Making a move/call with a "Gut" feeling. Why do we do it?

[Pot Luck]

Home Tournament - 10 Man - $100 Buy In - Pays 1,2,3

Level 5 - Blinds 400/800 - 6 players left

I am SB with T11000

Folded around to Button/Chip Leader with T40000 -- He is very loose/aggressive and has been chanting "position raise" and "steal" when raising from the button all night. Although he has been quite for about an hour.

Button calls

I complete with A2o -- BB Checks

Flop is Ac Qh 7h

I bet 2000 at a 2400 pot -- BB Folds -- Button Raises $3000

I figure him for a flush draw or a pair of queens and re-raise ALL IN for my last 5200. He calls.

I suck. I went against all my own rules and just went with my gut -- why? I know I should have folded pre-flop. I should have checked and folded to a bet on the flop. And I should have surely folded after I was re-raised and waited for a better spot.

3 Home Games this week -- I finished 1st and 3rd against these same guys -- My problem is I THINK I can read these guys after a year and just ignore the facts some times.

Can you ever listen to your gut?

[spy587]

Actually my problem is the opposite. I often feel from my gut that my ace flush is no good, and it is usually right when it happens. However, I have problems folding even when my gut tells me too.

[Percula]

[ QUOTE ]
Can you ever listen to your gut?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, in fact I did a couple of informal "tests" of my "gut feelings".

Test#1, $2.50 buyin MTT on Pacfic, I only called, folded, raised, only when I had the feeling. I placed 3rd.

Test#2, $0.01/0.02 ring game on PS. Same method, started with $2 and left 4 hours later with $12.xx

Test#3, $8 2 table SnG on Pacfic, same method, went out 19th out of 20.

So far I am 2 for 3 on the tests, I will continue to do more, but for me right now, bottom line is that I ONLY use the "gut feeling" as a tool, just like I use pattern recognition, observation, blind stealing, etc, etc, to be profitable at poker. Sometimes it is really handy, sometimes it is worthless.

[Michael Davis]

There's nothing wrong with following your gut. My gut is definitely +EV.

-Michael

[Desdia72]

all-in raises with any kind of hand around the bubble holding up always seem be wrong. inevitably, i end up being called and my holding shot down in flames, whether it's A A or A /images/graemlins/heart.gif3 /images/graemlins/heart.gif. somehow, PStars ends up dealing somebody the winner (even if they have the inferior hand preflop) and it's back to the drawing board empty-handed. /images/graemlins/confused.gif

[hyde]

Can you ever listen to your gut? .........

I'm not sure it is most accurate to call it listening to your gut.
It is more likely that you have picked up on minutia (sp?) that is not on a conscious level. this is more likely in a B&M game. sometimes you just "know" what they have... they have revealed it with some tiny movement.
If you listen to your "gut" on the internet, it is more likely your hope or fear that you are "feeling" in your gut.

hyde