Explanation of Cap
Cap – Typically in cash games, the size of the effective stacks varies with each hand played. As we progress deeper into the game, the stacks can become more substantial, assuming our opponent has us covered. However, deep stack play isn't for everyone; capitulated games provide an opportunity to accumulate a sizable stack without engaging in deep stack scenarios.
In a cap game, there's a strict upper limit on the number of chips that can be wagered during a hand. Taking a 20bb cap game as an example, if a player declares they are going 'all-in', it signifies their commitment of 20 big blinds. Although they might have a total of 200 big blinds in their stack, the remaining 180 big blinds become irrelevant for the purposes of that particular hand.
Cap games are somewhat uncommon. While you might occasionally find them in online platforms or at physical casinos, they tend to attract a smaller number of players and don't experience heavy traffic.
Capped – A capped range arises when a player adopts a particular line of play that prevents certain strong hands from being part of their possible holdings. A straightforward example can be observed when a player opts to call a bet in a situation where they would generally have raised if they possessed a strong hand.
Consider a situation with a specific board texture during a No-Limit Texas Hold'em match -
Board: T ♠ 8 ♠ 5 ♥
Envision that our opponent encounters a continuation bet on this type of board. Usually, given the board's potential for draws, robust hands like sets or possibly two pairs would be raised, especially in situations involving single raises. If our opponent decides only to call instead of raising, it becomes reasonable for us to conclude they likely do not hold many hands stronger than a pair of Tens.
Now, let’s imagine the board develops in a certain way after our opponent opts to call both on the flop and the turn.
Board: T ♠ 8 ♠ 5 ♥ 2 ♣ 2 ♦
There’s a chance that our opponent had draws available on the flop and turn; however, on the blank river, those draws do not come to fruition. It seems very unlikely that they possess anything stronger than a single pair at this point. Thus, we can conclude that 'our opponent is capped at one-pair.'
Example of Cap used in a sentence -> We can confidently place a bet with our two-pair hand for value here because our opponent generally is capped at holding just one pair.
How to Utilize Cap in Your Poker Strategy
Cap – To become a successful player in cap games, it’s essential to grasp the strategic adjustments needed at that distinct stack depth. For instance, if you typically play standard 100bb cash games, you will need to modify your approach significantly if you join a 50bb cap table. This may involve reevaluating both your preflop strategies and how you proceed postflop.
Capped – According to poker theory, if we find that our opponent has a capped range, this often motivates us to adopt larger bet sizes, whether we are bluffing or aiming for value. In the context of exploitative play, it may require a tailored strategy that aligns with our opponent's specific tendencies, which might include, but are not limited to, the following tactics.
1. Employing larger bet sizes as a bluff in hopes of folding nearly all of our opponent's possible range.
2. Utilizing smaller bet sizes for value in order to extract calls.
These suggestions are merely illustrative; the optimal strategy may need to be inverted depending on situational factors. For example, if our opponent becomes aware of their capped status and anticipates us making an overbet bluff, this presents an ideal opportunity for us to opt for thin value betting. It is important to always consider our opponent's tendencies and strategize accordingly in order to fully exploit them. levelling With over 10 million registered players globally, 888poker stands as the fastest growing online poker platform, welcoming a new player every 12 seconds. Having been a leader in the online gaming sector since 1997, 888 has pushed the boundaries of safe and responsible gaming. We are recognized as one of the largest and most reputable brands in the industry, offering an extensive array of games, high-stakes tournaments, and thrilling live poker events for players from all corners of the world. overbet How to Incorporate Cap into Your Poker Strategy
See Also
Effective Stacks , Sizing , Overbet , Underbet , Range , Hold’em , Continuation Bet , Levelling