Alex Fitzgerald’s SECRETS on LIVE TELLS

Sometimes when playing live poker it’s extremely obvious when a player likes their hand!
I had the pleasure of reviewing a hand with PokerCoaching coach Alex Fitzgerald! This was from the WSOP Mini Main Event in 2021 and it is a great example of how you need to adapt your strategy when you have a very clear read on your opponent.
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[@PokerCoaching]

What would YOU do with J♠ J♥ on the flop? Your Stack (UTG +2): 58,900 Their Stacks (SB, LJ, HJ): 58,900 Pot: 5,000 Board: J♣ 4♥ 2♦ SB checks, You check, LJ bets 2,000, HJ raises to 5,000, SB folds A) Call B) Raise to 8,000 (small) C) Raise to 12,000 (medium) D) Raise to 58,900 (all in)

[@greggyves6249]

We’re pretty deep so I like a call, not many bad turns for our hand. Raising seems super strong and gives LJ chance to fold his over pairs which we obviously don’t want.

[@michaelfluharty7904]

I’d raise it up to 12k

[@r.w.221]

This completely depends on the table dynamics. Who are my opponents and what do they likely think about me. If I have been raising a few hands before or was caught bluffing I tend to raise. If I have been playing passive so far I tend to call. As I have the pure nuts on a board with no obvious draws the only question is how to maximize the profit. If I somehow loose the hand it is a cooler…most times I call here!

[@BigTomJeep]

Call

[@JohnDeCarlo]

min raise

[@perrybarnacle]

Extremely straightforward call here in my opinion.

[@chrisowen3878]

I agree, how strong does a 3bet on the flop look? It's 100% nutted, I like a call also because we let the LJ in the pot. In theory we can get paid off by both players here if we call, whereas if we 3bet I don't think we are going to get both players money. There aren't many turn cards we are worried about except maybe an A or a K

[@nomilknosugar4900]

Its a call on this dry board. If we 3-bet we might scare AA off and we are very happy to keep A5s and other buffs in the hand.

[@Nicoyutub]

I'm a huge fan of Alex Fitzgerald. Love that you did this with your coaches, Jonathan. Matt Affleck and Jonathan Jaffe are also amazing.

[@PokerCoaching]

I love my coaches too!

[@Brazz27]

I would casually throw a 5k chip in and check on all turns, hoping for more money getting in from anyone do that it becomes harder for them to hero fold due to pot odds.. its such a good spot to wait for the turn to put more money in

[@Peter-zg3em]

solvers and theory can go out of the window a little bit when you're playing thousands of hands at .1-2 online and then go into the main event and play one hand with more money on the table. you don't care about anything but the hand in front of you. i'm always impressed with how well alex is able to navigate this as a coach and as a teacher. there is more than one way to be profitable in this game. i'd rather run great once and have all my bluffs go through in the main even than play gto all my life and fail to read the room at the main event when all the money is out there. fun video. two of my fave poker authors right now.

[@kineahora8736]

We’ve identified preflop min-raiser as having some weird agitation-seems to me we *want* his action. If we raise here, he is more apt to get out of the way facing *two* reraises and meanwhile you are heavily blocking top pairs. This player *already* is going to have an opportunity to re-raise if you call, either because he has 44, or because he feels like he’s squeezing one of you. And if he just calls off, there’s still over 15K in the pot on the flop with your having 55k behind so I don’t think there’s any need to raise this spot. (a) call

[@michaelfluharty7904]

Love to see more content from Alex. He’s my fav

[@JohnG57]

Here to say always be betting but to answer the question 100% depends on villain. Against competent opponents just calling because we smash the board so hard and there are few to zero draws that could call a raise. Against more recreational players that might not barrel turn or river I like a small click back to get the betting lead since these players are also more likely to call with a worse hand than bet when checked to and we can bet the turn.

[@Cery024]

I could listen to these two gentlemen talking about poker endlessly

[@phillipholmes5206]

What I've started doing recently is being more aggressive, and just raising a bit more frequently in this situation, sometimes with very little. This means the others can't just fold straight away, and I can raise here because it is not that unusual for me to do so. Also, if it checks round it's a disaster, I would not want to give away a free card on the flop with 42 in case the low straight gets there. If I've not been that active, then check raise would be a lot more likely, but only small to make it look like I just trying to get the LJ off the pot. I might also just call here sometimes, but I would not recommended it three ways.

