Pure Theory Question

[Spladle Master]

[ QUOTE ]
Oh wait, I see the trick.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't.

[M.B.E.]

If you have 3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]2[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] and you see your opponent's cards, you will be a small favourite against either 3[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] or 3[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img]2[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img].

$1000 x 11894/1712304 x 2/1225 = $0.0113407289

[David Sklansky]

good catch

[Rasputin]

Might I ask two questions of clarification?

When you say "this is the one and only hand" are you saying that if you end up folding he'll walk away from the game with just what you paid him? I assume that's what it means.

More importantly, did he look at his cards before he offered to show them to you for a price? The question doesn't specify either way so I assume not.

[bigmac366]

i havent read the other replies in this thread.

i read once that Q7s was break even against a random hand. i think it would be +EV to call with any hand better than Q7s.

[Rococo]

I haven't read any of the other responses but it seems obvious to me that the information would be most valuable if I had a mid pocket pair (77-99). I might be a 4 to 1 favorite against a lower pair, a big favorite against random undercards, a 4 to 1 dog to an overpair, a coin flip against two overcards, or a modest favorite against something like A5.

That's a big range.

[FishAndChips]

I have a quick question. Does the $1000 bet by your opponent put him all-in? If it doesn't, and both of your stacks are large in relation to the pot, you should pay to see his hand with almost ANY holding.

There is an example in Matt Matros's new book where he describes going to a BARGE2K event where Chris Ferguson gave a lecture. "Jesus" [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] asked everyone what you would do in the following situation playing HU No Limit Hold 'em. Both you and your opponent have $50000 in front you, and the blinds of $1 and $2. Your opponent makes it $5 to go, but accidentally exposes his hand, revealing a wired pair of Aces. He then asked the audience what type of hands you should call with. It turns out that you should call with ANY holding in this situation because you can bluff throughout the course of the hand in such a way using game theory, that your opponent has negative EV. (see pg 129-141) Thus, knowing your opponents cards at the same time he doesn't know yours, puts him at such a huge disadvantage that you can play hands far inferior to his and still have positive EV. (However this only applies if there is subsequent betting in the hand and hence my opening question [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img])

If his bet puts you, or him, all-in, then J-5s would be my guess for the most valuable hand for which to obtain the info on.

[XChamp]

David said that your opponent "moves in". I'm assuming that means all-in.


I'm also assuming that you have $1000+ in front of you. He doesn't state that.

Also, is the money you give your opponent from your stack or from your pocket?

[Nicmavsfan28]

With David its always the math that matters, he told you the relevant factors to the equation. Pretend you are in high school and you are reading a word problem, he even gave you the equation on an earlier post. Now go forth and multiply! [img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]

[M.B.E.]

[ QUOTE ]
I haven't read any of the other responses but it seems obvious to me that the information would be most valuable if I had a mid pocket pair (77-99). I might be a 4 to 1 favorite against a lower pair, a big favorite against random undercards, a 4 to 1 dog to an overpair, a coin flip against two overcards, or a modest favorite against something like A5.

That's a big range.

[/ QUOTE ]
On the contrary, the information is of little value when you have a mid pocket pair. Learning your opponent's hole cards won't change your play unless the opponent shows you a bigger pocket pair, which will only happen about 3% of the time. Your only decision is whether to call all-in getting 1:1 pot odds, so you really don't care whether you are a big favourite, a modest favourite, or a slight favourite. All you care about is whether you are a favourite or not.