To win at poker you have to develop a strategy that does not depend on your getting the best cards.
While this won't work very often, here is what happened to me recently. I was dealt four of clubs and two of clubs. Probably should fold, but, hey, why not? I might get a flush. I might get a straight. I could flop trip deuces or flop trip fours. Who knows, maybe the moon is really made of green cheese?
I called the seven dollars along with five others for a total of six players. The flop comes out, it's club, club, trash. I flopped a four flush. That gives me a 35% chance of making a flush by the river. Everyone checks to me. I can feel runner, runner for trip deuces coming my way. Seizing on a free card for my draw, I check.
The turn is a seven. Everyone checks. That extra club is out there somewhere. I just know I'm going to win this pot one way or another. But there is not much money there. Only the $42 for the preflop bets. I figure I better get some money in the pot - and of course push some people out of the hand.
I bet $20. Everyone calls me. I mean all of them with no hesitation. I checked the flush draw, I guess I'm representing a pair of sevens. This must mean everyone thinks they can beat a pair of zevens. Technically what I doing is a bluff, maybe I will soon be "bluffing" a semi-bluff. I am hoping to improve my hand, but my hand is so bad I'm playing the board at this point.
The river is another seven. That's it for me, I have nothing. Everyone checks to me. But wait, if I was representing a pair of sevens, I am now representing a set of sevens. Not a bad hand. Without hesitation I quickly bet $40.
Everyone folds. And I pull in a $162 pot with nothing. I am sure that everyone had my four high beat.
You have to develop a way to win without having the best hand.
1 comment:
3 things that anyone playing poker wants: Position, Position, Position. Alot of the time you must play the players not your cards. Nice article sir. Well wrote/said.
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