09-26-2005, 09:56 AM
This post relates to a player in a live (B&M) multi-table tournament. The player in question is ranked in the top ten of a local poker league with 200+ players, so it is fair to assume he has a fairly good all round game relative to the other players (of which I am one).
Despite this he has one obvious floor in his game ... he always plays his blind, blind (Doesn't check his cards) if there is no raise. Furthermore providing the SB doesn't bet the flop he will continue to check blind only looking at his cards if someone else bets or the turn card is dealt.
This has to be a play with a negative expectation(?) and the easiest way to get AA busted by 72 by effectively giving away four free cards? The only way he seems to make it pay is by frequently putting a big bet in on the turn if the small blind checks to him (Another debatable play if he is frequently bluffing?)
In a recent tournament I had this player on my right, and my strategy was as follows ... If a hand came down to the two of us I would play my small blind as normal with an above average hand and raise in to him, this would force him to look at his hand and play as 'normal'. The only difference is with rag hands, whereas I might normally fold them or maybe attempt a steal I now had the added option of just calling and seeing four cards for no extra cost. I elected to do this on many occasions, being given 3 to 1 odds and 80% of the board cards seems a pretty good deal for just calling.
Is this players blind play as bad as I think?
Would anyone play against it with a different strategy?
Should I still be frequently folding rag hands to his blind when the blinds become larger midway through the tournament?
As an aside in the tournament in question we were down to 12 players (9 Get Paid), I had 18k, the player 19k when I got 10,4o in the SB and everyone else folded to me. I elected to call, he checked blind. Flop 239 rainbow, I checked he checked blind. Turn 10 ... I elected to check this hoping he would bet/bluff it (bad play?) he finally looked at his cards and went all-in. I called and he turned over AA ... no help on the river, did I play that badly?
Despite this he has one obvious floor in his game ... he always plays his blind, blind (Doesn't check his cards) if there is no raise. Furthermore providing the SB doesn't bet the flop he will continue to check blind only looking at his cards if someone else bets or the turn card is dealt.
This has to be a play with a negative expectation(?) and the easiest way to get AA busted by 72 by effectively giving away four free cards? The only way he seems to make it pay is by frequently putting a big bet in on the turn if the small blind checks to him (Another debatable play if he is frequently bluffing?)
In a recent tournament I had this player on my right, and my strategy was as follows ... If a hand came down to the two of us I would play my small blind as normal with an above average hand and raise in to him, this would force him to look at his hand and play as 'normal'. The only difference is with rag hands, whereas I might normally fold them or maybe attempt a steal I now had the added option of just calling and seeing four cards for no extra cost. I elected to do this on many occasions, being given 3 to 1 odds and 80% of the board cards seems a pretty good deal for just calling.
Is this players blind play as bad as I think?
Would anyone play against it with a different strategy?
Should I still be frequently folding rag hands to his blind when the blinds become larger midway through the tournament?
As an aside in the tournament in question we were down to 12 players (9 Get Paid), I had 18k, the player 19k when I got 10,4o in the SB and everyone else folded to me. I elected to call, he checked blind. Flop 239 rainbow, I checked he checked blind. Turn 10 ... I elected to check this hoping he would bet/bluff it (bad play?) he finally looked at his cards and went all-in. I called and he turned over AA ... no help on the river, did I play that badly?