Hand to Talk About

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Greg:

It looks like you have exposed me. Now everyone knows that I'm easy to run over in real life just like I am at a poker table.

Best wishes,
Mason

[MarkD]

Although I am much more polite and less antagonistic I also wonder why you do not respond to such a well thought out post such as Diablo's.

I also wonder if you ever play a hand and when it's over you sit back and say to yourself, "Man, I screwed that up." But this is a secondary question.

[B Dids]

I think Mason did state that he thought he had questions about this hand.

I'll add my name to the list of people saying what Greg said (basically). It would be nice/educational if Mason whould respond to Diablo's post.

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Peter:

[ QUOTE ]
I would prefer to listen to ones who beat the online games 2-3 years and played over 1 million hands than one who played 15 years off line.


[/ QUOTE ]

Just so you know, I've played poker in public cardrooms for 25 years. But you do make a good point. New players today can get a lot of experience online very quickly. And for your point about live play being different from Internet play, the discussion on these forums do cover both.

But there's one thing that I have done which almost no one else has, at least not to the degree that I have. It's the fact that over these many years I have had an incredible number of serious conversations with many highly skilled players. Much of this information found it's way into detailed notes that I use to keep and go over regularly. It also is part of the reason that our publishing company and this site is as successful as it is.

Thanks for your post and best wishes,

Mason

[Mason Malmuth]

Hi Masked Man:

I think this is probably what happened in this spot especially since I saw he had an ace-ten after the fact.

But there is another factor that influences my thinking in these spots in addition to the analysis that I have given in other posts, and it is something that I have never mentioned in print before. In private, David and I refer to it as the David Sklansky Problem since he began to experience it years before I became known. It's the simple fact that many players, once they recognize either of us, will adjust their play from how they normally play. Specifically they tend to play tighter, try to be a little more tricky, and will try to bluff us more than they would someone else.

Our counter strategy is to simply call them down more and not raise. So here I am against an unknown player (to me) but someone who obviously has played poker before....

Best wishes,
Mason

[nolanfan34]

[ QUOTE ]
Hi Masked Man:

[/ QUOTE ]

This thread gets better and better.

[1800GAMBLER]

SO do you now agree not raising the river is a bad play?

[droidboy]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
MM is an expert Hold 'em player, and he has made his living gambling and writing the books that most of the posters read to learn about aggressive play

[/ QUOTE ]

I am a very good feline Hold'em player and I have made a living playing poker for many years. Although I haven't written any books on poker, no one but cats could understand all the meowing.

But what do I know, I'm just a cat. Meow.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've played with the cat. I've played with Mason. The cat is better than Mason. The cat isn't the best in the world, but the cat is very good, if not a bit too tight.

- Andrew

www.pokerstove.com

[mike l.]

"So here I am against an unknown player (to me) but someone who obviously has played poker before...."

book sales are better than ever and youre more well known than ever, BUT

most players have no idea who you are and no nothing of your books. and that includes at the higher limits.

[droidboy]

[ QUOTE ]
But there is another factor that influences my thinking
...

David and I refer to it as the David Sklansky Problem since he began to experience it years before I became known. It's the simple fact that many players, once they recognize either of us, will adjust their play from how they normally play.


[/ QUOTE ]

The first mathematical result of the David Sklansky Problem is that nothing Mason or David says with respect to strategy will apply to anyone's game until they become famous.

The corollary of which is that practically no one should take their advice.

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

- Andrew

www.pokerstove.com