[@jaredgilbert5517]

I don't think they have any straight draws here. Maybe A-3 suited with the gutter and backdoor but generally I think you're more worried about them having nothing and folding on this flop as opposed to hitting a draw.

[@founik]

Alex seems to be pretty funny guy, good mood, good vibes. A nice person to be around. Also I like his webinars and a bit unorthodox methods.

[@PokerCoaching]

I appreciate that!

[@antonios4553]

Raise to 12, make it as close to HU as possible before a wheel draw combo connects. An all in screams a set.

[@martindim7182]

Here is a hand, do you find it interesting? First hand in a deep-stack tourney (100BB). "Hero" is +3 and has ATs. Action folds to him, he raises x2.5. Both blinds call. Flop is Q J 7 rainbow. Both blinds check, Hero c-bets half the pot, SB folds, BB calls. Turn is another Q. Both check. River is another Q. BB bets, Hero raises, BB all-in, Hero calls. What does the BB have and could the Hero have played it differently?

[@PokerCoaching]

Check back flop.

[@jppagetoo]

I think in this case I float and just call. My inclination is to eliminate one of the villains and get heads up . There is no chance you are behind here but you are out of position. Call, see what happens with the preflop raiser and call any raises from behind, I know my hand is the nuts at the moment.

[@ZachBZera]

Alex fitzgerald's books are the single best books i have read on poker. If you are a new player, "exploitative play in live poker" is the single best book i would recommend for low stakes cash and tournaments

[@Cap10Chunks]

Love this video format! Keep em coming.

[@PokerCoaching]

You got it!

[@BryanM61]

Call. Let them keep firing. Nothing to worry about on this board; one or both of the opps may have an overpair or AK, so a max 17% chance one of them hits.

[@DavidSmith-lj1yz]

To me a call vs 2 villains is insanely strong..if people are calling down for their entire stack or jamming over 2 raisers with a single pair well...bless their hearts!!

[@arnoldpalmer4176]

Sad that Jlittle doesn’t address me in the intro. I want to be a shark but right now I’m a guppie navigating the ocean like a young Nemo😭

[@easstttt]

I think he has a lot of 22 and 44 in his range so I like getting it in I think any of the raises are probably good options but I think we just go for max value and stick with c or d I really like those options

[@ricky5369]

I would usually raise on the spot but thinking it through, it's probably better to call because it would look way too strong.

[@timjoiewall4303]

Since the LJ seems to be a loose tilting player, I would raise to 11-12K and let the LJ or the HJ push all in. The HJ may have the same read on the LJ seat too.

[@ryangi5]

Very interesting!

[@downunderglitchgaming6379]

Push it in

[@johnnyordille6256]

I would probably reraise small, close to a min click; let them do the work. The only draw you have to worry about is Ah5h and Ad5d (I don’t consider the AA a draw)

[@ewanday5015]

The kid from Everette WA made good, his book is required reading for online grinders.

[@Brazz27]

Im 3 mins in and I really like a medium 4bet-fold there pre.. Against an agitated player, I dont think hes gonna fold correctly to a 4.5k raise there, and youre very likely to either take the pot down, or be heads up (which seem like two reasonable outcomes) .. And we obv fold to any 5bet sizes except a min raise because we are in a spot where we set-mind for an easy double up very often

[@danman274]

Let's just flat the 5k. We have the board locked down, no flush draw or anything, and the pot is gonna be big enough even by proceeding with a call that we can get all the money in by the river. This is also what we might do with a hand like AJ and leaves room for the LJ or HJ to do something silly.

[@CanadianLoveKnot]

3 bet on the flop is way to strong, and you risk both of them folding. If you Flat LJ may just re-pop anyways. If you raise LJ should consider folding, but never jamming. Suicide play there.

[@jasonbatteiger2421]

nice, this hand alex also went over in one of his daily emailed out videos, can tell at start of description (agitated guy getting backrub 3 bets him)

[@jasonbatteiger2421]

gonna be funny if LJ in like 5 or whatever years watches this video and comes in here with the "hey i understand hand values now guys!"

[@gabelu0002]

I call. They have a pair for sure. If they have A5 or A3, I think they never rase 2b preflop

[@Seen-ev7yn]

MID STAKES MTT follow Alex : ITM 10 % 🤣 follow JL. : ITM 25 %. 😀 Adapt both : FT with big stack 15 %,💪💪💪💪💪 My personal experience. Thank you guys.Appreciate it.

