Monday, November 20, 2006
Blocking and Tackling
I seem to have the most success at the poker table when I play very straight-forward, “percentage” poker. In business (and in football) the analogy for executing basic, fundamental strategy is called “blocking & tackling”.
I think that the fancy moves that we read about or watch on TV probably work better at the higher stakes games and tournaments where being tricky is sometimes necessary to gain an advantage. At the low stakes games, there seems to be enough players making enough mistakes that fancy play is not all that necessary. Every once in a while, someone will make a fancy play, a check raise bluff, a weird overbet, a ridiculous min-raise, etc…and it will really pay off for them. While impressive, these are pretty rare, and in the long run, can end up costing you more money in lost opportunity than they make for you. As an example: limping with AA under the gun in no limit Hold’em. Occasionally, you’ll trap someone really bad for a huge payoff, but frequently this is a poor play and you end up taking a flop 7 handed, out of position, having no idea how your hand ranks and you end up wasting a hand that could make you a nice little profit (5 or 6 bets)
Most importantly, these tricky plays only work with players that are sophisticated enough to be confused by the play and make a mistake as a result. If you try these plays on the unaware, they can backfire! I guess that’s my epiphany – don’t be tricky with players who are too unaware to notice.
I have 2 good examples of this. (This is to the best of my recollection and may be a little wrong…but it’s still a good example).
EXAMPLE 1: On Saturday night, we were playing a PL Omaha 8 tournament. The tournament started with 3000 in chips and 25/25 blind levels. With this blind structure, I should have settled in for a long evening of tight play. But, I’m not one to heed my own advice, so, with blinds of 25/50, I opened a pot in middle position for a pot sized raise after 2 limpers. I had a high only hand (10 J Q Q) and ordinarily like to fold or limp with a high only hand. Even though we had only played about 1 hour, preflop raising was very infrequent – it was a limpfest. So I decided to get tricky with my preflop raise. I was hoping to eliminate some of the high holdings behind me and I thought for sure this raise would convince everyone that without a doubt, I held A2xx. After all, what else would I raise with? I’ve read that A2xx is dealt at a full table about 50% of the time. I was hoping this was one of the times where no one held A2xx. This would allow me to bluff on later streets at some of the secondary low holdings that entered the pot in front of me.
The two limpers call. The flop comes with a 3-8-9. This is pretty good. This gives me 12 outs to the nut straight, 8 of those outs keep the board high only, and a good board to try a continuation bluff selling my hand as A2xx.
Here’s where it starts to go bad. It goes check, check to me. I bet pot (~$600). Big mistake! But, here’s my thinking. I was trying to continue to convince the table that I had A2xx and this was a promo raise to fold some better high hands (like 2 pair or top pair) while drawing to the nut low. I know – this is very tricky and only people who play the game regularly and were paying attention would be able to piece this story together. I also hoped that I might be able to fold someone holding A3 since they just got counterfeited. Early player 1 (EP1) calls (is all in). EP2 calls as well. Here's my mistake...a $200 bet would have accomplished the same thing and would have kept the pot small. I'm an idiot.
The turn brings a 3rd low card (6). Now the board reads 3x 8x 9x 6x (I still hold nothing - 10 J Q Q) for a draw to win ½ the pot. EP2 checks. Now I’m sure that everyone at the table has put me on A2xx. I can just sense it. It’s pervasive. The stench of me holding A2xx and a low on the board is undeniable. My choices are check behind or continue to bluff. I was just so sure I had set up a good bluff here, so I bet ~$1200. EP2 thinks and thinks and finally calls. Now I’m in trouble. I need help!
