- Poker Gap Theory Define
- Poker Gap Theory Practice
- Poker Gap Theory Model
- Poker Gap Theory
- Poker Gap Theory Suggests
- Poker Gap Theory Game
Poker Game Theory And Math Are Actually Very Easy To Use, Here We Look At
Using Game Theory to Improve Your Online Tournament Results.
Game theory is a branch of applied math which looks at competitive situations where 2 or more people have conflicting interests. This has been applied to global politics, economics and of course to poker. David Sklansky covered poker game theory in his seminal work ‘The Theory of Poker' and Chris ‘Jesus' Ferguson made this famous by using poker game theory rather than experience to achieve his phenomenal success.
What is the 'Gap Concept' in Poker? The term 'gap concept,' first introduced by renowned poker author David Sklansky, refers to the idea that a player needs a better hand to call a raise than to open the pot themselves. Sklansky: Knows his gaps. The Gap Theory The gap concept is a theory that originally was met by David Sklansky a top selling poker author and theorist. The theory divulges into the requirements for calling an opening bet with a hand that would not be able to open in the first place.
Professional Poker writer and player David Sklansky introduced the gap concept to poker in his book Tournament Poker for Advanced Players. What is the gap concept? The gap concept simply suggests that it takes a better hand to call a raise than it takes to make the first raise. One-gap means that there is a gap of exactly one rank between two cards. For example, if we are dealt 79s (Seven Nine suited) in Hold'em, it is referred to as a 'suited one-gapper'. Although the term is primarily used to describe starting hands, it can technically be used to describe any scenario where two cards have a gap of exactly one. The gap concept is a term coined by David Sklansky. It is a tournament strategy concept relating to the idea that it takes a stronger hand to call a raise preflop than to make the original raise. In essence, there is a 'gap' between the hands that can make a raise and hands that can call a raise.
The key to application of poker game theory is that there are ways to vary your poker strategy depending on your opponents and the individual situation. After all, any poker strategy which does exactly the same thing each time is very easy to exploit.
So we have 2 dynamics at work – on one side a mixed vs static strategy, on the other an Unexploitable vs exploitable strategy. Unexploitable strategies are defensive in nature, they will prevent you losing chips and will win small amounts. In order to win you need to play in such a way as to exploit your opponents weakness – this of course involves deviating from Unexploitable strategy yourself and is where Poker Game Theory really starts to get interesting.
Below are 4 common ways in which poker game theory can be put to use at the table.
Poker Game Theory Application #1 – Optimal Bluffing Frequency
As made famous by David Sklansky the idea is that you should bluff with a busted hand on the river at the same frequency as the odds you are offering your opponent from the pot. Thus if the pot offers 4/1 at the river bluffing 25% of the time will mean your opponent loses the same amount whether he calls or folds, all else being equal. A great way to do this is to calculate the odds you will offer on the end of the hand when you bet and then randomize your bluffing by choosing a number of extra cards which do not make your hand. For example if you are offering 4/1 and have 8 real 'outs' to make your hand then choose 2 bust cards to bluff with.
Of course – this is the Unexploitable strategy. If you feel that your opponent either calls or folds more frequently than is correct you can adjust your bluffing frequency accordingly... adaping to expliot your opponents tendencies.
Poker Game Theory Application #2 – The Independent Chip Model (ICM)
ICM simply represents your current chip stack in terms of 'dollar equity' in the prize pool of the tournament. It is most commonly used in Sit and Go play as the numbers are easier to calculate (due to fewer paying places)but also has applications at MTT final tables. When you or your opponents have short stacks in comparison to the blinds (less than 10BB is usually quoted) then it is possible to calculate a mathematically ‘correct' range of hands to push all-in with or call an opponents all-in bet. Playing using ICM is an Unexploitable strategy, as long as you can put opponents on correct hand ranges for calling or pushing then you will profit from ICM based decisions over time. Even if you choose not to use ICM yourself, it is worth learning about this - since many of your opponents will be basing their decisions on this math, once you understand what is driving their decision making it will be easier to put them on a range of hands.
As with any Unexploitable poker strategy there is a counter. Adjusting play based on stack sizes (especially the presence of very small stacks) or making mathematically ‘bad' calls against regular opponents to prevent them correctly using this strategy in future are just 2 examples of poker game theory in action. For more on ICM see my SNG Strategy Articles section.
Planet Mark's Rec : If you are thinking about Poker Game Theory, then you are already more advanced than the majority of players. What you need to do next is stop playing against other experienced players on the big sites, and check out sites where the majority of players are amateurs, recreational poker fans or just plain fish! Your returns will be much bigger at 888 Poker - I strongly recommend you check out the tables at 888 Poker now and see just how soft their games are for yourself!
Poker Gap Theory Define
Poker Game Theory Application #3 – Stack Sizes and The Gap Concept
The gap concept states that you need a stronger hand to call an opponent's bet than you need to raise yourself. In a no-limit Holdem tournament the ‘gap' is usually small when stacks are shallow compared to the blinds (since implied odds are far higher) and shrinks considerably as the game approaches the bubble.
Poker Game Theory suggests that opponents understanding of the gap concept can be exploited. This happens when you strongly re-raise a player who has raised a pot ahead of you when stacks are getting shallow. If your opponent understands the gap concept he may be open-raising with a wide range of hands. The second ‘gap' – that between the hands he will open with and those he will call a re-raise with – may be very wide. If your opponent raises with 20% of hands but will only call with 5% he will fold to your re-raise 75% of the time.
