Thank you Mike Caro

[DesertCat]

The 5-150 spread game at Casino AZ is the closest thing Arizona can have to a NL ring game. And I was doing pretty well for a guy who, basically isn't that good. A series of well timed bluffs based on good reads, and betting my strong hands had me up $200 or so for a few hours.

But then I hit the wall. A series of poorly timed bluffs, bad reads and betting strong hands into the nuts brought me back down almost even. I realized I was getting tired when I allowed the dealer to push my pair of eights, deuce kicker pot to the guy with the missed straight draw.

Vowing to leave, I look down and see ace king, not suited. I raise to twenty. At this point my table image isn't so great, having been caught with my pants down the last few times I raised. So the big blind and a EP limper call. The big blind is the table big stack. A regular, but actually hasn't been at our table that long. In the short time he has been playing well, very aggressive, snapping off lots of bluffs. He has me outchipped about three to one.

Flop comes AT5, rainbow. BB bets out $40. EP folds. I'm sitting there, thinking WTF? Is he testing whether I hit the flop, or is he betting a set or two pair hoping for a raise? I finally decide I'm either way ahead (KQ/KJ?) or way behind, so I call.

Turn is a King in the fourth suit. I'm thinking, good card for me, and he bets out $75. Hmm, I'm still either way behind KT, TT, 55, or way ahead of KQ, KJ. So I call.

River is ace of diamonds. BB pauses, scratches his nose (outside, not in), and bets out $75. I have only one play, "raise $150" I call out. The dealer and I take some fumbling turns counting out my chips. I've got $20 left.

He scans the board. "Ace King?" he asks. I resort to my usual strategem of staring at the board as to hold back the myriad of tells my goofy expression usually contains. He is so reluctant to lay down that he clearly must have had me beat until the river. And just as clearly, I want him to call.

He checks his cards one more time before chucking them as I think back to Mike Caro's book of tells. I realize, suddenly, that I'm playing it all wrong.

For the first time in the day I turn and look at my opponent. He seems a little surprised. I wear no sunglasses, so I'm allowing him to peer directly into my soul. And I stare back. Leaning forward. If a five foot five inch man can intimidate anyone, this one was giving it his best shot. I even puffed up my chest.

Finally, it was enough for this guy. "I call." he said almost as if he knew he was being had. He didn't show. I was almost embarrassed to play after such a cheap trick, and left as soon as it was socially acceptable.

Thank you Mike Caro. Thank you for writing the "book of tells". And, evidently selling a copy to this guy. I owe you one hundred and fifty dollars. Put it on my account.

[JohnnyHumongous]

Hercule Poirot sez... you botched your phony story.

[mosdef]

[ QUOTE ]
Hercule Poirot sez... you botched your phony story.

[/ QUOTE ]

what makes you say that? i'm asking, not challenging...

[Kaeser]

Two things I noticed. When the King comes on the turn your ahead of any hand except a set or J-Q. Also I'm not sure why you didn't raise before but when you raise the river why leave 20 behind?

Edit: nm i just saw that this was a spread game.

[DesertCat]

[ QUOTE ]
Two things I noticed. When the King comes on the turn your ahead of any hand except a set or J-Q. Also I'm not sure why you didn't raise before but when you raise the river why leave 20 behind?


[/ QUOTE ]

True story, happened yesterday (Sat) around 3:15 pm, maybe another 2+2er can confirm. I'm behind 55, TT, KT, and K5 until the river. My guess is either he had KT or 55.

If I'm ahead I can't get a call by raising him unless he has a king with a worse kicker. Which may have been likely. But he was also very agressive and could have been betting AT, QT, QJ, or an entire bluff that way. Do I want him to fold those hands?

[wonderwes]

What hand did you put him on after you won the pot?

[DesertCat]

[ QUOTE ]
What hand did you put him on after you won the pot?

[/ QUOTE ]

Either 55 or KT. He had to have a very strong hand and think I might have KQ or KJ in order to call. Probably a reasonable call given the circumstances.

[meep_42]

How are you behind KT with AK on a AKT5 board, exactly?

You're behind QJ, AA, KK, TT, 55, and that's it.

-d

[Percula]

Glad to see you are getting into that game!

Who was the hand with?

On your hand if you dont mind a little talk...

Raise more PF, a 20 raise in this game is weak. The standard raise is between 25 and 40. Considering your image at this point, make it 35 or 40, you are still going to get your calls.

Flop looks fine. BB likely has AT, A5 or KQ and his bet is kind of weak considering the pot and your image. If he had a set he would have bet less or checked. There are only a couple of regulars that will lead a set like that. If you really think you might be up against a set here, you need to raise and make him define his hand, there are very few regulars that are not RR 150 with set here at which point you fold your TPTK.

Turn his bet of 75 is again smells weak and makes me think he has AT or A5 and not KQ or a set, I would RR 150 here, he will likely call this, especially if you put the "tell" on him.

River, if you RR 150 on the turn depending on who this is, you are either going to get checked to or a small'ish value bet of say 50-100 (most of the regulars will bet their under full here), so if he checks put in a small value bet of between 50-100 depending on who it is. If you get that 50-100 bet, RR 150 and do the same "tell" as you did, he is paying you off.

One of the keys to making money at this game is learning the regulars and their habits. Some have some REALLY BIG leaks and are VERY predictable in their play. Once you learn their game you can stack them.

A good player that doesnt tilt can make $300+ a short session. Where it gets good is when you have a mix of the high stakes LEHE players waiting for their seat, "hot shots" and drunks on the table. On those sessions a good player can rack out with 2-4 racks over a long session.

Here is an example hand with a hot shot (you know one of those guys that has some money, has played poker and thinks their gods gift to poker becuase they have had a couple of good sessions/hands) and a regular 40/80 player. Hot shot (HS) raises to 25, fold to the 40 player in the SB who RR to 60. I am in the BB with K[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]Q[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] and know that HS is raising with Ax, middle PP or two paint cards or any of the "TV poker" raising hands and that the 40 guy has a big PP or big ace and will over play it to the felt. So I decide to gamboool it up a little since I am very deep at this point (~1200) and they are both fairly short and call, HS calls.

The flop comes A[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]8[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]3[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img], 40 guy leads for 100, I call after a good acting job and the HS raises 150, 40 guy looks distressed but makes the call and I RR 150, HS insta calls AI for ~130 and the 40 guy reluctently calls.

Turn K[img]/images/graemlins/diamond.gif[/img] 40 guy checks, I bet 150, he calls.

River J[img]/images/graemlins/club.gif[/img] 40 guy checks, I bet 150, he calls AI for ~140.

The HS stands up and slams his 7[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img]6[img]/images/graemlins/spade.gif[/img] on the table a says "got both you!", 40 guy disgustedly turns up AA and I laugh and turn up the nut flush.

Both rebuy and get stacked again within 45 mins. 40 guy figures he is never getting a seat at his game and leaves, HS stays for nearly 8 hours and 12 buy-ins more, he finally leaves head hung low and a poket full of ATM slips.

[Percula]

[ QUOTE ]
True story, happened yesterday (Sat) around 3:15 pm, maybe another 2+2er can confirm.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was not there, but I can say that this sounds 100% like my regular game the 5-150 at CA. I have not a single doubt about this post or the OP.