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Holdem Case Studies page I (1-10)
The following Holdem case studies are real life experiments. We used a real deck, shuffled it and dealt out the cards as presented in this report.
case 1 case 2 case 3 case 4 case 5 case 6 case 7 case 8 case 9 case 10
case 11 case 12 case 13 case 14 case 15 case 16 case 17 case 18 case 19 case 20
case 1
seat 1
seat 2
seat 3
seat 4
seat 5
seat 6
seat 7
seat 8
seat 9
seat 10

 

flop 1 solution

Seat 1 (Jh7c) missed this flop completely. He has no pair and no draw to a striaght or a flush. The only time he will still have the best hand is if noone paired on the flop (or preflop) and noone has a an ace, queen or better jack and that's quite unlikely to be the case.

Seat 2 (5c6s) has an inside straight draw and a backdoor flush draw. However, this hand is not playable even for the turn and that's because in a full-handed game, someone might have a flush draw (which beats the straight draw) and someone might have a bigger spade (which beats the 6s). In our case, seat 8 has the flush draw and seat 3 and seat 6 have bigger spades.

As for pairing possibilities, since there are two overcards on the flop (King and Eight), the odds are that someone hit at least one of them, making it necessary to hit two pair or trips in order to win and that's too far-fetched. In our case, seat 7 hit the king.

Seat 3 (QhTs) does not have a playable hand. He does not have a straight or flush draw and the ten of spade is possibly not the best spade if the backdoor flush materializes. In our case, seat 6 indeed holds the queen of spade for the best backdoor flush draw.

As for pairing possibilities, since there is an overcard (king), it is quite possible that someone hit it already and he will need two pair or trips in order to win. In our case, seat 7 hit the king.

Seat 4 (4dTh) has bottom pair with a questionable kicker and no straight or flush draws whatsoever. Not only could he be beat already by bigger pairs (or a better kicker) but the flush will come every once in a while in which case he will almost certainly lose (unless he catches runner runnder for a full house- very unlikely). This hand should therefore be folded for a bet in a multi-handed game.

Seat 5 (6h7d) has an inside straight draw; that's about it. His only chance of winning is if a five comes on the turn or the river and if another spade hits the board, some one may make a flush, rendering the straight second-best. This hand is therefore an automatic fold.

Seat 6 (Qs3d) has no pair but he does have a backdoor flush draw. Although the queen of spade is the third-best spade, it is reasonable to assume that noone has a better spade. However, since it's only a backdoor flush draw, it's not sufficient to make this hand worth playing even for the turn.

Since the queen alone is almost certainly no good and there is an overcard to the queen out there already (king), it is quite likely that he will need two pair or trips in order to win assuming he does not make the flush, and that's simply too far-fetched to make this hand playable.

Seat 7 (KdQd) just hit top pair (kings) with second-best kicker. This hand is in the vast majority of cases the best hand out there, especially in this scenario where the two other cards are small and not commonly held by other players.

There is no straight draw to worry about but there is a flush draw and he does not hold any spade at all. This is pretty much the only downside to this flop. Still, I suggest playing this hand quite aggressively on the flop since the flush will only get there 1/3 times and it seems to be the best hand at the moment.

The turn card (Ks) gives seat 7 trips but makes a flush possible. Even in a full-handed game it is conceivable that noone hit the flush, in which case it will still be the best hand. You should bet with this hand if checked to you but slow down if you are raised. This hand should usually be played to the river even if there's a raise and/or reraise on the turn. The three kings will often fill up on the river beating the possible flush. It turns out that seat 8 has indeed hit the flush.

The river brings an 8c pairing the board and giving seat 7 a full house.

Seat 8 has a flush draw but little else. The flush draw usually makes this hand playable to the river in a multi-handed game where there is sufficient pot odds to draw for the flush and the board is not paired (on the flop). Clearly, if a spade hits it is assumed that seat 9 will have the only flush and therefore the best hand in the vast majority of cases (unless a spade pairs the board and gives someone a full house). Still, since the flush will ony come 1/3 times you draw for it, you shouldn't necessarilly bet if checked to you, unless you think you might take it all down right there.

The turn card brings the Ks which gives seat 9 a flush but also pairs the board. You now must be cautious since a full house is possible. Also, you don't want to see a spade on the river or another pair on board since that will very likely render your hand second-best.

The river pairs the board again, giving any opponent who holds an eight or a king a full house. In our case, seat 7 just made a full house. This hand should clearly be checked on the river and possibly even folded for a bet if it comes from a reputable player.

