Mastering The Fundamentals: Multiway Pots

Continuing our Mastering The Fundamentals series, Jonathan covers how your poker strategy should change when multiple people are involved in a hand; learn how to master multiway pots to crush your opponents!
In most low stakes poker games you will find that the majority of pots will have multiple players involved. These multiway pots can be tricky to navigate and lots of players make huge mistakes by playing too many hands and finding themselves dominated when all of the chips end up in the middle!
As more players enter the pot, you must proceed with caution. Offsuit hands are especially terrible multi-way because you are somewhat likely to be dominated. Marginal suited hands also lose a lot of value. Your 3-betting range should become tighter and more linear.
Jonathan looks at the differences in the ranges preflop when facing a single open and then when facing a caller in between you and the opener. Your range should tighten! He also looks at the differences in the range of poker hands that decide to 3-bet rather than just call when facing a raise and a caller.
It is important to learn some of these important postflop multi-way concepts.
The nut & range advantage are both greatly reduced as more ranges are in the pot. Because they are reduced, the strategies that come with a large range and/or nut advantages are also greatly reduced. This means that very high frequency bets no longer occur as well as huge bet sizes. Some general adjustments that you should make are defending significantly tighter when facing aggression in multi-way pots. You should be over-folding when you are not closing the action due to equity realization factors.
Hand strength will typically downgrade in multiway pots. Continuing ranges should be much tighter so you need more equity to put money in the pot. Cleaning up equity has more merit in multiway pots. Some general adjustments that you should make are constructing your bets in a more linear manner. Make sure you are using fewer ‘no equity’ bluffs and more hands that need protection in your betting range.
When you have the option to use aggression you should check far more frequently, you should use smaller bet sizes on average and you should construct your bets/raise in a more linear manner. When you are facing aggression you should defend significantly tighter. You should over-fold your shared minimum defense frequency when you’re not closing the action.
0:00 - Mastering Multiway Fundamentals
0:37 - Preflop: Fundamentals
2:03 - Preflop: Hand Chart Examples
12:43 - Postflop: Nut & Range Advantage
14:52 - Postflop: Minimum Defense Frequency & Equity Realization
18:16 - Postflop: Aggression
18:48 - Postflop: Poker Hand Examples
34:45 - Mastering Multiway Fundamentals
On this Poker Coaching channel we cover a weekly poker topic to help improve your poker strategy!
In order to take your poker game to the next level it is vitally important you learn all the nuances of the game.
Do you know what ranges of poker hands you should be playing from each position? When should you 3-bet, call or fold? When is the right time to make a hero call or a huge bluff? Do you know how to play preflop, flop, turn & river effectively and how should your poker strategy change depending on the street? What difference does it make if you are playing multi-way vs heads-up?
#pokerstrategy #multiway #pokeradvice

[@PokerCoaching]

Why should we use smaller bet sizes in multiway pots? 🤔

[@qsdailydose8970]

Because with each additional person in the pot we have less and less equity

[@mr.monologue7613]

Also don't want to bloat the pot

[@dkoul3686]

Because we are using a more linear range instead of a more polarized

[@anthonyrojas9989]

This is so relevant to these fish ponds in low-stakes. Awesome content Jonathan, thank you as always

[@PokerCoaching]

So glad that you liked it!

[@volodymyrbelozorov2504]

"You have to proceed with caution!" (Jams every 2nd hand)

[@dherbert9121]

One of my most favourite videos by Jonathon . Clear and easy to understand . Think it’s so important to realise that when you get called sometimes and bust , that doesn’t mean you played it badly . Thanks again .

[@dherbert9121]

Jonathan you silly predictive text . Thanks for all the informative videos . Feel like I’m slowly getting better

[@genisbartusiak8791]

One of my favorite videos you have posted. I love when you have examples

[@PokerCoaching]

So glad that you liked it :)

[@qsdailydose8970]

I love the practice hands

[@josephh4539]

last week was my first time playing in 7 yrs , went up against 40 in a small afternoon tourny, i came in 8th on the bubble , just missing my first cash. So i went back and listened to Jonathans audio book ,"master the small stacks game" and now i realize how many mistakes i made. With the knowledge gained from your book. im just a small stakes player , and i plan to dominate the small stacks games. Jonathan im excited to finally play this game smart and win these tournaments, especially the cash games. You are the best.

