JSD's guide to straddling at low-limits

[JSD]

JSD's guide to straddling at low limits

While playing 3/6 with 2+2ers bisonbison and bakku last night at Garden City, it game to my attention that while most 2+2ers are proficient at playing solid tight-aggressive (or at least weaktight) poker, many of us do not completely understand one the the subtler nuances of playing live, namely the LIVE STRADDLE. Therefore, I provide you all with a short (and hopefully useful) guide on the subject.

1) Your straddle to beer ratio should be at least 1:1. You beer to orbit ratio should also be at least 1:1. After this many beers, the math gets fuzzy, but it conveniently works out that you should be straddling every orbit.

2) When straddling, it is important to let the table know this. Loudly accouncing "LIVE SIX" as you push your chips out is mandatory. Think of it as a public service announcement.

3) It is incredibly poor form to look at your hole cards pre-flop when straddling. This will jinx any chance you have of winning. After all, 72o isn't really 72o until you look, right?

4) Under no circumstances should you ever fold pre-flop when straddling. If it comes back to you 3-bet or capped (and it likely will) you MUST MUST call. Any two will do! Besides, you haven't looked yet, so for all you know, you've got two aces down there.

5) It is highly recommended that you exercise your option to 3-bet or cap out of your straddle. The more people in the hand with you, the more likely you should be to 3-bet/cap. It is good form when doing this to loudly say "lets build a pot for somebody!" Note that if you 3-bet out of your straddle after a bunch of callers, it is damn near mathematical certainty that one of this original callers will cap while yelling "GAMBOOOOOOL!"

6) Bet the flop (whether you've looked at your cards or not). If the SB or BB bets, raise. The flop is getting capped anyways so you might as well show strength. You still have two cards to come. You cannot fold. You'll notice that nobody else is folding. Learn from them.

7) Suckout on the the river. This is the more important aspect of straddling. It is critical that you hit your runner-runner draw to the nuts. The more you straddle, the more proficient you will become at this.

8) When tabling you winner, make sure you say "just the nuts!" in a triumphant manner, as if it was a pre-determined outcome that you would drag a 30BB pot when you pushed those six chips out to the left of the big blind.

9) "SERVICE!! Get me another Sierra Nevada, pronto!"

10) Repeat.

[Malarky]

That sounds about right.

[Ed Miller]

I thought I had my straddling technique down, but damn... I had so much to learn.

Up until now, I had been making the (now obvioulsy rookie) mistakes of failing to announce the straddle and looking at my cards when the action came back to me.

Thank god I never folded, though... You got pretty much no hope if you need someone to tell you that one...

[B Dids]

I've never been more happy I bought your book than just now.

[afk]

I am interested in your ideas and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

[The Armchair]

[ QUOTE ]
I am interested in your ideas and would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow, I was thinking the exact same thing. Congratulations on the most appropriate Homerism I've yet to see on this board.

BTW, I know this quote is used twice, once in the bear patrol episode and ... well, that's my question. When else? I cannot remember.

[JSD]

two examples from last night

example #1:

i straddle. bakku folds. bison 3-bets. a bunch of coldcallers and I decide to cap without looking while giving bison the "how dare you 3-bet my straddle?" look. all call. flop comes Kxx or something like that. i look down and see T9o. so of course, i bet. bison raises. ick. all call. i call. turn doesn't help me. i check. bison bets. all call. i think for a few seconds and realize that i have failed to follow rule #7, the most important rule. i muck face up and say "backdoor gutshot to the third nuts, NO GOOT!" bison ends up dragging a monster with el slicko grande.


Example #2:

i straddle, bakku folds, somebody 3-bets and a bunch of people call. i decide to just call this time (without looking of course). this was clearly a mistake and i knew it at the time. i should have capped. there were a lot of people in the pot. flop comes Kd Td xc. i look down and see Ad Qd. sweet jesus, i've got four to a royal! i bet. it comes back around 3-bet. i cap. all call. most of the table sees the turn and theres a metric fuckton of chips in the middle. turn is the 3d. i briefly consider the check-raise but instead bet and hope to get raised. doesn't happen. river is the 17 of purple horseshoes and i bet and get callers. i table my hand and say "just the nuts". several union contractors were called in to deliver the pot to me. "SERVICE!"

moral of the story: practice makes perfect. i won't even go into the time that i straddled with QQ and flopped a set of queens only to turn the case Q.

[bisonbison]

i table my hand and say "just the nuts".

I can verify this.

I straddled, looked at T5o and folded. I would have flopped two pair. Dear sweet Jesus, WHY DIDN'T YOU POST THIS YESTERDAY?

[bakku]

JSD and I almost crapped our pants when you folded to the 3-bet. If you're going to straddle you must call a 3-bet/cap otherwise you're not GAMBOOOLING like you should.

[bisonbison]

I didn't know. I was raised by wolves.