Thank you Mike Caro

[DesertCat]

The 5-150 spread game at Casino AZ is the closest thing Arizona can have to a NL ring game. And I was doing pretty well for a guy who, basically isn't that good. A series of well timed bluffs based on good reads, and betting my strong hands had me up $200 or so for a few hours.

But then I hit the wall. A series of poorly timed bluffs, bad reads and betting strong hands into the nuts brought me back down almost even. I realized I was getting tired when I allowed the dealer to push my pair of eights, deuce kicker pot to the guy with the missed straight draw.

Vowing to leave, I look down and see ace king, not suited. I raise to twenty. At this point my table image isn't so great, having been caught with my pants down the last few times I raised. So the big blind and a EP limper call. The big blind is the table big stack. A regular, but actually hasn't been at our table that long. In the short time he has been playing well, very aggressive, snapping off lots of bluffs. He has me outchipped about three to one.

Flop comes AT5, rainbow. BB bets out $40. EP folds. I'm sitting there, thinking WTF? Is he testing whether I hit the flop, or is he betting a set or two pair hoping for a raise? I finally decide I'm either way ahead (KQ/KJ?) or way behind, so I call.

Turn is a King in the fourth suit. I'm thinking, good card for me, and he bets out $75. Hmm, I'm still either way behind KT, TT, 55, or way ahead of KQ, KJ. So I call.

River is ace of diamonds. BB pauses, scratches his nose (outside, not in), and bets out $75. I have only one play, "raise $150" I call out. The dealer and I take some fumbling turns counting out my chips. I've got $20 left.

He scans the board. "Ace King?" he asks. I resort to my usual strategem of staring at the board as to hold back the myriad of tells my goofy expression usually contains. He is so reluctant to lay down that he clearly must have had me beat until the river. And just as clearly, I want him to call.

He checks his cards one more time before chucking them as I think back to Mike Caro's book of tells. I realize, suddenly, that I'm playing it all wrong.

For the first time in the day I turn and look at my opponent. He seems a little surprised. I wear no sunglasses, so I'm allowing him to peer directly into my soul. And I stare back. Leaning forward. If a five foot five inch man can intimidate anyone, this one was giving it his best shot. I even puffed up my chest.

Finally, it was enough for this guy. "I call." he said almost as if he knew he was being had. He didn't show. I was almost embarrassed to play after such a cheap trick, and left as soon as it was socially acceptable.

Thank you Mike Caro. Thank you for writing the "book of tells". And, evidently selling a copy to this guy. I owe you one hundred and fifty dollars. Put it on my account.

[JohnnyHumongous]

Hercule Poirot sez... you botched your phony story.

[mosdef]

[ QUOTE ]
Hercule Poirot sez... you botched your phony story.

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what makes you say that? i'm asking, not challenging...

[Kaeser]

Two things I noticed. When the King comes on the turn your ahead of any hand except a set or J-Q. Also I'm not sure why you didn't raise before but when you raise the river why leave 20 behind?

Edit: nm i just saw that this was a spread game.

[DesertCat]

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Two things I noticed. When the King comes on the turn your ahead of any hand except a set or J-Q. Also I'm not sure why you didn't raise before but when you raise the river why leave 20 behind?


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True story, happened yesterday (Sat) around 3:15 pm, maybe another 2+2er can confirm. I'm behind 55, TT, KT, and K5 until the river. My guess is either he had KT or 55.

If I'm ahead I can't get a call by raising him unless he has a king with a worse kicker. Which may have been likely. But he was also very agressive and could have been betting AT, QT, QJ, or an entire bluff that way. Do I want him to fold those hands?

[wonderwes]

What hand did you put him on after you won the pot?

[DesertCat]

[ QUOTE ]
What hand did you put him on after you won the pot?

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Either 55 or KT. He had to have a very strong hand and think I might have KQ or KJ in order to call. Probably a reasonable call given the circumstances.

[meep_42]

How are you behind KT with AK on a AKT5 board, exactly?

You're behind QJ, AA, KK, TT, 55, and that's it.

-d

[Percula]

Glad to see you are getting into that game!

Who was the hand with?

On your hand if you dont mind a little talk...

Raise more PF, a 20 raise in this game is weak. The standard raise is between 25 and 40. Considering your image at this point, make it 35 or 40, you are still going to get your calls.

