Check-Jamming a Combo Draw for 100 Big Blinds? A GTO Analysis
Say you find yourself playing from out of position in a three-bet pot holding a combination draw. What would be the "game theory optimal" or GTO approach to playing your draw?
Poker coach Gareth James of MTT Poker School tackles that very situation in a new video in which he uses PIO Solver to walk us through a GTO approach to the question of whether or not to check-shove our stack.
Over the course of the hand analysis, James seeks answers to three questions:
- Are we ever check-jamming at 100 big blinds?
- If so, with what hands should we do it?
- How do we play our combo draws?
Here's an overview of what James covers:
| 0:06 | Introduction: How to play out of position in a three-bet pot. |
| 0:30 | The Hand: Hero opens from the cutoff to 2.1x from a 40 BB stack with 9♠8♠. The button three-bets to 6 BB, Hero calls, and the flop comes 7♠J♠9♦. Hero checks, Villain bets about half-pot. What should Hero do? |
| 2:07 | Exploring a GTO Solution (at 40 BB): Gareth explains how he used PIOSolver to compare the strategies at 40 BB vs. 100 BB in this same situation — i.e., CO vs. BTN in a three-bet pot on 7♠J♠9♦. He discusses the importance of having some very clear questions to which you want answers when doing such an analysis — otherwise you can end up down several rabbit holes. |
| 5:34 | Exploring a GTO Solution (at 100 BB): Now he looks at the same situation with 100 BB and aims to answer the same questions. |
| 7:32 | Playing combo draws: Gareth brings up Range Explorer to look at how we should play our combo draws specifically. |
| 8:57 | Comparing different hand strengths: Gareth explains how it can be useful to compare strategies across different hand strengths — e.g., how you should play straights, sets, two pair, flush draws, straight draws, etc.? |
| 9:39 | Putting it all together: Finally, Gareth brings up an in-depth analysis of all hand strengths at both 40 BB and 100 BB to give you an idea of something you can do to help your study. |
And here's the video:
Gareth James coaches at MTT Poker School and is the co-author with Dr. Tricia Cardner of Purposeful Practice for Poker.
