%-70% sweat, followed by a large rate on the river (85% or more) for most runouts.
Trial Beta
- Villain refused the continued bet on the flop, in this case we attack the turn with any hand without showdown value. Always.
Exception: dry board with the higher card A, K, Q; the opponent has a lot of pot-control hands that will not be thrown out on the test beta. Sizing of the prob-beta is 70% or more, without dowlf of the river for most ranauts.
River
- The solutions of the collier on the river can also be represented as a structure of 5 lines:
Trial Beta
- Villain refused to continue aggression on the turn. In this case, we always attack the river with hands without showdown value.
Block-bet
- We would like to get a cheap showdown with a weak velha and are ready to fold on the raise. For balance, we can also bet a small block bet with super-nats, against aggressive players, to provoke a bluff. Then it will be a provocative bet.
Check-fold
- We do not have the opportunity to profitably call the opponent's bet with our hand.
Check-call
- Our hand allows you to make a profitable call (not less than the top pair if there were three barrels);
- Bluff ketching (we have a good hand for catching bluff on the board, on which we often expect them from the opponent). Refuse to bluffketch on the river if you play limits below $44. This is very important, the field bluffs the river catastrophically little.
Donk-bet
- Additional bet with a velly hand, if the possible stake of an opponent with medium strength hands exceeds the number of possible bluff that he will make on a similar river.
5. Features of the drawing of 3-bet pots without a position as a collier
This situation occurs when we open, get a 3-bet from a later position and decide to make a call. The opponent's range in this case will be quite strong, almost always linear and dashed from below.
Bluff check-raise on flop in 3-bet pot
The most important condition for bluff check-raise on the flop is the structure of the board. Any low structures (the top card is no higher than 10) do not fit the 3bet range well, so they are attractive for bluff check-raising on the flop. An additional positive factor will be the presence of flush draw on the board. Given that the villain, being in a 3-bet pot in a position and owning the initiative, will after our check very often make an extended bet on its entire range, a good check-raise indicator without a position (ORR) will be 20-25%. Important! bluff check-raise on the flop will be profitable only if the size of the extended bet from the opponent is low (35% of the pot and less). It is worth abandoning the check-raise as a bluff against opponents with a low 3bet (6% or less). It is best to check-raise with some equity (gutshot, 3rd pair, backdoor nuts-flashdro, etc.), but you can use this move on a complete bluff.
6. Summary
Playing without a position (OOP) is one of the typical situations in poker, representing a certain complexity for both the player who is a preflop racer and the preflop colorator.
A more careful consideration of such game situations, an understanding of their logic, as well as the introduction into their strategy of the basic concepts of pots without a position (OER) can save players from many costly mistakes at a distance the long run.