Flop looks fine. BB likely has AT, A5 or KQ and his bet is kind of weak considering the pot and your image. If he had a set he would have bet less or checked. There are only a couple of regulars that will lead a set like that. If you really think you might be up against a set here, you need to raise and make him define his hand, there are very few regulars that are not RR 150 with set here at which point you fold your TPTK.

Turn his bet of 75 is again smells weak and makes me think he has AT or A5 and not KQ or a set, I would RR 150 here, he will likely call this, especially if you put the "tell" on him.

River, if you RR 150 on the turn depending on who this is, you are either going to get checked to or a small'ish value bet of say 50-100 (most of the regulars will bet their under full here), so if he checks put in a small value bet of between 50-100 depending on who it is. If you get that 50-100 bet, RR 150 and do the same "tell" as you did, he is paying you off.

One of the keys to making money at this game is learning the regulars and their habits. Some have some REALLY BIG leaks and are VERY predictable in their play. Once you learn their game you can stack them.

A good player that doesnt tilt can make $300+ a short session. Where it gets good is when you have a mix of the high stakes LEHE players waiting for their seat, "hot shots" and drunks on the table. On those sessions a good player can rack out with 2-4 racks over a long session.

Here is an example hand with a hot shot (you know one of those guys that has some money, has played poker and thinks their gods gift to poker becuase they have had a couple of good sessions/hands) and a regular 40/80 player. Hot shot (HS) raises to 25, fold to the 40 player in the SB who RR to 60. I am in the BB with K/images/graemlins/spade.gifQ/images/graemlins/spade.gif and know that HS is raising with Ax, middle PP or two paint cards or any of the "TV poker" raising hands and that the 40 guy has a big PP or big ace and will over play it to the felt. So I decide to gamboool it up a little since I am very deep at this point (~1200) and they are both fairly short and call, HS calls.

The flop comes A/images/graemlins/spade.gif8/images/graemlins/spade.gif3/images/graemlins/spade.gif, 40 guy leads for 100, I call after a good acting job and the HS raises 150, 40 guy looks distressed but makes the call and I RR 150, HS insta calls AI for ~130 and the 40 guy reluctently calls.

Turn K/images/graemlins/diamond.gif 40 guy checks, I bet 150, he calls.

River J/images/graemlins/club.gif 40 guy checks, I bet 150, he calls AI for ~140.

The HS stands up and slams his 7/images/graemlins/spade.gif6/images/graemlins/spade.gif on the table a says "got both you!", 40 guy disgustedly turns up AA and I laugh and turn up the nut flush.

Both rebuy and get stacked again within 45 mins. 40 guy figures he is never getting a seat at his game and leaves, HS stays for nearly 8 hours and 12 buy-ins more, he finally leaves head hung low and a poket full of ATM slips.

[Percula]

[ QUOTE ]
True story, happened yesterday (Sat) around 3:15 pm, maybe another 2+2er can confirm.

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I was not there, but I can say that this sounds 100% like my regular game the 5-150 at CA. I have not a single doubt about this post or the OP.

[DesertCat]

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How are you behind KT with AK on a AKT5 board, exactly?

You're behind QJ, AA, KK, TT, 55, and that's it.

-d

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Damn! I was wondering why I was getting these questions and reread my post. The flop was KT5. I screwed up my own story....

[DesertCat]

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Glad to see you are getting into that game!

Who was the hand with?

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I rarely get to go anymore so I don't know many regulars. Though since I took home $1100 in two days maybe I can talk my wife into some accomodation.

The guy was medium. Medium build (maybe a little heavy), medium height, medium hair (brown), balding, glasses. There were two guys at the table who looked like this, and the other was a definite regular, so I might have mistaken whether my opponent was a regular.

[ QUOTE ]

Raise more PF, a 20 raise in this game is weak. The standard raise is between 25 and 40. Considering your image at this point, make it 35 or 40, you are still going to get your calls.


[/ QUOTE ]

This game actually wandered into the "tight" territory occasionally, depending on who busted out. When it was $15 was often taking down the blinds, $20 was folding limpers. I like the 3BB+1 for each limper rule, and don't mind action.

[ QUOTE ]

Flop looks fine. BB likely has AT, A5 or KQ and his bet is kind of weak considering the pot and your image. If he had a set he would have bet less or checked.

