Gap concept can be used both in poker tournaments as well as cash games. This gap concept was introduced by David Slansky. Serious poker players consider this concept very useful and important. Gap concept states that an individual requires a stronger hand to call a raise. Though the statement looks confusing, it helps an individual to understand the game.
A simple example would be beneficial for players, who wish to learn the gap concept.Let us assume that a player is sitting in the middle position and is having a hand “AT”. In few cases, it will be good to open the pot and raise the bet with these cards in hand. Sometimes if a situation occurs, where player sitting in front of your raises the hand? In that case, player wouldn’t call because the hand is too tough to play against. This concept is called as the gap concept.
The name “Gap” is so called because there is a gap between success and failure. You can clearly see that there is a difference in relative strength of the hand in two situations. Generally, we feel confident while raising the hand, but we feel sad when we see hand raised by someone else.
It requires less strength to call a raise then to face a raise; this is the reason why a gap concept exists. If you are raising a hand then you are having momentum of going into the hand. On the other hand, when you see the hand raised then you see that your opponent has got the strength. Few players, even though they have a strong hand they don’t have momentum to raise the hand. Your hand appears to be weaker when your opponent raises the bet, in such a situation you should be bold and be confident about your hand.
The Gap concept is simple: when a player raises the hand, you should r raise the call, estimating yourself to be strong at hand. Even though there are exceptions to the rule, you can still use it in the game. This gap concept can be used by players in the beginning from the stand point. If you are playing in the last position and players sitting around the table folded, then you can raise wider range of hands. You should be ready to steal as well as defend the blinds; success in poker totally depends on your approach to the game.