Welcome to the second ever Poker Tree, a simple creation that allows you to work your way through a hand of poker, taking whatever route you please.
To play is quick and easy, just read the set-up below and then select/click the option which you wish to choose. The page will then escort you to the next number, and thus scenario. Once you’ve completed your route, post your chosen path in the comments box at the foot of the page to see how your route compares to those of the Black Belt Poker readers.
As before, Nik’s Golden Route is the only path that leads to victory. This is not a results orientated process, but if your decisions match that of an online pro of Nik Persaud’s ilk, then you’re probably not doing too much wrong.
Next week, Black Belt Poker will publish the thoughts of the community, as well as the chosen routes of some of the Black Belt Pros.
To view Poker Tree #1, click here.
To view analysis on Poker Tree #2, click here.
This week’s Poker Tree see us return to the $1/2 cash tables for a spot of six-max No Limit Hold’em.
Game: Six-max $1/2 NLH cash
History: The game has been playing for about two or three orbits, in which time there have been few big pots. The villain has nicked a blind, and won a pot from continuation betting, but apart from that, has been relatively quiet. Hero won one pot earlier when he eliminated a short stack with kings. The rest of the table have been equally subdued.
Villain MP ($200) – 23/15/3.1 – You have 743 hands on Villain and know that he raises continuation bets 21 percent of the time. He doesn’t stand out as a maniac player, but at the same time, is far from being regarded as a rock and is capable of making moves.
Hero SB ($200) – 18/13/2 – Hero is a good, solid player who is currently four-tabling. He plays most nights and churns out a small profit. He continuation bets 80 percent of flops and has an UTG range of 5-5+, A-8+, & suited connectors.
UTG = Hero ($236)
CO ($33)
BTN ($197)
SB = Villain ($214)
BB ($200)
Hero looks down at As-Tc.
Do you fold (1), call (57) or raise to $6 (2)?
1. Hero folds.
Action folds round to Villain who makes it $6.
BB folds.
Villain wins the pot uncontested.
Hero ($236), Villain ($216)
2. Hero raises to $6.
Action folds round to Villain who calls.
BB folds.
Hero ($230), Villain ($208), Pot ($14)
Flop: Td-2d-5c
Hero has As-Tc.
Villain checks.
Do you check (3), bet $8 (4) or bet $14 (5)?
3. Hero checks.
Hero ($230), Villain ($208), Pot ($14)
Turn: 2h
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h
Hero has As-Tc.
Villain bets $12.
Do you fold (6), call (7), raise to $34 (8) or raise to $55 (48)?
4. Hero ($230), Villain ($208), Pot ($14)
Hero bets $8.
Villain raises to $26.
Flop: Td-2d-5c
Hero has As-Tc.
Do you fold (14), call (15), raise to $52 (51), raise to $67 (16) or move all in (17)?
5. Hero bets $14.
Villain raises to $39.
Flop: Td-2d-5c
Hero has As-Tc.
Do you fold (31), call (32), raise to $100 (33) or move all in (34)?
6. Hero folds.
Villain wins the pot uncontested.
Hero ($230), Villain ($222)
7. Hero calls.
Hero ($218), Villain ($198), Pot ($36)
River: 6c
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h-6c
Hero has As-Tc.
Villain bets $32.
Do you fold (9), call (10), raise to $75 (11), raise to $125 (45) or move all in (44)?
8. Hero raises to $34.
Villain moves all in for an additional $174.
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h
Hero has As-Tc.
Do you fold (12) or call (13)?
9. Hero folds.
Villain wins the pot uncontested.
Hero ($218), Villain ($234)
10. Hero calls.
Villain shows Qs-Qh
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h-6c
Hero has As-Tc
Villain wins the pot with two pair, queens and deuces.
Hero ($186), Villain ($266).
11. Hero raises to $75.
Villain moves all in for an additional $119.
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h-6c
Hero has As-Tc.
Do you fold (42) or call (43)?
12. Hero folds.
Villain wins the pot uncontested.
Hero ($196), Villain ($256).
13. Hero calls.
Villain shows Qs-Qh
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h-6c
Hero has As-Tc
Villain wins the pot with two pair, queens and deuces.
Hero ($22), Villain ($452).
14. Hero folds.
Villain wins the pot uncontested.
Hero ($222), Villain ($230)
15. Hero calls.
Hero ($204), Villain ($182), Pot ($66)
Turn: 2h
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h
Hero has As-Tc.
Villain bets $37.
Do you fold (20), call (21), raise to $74 (54), raise to $92 (22), raise to $110 (23) or move all in (24)?
16. Hero raises to $67.
Villain moves all in for an additional $115.
Do you fold (18) or call (19)?
17. Hero moves all in for an additional $204.
Villain calls.
Villain shows Qs-Qh
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h-6c
Hero has As-Tc
Villain wins the pot with two pair, queens and deuces.
Hero ($22), Villain ($452).
18. Hero folds.
Villain wins the pot uncontested.
Hero ($137), Villain ($315)
19. Hero calls.
Villain shows Qs-Qh
Board: Td-2d-5c
Hero has As-Tc
Turn: 2h
River: 6c
Villain wins the pot with two pair, queens and deuces.
Hero ($22), Villain ($452).
20. Hero folds.
Villain wins the pot uncontested.
Hero ($), Villain ($204)
21. Hero calls.
Hero ($167), Villain ($145), Pot ($140)
Turn: 6c
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h-6c
Hero has As-Tc
Villain moves all in for $145.
Do you fold (29) or call (30)?
22. Hero raises to $92.
Villain moves all in for an additional $89.
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h
Hero has As-Tc.
Do you fold (25) or call (26)?
23. Hero raises to $110.
Villain moves all in.
