Entering a pot Pre-flop, Varying factors

Before I enter into a flop during a tournament, i look at all of these factors, feel free to add your opinion

1. Hand Strength
2. Position
3. Tournament Structure
4. My relative stack size
5. How much resistance I foresee from my opponents.
6. Cost effectiveness, I.E) Putting in 60 chips for a pot of 360, thus a 1:6 ratio in comparison to say, 120 chips for a 240 chips or a 1:2 ratio. * Very important when stack sizes are relatively even throughout your table or with the players involved in the hand.
7.I go back to # 3 to clarify, Say you want to blind steal, it is most opportune for either fast raising blind structure, or high Blind/Ante ration, whereas a sit-and-go with no antes and slow blind raising it would most likely be proper NOT to blind steal in most hands.
8. Elaboration on # 6, remember that if there are multiple limpers or just small raisers, and 4-5 people might see the flop, and you have a comfortable stack, it could be effective to see cheap flops for high ratio pots. Again for Example:) putting in 80 chips for a 400 size pot with 3-6 people in the hand. Also to note on hands with many people seeing the flop, other players cannot read your actions as easily, being masked by the situation of a multi-way pot.

Anyone feel free to give their thoughts on this, if you'd like

Well you always have to consider the factors. But also you have to consider how many of these factors that the other player will be considering as well.

I finally appreciate "position". Working on pot odds and implied odds. I do a guesstimate, works ok. Also, constantly checking cost per round, esp when antes kick in. Taking my time before calling, I hate when I snap call.

Agreed, rash decisions are often the ones that lead us into trouble.

What i most look at honestly i what the current history of the players is. I generally play to my opponents first and consider the rest later. This is especially more effective if you've been playing the same people for quite some time. Like you know if a certain player goes all in without hesitation pre-flop then you know he has pocket tens because for the last 4 years thats the only hand he behaves that way with. Online is a bit more difficult but thats where your hand history analyzation and notes can come in handy. After that then i do factor in the rest. Hand strength vs. Position, then tourney type. (I hate rebuy tourneys sometimes) then Pot odds.

Yeah, I would agree with all of those. Thanks for the post.

Very interesting and helpful tips, thanks for this.

Position is a key factor

What players are already in the hand and their position along with their chip stacks

What kind of image your table is holding along with what they think you are

Your chip stack relative to the blinds and length of levels(tournament structure)

Hand Strength and what your goal is to accomplish with that hand (for example if you decide to just limp in are you willing to make a call from someone else raising behind you? or are you looking to be the raiser pre-flop...However, this correlates with the section on image of table)

Very interesting,Thanks for the extra tips I try to look at the position and the odds i have to win with!

Gsxr I completely neglect my table image. Very good point. Also I need to work on "hand range of my opponent".

suprised no one covered this one yet.....lol Momentum because if I won the last 4-5 hands in a row even if I have 2-3 os if I can get cheap enough im gonna see the flop to see if I an keep my momentum going for another hand

No doubt a quick click will kill me everytime,,,I need to stop and look at everything real good.

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Originally Posted by ritehere

Well you always have to consider the factors. But also you have to consider how many of these factors that the other player will be considering as well.

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very good point, I have notes on almost every player who plays a PO tourney, sometimes I have to add new notes because a players style may have changed and have to know when I am in a pot with them.

Very good post Himmel, all of those factors should be considered and knowing these things it is easy to forget sometimes.

wether your tilting or not has a factor in it too(part of momentum I know)

I just wanted the thread to be on the top again : )

just go all in every hand and see what happens

agreed.....there are alot of factors that come into play preflop.....pot odds,,hand strength,,and position are my main 3 but there are many more

Consider those factors, but never limit your bet size - people will begin to figure out if you are holding or not.

Anyone feel free to give their thoughts on this, if you'd like.

Yeah, I would agree with all of those. Thanks for the post.