# Blocker

> Source: [Blocker in the Smarter.Poker Glossary](https://smarter.poker/glossary/blocker)

## Definition
A Blocker Is A Card In Your Hand That Reduces The Number Of Combos Of A Particular Hand Your Opponent Can Hold. Holding The Ace Of Hearts On A Board With Three Hearts Means The Opponent Cannot Have The Nut Flush. Blockers Guide The Choice Of Which Hands To Bluff With And Which Marginal Hands Can Call.

- **Category**: Theory
- **Term Code**: `blocker`
- **DefinedTermSet**: [Smarter.Poker Poker Glossary](https://smarter.poker/glossary)

## Related Poker Terms

- [Combo](https://smarter.poker/glossary/combo) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/combo.md)): A Combo Is One Specific Way To Hold A Starting Hand, Counting Suits. Every Pocket Pair Has 6 Combos, Every Suited Hand Has 4 And Every Offsuit Hand Has 12, For 1,326 Starting Combos In Total. Counting Combos, And Removing Those Your Own Cards Block, Is How Players Estimate How Often An Opponent Holds A Given Hand.
- [Nut Advantage](https://smarter.poker/glossary/nut-advantage) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/nut-advantage.md)): Nut Advantage Means One Player's Range Holds More Of The Strongest Possible Hands On The Current Board Than The Opponent's Range Does. It Is Different From Range Advantage, Which Compares Average Strength. A Player With A Nut Advantage Can Use Large Bets And Overbets, Because The Opponent Rarely Holds Hands Strong Enough To Punish Them.
- [3-Bet](https://smarter.poker/glossary/3-bet) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/3-bet.md)): A 3-Bet Is The First Re-Raise Before The Flop, Made Over An Open Raise. The Blinds Count As The First Bet And The Open As The Second, Which Is Why The Re-Raise Is The Third. A 3-Bet Can Be Made For Value With Strong Hands Or As A Bluff With Hands That Block The Opener's Best Holdings.
- [Range](https://smarter.poker/glossary/range) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/range.md)): A Range Is The Full Set Of Hands A Player Could Hold In A Given Spot, Based On Their Position And Every Action So Far. Strong Players Think In Ranges Rather Than Single Hands, Because Opponents Act With Many Hands In The Same Way. Reading A Range Means Narrowing It Street By Street As New Actions Arrive.

## Related Strategy Lessons

- [UTG Opening Range In 6 Max Cash](https://smarter.poker/learn/utg-opening-range) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/utg-opening-range.md)): In The Smarter.Poker 6 Max Cash Reference At 100 Big Blinds, The Under The Gun Seat Opens 8.4% Of All Starting Hands By Frequency And Plays 13.6% Of Them At Least Some Of The Time, With The Full Chart Below.
- [What To Do When You Face A 3-Bet](https://smarter.poker/learn/facing-a-3-bet) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/facing-a-3-bet.md)): Facing A Three Bet After Opening, Most Of An Opening Range Folds: In The Smarter.Poker Reference A Button Opener Four Bets 4.1% Of All Starting Hands And Calls 3.2%, And An Under The Gun Opener Four Bets 2.9% And Calls 1.6%.
- [How Often A Bluff Must Work](https://smarter.poker/learn/bluff-break-even-percentage) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/bluff-break-even-percentage.md)): A Pure Bluff Breaks Even When It Works As Often As The Bet Divided By The Pot Plus The Bet: A Half Pot Bluff Needs 33.3% Folds And A Pot Sized Bluff Needs 50%.
- [Counting Poker Hand Combinations](https://smarter.poker/learn/counting-combos) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/counting-combos.md)): Every Pocket Pair Has 6 Combinations, Every Suited Hand 4 And Every Offsuit Hand 12, For 1326 Starting Hands In All, And Cards You Can See Remove Combinations From Your Opponent's Range.
- [Blockers: How Your Cards Change Theirs](https://smarter.poker/learn/blockers) ([Markdown](https://smarter.poker/learn/blockers.md)): A Blocker Is A Card In Your Hand That Makes Certain Hands Impossible Or Less Likely For Your Opponent: Holding One Ace Cuts Your Opponent's Ace King Combinations From 16 To 12, Which Makes Some Bluffs And Calls Better Than They Look.

## Practice On Smarter.Poker

- [GTO Training](https://smarter.poker/hub/training): Scenario Based Poker Training, Free To Play.
- [Virtual Poker Table Sandbox](https://smarter.poker/features/virtual-poker-sandbox): Interactive Multi-Street Hand And Range Scenario Explorer.

## Compliance & Fair Play

There Is No Real-Money Gambling On Smarter.Poker: Club Chips Are Play Credits With No Cash Value, And Diamonds Are A Promotional Rewards Currency.