What is the gap concept in poker?

Question

What is the gap concept in poker?

Answer 1

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Answer 2

The ´gap concept´ was a term

first coined by expert poker theoretician and author, David Sklanksy. In short, it means that you will usually need a better hand to play against someone who has opened the betting, than you would open with yourself. The difference between a hand you need to call a bet and one that you open the betting with is called ´the gap´.

Consider: you are last to play and have 89s, or another real marginal hand. The table has all folded. You might consider placing a bet here with your pocket cards. However, if someone had already started betting, say five times the big blind, you would probably fold here.

It is thought that the tighter the play the wider the gap and the looser the table, the smaller the gap and for any student of the game this is an important concept to understand and master.