You're a Bunch of Factors

Ok, yeah, it's all basic stuff but eh, other people are writing things So anyway, these aren't tips for "others" (cos they're so basic), just things I tell myself all the time to remember!

Putting someone on a hand
So many people try and do this at the END of a hand. "Damn, they reraised me". Some people think their hand is the only one they need to think about. Putting someone else on a range of hands is a key of winning a hand (or, not losing MORE in a hand).

Your hand value CHANGES
It's easy to put a value on your hand, like say, pocket Jacks, and think it's worth the same all through the hand. But your hand value can change with betting, and flopped cards. I have seen people lose a lot of money because they don't stop to think of the value they have in their hand, and because they think it's the best to start with, it SHOULD be the best to end with. Untrue.

On the reverse, sometimes your hand can raise in value when it wasn't much to start with. Combined with putting someone on a hand, this can be quite valuable.

Think about EVERY move
At the beginning of playing, I wouldn't think too much other than "bet/call? or fold?". But the amounts you call, or raise are important. You can shoot yourself in the foot by thinking "yes, it's 500 to call, I'm prepared to lose that" but not think about the fact there's two more rounds of betting AFTER that. What you're committing at the start is hardly ever the entire amount you'll put in the pot!

Not thinking of the repercussions of a move can cost you dearly.

Less than all in is often better
It's easy to throw all your chips in the pot as a raise, and feel that you've put someone off of a hand. But sometimes putting less in is the key to making someone fold. The mental aspect of someone calling an all in is more "ok well, now or never" and relying on luck. But betting half of what someone else has, or maybe 60% can push them off the hand, by forcing them to bet on the next round with only one card to see.

Folding is NOT losing
Just because you threw out 3 1/2 times the big blind as a bet pre-flop, doesn't mean you have to call any bet after the flop, if you feel you're behind. And, just because you minimum bet after the flop to see where you are, doesn't mean you need to call the raise.

A monster hand or a monster bluff, why show?
Ok, you look down at Aces. You win a bit with it and make people fold. Why show? Why give that information away? And the same with a bluff, why show that you bluffed? Every now and then, it's fine I guess.. but keeping up a table image is important.

Oh, one more I forgot;

The best you have is a pair
Ok so you have Aces. Wow. You have one pair. NEVER fall in to the trap of thinking that a pocket pair is the be all and end all of a hand. I read somewhere ages ago (and I don't know if it's true) that the "average" winning hand is two pair. Remembering this, I always consider myself behind before the flop with a PP! Might be wrong to do so, but eh.




Again, I'm not putting this up as things you should learn, because it's stuff you all know =) But these are little things I've made myself learn and I believe it's made me a better player.

David wrote:A monster hand or a monster bluff, why show?
Ok, you look down at Aces. You win a bit with it and make people fold. Why show? Why give that information away? And the same with a bluff, why show that you bluffed? Every now and then, it's fine I guess.. but keeping up a table image is important.

3-betting or jamming your aces or kings early on a table and showing when everyone folds, is something i often do for the purpose of building my table image.

Nice post David.

I enjoyed the read, and yes it does make you remember why you / me played a better game on a previous venue.

We all tend to forget the simple things and think our image will win the game for us. Nice post M8.

David wrote:Folding is NOT losing
Just because you threw out 3 1/2 times the big blind as a bet pre-flop, doesn't mean you have to call any bet after the flop, if you feel you're behind. And, just because you minimum bet after the flop to see where you are, doesn't mean you need to call the raise.

I had my biggest fold ever last night. Ok, here's the scene. The Kingsford, 64 runners. We're down to 18, I have $5,500, behind the button. Cards are being dealt out and an A is flipped over. Bad luck for that guy. The remaining cards are dealt out, and I look down and see



My best friend, my NEMESIS, JD, moves all in for $7,000. Do I call, knowing that there are, at minimum, 2 Ace's left in the deck? I need points to take 1st in the region (was 0.08 behind 1st). But then, how can I fold AK suited? ITS MY INITIALS (as EVERYONE AT THE BLOODY TABLE said).

Shannon was sitting at the table and finally called time. I... folded. After the hand was over (nobody called) I asked JD what he had - KJ off suit. I put him on pockets, and knowing that there was only 2 Ace's left... I couldn't do it. I asked around the table afterwards and it turns out there were no Ace's left, two players had them.

I put JD on pockets anyway, so for me, it was a good fold. But still, the biggest laydown I've made, ever. And it worked in the end, I finished 8th.

What position was JD in?

Scott wrote:What position was JD in?

Updated with all table positions. I forgot a few.

ROTFLMAO!

Too funny... so in other words.. under the gun

pretty sure aaron was bored on a friday arvo with a long weekend to come!!!

EVERY post regarding hands should appear as above from now on. Still laughing