The river brings a blank (5). The board reads 3x 8x 9x 6x 5x. I’m beating almost no one. I’m holding nothing but an overpair. EP2 checks. I’m in soooo deep now. I can’t pull myself out. I have $1300 left. The pot has about $4500. EP2 has shown no strength. He looked like he just wanted a reason to fold. My problem is that I only had 1300 reasons left to convince him to fold. So I bet my last $1300. EP2 goes into the tank. He loads up his fists with the call amount and swings it back and forth across the commitment line. He mumbles, “how can I fold?”,… “I guess I should fold”. “Just fold already,” I scream in my mind. Finally, he calls and shows A4 for the 2nd low and….thank God – no high. I get ½ of the side pot. Of course, I’ve got no claim to the main pot with a just an overpair. I’ve just lost 20% of my stack.
After the hand was over, I complained, hey man, “why didn’t you believe me that I held A2xx?”. I looked around the table for some support and 2 of the more seasoned players nodded in agreement that they thought for sure I held A2xx. The EP2 player that was not convinced, just said, “hey, I’m new to this game. It didn’t really hit me. I thought you were going high the whole time.”
Lesson here….don’t get tricky when straightforward will work. I tried to bluff a player I had never played with while drawing. I just trashed my entire game plan (bet your made hands only). Why didn’t I just follow my basic strategy and fold this hand preflop? You know, blocking & tackling.
EXAMPLE 2: The cash game after the tournament was pretty good. We played 2/4 dealer’s choice. It was very passive. Razz was a very interesting round. Most of the players were new to Razz. I’m not a very good Razz player, but I know how to read a board. I know when I’m in the lead and when I’m drawing to take the lead. This basic knowledge seemed to be enough to make a little profit on this round. On one hand, I’m dealt a 3-5 down and an 8 up. I look around the table and see only 1 card lower than mine (6) and one card tied with mine (I really like to see my cards duplicated around the table as this reduces that chance that I’ll pair up). This other 8 is held in this hand by my nemesis. High card brings it in. The 6 does not raise so I don’t think he is real proud of his hand. I call as do 3 others.
4th street is not real good to me. I draw a 9. My cards are (3-5) 8-9. Player 1 is xx 6 J. Nemesis is xx 8-6. Player 3 is xx J K. Nemesis bets, player 3 calls – not sure why, action to me. Since I’m drawing to a better 8 than nemesis is representing and the pot is 4 way, I call. I’m getting 7.5 to 1 on my call here.
5th street brings a 6 for me. My board reads (3-5) 8-9-6. Player 1 xx 6-J-8. Nemesis bricks out xx 8-6-Q. Player 3 bricks xx J-K-J. I’m in the lead now. I bet. Player 1 makes a reluctant call. Nemesis 2 bets it! What? Player 3 folds. Here’s where it gets interesting.
In limit poker, I think it is very important to make a few extra bets and avoid paying off a few extra bets each hour. I think this is how you move from loosing a little each hour to winning a little each hour. At this point, facing a raise, I could get tricky. I could smooth call. I have the best hand, but is vulnerable. If I smooth call, I’m sure player 1 will call. I’m also sure nemesis will bet out with almost any card on 6th street. I could trap 2 extra bets here with a smooth call. In the end, my hand is just too vulnerable to draws, so I 3 bet. Player 1 folds (yes!). Nemesis calls.
Now if I give nemesis credit for A2 in the hole, I’m still in the lead but drawing to worse 8. 6th street is a brick for both of us. He pairs and I catch high. I bet. He calls – he needs to catch on the river to take this pot back. In my mind, he needs a 3, 4, 5, or 7. He has about 12 outs. I think this makes him about a 3:1 dog.
River goes check - check. I win! Admittedly, I got a little lucky to outdraw him with my 3-5-8 vs. his starting A-2-8
This is another example of the advantage of straight forward play. My nemesis lost 2 extra bet when he got fancy and tried to raise with this draw. Basic strategy suggests that you try to play your draws as cheap as possible. His raise on 5th street was atrocious. Not only was he behind and still drawing, he gave me a chance to knock out the 3rd player whose calls were making his draw profitable. With the third player out and nemesis facing 3 bets, he just destroyed his own drawing odds.
