Pokerwiner.com → Within poker principles
The Dreaded Four Straight
Overview:
The player is in a middle position in a $10-$20 game holding: An early position player limps in, another player folds, and our player raises. Only the big blind (a generally weak player) and the limper call. The flop comes: The early position player limps in, another player folds, and our player raises. Only the bigs blinds calls, and the limper folds. The turn is the: The big blind cheeks, our player bets, and the big blind calls . The river is the :The big blind hesitate a few moments and checks.
Average Player’s thoughts:
What a terrible card!. Any ten gives him a straight. All I can do is check.
Advanced player’s thoughts:
Well, that queen could make a straight, but it’s so obvious. He’s not a sophisticated player, but he knows that I see it. If he did have the straight he’d worry that if he tried for a check-raise I’d just check behind him he would almost definitely bet out if he did have it. I suspect he’s been calling on one pair, maybe ace-little. His hesitation may have meant that he thought for a moment about trying to bet me off my hand. But he probably decided there was too much risk of a raise, and he just wanted to show it down cheaply. My set is still good. I’m going to bet for value, and probably make more money on this hand.
Comments:
Here we get a glimpse of considering what the opponent is thinking. As the example shows, average players don’t do this enough. Here the average player just plays his cards. He fails to take the extra step of looking into his opponent’s mind. Note that if the advanced player were playing against another advanced player he might have to consider checking. This is partially because he would reason, “He knows that I would expect him to bet if he did have the straight. And he knows that if he checks I may conclude he doesn’t have it and may bet for value. So he may in fact have it and be going for a check-raise.” By the way, this was a hand I found in some of my old notes from past sessions. I played the poker hand not long after I had moved up from $6-$12 to $10- $20. Though I was certainly not a terribly advanced player, I did have an advanced thought in this instance.
A Multi-Purpose Semi-Bluff Raise
It’s a $20-$40 game. Preflop, everyone passes to our player who is one off the button. He holds so he raises. The button, a somewhat weak-tight player calls cold. The small blind, a normally tight, conservative, straight forward player makes it three bets. The big blind folds and both active players call. Now the flop comes: The small blind bets, our player calls, as does the button. (*Astute readers will notice that the call here is debatable). The turn brings the small blind again bets out.
The Strategic Moment in Holdem / One Way Not to Fold /
Beating the Berserko: Preflop Against a Maniac /
On Into the Storm: Playing the maniac After the Flop
One Reason to Reraise a Maniac / A Simple Read / Countering a Good Reader
Thinking About What They’re Thinking / Out On the Edge
Considerations in Two Blind Stealing Defense situations
Easing the Transition to the middle Limits: Part I
Easing the Transition to the middle Limits: Part II / Multiple Changing Images