Using mathematics to exploit this concept will gain chips in many tournament situations. This is particularly true when stack sizes are balanced in such a way as to commit your opponent to the pot. The danger of using such a strategy is that yet another opponent picks up a monster hand behind you – so this is best used from late position!
More recently the 'exploitative' strategy of re-raising light is well known by regular tournament players. You might find your re-raised raised once more (4-bet) simply because your opponent knows that you will fold a good percentage of your hands (this could continue to 5-betting etc if stacks are deep enough). Remember, a novice player is unlikely to be bluffing when they make the 4th bet - since they are not considering game theory, just looking at their own cards.
Poker Game Theory Application #4 – S.A.G.E. Poker System / Nash Equilibrium
The SAGE poker system uses Nash Equilibrium math to create an unexploitable system for heads-up play at the end of a poker tournament. ICM does not work heads-up, since you are effectively playing for a single prize (the gap between the 1st and 2nd place payouts). Sage has a points system based on the number of big blinds in your stack, and tells you whether to shove all-in or call your opponents all-in with certain hands.
SAGE is best used when you are playing against an opponent who is more skilled or experienced than you are. While this system is 'unexploitable' it is not flexible enough to adjust to errors that your opponent is making. To take advantage of errors you need to step outside of the nash equilbrium 'game-theory' system, and call more or bet more depending on how you perceive the weaknesses of your opponent. For example, if your opponent folds too often (according to game theory) you can exploit this by betting more frequently.
Remember, applying Game Theory is even more effective against weak opposition – find out which is the best place to find those easy to exploit opponents in our Best Poker Tournament Sites section.
Planet Mark's Rec : If you are thinking about Poker Game Theory, then you are already more advanced than the majority of players. What you need to do next is stop playing against other experienced players on the big sites, and check out sites where the majority of players are amateurs, recreational poker fans or just plain fish! Your returns will be much bigger at 888 Poker - I strongly recommend you check out the tables at 888 Poker now and see just how soft their games are for yourself!
Related Articles
Professional Poker writer and player David Sklansky introduced the gap concept to poker in his book Tournament Poker for Advanced Players.
What is the gap concept?
The gap concept simply suggests that it takes a better hand to call a raise than it takes to make the first raise.
The 'gap' describes how big the distance is between the value of the raiser's hand and the value of the potential caller's hand. This 'gap' increases when playing against a tight opponent and decreases when playing against a loose opponent.
For what it's worth, the gap concept is not exclusive to Texas Hold'em. It can be played to almost all variants of poker where there is an initial round of betting, including variants like Omaha and 7 Card Stud Poker.
Gap concept diagram.
The green and purple lines are the most important ones to think about.
This is a simple diagram to highlight the gap between hands that players are prepared to bet with and hands that players are prepared to call with.
- The green and purple lines increase in length for loose players with wide starting hand ranges.
- The green and purple lines decrease in length for tight players with strict starting hand ranges.
- The gap increases when looser players bet in to tight players.
- The gap decreases when tighter players bet in to loose players.
Don't forget that this is just a very basic diagram to illustrate the gap concept. It does not factor in other important stuff like; the number of players at the table, player position, bet sizes and metagame conditions.
Poker Gap Theory Practice
Gap concept example.
An example of where the gap concept can be used is when you are holding a hand like AT in middle/late position. If there has been a raise before you, it is likely that your opponent will have a stronger hand because they have raised in an early position.
A raise from early position usually shows more strength than a raise from late position, because the EP raiser knows that a number of players will be acting after them and they will be one of the first to act on following rounds if another player calls. Therefore we can put our opponent on a range of good hands like AK, AQ, AJ, AA, KK, QQ, JJ and so on.
Most of these hands that an early position player would usually raise with have our hand dominated; therefore we should fold the hand.
A raise from early position shows far more strength than a raise from a player in late position.
However, if there has been no raise before the action gets to us, it may be a good idea to raise because we may now have the best hand. In addition, we would be using the gap concept to our advantage because any players acting after us will be concerned that we have a strong hand if we raise (like the hands outlined above), and they will have to have a good strong hand to call.
Poker Gap Theory Model
Furthermore, by raising in late position we have the opportunity to take down the pot because there are less people to act behind us.
How the gap concept works.
The gap concept relies on players giving the initial raiser a range of starting hands that they believe they would raise with. The tighter the table image of the raiser, the smaller the range of hands would be and therefore there would be a greater 'gap' between the value of the raiser's hand and the value of the hand that the player is contemplating to call with.
Subsequently, the range increases and the gap decreases if the raising player is loose, as a loose player may well be raising with much weaker holecards. This means that stronger hands will be needed to call a tight player's raise than a raise from a loose player.
Poker Gap Theory
This may seem a little confusing at first, but it simply incorporates the basic idea that you need a very good hand to call raises against tight players and that you do not always need a strong hand to call a raise from a loose player.
Gap concept evaluation.
Poker Gap Theory Suggests
When you call a raise, it is indicating to your opponent and the rest of the table that you have a strong hand. However, when a player raises, it does not necessarily mean that they have a strong hand, as they could just be playing aggressive poker.
Therefore this is where the gap concept is used to show how it takes a stronger hand to call a raise than it does to make the raise in the first place. The gap concept is used to help show you the advantages of aggressive play and how you must be selective about the hands that you play with in the face of a raise.
Go back to the awesome Texas Hold'em Strategy.
Poker Gap Theory Game
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