[@willinnewhaven3285]

I would call, possibly because the original three--better might re-raise. I would fast-play if I saw a pre-fold from the original three-better.

[@normanham6142]

I’d shove after flop. AA or AJ would likely call or raise. Rainbow board; my set is good. I’ve had ppl snap call b/c they have an over pair or they think I’m bluffing.

[@socalbum1971]

Definitely just a call if you expect the LJ to “love” his hand, he’s going to Re-raise for you and the HJ will just think the LJ (splashy guy) is trying to bully you off the table. Depending if the turn doesn’t make the straight I would check again cuz I know the LJ will bet again. If you’re going to rip it all in anyway might as well let the third wheel tag along!

[@joeybets8981]

I flat. We can let either one of the opponents in the hand bluff off plus rasing to any size on this board after checking seems pretty value heavy and there is not much we could expect to get value from.

[@matthewriebel5792]

I would just call the flop if there are no straight or flush draws possible, except maybe a gutshot wheel draw. Maybe the lunatic on the LJ will reraise.

[@vikwillwin]

I would call and keep them both in the hand !

[@daithi1966]

On the flop there was a bet and a raise. It doesn't matter if you raise or call, because either way your opponents are going to know you have a good hand, so you might as well raise and start building the pot to get even more in on later streets. There aren't any draws on this board either.

[@superwomble88uk]

Hi Jonathan, enjoyed this vid, always like Alex’s work. You probably already know about Zach Elwood but his stuff on live tells is the nuts 👍

[@PokerCoaching]

Yep, I have worked with him many times.

[@jon77vill]

Call, keep the overpairs and give a chance to LJ to ship it!

[@qazzaqstan]

I think it has to be a call, if the HJ has a set we can probably x/r turn and over-bet river which feels more profitable since we might keep LJ in and with a pot of at least 17K we should be able to get all the money in against HJ either way (also LJ might even 3-bet AA if we just call). If HJ has something like A5s we are in amazing shape and they probably fold to a raise. QQ is interesting because I think HJ can still have that here and then we are risking action killing cards on turn but 1) I don't actually know if those would call a 3-bet and 2) that leaves them 6 hands that might check back turn and 6-8 bluffs that we definitely don't want to scare away. Edit: Or AA could just jam when we 3-bet apparently.... did not really see that coming.

[@johnnyblaze8030]

Johnathon I'm reading your book and just found your KZbin channel. Both are superb!! New subscriber here😃👍

[@PokerCoaching]

Welcome aboard!

[@Divinevert]

I go 12. There's enough action that I can expect to get it in over a couple streets

[@frankfriel1511]

I would call to allow the original raiser the chance to 3 bet bluff or stay in with all of their draws, overpairs and bluffs. Raising could allow both players a chance to fold, and that would be terrible.

[@beeshmar3593]

I think call the flop raise. You have the nuts on a very dry board so raising would lose a lot of bluffs here

[@gs6810]

I think if he flat calls then the LJ still reraises big and then HJ has a much more difficult decision and the hero potentially makes even more.

[@NicholasStein]

Since I am OOP, I want to set it up for a river jam because I am ahead. I have to assume that both opponents have premiums, but my top set is the nuts so far. However, if both opponents have a higher pair, as seems likely from the commentary, there are 6 outs that can beat me. There is no good way to play jiggities. I want to charge them for their draws. I bet 11,000 92% of pot. Granted I am playing face up, but them folding is ok with me.

[@chinggis_khagan]

If both players have a higher pair, there are only 4 outs than can beat you. I don't think them folding that is so great.

[@HardHatPat]

Call every day

[@NathanSpiwak]

I'd call the 5k on the flop looking to maybe check raise the turn or river.

[@VOILAA]

YEsterday I got that Min-Click and thought ahh god the nuts. Then I don't remember the hand exactly I think I was priced in but I took it down against JTs.

[@JamesWilson-sb9iq]

I would call the 5k and lead on the turn

[@robertomercer]

Call

[@paulgrande4371]

Did LJ ever get his masseuse?

[@cpasa798]

It’s a call, LJ will raise anyway, maybe HJ calls the raise and then you call again. Then check, LJ all in, maybe HJ calls and then you call. It’s 200bb in multi-way 4way 3 bet pot, they are not that deep going to the flop, no need to rush it

[@edwardbrito4010]

63 or 53 has open ended but nobody really raising preflop that if they’re a maniac only. So at best mid or gut shot. Call because no rainbow too.

