[Andy B]

If what you're saying is true, then the majority of my profit should come from hands that are made by fifth street. I'm pretty sure that that isn't true. On the biggest pot I've ever won, I made my hand on sixth street. A lot of my other big hands didn't develop before sixth street. The two biggest pots I've lost (that I can think of offhand) were decided by the river card. I think I hit a river card once, too; it's been a while. I think that it's fair to say that third street is the most important round, followed by fifth street, but the other streets are pretty important too.

If you make your hand on fifth street (1) it may be very obvious and (2) the pot probably isn't very big yet. This can allow people to get away from their hands more readily. If you don't make your hand until sixth, people may be more tied on. Just a thought.

OK, biggest pot I've ever won: $30/60 stud/8, $5 ante, $10 bring-in. I start with (45)6. Low card brings it in, a couple of people call, I make it $30, and I think only seven of us saw fourth street. I catch a 5. Not ideal, but I'll take it. Nothing else looks terribly threatening. Checked to me and I bet. I don't think we lost anybody. On sixth street I catch a 4, giving me two pair. One of my full house cards has shown. Still, no one is showing anything, so I bet, hoping that maybe someone will fold. I think someone had the temerity to raise on this round. We might be down to five six players at this point. On sixth street, another of my boat cards dies in front of me. I'm about done with the hand, when a Four falls on me. Yippee! Full house, and these guys all think I'm going low. My Fours are high and I bet. Across the table from me is PH, a good player, well, a good hold'em player, well, a good hold'em player when he shows up to play. Anyway, PH has made what is quite obviously a King-high flush and raises. He's caught a third suited card, and he wouldn't raise with a set when I'm showing small straight cards. He has a flush, and everyone should know this. FG, a delightfully awful player, calls two bets cold, and PH and I end up capping it. I think that other players called the first bet or two, but it was just the three of us after sixth street. On the river, I don't buy any help (not that I need it). I bet out, and PH just calls. I think that he senses that he may be in trouble, or maybe he's just going for the overcall. In any event, FG now raises! FG isn't showing much. He could have a low, or a flush, or a full house, or something else. You never can tell with this guy. At least I can't. Anyway, FG and I end up capping it, with PH calling the whole way. FG calls "flush." Jack-high no less. My hand is good. PH shows his King-high flush. Biggest pot I've ever seen, about $3100, and Andy B scoops!

That was a Wednesday afternoon this past April. The picture I use on this site was taken later that night. I bought in for my usual $1500. That's me with about $8000 worth of chips in front of me. Those were the days, my friends.