Mastering Poker Blockers: Your ultimate guide to crushing Pot Limit Omaha (post-flop)
In our previous article, "Mastering Poker Blockers: Your Ultimate Guide to Crushing Pot Limit Omaha (Pre-flop)", we covered the fundamentals of blockers and their significance during the pre-flop stage. Now, let's move on to the more intricate part of the game tree: post-flop play.
As we've discussed, blockers are cards that affect the probability of our opponents holding certain hands. Let's explore the different types of blockers and their strategic implications:
Nut Blockers:
Nut blockers are likely familiar to you and can be a powerful tool in your arsenal. A classic example is holding the A of spades when the spade flush draw comes in. By representing the nuts, you capitalize on the knowledge that your opponent cannot have the absolute best hand.
Value Blockers:
Value blockers, though not necessarily blocking the nuts, hinder more marginal yet still valuable hands. Leveraging value blockers can be a clever way to maneuver your opponents. For instance, if you possess a weak top pair on a dry board, you can check/raise to fold out better top pairs, blocking such hands as top set and top two pair, thereby adding aggression to your game.
Future Blockers:
Future blockers are the kind of blockers that can gain substantial value on upcoming streets. By utilizing these blockers early on, you can build a pot and position yourself advantageously when your blockers become relevant. For instance, instead of waiting for the flush to hit and then betting with the nut flush blocker, you can start betting aggressively with the A of spades before the flush arrives, successfully folding out weaker flush draws and other marginal hands, while holding a power card to bluff with on later streets.
When to Use Blockers:
Bluffing:
Bluffing with blockers is a common tactic, but it's essential to use them strategically. Merely relying on nut blockers for bluffs can be a mistake. Consider the following scenarios to determine when it's good to bluff with blockers and when it's not:
Good to bluff: When you block your opponent's value hands, bluff catchers, or unblock hands that your opponent might snap fold. These blockers enhance the likelihood of your bluff being successful.
Bad to bluff: Avoid bluffing if you have showdown value or if you block missed draws that your opponent might be holding. Bluffing in these situations is less likely to yield positive results.
Bluff Catching:
Blockers can significantly influence your decision-making process when trying to decide if your opponent is bluffing. It's crucial to ensure you are blocking the hands that your opponent is most likely representing. For instance, if you hold TT, which heavily blocks the nut straight, and your opponent makes a pot-sized bet, they are either representing the nuts or making a bluff. In such cases, you can call more lightly with your bluff catchers, as you can discount the possibility of your top pair being beaten by 2 pair, since your opponent would likely check this hand back. However, if your opponent bets 1/3 pot, your TT may be less relevant, as they could be making this bet with lower straights or sets with straight blockers.
Value Betting:
When deciding whether to value bet or how much to bet, considering your blockers is essential. You want to determine if your opponent has a hand that they can call with or perhaps a hand that you want to give them the chance to bluff with. For example, imagine the flush draw and straight draw miss, and you have two sets. In this scenario, you heavily block your opponent's value hands like two pair, while unblocking all the straight and flush draws. This makes it more likely that your opponent missed their draws. Consequently, checking to your opponent on the river to induce a bluff may be the optimal play.
Good for value betting: Unblock bluff catchers and block busted draws. These blockers increase the likelihood of your opponent calling your value bet.
Bad for value betting: Block weaker hands that can call with or unblock busted draws. In these situations, your value bet may not be as effective since your opponent is more likely to fold.
The Importance of Side Cards:
As we discussed in our previous article, there is a common misconception where many players only focus on a single card and assess the value of the blocker solely based on that card. In reality, in Pot Limit Omaha (PLO), there are four cards in your hand, and each one impacts the value of your primary blocker.
Let's examine an example board:
Imagine you hold the A of spades on this board, without having the flush itself. You've attempted to bluff your opponent with two streets of betting, but with little success. Now, you face the decision of whether to fire a third barrel. In this instance, let's assume your hand is As-Kh-9h-9c.
While you do have the A of spades, signifying that your opponent can't have the nuts, this hand is not suitable for bluffing. The reasons are as follows:
Showdown Value: Your King could be good against hands like K56x that called two streets. This gives you some potential showdown value, making bluffing less favorable.
Value Blocking: You block value hands that contain the K, which your opponent might have folded now that the flush has completed. This reduces the chances of successfully bluffing.
Blocking Straight Draws: You also block straight draws that your opponent might have called with, which now become snap folds, reducing the effectiveness of your bluff.
Blocking Hearts: Your two hearts block the back door flush draw on the flop, making it less likely that your opponent floated you on the flop with a marginal hand holding a backdoor flush draw.
Considering these factors, it becomes quite probable that your opponent may actually have a flush himself, making your bluff less likely to succeed.
Choosing Good Side Cards:
In the same scenario, imagine you hold a hand like AsQc4c4d, without a nut flush blocker. This hand becomes a mandatory bluff because:
Unblocking Value Hands: You unblock all pairs that now need to fold, increasing the chances of your bluff being successful.
Unblocking Missed Straight Draws: Your hand unblocks missed straight draws, making it more likely that your opponent missed their draws.
No Showdown Value: With no significant showdown value, you have fewer reasons to check back, encouraging a bluff.
Morphology of Blockers:
Another essential aspect is understanding how blocker values evolve from street to street. This is why considering the future value of blockers on different runouts is crucial when deciding if they are worth building a pot with.
For instance, let's consider the same K87 flop with two spades. If you hold 99 and no spades, you might hesitate to bet. While you have excellent straight blockers, the possibility of a spade hitting at any point can render your blockers useless. Similarly, if the turn brings a straight but your opponent has 2 pair and a flush draw, they might not fold to your turn bet, putting you in an uncomfortable situation.
When deciding whether to bet with your straight blockers, prioritize more static board textures where you are more likely to hold the nut blockers by the river.
Impact on Opponent's Calling Range:
You must also consider how your blocker affects your opponent's calling range from the previous street. For instance, in the AsKh9h9c example, you had a good hand to bet on the flop due to poor playability and the potential to block draws and pairs that can continue against you. However, since you block all of these hands, it becomes more likely that your opponent has a value hand once they call your flop bet. Consequently, the value of your blocker significantly reduces, making it a better candidate to check back and evaluate the river.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding and effectively using blockers in post-flop play is a crucial skill for any Pot Limit Omaha (PLO) player seeking to improve their game. By recognizing the different types of blockers and their strategic implications, players can make more informed decisions, gain a competitive advantage, and increase their chances of success at the tables. Incorporating blockers into bluffing, bluff catching, and value betting strategies can lead to more profitable outcomes. Additionally, considering the impact of side cards on blocker values allows players to make better-informed choices and adapt their approach over multiple streets. With practice and implementation of these techniques, players can enhance their post-flop play and elevate their overall performance in PLO.
If you want to learn more and elevate your game, visit PLO Poker Coaching to schedule your free consultation.