[@nattywit2208]

JJ on flop? open from hu+2 bet 1100, flop check, turn bet 3/4 pot, full pot bet on turn

[@philipchristie563]

$12K on the table. You have the nuts and 2 raisers in front of you. One of them has something. Raising pot ($12K) at a minimum. Maybe even a little bigger to entice a shove, say $22K.

[@clapforboobies5892]

call rainbow flop in hopes that lj comes along

[@carlspencer855]

Call no need to raise no draws check call turn then check raise river 😎

[@christopherhorn4744]

Call or jam…. Leaning towards calling. They are doing a good job betting for me. It does look suspicious though

[@jaredcarrick3468]

For quiz/question, I probably wouldn’t have checked top set on that flop. When I flop the nuts on a relatively draw heavy flop, I am more of a fan of setting up a check raise if I’m OOP, counting on my opponent to bet their draws and worse made hands for protection. I then like to use a size that will look most like a semi bluff with the check raise….. depending on the opponent, to induce max action. However if I flop the nuts like top set on a junky looking flop where any draws aren’t very likely, I will typically lead fairly small if I’m OOP. Again, it depends on the opponent, but I will lead with a size that will sell weakness to them….. depending on what type of player they are. Some players tee off on blocker size bets assuming it’s a very marginal hand that doesn’t want to get raised, while others would be too suspicious of the sizing so I would rather go for around a full pot size bet….. which wouldn’t make sense to a more skilled player if I did flop the best of it, seeing is how dry the flop looks and they would subsequently expect me to check at least one street if I had a nutted hand in that spot, so against a player like this, I would opt to lead with around a pot size bet with the pocket JJ on this flop.

[@tylerslenk8243]

how is that a relatively draw heavy flop?

[@jaredcarrick3468]

@@tylerslenk8243 reread my comment. I was speaking generally, but I proceeded to explain how I would play it on this particular flop

[@peterbrottman7187]

Sorry Jared, but this makes no sense at all. First off, you never lead flop after being 3bet pre. Check/raise yes, but never lead. Then you have to be aware of board connetivety (your range vs villains range). There are some cases where you can lead, typically 7-high flops and lower, from the BB. And also on some turns when the card that comes is good for your range. When it comes to sizing you typically never use different sizes depending on your hand, you always bet your whole range. Valuebets and draws (semi-bluffs) you bet the same size (that is, if you are the pre-flop aggressor and are cbetting). On a connected board you typcally bet large but infrequently, on a disconnected board, you bet small and frequently. If you're not a member of Pokercoaching.com yet I can highly recommend that. In there, you'll find tons of webinars going through all of these concepts. Gl in your games!

[@br4insful]

that's a great spot to print the money and just call If the opponents have higher pair. they have 2 outs to make a set each. So, if both of them have an overpair, they have 4 outs against us. They will bury themselves 96% of the time. I'd raise maybe on the river to make it look like a big bluff. Anyway, the flop I only call. Don't be greedy, let them put more money into the pot.

[@joewieseavoicetalent]

I would bet c:

[@BryanM61]

Raise to 12

[@bryanchaler8128]

How are you missing the fact that if you just call he is still going to raise?

[@PokerCoaching]

You don't know your opponent's cards when you are playing at the table...

[@GnabberGnundalf]

Hi Jonathan. First of all thanks for your work. Is there any possibilities that u could make a video about how to win 1$ tournaments? I watch a lot of videos, playing live poker a lot and for many many years (online now for 1 month). But these 1$ tournaments are horrible. If I play with strategies and watch what the players do and try to analyze etc. nothing works. 7 of 8 players are Bingo players that call any 2 in any times. If I get busted I always lose with the better hand to one of these donks and in my opinion and after watching videos I did nothing wrong in this hand.

[@PokerCoaching]

Just play better cards than them and put your money in when you flop premium hands.

[@davidgibbins8812]

Call. I cant see any combination that is beating my set? HJ hasnt called then raised 24 or J4 so that doesnt bother. And if I believe this - and I do- I am content to hide behind their set of 4s. Can I get extra money? Yes but thats for the turn

[@rhyscrump8370]

100% cal and hope lojack raises for us.