[@PokerCoaching]

Awesome, thanks so much! Good luck in your games!

[@jamesjones2675]

Thank you. You have triggered a thought process on one of your very insightful points that has me rethinking a specific scenario.

[@MauiQ1967]

Love that you inform very directly to the audience: air-ball betting is no good! Towards the end of video: Q7❤goes all-in (Air-ball bet, we have a blocker potential and position) “Oh no…such is life! (Aggressive loss then conceded-lmao) Did they have Top pair (6)? GREAT REVIEW WITH YOU as always Jonathan!

[@JonPaulMorris]

Awesome! More Multiway stuff please!

[@spencerlee3201]

I feel like multi way pots is a leak in my game. Thank you JL for this helpful video! Keep them coming 😊

[@alvaroramiro8364]

Everything is a leak in your game. You're a total fish

[@spencerlee3201]

@@alvaroramiro8364 wow I'll bet you're fun at parties :)

[@goodmushroom]

learnt a lot. Thank you Jonathan

[@rodneybaglama5098]

Your a awesome poker teacher I've excelled my game watching your free videos

[@joshharrison3344]

Thank you for using these stack sizes!! Perfect

[@PokerCoaching]

You're welcome, Josh!

[@eugeneahmad5459]

I been waiting for this one..... bc at lower stakes, there are alot of multi way pots.... everyone calls to see the flop

[@qsdailydose8970]

Thankyou!

[@BedifferentDan]

Nice video! Videos regarding Multiway pot in deep cash game could be interesting. Thanks

[@_RPM_Fitness_]

I really like this video, great info.

[@ewallt]

Very happy to hear all in for the Kings one.

[@mr.monologue7613]

Thank you for all the fantastic content, I will be trying a month subscription soon just to freshen up.. my big problem atm is maintaining a massive stack I've acquired, and running deep with it. Any videos on maintaining your stack without punting? 😅😂

[@blazeron12]

Squeeze pre with the off suit broadway to avoid multiway spots and I also 3 bet with my suited wheel aces as bluffs to get it heads up where a cbet will take it down a large majority of the time.

[@ohiomoon1813]

Personally, I prefer longer videos so don't feel bad about making something 45 minutes or even longer. Your videos are very instructional and you're a very good teacher. At least for me that is.

[@PokerCoaching]

That's very kind of you to say! I'm so glad you get value from them

[@PokerCoaching]

That's very kind of you to say! I'm so glad you get value from them

[@backpacker3421]

Preflop, even AA chance of winning drops precipitously the more people are in the pot - by the time you hit 3 callers, you're almost down to a coin flip, 4 callers and you're below even odds. And although you are best in and getting much better odds than you need (so of course you are going to play) that's the reason you should be aggressive on the front end to whittle down the field and improve your chances - but careful on the back end with so many still in. AA is still just one pair. But I bring it up mainly to illustrate just how much your equity drops multiway and how much stronger you need to be to proceed post. Personally, I'd much rather play medium pairs and suited connectors with more than 2 opponents, because I'm looking for sets and better to push the pot. Premium hole cards, I'm looking to narrow the field if I can. Kind of the whole point of 3 betting, really - chase out the weaker stuff.

[@nickl.20]

Perfect for small stakes play

[@julianocerri8727]

💪💪 greetings from Brazil 🇧🇷🇧🇷

[@terencehill3972]

I love the Pokers! ❤️

[@joaosustelo5628]

Thanks for the video Jonathan! I was surprised with the A2 of spades bluffing on the button. It may be a good bluff but it seems too scary. I feel like in micro and small stakes people are just going to call me on the river most of the times with a pair of kings and a bad kicker or some people will even with a smaller pair. Anyways, I might attempt to do it.

