Coming Over The Top

Coming Over the Top

I'm going to share a valuable No Limit Hold'em tip with you that is used by every top professional poker player out there.

You've probably heard things like, "Poker isn't about the cards; it's about reading people.” Well, today’s play illustrates how you can apply people-reading skills to a poker hand, regardless of what you hold.

The play is a pre-flop re-raise -- otherwise known as coming over the top.

For example, you’re playing in a No Limit Hold'em tournament, and the blinds are 100-200 with a 25 ante. A loose player, from middle position, raises to 600. Everyone folds to you, sitting on the dealer button, with Q-3 offsuit.

This would seem to be an obvious folding situation, but it’s not necessarily so. If you have a read on your opponent and your table image is that of a conservative player, you might easily take this pot down by coming over the top with a re-raise.

Including the loose player's initial raise, there is 1,125 in the pot (blinds 300, antes 225 and initial raise 600). If you re-raise the bet to 2,600, chances are both blinds will fold --unless one of them picks up a powerful hand like AA or KK, and that would be unlikely. Then the action returns to Mr. Loose.

Unless you were wrong about your initial read, and he does hold a strong hand, he'll fold. More times than not, your investment of 2,600 will win you 1,125, and none of that has anything to do with the strength of your hand.

Basically, you’re laying odds of a little more than 2:1 that your raise will win the pot right there. But what do you do if the guy does call? That's the tricky part.

If he calls, you need to slam on the brakes; coming over the top works best before the flop, not after it.

Since your opponent decided to look you up, you must realize that he has a very strong hand. Now, you might take just one more shot at the pot on the flop. However, if he calls again, only proceed if you hit a miracle flop yourself.

The play works even better with more players in the hand. Here's why. Let's say the initial situation is the same: Mr. Loose makes it 600, but this time, a player behind him calls. You have 2-7 offsuit, the worst hand in poker. There is already 1,725 in the pot. Your raise will be about the same, say, 2,600. This time you’re risking 2,600 to win 1,725 -- a much better return.

The second player who called actually helps you in two ways. First, you know it's unlikely that he can call your re-raise; if he had a strong hand like pocket aces or kings he probably would have re-raised himself. Second, he makes your raise look even more legitimate, since you’ve represented power by re-raising two people.

Because over the top plays are designed for pre-flop wins, you don't want to use this tactic on hands that have strong post-flop potential. Hands like 7-7 or 7s-8s actually want to see a cheap flop; you’re hoping to flop a set or hit a straight or flush. Just call in these situations and save your over the top plays for trash hands like Q-4, A-6, or even 7-2.

Here’s another benefit of the over the top play. It helps to strengthen your table image. I hear players complain all the time that they never catch a hand, or that they have bad luck. Re-raise over the top and you’ll manufacture a hand and make your own luck.

Adding today’s play to your repertoire will help increase your chip count with very little risk. It also adds texture to your game. Once your opponents catch on to the fact that you’re willing to come over the top, you’ll get the action you want when you’re dealt power hands like AA or KK.

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