[/ QUOTE ]

Note that I misreported the flop, it was KT5, but I agree, probably KT, KQ, or K5. Even as aggressive as I thought he was, he wouldn't lead with a set. Not on that friendly board.

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Turn his bet of 75 is again smells weak and makes me think he has AT or A5 and not KQ or a set, I would RR 150 here, he will likely call this, especially if you put the "tell" on him.


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That's the weak tight in my game. I alternate between hypo aggression, and passive calling with good hands. In this case I didn't want to lose him if he had a bad hand. I can lose a lot to a set in the second case, though.

[Percula]

[ QUOTE ]

I rarely get to go anymore so I don't know many regulars. Though since I took home $1100 in two days maybe I can talk my wife into some accomodation.

The guy was medium. Medium build (maybe a little heavy), medium height, medium hair (brown), balding, glasses. There were two guys at the table who looked like this, and the other was a definite regular, so I might have mistaken whether my opponent was a regular.

[/ QUOTE ]

There is a very solid regular there that more or less fits that discription. Did he wear his glass on the end of his nose? And keep them on top of his head most of time, but flip them down when playing or checking hole cards?

If yes, then he is a very solid high stakes player. He is the best hand reader I have ran into there yet. His favorite game is the 15/30-20/40 stud game, but plays the 40, 60 and 75 game on a regular basis. He puts in several 5-150 sessions a week and is generally a winner and a big one at that.

The last time I played with him, he called 90%+ of hands before folding. He is tough to play, but his ability to read makes him easier to bluff too.

[ QUOTE ]
That's the weak tight in my game. I alternate between hypo aggression, and passive calling with good hands. In this case I didn't want to lose him if he had a bad hand. I can lose a lot to a set in the second case, though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep the K high flop definately changes things a bit. He knows his two pair is likely not good anymore, but frankly this is one (if I am right on who it is) of the players that will bet his sets when OOP. I would put him on 55, TT or KT, KQ in that order on the turn and KT or KQ on the river.

Nice to see you doing well. The 5-150 can/does have some hellaious variance, especially if you have any tilt in you at all (bad beats r us should be the name of the 5-150 game), but can be very profitable.

The best nights are Tues, Wens, Friday late, and Sat. On Tues and Wens they run the nightly MTT and you get alot of hot shots in the games, Fridays nights (later) are great with all the drunks coming in after clubing. You have to love a guy that will get it all in PF with KJo. LMAO!

Saturday's are great, lots of high stakes players waiting for their game to open up a seat, and they just do not take the 5-150 seriously and tend to lose a big hand and go on monkey tilt. I think it is the their ego that nails them, they are used to playing a game with 2000-10,000 buy-in in front of them and just can't seem to understand that just because the blinds are small and the buy-in is small that the players aren't any good.

It's funny I have a couple of the regular 40+ players that will come out of their regular game to take a shot at me now when I am sitting the 5-150. They just can not stand the idea of a "low stakes" player beating them. I love head hunters. /images/graemlins/blush.gif

[DesertCat]

[ QUOTE ]
There is a very solid regular there that more or less fits that discription. Did he wear his glass on the end of his nose? And keep them on top of his head most of time, but flip them down when playing or checking hole cards?

[/ QUOTE ]

Isn't that guy in his fifties or so? My guy was in his thirties. Thanks for the advice on the best times, let's see what the wife will allow.

[Percula]

[ QUOTE ]
Isn't that guy in his fifties or so? My guy was in his thirties. Thanks for the advice on the best times, let's see what the wife will allow.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep, in his 50's or so. I love playing poker with him, I always learn something from him when he is in the game. I would like to get him on the low limit stud table sometime, it would be well worth the couple racks of white he would take me for just to learn from him. A couple of months ago I saw him rack out 12 racks from the 15 stud game...

Humm... There is another regular that is in his 30-40's that also fits that discription. He is pretty aggressive but is not a solid player. He nut peddles until he gets a stack (~500-750) then he gets looooose and calls lots of PF raises with junk and will get aggressive post flop if he hits anything and will pay off a set or better with his two pair, or top pair. He has no disipline for a long session, I have never seen him leave with more than a rack, even on those nights when he has $2K in front of him.