[CrisBrown]

Hi All,

In looking back over my play this month, and analyzing my many obvious leaks, I thought of something Howard Lederer said about Layne Flack: "He's created an image of a crazy player ... but if you get into a big pot with Layne, you're going to need a big hand."

One of the things I'm working on is distinguishing "big pot" hands from "small pot" hands. One of my biggest leaks is getting into a big pot with a small pot hand, and being too stubborn to get out.

An example from yesterday's $215 SNG. It's fairly early, with (I think) 17 people left. My table is still full. I have T1075, having taken a substantial hit recently. The table is very tight in general, and I pick up QTs in third position. I make it 150, and get one caller (who has me covered). My reasoning pre-flop was that QTs is a good steal hand. If I'm reraised, I'll muck without regret. If I'm called, it has the potential to turn into a good hand.

The flop is T-4-A.

Here I misplayed it terribly. At this point, I have a decent "small pot" hand: 2nd pair with a marginal kicker, and a backdoor straight draw. I should have played it as a bluff-catcher, check-calling if he bet small at the flop, to see if it turned into something better before getting involved in a big pot.

Instead, I push in, representing AA, AK, or AT. He calls and turned up AQ. Oops. I have 2nd pair and a dead kicker vs. top pair ... totally dominated. I got lucky and caught a T at the flop, and my set held up. But I should've been out of that tourney right there.

If I'd played it correctly, as a bluff-catcher, I'd have checked the flop, and called a small bet. When the T came at the turn, THEN I would've had a big pot hand, and I'd have tried to get him into a big pot. I doubt I would have as I don't think he'd have paid me off with only top pair, but I'd have won a decent-sized small pot, with a small pot hand.

Part of the reason I think I've done better at the higher buy-ins is because there are so many small pots, so you can play with small pot hands. At the lower buy-ins, most of the contested pots turn into big pots, and when that's the case, you can't get involved without a big pot hand.

An example from a $55 SNG this week. It's early (again), with blinds only 15/30, but there are only 14 players left because people are pushing on any kind of a hand. This is the kind of game I hate. I catch JJ in 2nd position, and I limp. The player to my left, who has jumped in full-bore on a lot of pots, raises it to 180. It's folded back to me and I call.

The flop is A-J-Q.

I bet, he raises, I push, he calls ... and turns up AA.

Now, while this may seem "unlucky," I don't think it was. JJ isn't a big pot hand early in a tourney, and I knew this guy was going to turn this into a big pot. Again, I'd played a big pot with a small pot hand, and I got busted.

Part of this is something William has talked about at length: patience. It's one thing to stab at a pot with a marginal (small pot) hand, in the right situation. I.e.: (1) the table is tight; (2) most pots are small; (3) you have the discipline to get out if the put turns big; and, (4) you won't miss the chips if you have to muck.

But that is a very specific kind of situation, and it can change at any moment. If someone reraises, if the flop is scary, if the caller has put a big portion of his stack in, if the caller is a big stack who is very aggressive after the flop ... a small pot can suddenly become a big pot. And that's where I need to develop the patience and self-discipline to lay down that small pot hand and wait for a better opportunity.

Something else I want to add here. William and I have talked a fair bit since the flare-up, and we've put it behind us. I respect William's play, and his posts. I am never satisfied with my game, even when I'm winning. The 2nd place in that $215 paid $1080, but when I assess my play in that SNG, I look at that terrible misplay (above). I got lucky (yep, it does happen), but that's not winning poker. So I'm constantly looking to improve my game, and I learn a lot from William's posts ... even when we disagree.

Peace. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Cris