[@mrnobody8464]

Love the information but a little confused. One of the first post flop strategies you mention for multi-way pots is far less continuation betting but you continuation bet like 90% of your examples. And even ones you checked you ended up check raising.

[@shadowsun4055]

The ''I know you have nothing'' face in the thumbnail.

[@Teslacustoms]

This is every pot at Tampa hard rock 1/2 1/3 and less often 2/5

[@steveterry5139]

So I watched this yesterday. Got in a little tourney online. And after playing well for 2 hours, I completely overvalued a q6 suited I 3 bet on the button into a multi way pot that flopped my flush draw. I promptly lost to a higher flush 🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️ Apparently forgetting everything you said in this tutorial 😅😅 So… we watch it again 😂

[@harpuajim]

Great video. Are your range charts available to download?

[@PokerCoaching]

They are in the PokerCoaching app.

[@lordtraxx4217]

With that K9HH hand is calling the turn bet ever ok or is check raising all in always the preferred method?

[@RSS_754]

💪💪 greetings from Serbia 🇷🇸🇷🇸

[@tjgulley]

#15

[@nemanjastojadinovic8538]

Brate da li igraš online, ako da na kom sajtu igraš i koji stake lvl ja igram na MaxBetu

[@RSS_754]

@@nemanjastojadinovic8538 Na WPT Global, na preporuku Brada i Neeme, igrao sam jedno vrijeme na Meridianu, ali ovo je druga dimenzija.

[@zero_zero107]

​@@nemanjastojadinovic8538ja sam do skoro igrao 15/30 na maxbetu mozda cu da se vratim kad mi se malo ocistim obaveze

[@Susgussss]

What if it’s either a min raised multi way pot or limped pot where you’re on the button then would it be okay to call with something like K10os because of the great pot odds?

[@Around_the_Corn]

When you say top pair with QJ in a 4 way pot is not a good hand, I totally understand that. But now there is presumably about 10-12 BBs in the pot (tournament with antes). If the UTG raiser bets 25% pot, and there are two more callers, before it’s my decision, I don’t see how I can just fold top pair when the pot is now around 20BBs. I think I would be more inclined to fold if it’s like Jh9h3d where I don’t have QJ of diamonds.

[@Around_the_Corn]

With 40bbs does shoving range increase even more with more than 1 caller?

[@stevezagieboylo9172]

Is this for tournaments? I don't know a single live-game player who considers 80 BBs to be deep stack. That's normal stack. Deep stack is 200+ BBs.

[@JasonVaysberg]

Both. But keep in mind small. stakes live games where people open large like 4x bbs, the eff. stacks. may play closer to 80 bb.

[@goteahue9260]

Why do we 3bet more linearly with more people in the pot as opposed to polarised?

[@jorgecasasola9325]

💯💯💯

[@philiplicarter]

Bet small on a dynamic board, multiway.

[@Robert-fj4bv]

Why 40bbs deep button vs UTG8 raise and CO call we have TT all in but JJ+ not?

[@TheDonkanator]

You want to play these pots in POSITION as much as POSSIBLY 😊

[@jag732]

What does UTG8 mean? i’m very confused

[@montyball2868]

I thought your almost never calling out of small blind to a lp open. Is this mainly a tournament strategy?

[@PokerCoaching]

Having a calling range from the SB is GTO when there is an ante and no rake.

[@brianpotter2812]

Hey Jonathan, why is Ace 8 suited rated so much higher of a raising hand than Ace 7 suited (which says to fold 1/2 the time)? @4:21 for reference in the chart. Flush wise you'd have the nut flush, and the 7 or 8 won't make a difference and neither helps make the lower straight. I'm trying to understand if the 8 kicker plays that much more often than the 7 kicker in this scenario. (both are really top pair marginal kicker if an Ace hits and there's a raise and a call).

