Poker is a game played with cards, but not decided by them.
It is the understanding and mastery of that fact that makes one a great poker player. You can understand pot odds, know your outs, and fold your pocket kings when an ace hits on the flop. These things are needed to be a good poker player, but you will never be great.
The real game is in reading the other players correctly. I have spent a good deal of time in thinking what makes people tick, and this has given me a small insight into reading players at a game. I have been furthering my studies, and I'm proud to say that they are paying off, even if the chips aren't. Well, sometimes the chips do, I have qualified for two different Texas Hold'em finals here in town. (Before you get righteous against my passion for poker, understand I live in a state where there is no gambling, so I have paid no money to compete).
I sat down and began to size up my table. Two guys to my left knew each other and were waving to other friends across the bar at other tables. Jokes of who qualified at what events were made, and of who choked at the last table. Next to them, a guy was lost in his Ipod, cranking up the death metal. Across from me, the man eyes kept following every waitress that walked by, with his eyes well below their neckline. Beside him, a middle aged man focusing on his chips. An older woman, perhaps in her late 50's, was asking questions about the game to the man on my right, it was her first game. He was giving he strait, honest answers with no commentary of his own added.
I deal the first hand.
A few hands go around and now I've locked in as best I can a read on each player.
Mutt and Jeff (the names are my own). Two friends, both good at poker. They don't credit anyone at the table of being at their level, but nor do they play sloppy. Sloppy costs you hands. Wait for the sheep to walk out on their own and then sheer them before the get back to the barn.
Danzig Dave is waiting for his big hand. The show will go on as soon as the opening act performs. Once the chips are on my side, we are going to thrash the crowd. It's the rush of the big pots I crave, who cares how long it lasts?
Pimp'n G is a player on da scene, yo. My style is worth more than my chips, and the honey's will run to my big stacks. I don't need cards 'cause only a fool would be step'n in my house.
Tight Tim is waiting for the cards that give him odds, then will stay in for the pay off. You can't argue math. If you know the numbers, you can always count on them. And nothing is better than an ace, highest card you know. Pairs are good too, but I love it when I get an ace.
Sweet Betty is getting annoyed by all the "poker talk." Why must the use terms I don't know? I know the poker hands, but how do you tell what's good with only two cards? I at least need to see the first three... what did he call it? Yes, the flop. I need to see the flop and sometimes more to know what my hand is. Oh, my time to deal again? How do I deal the flop?
Serious Sam is playing tight tonight. I got burned a few nights ago when I let loose, but I had to loosen up, every time I got something good no one would play me. The few times they did they had pocket aces or his some amazing full house on the flop. I won't make that mistake again, it's just dumb luck my pots have been shallow, my turn is coming.
So first we loose Serious Sam. He was a simple read, you knew when he had something and if he didn't he folded in the face of a large raise. You could bluff him off a pot too; he was only focused on his hand, and not trying to guess what you had.
Next was Pimp'n G, he got caught bluffing a few times, but it didn't stop him. It didn't stop me, Mutt and Jeff from pouncing on him either.
Danzig Dave caught his big pot, and went wild. He won a bluff with a 6-4 off suit and had to put on the show and let everyone know. He played to the river on every hand he could.
Tight Tim loved his aces, even when that's all he had. If he didn't have an ace, he played big wheel (J, Q, K) sets. If you could stand up to a couple of face cards, you had him.
Sweet Betty... we'll come back to her in a moment.
I win a few hands, all from player reads. Two hands stick in my mind though as thats where most of my chips went. The first one I had pocket Q's, and a few limped into the pot as it came around to me (limping is calling the big blind). I raise four times the big blind, I know I'll get one or two to call, and the other limpers will drop. Mutt was small blind, and doubles my raise. Jeff folds and we get two limpers to call as well. Flop is J-J-8, rainbow. I look for the limpers to bet their trip jacks. Pimp'n G thinks a few moments then starts a off with a bet as large as Mutt's raise. Tight Tim folds, he's not going to go against Mutt, even if he may think Pimp'n is bluffing again. I put Pimp on a bluff and raise him double his bet, also enough that if Mutt didn't hit he might fold. Mutt goes all-in. Pimp'n folds. It's to me now.
I flash back to what has happened. Mutt plays an average tight game. He hasn't bluffed or even tried to steal an unclaimed pot. Could he have 4 J's? No, I don't think so. He wouldn't bet so aggressively on J's pre flop. Would he play all-in on 3 J's with an A or K kicker? Again, would Mutt go big pre flop on A-J or K-J. I don't think J's did anything for him and he wants to take the pot with out seeing another card. I put him on A's or K's. I would need a Q and nothing for Mutt to win. And I'd be all-in. He would get to pull back some chips.
A bluff? It would be the perfect move if it was. But I have a rule I try to follow there, never assume a player bluffs; find out if they do. Still, I smile and start talking about how I always loose good hands at this bar, and how I want to call here, but I'm jinxed. Mutt leans back and laughs, as well as Jeff. No, there isn't a bluff here, I fold. Mutt was nice, turned over his K's, so I flip my Q's. Jeff's eyes go wide, and let me know that was a good lay down.
Yea, I'm not supposed to let others know my hand ever, but at that point I was very low on chips and would need a lucky hand to get back into the game. Why so low? Well, now we are back to Sweet Betty.
I get pocket A's and waste no time with a strong opening bet, from the small blind no less. A few who limp, fold; a few stay. Mutt and Jeff fold, Pimp'n G stays as well as Tight Tim and Sweet Betty. The flop is 7-2-J. I joke about how 7-2 is a great hand, then double my first round bet. All call. The turn is an 8. Straight draw is on the board, so I grab the blue chip and toss it in; the first blue chip of the night. Pimp'n folds, Tight Tim looks long at the board and calls. I'm putting him on a J, and a high kicker he hopes to pair up. I hope it's a A, would make my day. Sweet Betty asks how much to call, and does; her stack very small now. I put her on big wheel as well, but not a pair of big wheel. The river and it's a 3, no flush possible, a straight with 8-9, but unlikely someone called that much on 8-9 pre flop. I toss in the mother chip, the black, with a few green friends as well. Both Call. Tight Tim turns over a J-9, I'm sure having rationalized that he could with another J or T. Sweet Betty shows 7-7. She tripped 7's on the flop and never bet, out of ignorance of the game I bet and not a cunning move to let me be the center of attention. Jeff is taken back and Mutt asks if I saw that coming, which I say know and ask him the same. Of course not, there never was a bet to give a sign she might have something worth playing.
Well, with the exception of Sweet Betty, I had the table read. That is worth more to me than making the finals at this bar. I don't know how I could have read Sweet Betty, so I don't think there was any way I would have played it differently. I guess there are three parts to a great player then.
Knowing the stats, reading your player, and getting lucky at least a few times!
Posted By Mike On Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Filed under life poker |
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