Removal
Removal, also known as blockers, is the effect of holding a card that reduces the number of combinations of certain hands that your opponent can have. If you hold the ace of spades, your opponent cannot have the nut spade flush on a board with three spades.
The simple explanation
Each card that you hold is not in the deck, so your opponent cannot have it. This changes how likely it is that he holds a certain hand. If you have an ace, there are fewer aces available for him.
A closer look
Card removal is used in bluffing and calling. A good bluff is one that blocks the strong hands that would call. For example, holding the ace of the suit on a three-flush board blocks the nut flush and makes it less likely that the opponent has it. On the other hand, you also remove some of your own bluffs: a call with a blocker may be better. Combinatorics, counting how many combinations of a hand exist, is the tool for using removal.
A practical example
You hold A♠ K♥ and the board is J♠ 10♠ 2♠ 5♥ 6♦. You hold the ace of spades, so no opponent can have the nut flush.
Full explanation
Removal, also known as blockers, is the effect of holding a card that reduces the number of combinations of certain hands that your opponent can have. If you hold the ace of spades, your opponent cannot have the nut spade flush on a board with three spades.
Removal means that cards in your hand reduce the hands your opponent can have.
It is also called a blocker effect.
It is used when choosing bluffs and calls.
It works through the number of combinations.
A held card cannot be held by another player
No-limit Hold’em · Blinds 1/2 chips · No rake
A’s A♣ is a blocker: nobody else can hold that exact card. An opponent’s AA can therefore only be A♦A♥, A♦A♠ or A♥A♠ — three combinations instead of six.
Read the example transcript
Player A has the button (BTN) and posts the 1-chip small blind (SB). Player B posts the 2-chip big blind (BB).
- Preflop · Pot: 3 chips
A’s A♣ is a blocker: nobody else can hold that exact card. An opponent’s AA can therefore only be A♦A♥, A♦A♠ or A♥A♠ — three combinations instead of six.
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of clubs (Ac)KKing of diamonds (Kd) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player B BB QQueen of hearts (Qh)QQueen of diamonds (Qd) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
Cards are shown for learning; totals are displayed before pot collection.