[@jaredcarrick3468]

I think it’s because there’s more potential 8x shared card combos your opponents are going to have in their range which the A8 suited is crushing than random 7x combos. 10/8 suited, J8 suited, Q8 suited, 6/8 suited and even K8 suited.

[@joshuapatrick682]

6:20 wonder why Tens only are always a shove there. Now I Know where Ryan DePaulo Learned that play.

[@Around_the_Corn]

So, in theory, if you are what is basically a free fake money game where everyone is basically playing nearly 80% of their hands to a limp and you are on the BTN you are also over limping probably everything AJs and below and TT and below? I ask this because in my local cardroom for the MTTs they have there is a lot of limping and multi way pots, and I really don’t like trying to isolate in position with a hand like KJs because most of them call and I find myself in a 5-way bloated pot.

[@fredsmit3481]

Nice video, but how can you say 80BB is deep - lol Please show some stack sizes that cash players use such as 200BB stacks.

[@PokerCoaching]

Deep for tournaments :) Cash game content coming soon!

[@mr.monologue7613]

​@PokerCoaching tbh I regularly build a 200bb+ stack early in tournaments, it's maintaining said stack and adding without punting I struggle with, any videos for that?😅

[@glotov2001]

31:17 how do you lose?

[@manfredullrich483]

Well, 3 players after the flop is not really "multiway". What about if there are 4+ players? A small raise after- or even preflop will not push out many, as they only need to pay a little to potentially win a lot.

[@ryne16]

What does UTG8 mean?

[@Pompeul]

UTG 8handed, because UTG ranges differs according to the number of players at the table

[@wr8756]

At 21:03 why is that a spot we want to bet big? The straight & flush missed, I feel like if they chased it they are always folding to an all in & only going to call you if they happen to get a two pair like jack queen or a set. Top pair + top kicker might call, but even that is pushing it? What is the need to go all in for?

[@brentlicook6394]

You will have a lot of large bluffs when your straight draws and flush draws missed. This is one good candidate for a value bet of the same size since most queens aren’t folding no matter what size you choose. Your 0 showdown equity bluffs get to make him fold anything worse than a queen, and your value bets Will primarily be called by Qx.

[@wr8756]

@brentlicook6394 yeah but would you really risk an all in situation to bluff a missed flush/straight when they are likely to have a 2 pair or set given its a multi way pot and they've been calling ?

[@brentlicook6394]

You run into it sometimes but you get paid by Qx at a higher frequency imho

[@cuescues1]

Why does AJs never get raised but A10s does approx. 40 percent of the time?

[@Pompeul]

I would guess it's because you don't mind folding ATs to 4bets much than you do with AJs

[@arnekribeiro]

thansks coach

[@supremeleaderarmy9164]

Greetings from my moms basement

[@Adam-jp8bm]

Audio :(

[@stonecoldscubasteveo4827]

I feel like you are analyzing this at the wrong stack depths. The "raise and get 4 callers" phenomenon is something endemic to the 1/2 and 2/5 cash game streets where you are much more likely to see 100+BB stacks, and there's probably only that one guy who is so short as 40 or 20 BB. This seems like tournament strategy analysis, which is less relatable to most of us. I might play 1/2 or 2/5 several times a week, but tournaments only every now and then.

[@zaboomofoo8755]

He's speaking and teaching to the general pop, not specific individuals, just because you don't play tournaments a lot doesn't mean a majority of his listeners don't. He tries to cater to all

[@stonecoldscubasteveo4827]

@@zaboomofoo8755 OK, but I still think that the "general pop" spends a lot more time in small-stakes cash games than in tournaments.

[@zaboomofoo8755]

@stonecoldscubasteveo4827 that could totally be true, I'm not sure what the numbers are on all that stuff with MT players and cash

[@henketooraw]

I really needed this…been running into problems over defending my big blind multiway & playing too loose post flop in multiway pots. Thanks J Little 🫡🔥

[@PokerCoaching]

You're very welcome!

[@jamespalmer4936]

Stop saying "shove it"!