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h
Hero has As-Tc.
Do you fold (27) or call (28)?
24. Hero moves all in for an additional $167.
Villain calls.
Villain shows Qs-Qh
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h
Hero has As-Tc
River: 6c
Villain wins the pot with two pair, queens and deuces.
Hero ($22), Villain ($452).
25. Hero folds.
Villain wins the pot uncontested.
Hero ($111), Villain ($341)
26. Hero calls.
Villain shows Qs-Qh
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h
Hero has As-Tc
River: 6c
Villain wins the pot with two pair, queens and deuces.
Hero ($22), Villain ($452).
27. Hero folds.
Villain wins the pot uncontested.
Hero ($93), Villain ($359)
28. Hero calls.
Villain shows Qs-Qh
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h
Hero has As-Tc
River: 6c
Villain wins the pot with two pair, queens and deuces.
Hero ($22), Villain ($452).
29. Hero folds.
Villain wins the pot uncontested.
Hero ($167), Villain ($285)
30. Hero calls.
Villain shows Ad-Jd
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h-6c
Hero has As-Tc
Hero wins the pot with two pair, tens and deuces.
Hero ($450), Villain ($0)
Do you take the pot gracefully (58) or give your defeated opponent a rubdown (59)?
31. Hero folds.
Villain wins the pot uncontested.
Hero ($191), Villain ($261)
32. Hero calls.
Hero ($191), Villain ($169), Pot ($92)
Turn: 2h
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h
Hero has As-Tc.
Villain bets $61
Do you call fold (37), call (38) or move all in (39)?
33. Hero raises to $105.
Villain moves all in for an additional $103.
Flop: Td-2d-5c
Hero has As-Tc.
Do you fold (35) or call (36)?
34. Hero moves all in.
Villain calls.
Villain shows Qs-Qh
Board: Td-2d-5c
Hero has As-Tc
Turn: 2h
River: 6c
Villain wins the pot with two pair, queens and deuces.
Hero ($22), Villain ($452).
35. Hero folds.
Villain wins the pot uncontested.
Hero ($125), Villain ($327)
36. Hero calls.
Villain shows Qs-Qh
Board: Td-2d-5c
Hero has As-Tc
Turn: 2h
River: 6c
Villain wins the pot with two pair, queens and deuces.
Hero ($22), Villain ($452).
37. Hero folds.
Villain wins the pot uncontested.
Hero ($191), Villain ($261)
38. Hero calls.
Hero ($130), Villain ($108), Pot ($214)
River: 6c
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h-6c
Hero has As-Tc.
Villain moves all in for $108.
Do you fold (40) or call (41)?
39. Hero moves all in.
Villain calls.
Villain shows Qs-Qh
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h
Hero has As-Tc
River: 6c
Villain wins the pot with two pair, queens and deuces.
Hero ($22), Villain ($452).
40. Hero folds.
Villain wins the pot uncontested.
Hero ($130), Villain ($322)
41. Hero calls.
Villain shows Qs-Qh
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h-6c
Hero has As-Tc
Villain wins the pot with two pair, queens and deuces.
Hero ($22), Villain ($452).
42. Hero folds.
Villain wins the pot uncontested.
Hero ($143), Villain ($309).
43. Hero calls.
Villain shows Qs-Qh
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h-6c
Hero has As-Tc
Villain wins the pot with two pair, queens and deuces.
Hero ($22), Villain ($452).
44. Hero moves all in.
Villain calls.
Villain shows Qs-Qh
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h-6c
Hero has As-Tc
Villain wins the pot with two pair, queens and deuces.
Hero ($22), Villain ($452)
45. Hero raises to $125.
Villain moves all in for an additional $71.
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h-6c
Hero has As-Tc
Do you fold (46) or call (47)?
46. Hero folds.
Villian wins the pot uncontested.
Hero ($93), Villain ($359)
47. Hero calls.
Villain shows Qs-Qh
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h-6c
Hero has As-Tc
Villain wins the pot with two pair, queens and deuces.
Hero ($22), Villain ($452).
48. Hero raises to $55.
Villain moves all in for an additional $153.
Do you fold (49) or call (50)?
49. Hero folds.
Villain wins the pot uncontested.
Hero ($175), Villain ($277).
50. Hero calls.
Villain shows Qs-Qh
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h
Hero has As-Tc
River: 6c
Villain wins the pot with two pair, queens and deuces.
Hero ($22), Villain ($452).
51. Hero raises to $52.
Villain moves all in for an additional $156.
Flop: Td-2d-5c
Hero has As-Tc.
Do you fold (52) or call (53)?
52. Hero folds.
Villain wins the pot uncontested.
Hero ($178), Villain ($274)
53. Hero calls.
Villain shows Qs-Qh
Board: Td-2d-5c
Hero has As-Tc
Turn: 2h
River: 6c
Villain wins the pot with two pair, queens and deuces.
Hero ($22), Villain ($452).
54. Hero raises to $74.
Villain moves all in for an additional $108.
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h
Hero has As-Tc.
Do you fold (55) or call (56)?
55. Hero folds.
Villain wins the pot uncontested.
Hero ($108), Villain ($322)
56. Hero calls.
Villain shows Qs-Qh
Board: Td-2d-5c-2h
Hero has As-Tc
River: 6c
Villain wins the pot with two pair, queens and deuces.
Hero ($22), Villain ($452).
57. You die a gruesome death. No limping!
58. Congratulations, you have found Nik’s Golden Route and although performing cartwheels inside, have taken victory like a gentleman. You are both good at poker, and courteous at the table, which makes you better than Phil Hellmuth.
59. Nik Persaud would never give a rubdown, especially if his opponent were big. Go back to the beginning until you have learned how to accept victory gracefully.