[@ExpansiveAwareness1]

Maybe unlikely as they would be low pairs, but might they have successfully mined a small set with 2's or 4's and thinking they might be up against KK or AA?

[@nintendolover82]

I mean the board's so dry that I'd have a hard time folding Aces here even with this action. Example, HJ raise could be weaker hands like QQ or KK or AJ, Hero's raise looks so sus given that the board is dry. From an unknown player this could definitely be a hand even as weak as AJ. I wouldn't fold AA here

[@paullemay6596]

I would call for sure to maximally keep my opps in the pot

[@TheMoviesWithMike]

Reraise to 12k, odds are one of them has an over pair or a set, get the money in

[@paullemay6596]

Alex sounds a bit like Tom Hanks

[@jasonbatteiger2421]

haha, at the end, yeah you don't yet have enough of those to be giving them away to us. haha.

[@jasonbatteiger2421]

not an insult, i'm betting almost nobody does. even hellmuth isn't giving them away to people he doesn't know.

[@chex1007]

4:17 why check, why not bet?

[@PokerCoaching]

You have the super nuts and want to keep the opponents in, plus you generally want to do a lot of checking multi-way.

[@lgertz3663]

call

[@denniskrook2925]

I really dont see any other option than to call.

[@RVGambler11]

Shove

[@christopherhorn4744]

Either call or shove??? Calling is suspicious

[@toddpolish]

Call on flop to keep LJ in

[@jerrydelisle606]

I'm going tank a minute an call

[@jerrydelisle606]

N JUST A MINUTE

[@j.matthewwalker1651]

I would call here. Very dry board and you have top pair double blocked. Want to keep ranges wide.

[@jaimeaparisi4194]

reraise to 15K

[@brendanmoriarty7756]

Wouldn't minimum 3-bet be 1.2k? 600x2 (Just a call keep the scrubs in)

[@fuhgetabouthat247]

I know someone who took 10th in that tourney lol. He's harrible but he crushed that tourney 😆

[@waynetokarz174]

All in, your hand is disguised. You look lie KK AA. He will call with anything except QQ

[@dogperson432]

Yep - it's so aggressive it looks like a bluff

[@DaveCompton5150]

I would call. Folding is stupid, and if you raise, you might as well put the cards on your forehead and show everyone.

[@thedude5599]

This is how I lose all the time Im the guy with a set some donk calls and hits his miracle and bam im out. I swear I have the worst luck in poker. Just the othe rday playing cash I have 9 10 suited hearts. I have 500 plus in front of me My maniac friend has about 480 ish. I call 2 dollars villian to my immediate left raises to 10 dollars. Flop comes 9d 7s 3d I bet 25 with top pair. Maniac on my left reraises to 75. I have top pair but there is a straight draw and flush draw. Maniac raises every pot and rerarises all the time with complete air. Easy call even thou its a raise. turn comes 10c I now have top two pair. Now im good beating aces or KK QQ JJ losing to and set highly unlikely . I rip it all in for about 450 dollars. Maniac calls river comes 7 guy beats me with trips. Maniac had J 7 offsuit reraised on flop with second top pair calls his whole stack with third top pair and a gutter. Pretty much felts me. IM like WTF how do I lose to these idiots all the time. WSOP main event flopped nutstraight on a raised bet pot. I had QJ clubs Villian has A5spades. Flop comes 10s Kc Ah I flop the nuts Villian bets 4000 blinds are 1000 2000. I have 125 000 in chips I raise to 12000 Villian rips his whole stack in for about 180 000 chips I snap call turn river comes spades im out lose to a flush. No fucking lies. 10K out lose to like a runner runner flush. It is insane how bad I run.

[@davidkimbrough6048]

Hollywood tank call The flop.

[@steveshields6402]

A

[@RVGambler11]

I played a similar hand lately. Flop j 10 4. Out of position I called turn was a Q, straight comes in. Check check River 4… Check expecting to check raise… All in..I call.. Quad 4’s Oh well $hit happens

[@hdnt2004]

Flat call, rainbow board, no draws, and two loose/aggro players to our left betting. Why drive, when you can be driven.

[@jimmuscat2693]

We call….

[@PeterJ0425]

i flat

[@joewieseavoicetalent]

I would bet the pot

[@rljpdx]

flat call

[@jasondowns4235]

Think he has 3 5 suited

[@Eliht01]

First