A phenomenon

[BBill]

A phenomenon
This is a continuation of my original post and idea from post musings of a deranged mind (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=812558&page=0&view=collap sed&sb=5&o=14&fpart=1#812558)
I would like to explain to the reader here what I meant by the statement I made in a previous post. What I said was:

It is my belief that to achieve enlightenment in the strategy of playing poker a player must overcome the obsession with winning.

I have experienced a phenomenon a number of times while playing poker. This phenomenon has occurred in tournament scenarios primarily but I think the concept could be adapted to any type of game.

During the 2.5 years I have been playing online poker there have been a few times when I wanted my opponent to win. (I know you think I’m nuts right?) These have been tournament situation mostly Heads-Up sit-n-go tournaments but also at the final table of some low limit multi-table tournaments.

I will talk about the Heads-Up tournaments here because it was much more obvious during these times.

Why would I want my opponent to win?
Well there a few reasons, possibly I knew that the player was moving up in limits and I wanted to reinforce their actions and get them a win a their new limit and add a bit to their bankroll so they’d feel good about playing again at that limit.

Or maybe I entered a tournament and realized that I had another commitment and wanted to end the tournament quickly rather than battle it out for 45 minutes.

Since I started keeping notes of people I have played in HU tourneys I have collected about 400 names, many I’ve played once but some I’ve played up to 5 or 6 times or more. I’m certainly not trying to impress anybody with these numbers or anything I’m I just wish to convey the facts. (also, if you know my user-id on the sites I play and we have played recently, be assured that I am NOT talking about you -smile)

During all of these tourneys I’d say maybe 6 times I have been in the situation where I wanted my opponent to win.

What I have determined is that every time I play a HU tournament and I want my opponent to win gracefully IT IS AN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT PROPOSITION.

No matter what I do I wind up winning chips and I have to resort to folding on the river when my opponent checks, in an effort to give them the chips.

I am serious about this, it really happens.
I believe that it has something to do with playing anxiety free, tilt free, fearless poker.
Don’t get me wrong here, the anxiety or mild fear is part of the competitive nature, its what makes us want to win, but I think it also that there is a force here should be recognized.
Many long term established players may have already attained this level of enlightenment. I have yet to tap into this resource but I believe it can be done and in can be incorporated into a winning strategy.

Since a post of more than a page makes my eyes glaze over I will stop here but I wish to continue this concept in the next post.

Thanks for reading

[BBill]

I know coincidences happen but I swear that every time I get involved, without premeditation, in a HU tourney where I want my opponent to win, I become a chip magnet.

This got me thinking about exploring strategy. I have read in the HU and Short handed forum here at 2+2 about players who play a HU sit-n-go with their cards covered by a piece of paper taped to their monitor. This forces them to play solely on the actions of their opponent. I also understand that somebody won a tournament while doing this. If you play enough and can interpret your opponent’s actions it certainly can be done.

Playing somebody that you want to win could be a very illuminating experience. Your thoughts would not be clouded with aggression. There is no bet or action that could intimidate you. If you were to play somebody that is used to having people back down from their aggression, their game would be destroyed. I think that nothing is more baffling to an aggressive player than to have somebody casually call their bets and raise’s without the slightest bit of trepidation. They don’t know if you’re a calling station or if you’re slow playing a monster hand and waiting to raise the river.
You have become a fearless player that your opponent does not know how to deal with.

But to really get a glimpse of this phenomenon you really have to want your opponent to win, so how is it incorporated into a winning strategy?
I don’t know yet but I hope to find out.


I read in a poker book, not sure which one at the moment, but the author talked about what a professional poker player thinks about during a game.
It goes like this.

A new poker player thinks about the cards he is holding.
A good player thinks about the cards he has and what he thinks his opponents is holding.
A great player thinks about the cards he has, the cards he thinks his opponent has and he thinks about what his opponent thinks he (the great player) is holding.

So if I got into a match with my pal and I wanted him to win I think the thought process would go something like this. (Obviously we don’t rate as great players according to the author)

Me - small blind
Him - big blind

Me - Calls blind
Him – raises (K10s:he thinks, I’m gonna ram-jam bbill outa this pot)

Me – call (with 64o -oh good he raised, here is the chance for me to unload some of these damn chips. Sopranos is on TV in 9 minutes I hope I can lose this tourney before it starts)

Flop 2 7 J

Him – Bet (gonna ram it to him)
Me – Call (great I sure hope he keeps betting and I’ll fold on the turn and give him some chips)
Him ($hit - bbill smooth called a raise and called the flop bet, he’s probably slowplaying a AJ)

Turn 4

Him – check (I know he’ll just call with his pair if I bet I’m gonna just check, he won’t trap me!)
Me – check (damn, I wish he would have bet so I could fold, now I have a damn pair of 4s)

River 7

Him – check (He’s to calm, I know he’ll raise me if I bet)
Me –check ($hit, why didn’t you bet so I could fold my damn pair ? Now I got 150 more chips that I have to unload before this tourney is over and Sopranos starts in 8 minutes!)

Of course some levity is intended here but the concept of fearless poker intrigues me. Of course somebody could say just play 1cent/2cnet on stars no worry’s at all – but a buck is a buck, I still want to win.

I think the concept is only valid if a player can separate completely from the desire to win and work on strategy and calmly render all of his opponents’ tactics futile.

Can this be done?