What makes for a good game???

[Mike Gallo]

I logged some hours with a friend of mine Rick at the Tropicana in Atlantic City over the Memorial Day weekend.

Rick formerly played as a pro in Atlantic City from 1999-2003. Rick plays a good game. He plays with imagination and can make solid reads. I sometimes question his math skills, however I consider him to have a solid game.

I spoke with Rick this past week about the games. He asked me ...”did the games get a lot softer then 4 years ago?”

We then discussed the type of play that makes for a good game. This will pertain to games with a limit structure.

A game where all of the players have a smile

Surprisingly I find a game that has happy players the most profitable. I do not like playing against serious playing opponents. This might seem strange coming from someone that is serious about the game.

Players who will limp with hands that they normally should raise with-

Many players will limp with hands like AK AQ and JJ. They offer the following explanations “these hands always cost me a fortune” and “whenever I raise with Jacks I lose, so I might as well call.”

These same players will open limp from middle position with hands like K10 suited 99 or JQ suited. These players do not limp as a subterfuge. These players limp because they do not understand the value of their hand.

The "expert" who plays like a novice

We have all played against these types of players. They announce the odds when someone draws out. They give a play by play analysis of the hand. Yet despite this, these players usually play pretty poorly. As a result of the poker explosion many more of these players exist.

Many of them will bluff in the wrong spot and ask someone, “How can you call with that”.

They will re-raise with a hand like A4 suited from their big blind as a default play.
When they flop the Ace they often lose the maximum when their opponent flops an Ace with a much better kicker.


The player who chases to the river and folds on the river for one bet

These players will flop middle or bottom pair and chase to hit their set or two pair and fold on the river when they do not. Unlike the calling station, this player will not call a bet unless they have a set or two pair. They will not make a river bet without a set or two pair either.


Players who cold call raises with any two cards


The game that has the most amount of player’s cold calling raises makes for the best games. These players think that any two cards can win. Eventually these players find out they do not.

These players will call a raise hit bottom/middle pair with an Ace kicker and call the way down, no matter what heat they need to withstand to get to the river.

These players call with KJ and lose the maximum to AK.

What other types of player’s situations make for a good game?