Pot control

[freechus9]

I was wondering if anyone could explain to me or point me to a place on a discussion on pot control. I have a very vague idea of why it is so important/when to use it..so I wanted to clear all that up.

[finky]

The idea behind pot control is to limit the pot in marginal situations and to build it when you are strong. Often theres a balance between giving free cards and controlling the pot. Kinda easier to explaine in examples.

example 1

Hero opens with KQ in LP, tight/tricky player in the blinds calls.
Flop: Q84r
Villain checks, Hero bets 2/3rds of the pot, villain calls
Turn: 2
Villain checks. Here would be a good time to check behind and use pot control, although we have a good hand we could easily be well behind at this point. The villain has something like a set, a Q or mid PP, either way if we bet the turn very few hands we are beating will call. If we are ahead there are very few cards the villain could catch to win. Hero Checks
River: x
Regardless of the river, the added benefit of checking the turn like this is that the villain will bet and call much meeker holdings as we have shown weakness, hands like 99 that would probably folded to a turn bet will call thinking were on a steal.

example 2

Hero opens with AQ in LP, loose/tricky player in the blinds calls.
Flop: Q84 2 spades
Villain checks, Hero bets 2/3rds of the pot, villian calls
Turn: 2 no spade
Villain checks. Here I would be more inclined to bet, we have a stronger hand, the villains range is wider and will more inclined to pay us of with a weaker hand, also there is the danger of a flush so giving a free card could be a big mistake.

These are just 2 examples, but pot size is a factor in ever hand you play.

As with (almost) everything, pot control is easier in position and you are the aggressor in the hand.