Trench warfare

[AZK]

They don't know, they just assume. Just like people assume when it's folded to the button and he raises that he is stealing...

[BobboFitos]

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This sort of squeeze is not uncommon in tournaments where stacks are much shorter and thus pre flop folding equity much higher.

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I've seen a few posts here recently touting the squeeze in a ring game situation. In the OP is it only a "bad line" against top shelf opposition?

I understand why it has more value in a tourney, but isn't this a viable weapon in a rang game as well?

I need to clear this up before I go bluffing my stack off tonight...

Thanks,

Marlow

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it definately has it's uses... I squeeze every now and then, but the situation arises much more shorthanded then full.

[Matt Flynn]

AZK,

Play a few hours of live no limit and watch a medium-loose weaker player's every move (looser so you can get more data for the same amount of time). Try to guess what he has when he looks at his cards, when he bets, when he is contemplating and so forth. Watch how he puts his chips in. Watch how he looks at his opponents. After a few hours you will be able to guess his holdings remarkably well.

Matt

[JMP300z]

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How does the OP and the SB *know* that BB is bluffing with the standard squeeze play and does not have a legitimate hand like a big pair?

Is it just experience?

It looks kinda like magic to me. Reading this makes me see how far I have to go.

derick

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Basically just experience. All those things matt said become second nature. The more hands you see and pay attention to the more your brain assimilates data. Watch every showndown hand. Watch every non showdown hand...does the player look smug that he just won, relieved he just won, sad that the pot ended etc, just as much info there as a showndown hand. You watch everything yet can still carry a conversation with the guy across the table. If you pay attention to posture, hand motions, how they grab their chips, where they look etc you get a feel for every minute detail of how they act.

Im not saying you go "oh hes holding his breath and lifting his arm 6 inches-> therefore..." although you kinda do with the weakest players, but it really gets second nature over time. It gets to the point vs weaker players where see them look at their hand, limp, look around, and you know, i mean certainty absolutely KNOW they have black kings, not red, black. Agaisnt better/ more experienced/controlled players, it takes a little bit more. You have to know if they are capable of false reads, if the money means something to them, how theyve been running lately, are they leaving soon etc. Timing is important too, if you can align your brain w/ how the opponent thinks its almost like you can guess the thoughts that ran through his head and figure out the timing of his bet and what it means (figure out if they are deciding between calling and raising, calling and folding or just not thinking and calling)

In this case, Matt probably didnt know for sure that the guy didnt have a big hand....He probably couldnt list a few tells out of Caro to explain why....call it more of his brain subconsciously assimilating everything he knows and then just giving him a feeling. Experience.

Some good advice when getting started is to begin with 1 player...possibly to your immediate left or right...then expand out. Pay attention to how many hands they play, what they raise from what spots, how often they complete the small blind, how often they CR what hands they do it w/ etc etc. etc....find out basically what they are capable of...are they predictable or not. Eventually you can typify players and that does a lot of the "making reads" work for you.

-JP

[derick]

Thanks for the helpful advice! You guys are great. I'm touched by how helpful this forum is for my development as a player. Feel free to hit me up for a beer if you're in the Toronto/Hamilton/Ancaster area.

[mgsimpleton]

group hug?

[Niwa]

good post.

[hank102977]

Matt,
What do you think the BB will most likely do in this spot with AA? Also, whatever the answer is, is it wrong to think that he should usually mimic this action when he tries to steal?

- Chris

[arod15]

Push there if you think the guy has the same read as you push he will fold.

[AZK]

Matt,

Would SB call/raise/fold if you had called? Is calling an option there with you? I think you are going to tell me calling is bad there, but neither of you have really identified your hands and you have position and a deep enough stack, eh?