Seat 9 and 10 obviously have absolutely nothing on this flop.

 

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flop 2 solution

Seat 1 (Jh7c) has botom pair with a backdoor straight and a backdoor flush. The jack kicker is pretty strong in most cases (where opponents who hold a seven will likely hold a small connector as a kicker (such as 6,8 or 9). Still, this hand is pretty weak since it holds bottom pair.

Furtheremore, there is a straight and a flush draw out there. Some players will have you beat already with better pairs and other will have strong draws (while you have backdoor draws only. This hand is therefore not automatically playable on the flop, especially for a raise.

Since you don't know what you are up against (a draw hand or a better pair) you really don't know what card to root for. If it's heads-up you'd rather be up against a draw. If it's multi-way, you'd rather be up against opponents holding an ace or eight only (with no draw).

The turn card (9d) helps a little, giving you an inside straight draw but the river veers off in the wrong direction and clearly is not the card you want to see. Indeed, two of your opponents have just made a straight.

Surprisingly, though, you will notice that the pair of seven's with a jack was the best hand on the flop and the nine and the six both hurt you giving a straight to seat 2,3,4,8 and 9.

While you would definitely stay on the turn (if you decide to stay on the flop), the river card is really bad and you are now seventh-best (seat 5 also has you beat with two pair). Unless you are now heads-up against someone who is prone to bluff, this hand is an obvious fold on the river.

Seat 2 (5c6s) flopped an open-ended straight, but it's the ignorant end of the straight. Also, there are two hearts out there, potentially giving other players a better draw. In our case, Seat 10 (5h2h) indeed has a flush draw. This is far from the ideal flop for a 65o but if you do decide to see the flop with such a hand, you should stay to the turn.

The turn card (9) gives you a straight but it's the ignorant end and you you are still vulnerable to a flush or a bigger straight on the river. The river (6) is not the card you want to see. If it doesn't give someone a bigger straight, it conterfeits your hand forcing you to split the pot with anyone holding a five. If there's any considerable action on the river, it's probably not even worth a call.

Seat 3 (QhTs) missed the flop. All you have is a backdoor flush draw and a backdoor straight draw. While both the straight and the flush figure to be the best hand if they hit, it's unlikely to happen. Furthermore, the ace on the flop is an overcard making it less likely that hitting a Queen or a ten will be sufficient to win the pot. The good part is that this hand contains two overcards to the 8h,7h as well as the backdoor draws mentioned earlier.

If you think you are not up against aces, you can stay on the flop in a multi-way game where you are getting good pot odds. Once you see the turn (9) which gives you an open ended straight, you will obviously see the river which in our case gives you the high end of a straight and making you the winner (along with seat 4).

Seat 4 (4dTh) is not a playable hand and it missed the flop. All you have is a backdoor straight flush draw. But the Th is questinable whether it's good enough for the flush. Clearly this hand is not worth playing for the turn.

Seat 5 (6h7d) hit bottom pair-no kicer on the flop and the 6h makes a backdoor straight flush draw possible. If you do see the flop with this hand you want to see the turn, which in our case gives you an open-ended straight draw making you want to see the river as well.

The river card (6) helps you, giving you two-pair but it's not the straight crad (5) you were really looking for. In a multi-way pot this hand is very week on the river since there's an open-ended straight on board. You should probably fold on the river unless you are heads-up in which case it's possible that your opponent is betting lone aces for valus or that he's bluffing.

Seat 6 (Qs3d) has nothing on the flop. It's not a playable hand at all and it should definitely be folded on the flop.

Seat 7 (KdQd) is a real pretty preflop hand. However, this is the worst possible flop. Not only did you not hit any pair or any draw hand on the flop but the dreaded ace hit the board as well as a straigh and a flush draw. You will not feel confident at all even if you do catch a a king or a queen on the turn or river. This hand should therefore be folded on the flop unless you are heads up and you believe your opponent is bluffing. (note that you still have the nut no pair hand).

Seat 8 (9s5s) hit an inside straight draw and a back door spade flush draw. It's far from the ideal flop but if you decide to see the turn (9) which gives you second-top pair, you will obvioulsy want to see the river which in our case gives you the ignorant end of the straight.

Seat 9 (2d3c) is not a playable hand. It missed the flop (as expected) and should be folded.

Seat 10 (5h2h) hit a flush draw on the flop. The flush draw is small though as are the cards. You are not likely to win by pairing up and you therefore still have a losing hand although you will want to go to the river in hopes of catching the flush.

 

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