howard lederer poker pro strategy tips from full tilt poker

Playing Cap Games
Howard Lederer
Sept 11, 2006

This week, Full Tilt Poker launched Cap Games - a version of our Pot- and No-Limit
games in which no player can commit more than 30 big blinds to any pot. The biggest
cash games in the world, the ones that Jennifer Harman and Phil Ivey play in, use a cap
when they play No-Limit Hold 'em or Pot-Limit Omaha, and we thought you'd enjoy the
experience as well.

For this tip, I am going to discuss some of the advantages of Cap Games over traditional
big-bet poker, then I'm going to cover some strategic points that should help you when you
first sit into a Cap Game. For even more information on Cap Game strategies, you can
read my recent Pro Chat transcript.

Advantages of Cap Games
Most players reach a point where they grow uncomfortable with the thought of risking all
the money they have on the table in a single hand. For example, say that a player in a
$.50/$1 No-Limit game has done well and has built his stack from $50 to $300. He's
certainly happy with that turn of events but, if there's another big stack at the table, he may
be unwilling to stay at the table for fear of losing a very large sum on a difficult hand. In a
Cap Game, however, this player can keep his seat, knowing that he can't lose more than
$30 on any single hand.

When a cap is in place, there tends to be a lot of action. Players open up their games
when they know their losses will be limited and will commit for the cap on hands they
might be more cautious with in a standard No-Limit game. So Cap Games can be action
packed and a lot of fun.

Cap Game Strategy

For the most part, Cap Games play just like other big-bet games. But there will be some
key pots where you can use the cap to your advantage. You'll be able to take some shots
at pots that you probably wouldn't take in deep-stack games.

In particular, Cap Games offer great semi-bluffing opportunities. For example, say that
you're in a $1/$2 No-Limit Hold 'em Cap Game and a player opens for a $6 raise. You
think he's weak and decide to re-raise to $20 with the 9c-Tc. The blinds fold and the raiser
calls. The flop comes 2c-6c-Js. He checks to you and you decide to bet about the size of
the pot - $40 - with your flush draw.

With this bet and the pre-flop action, you've reached the cap; you can't commit any more
money to the pot. That makes this flop bet a pure semi-bluff. There's a good chance that
you'll force a fold and, if you don't, you've still got about a 1 in 3 chance of hitting your flush
on the next two cards. In a standard No-Limit game, however, this play could go very badly.
You could be check-raised or called. If called, you could face a large bet on the turn after
missing your flush. Either way, you might be forced to fold without having the opportunity to
hit your hand.

Also in Cap Games, you can play some medium-strength hands more aggressively than
you would in a traditional No-Limit game. For instance, you might be reluctant to commit
100 big blinds on a middle pocket pair, even if you felt your opponent was playing
overcards and missed the flop. But in a Cap Game, you might play for the maximum on
something like pocket 9s if you feel it is, in fact, the best hand.

In addition, there are more opportunities for slow-playing in Cap Games. Say that you hit a
set of 5s when the flop comes 5d-7d-9c. You could be up against some sort of draw here
and, in a standard No-Limit game, you'd probably want to bet so that you didn't risk letting
a flush get there for free. But in a Cap Game, you might give the free card. The draw will
probably play for the cap no matter what you do, and if an opponent had overcards and
missed the flop, he'd only commit money if he connects with the board on the turn.

In general, you don't need to be so concerned about super-fine reads or making big
laydowns in Cap Games. If you think there's a reasonable chance you're ahead, you can
play for the cap without putting an excessive amount at risk.

Give our new Cap Games a shot. I think you'll enjoy the more open style of play that
accompanies these games. They really are a lot of fun.