A False Image (long)

I played at the Taj over the weekend and had an unusual experience. I get my seat and had about 5 hands before I posted. I watched the play and noticed at least two people at the table had a clue. The one particular one was two to my left.


I get my blind and look at AQs. Fold around to the button who raises, sb folds I reraise, button calls. Flop is Axx. I bet, button folds.


Next hand I get KsQs. Two callers before me, I call, button checks. Flop is Qh Ts 6s. I bet out. Just the button calls. Turn is 2d, I bet button folds.


On the button I get AKo. 1 limper I raise, the blinds fold. I hear two to my left mutter about me playing every hand. Flop is all rags. I check it through. Turn is a king checked to me, I bet, fold.


Next hand I have AJo in the cutoff. All fold to me I raise, all fold. Again I hear from two to my left something about me trying that crap when he has a hand.


Next hand I have TT. All fold to me I raise. Cutoff folds, button three bets in a way that tells me that he's determined to see my cards no matter what.


All fold, I call the flop is J92. I bet button raises and he either has top pair or an overpair, I call. Turn is a Q and I'm thinking if cutoff had top pair, let me represent a q as long as I have an open ender. I bet out and button looks at me with utter disdain and raises. I call the raise.


River is a King and I figure let me now represent a king as long as representing a queen got such respect so I bet out again. He smirks and raises confirming he started with KK. I pick up my chips and he's about to throw the cards in my face when I say RAISE. He doesn't even look at the board for the obvious danger sign because he KNOWS I've been playing crap all along and he reraises. I look at the bosrd to make sure I'm reading it right and since there's no way he started this show with AT I pop it one more time. He looks at me with disbelief, looks at the board and goes white. He calls and his cards practically hit the muck before I turn my TT over.


"You sure are lucky," he said. "I know. That's why I sat down," I replied.

Sredni has encountered many humans who draw great conclusions from the smallest of evidences. SammyB has been on the right end of this arrow.


Sredni has also never found a place so pleasant and full of cheer and goodwill, as AC, and particularly the Taj.


And Sredni Vashtar knows a thing or two about Tah Mahals.


Sredni Vashtar


went forth, His thoughts were red thoughts and his teeth were white. His enemies called for peace, but he brought them death. Sredni Vashtar the Beautiful.

Excellent play. Letting him KNOW that HE WAS RIGHT, that is. Allowing him to reinforce his own incorrect image of you was a great idea. Now, you should let him catch you playing some piece of cheese once, just to further reinforce his incorrect beliefs about how you play.


Next time you are on the button, and have a fairly cheesy hand, say 74s, or better yet, Qxs, and there are a bunch of limpers to you, just play it. If you have to fold on the flop, "accidentally" allow your cards to be exposed, just to show this player how loose you really are, just like he thought. This play may wind up having an "advertising effect" that will wind up paying off handsomely in THIS game.


Although a tight image is generally advocated for the game of Holdem, I believe that anytime you have opponents that believe you are playing differently than you really are, you are gaining. This guy thinks you are super-loose. He will three-bet your raises with fairly weak hands, believing you to be bluffing or playing cheese. Ironically, all you have to do to take advantage of this is to keep playing just as you were. Value bet your good hands into this player, because he will pay you off, thinking you have cheese, instead of "The Cheese".


Dave in Cali