A shania post

[elindauer]

Here's something to ponder...

Most people are familiar with the idea that it might just be possible to add some -EV hands to your mix and produce a game which has a higher EV than before you started. This possibility has always intrigued me, but I could never quite figure out any practical application of it.

Until just now.

My problem, I think, has been that I've always thought of adding hands that are just slightly -EV to the mix. Well, I don't think that raising AT UTG is going to suddenly spark my game. However, what if I add some hands that most players think are VERY -EV?

Hmmm... now that might have some interesting side effects. Naturally, against your typical multitabling TAG who is using some kind of stat tracker, I'm probably just giving away a bit of my edge. But what about the rest of the table?

Let's say that from now on, I raise 6 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] no matter what the action to me. I don't even have to take it that far... let's say I'll raise if no one has yet raised. What would happen?

Well, first, I'll win sometimes without showing. Then other times I'll catch and lay a nasty bad beat on someone. Still other times, I'll show it down and lose, either because I bluffed all the way, or because I made a 2nd best hand.

Every time I show the 6 [img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 4 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] down, my opponents are going to notice. They are going to make little notes that say "maniac. raises any 2 preflop."...

Oops. They are going to give me way too much action. Bam. Shania improves.


I think the key to this concept is that the hand has to have no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Obviously, you want to play a hand that doesn't cost you too much, but your opponents can't attribute you any solid thinking when they see the showdown. They have to see it and think, man, that guy sucks.


I'm considering adding two such plays to my arsenal. Some kind of goofy EP limp (reraise?) where I'll pick a particular hand, like the 8 [img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 7 [img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img], and one open raise in MP, again with a particular hand. I'll change the actual choices randomly throughout the day, but I'll always know before the hand starts what cards are going to set off my backwards plays.

Any takers? Am I just giving away money?

-eric