My copy of SuperSystem paid for itself last night

[aces_full]

.50/$1 Pot Limit HE home game

We were playing only four handed last night and I'm in the CO with Q5o. I call,button calls, SB completes, BB checks. Looks like no one was too thrilled with their cards.

Flop ($4) 592 rainbow SB checks,BB checks, I check. It gets around to the button. He begins to make the motion to check and then pauses for a second. Then he reluctantly throws $1 into the pot. To me his gesture was saying Oh well if no one else has anything, I'll take a shot at it. The fact that it looked like he was going to check and then made a last minute weak bet told me he had either nothing or at best second pair. I had second pair with a pretty good kicker, so I felt I probably had him beat. Part of this "feeling" I got was from the fact that I have been playing with this guy for nearly ten years. He's a habitual bluffer, and I have gotten to the point where I can often tell when he is full of [censored]. In fact, I was in a similar situation with him a few weeks ago.

The SB calls $1,BB calls $1, I call. I'm not surprised about the other callers. They are probably chasing with overcards.

Turn ($8) J-suit not important. Again SB checks,BB checks, I check. Button bets $2 this time. SB calls, BB calls, I call. Not only is the button a habitual bluffer, but he often carries it too far. His $2 bet was a pathetic attempt to try and use the J as a scare card.

River ($16) 4-suit not important. SB checks, BB checks, I check. Button pauses for a moment and then bets $16. SB folds, BB folds, I have a decision. The hesitation/weak flop bet still has me convinced he has a very small piece of the board, if anything at all. However calling a $16 bet with nothing but a pair of fives required me to be absolutely sure he had nothing. I could raise him and test him here, but that would be wrong. If he was beat, he would most likely fold. He would only call if he had a better hand. I was worried that he might play back at me, so raising was out of the question. But before I threw my $16 into the middle, I had to be sure my hand was good. I looked at him and told him I didn't think he had anything. Then I remembered something from Super System. The part where Doyle talks about flipping his cards face up and deciding whether to call based on his opponents reaction. So first I came right out and asked "Can you beat a pair of fives? Because that's what I have" Then I flipped over my cards and showed him my Q5. He said nothing to me, but I could just tell he was nervous that I might call. I decided to let him sweat. I stared at him and kept saying "I just don't believe you have anything" Then I would look down at the table and play with my money. Finally I said "I just might have to keep you honest" He did not look happy. I counted out the $16 and said "I'll call" He turns over 5 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]7 [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] and I drag a nice pot.

[TheFink]

I'm not sure Brunson would let it go unraised past the flop to be honest. But good story anyways...

[klagett]

What brunson was talking about when he wrote that is when the other guy pushed all in. Then doyle turned over his cards and watched.

[aces_full]

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What brunson was talking about when he wrote that is when the other guy pushed all in. Then doyle turned over his cards and watched.

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Same thing here, except it was a pot sized bet and not all in.

[Scottnyce]

Why not raise the pot after the $1 flop bet and 3 callers?

[Huskiez]

Good story.

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Why not raise the pot after the $1 flop bet and 3 callers?

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I was thinking this myself. You felt they were on overcard draws, and your Q5 you believe was the best hand. Charge them for drawing.

[aces_full]

I'm pretty sure everyone would have folded if I bet or raised. I thought the risk of just calling down was worth it. If someone wants to bet my hand I will let them under the right circumstances. I think in this particular game it is extremely important. I have played with these guys for years so I need to mix it up. Sometimes I will bet, sometimes I will call, and sometimes I will bet or raise with nothing. I want to keep my opponents from knowing where they stand.

More imprortantly I was on a hot streak last night, and I figured this would be a good hand to cool down with. If someone outdrew me, oh well, I'd get out cheap. Making a particular play in poker isn't always motivated by EV and squeezing every last chip out of your opponents. Although these guys are a good source of profit for me, they are still my friends. I have plenty of strong hands where I can hammer on them, trap them, and shut them out. When my hand is not great, sometimes slowing down is the correct thing to do. I would rather keep them in the game and take their money a little at a time than risk players leaving the game or not be invited back to play anymore. Preserving future profits is much much more important than squeezing out an extra bet or two here and there.

[RollaJ]

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I'm pretty sure everyone would have folded if I bet or raised.

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LoL, we wouldnt want that while holding a pair of 5s now would we??

[aces_full]

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I'm pretty sure everyone would have folded if I bet or raised.

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LoL, we wouldnt want that while holding a pair of 5s now would we??

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Laugh all you want, but I had my reasons. Poker is situational, and sometimes it has benefits to do what is not correct at the moment. In order to be a good player you must understand this. Have you ever read the Psychology of Poker? In the book Alan Schoonmaker gives a scenario of making the nuts against the table calling station. He argues that the more correct play (in terms of long term EV) would be to check the hand through or simply call his bet rather than make him look like an ass. If you keep pounding on him, you risk him leaving the table, and a stone-cold killer might just sit down in his place and work you over good.

Let me repeat this, these guys are my friends. Over the years I have mad a lot of money off of these guys, and I hope to keep it up. So despite the fact that you "experts" will always make the positive EV play, I feel that since I am playing with their money anyway, that deviating from optimal play or "throwing" a hand once in a while does more for my long term profit (not to mention my friendships) than squeezing every last bet out of every hand.

In case you still don't understand this. Let's say you liked to play tennis, but you weren't that good. The only person you could find to play against was Andre Aggassi. How many times would he have to beat your ass before you just stopped playing?

[Scottnyce]

In the book Alan Schoonmaker gives a scenario of making the nuts against the table calling station. He argues that the more correct play (in terms of long term EV) would be to check the hand through or simply call his bet rather than make him look like an ass.

- You have middle pair (5's) with a Queen Kicker, in what way is calling this down a smart play....? How are you gonna make anyone look bad by check raising the pot on the flop? You made a read and didn't act on it....thats the bottom line.