In this scenario you’ll be playing as the Big Blind at a World Poker Tour Main Tour Event final table defending against a raise from a 30BB stack on the Button. Due to the presence of shorts stacks at this table, there is large ICM pressure on your opponent.

This ICM pressure allows you to generally be more aggressive with a larger portion of your range postflop against this player. Hands that would often be check-calls on the flop can be converted to check-raises.

For example, many draws that you might normally check-call with against a small c-bet should instead be check-raised. This will put maximum pressure on your opponent. Due to the other shorter stacks at the table, your opponent should be unwilling to get all-in with many hands. This factor will make your aggression significantly more effective.

In addition to frequent check-raises on the flop, you can incorporate another type of aggression into your game plan by leading the turn. When you check-call the flop with marginal hands and a turn card comes that could help your range more than your opponent’s, you should often lead out on the turn.

You can do this both when the turn card helps your actual hand, as well as when you didn’t improve but can easily represent that the turn hit your hand.

Cards that help your range more than Villain’s and are good candidates for turn leads are often lower straightening cards, low cards in general, and cards that pair the bottom and middle board cards.  

See how close you get to 0 EV Loss and high percentage plays, then reread the advice above from the LearnWPT Pros.

Keep practicing!
-Nick Binger