How to profit from the bad decisions of your poker opposition
LOSERS BEAT THEMSELVES Most of us who have been playing poker for a while are probably tempted to think we’re just that little bit smarter than the opposition when we hit a regular winning streak. The truth, when you take the trouble to analyse it by looking back over your game history and notes, tends to be rather less flattering. I’ve kept fairly good game records this last year or two and it’s quite clear to me that most wins have come about by the mistakes which opposing players have made rather than by some amazing piece of mental gymnastics performed by yours truly. My “feats”, as my wife is fond of pointing out after a poker loss, remain trapped securely in my shoes. Domestic abuse aside, the point is learning how to exploit mistakes made by opposing players is the biggest weapon you can carry into battle with you.
HERE’RE TWO EXAMPLES A classic case of an opposing mistake from a new player is misunderstanding the need for aggression. Aggression is an essential aspect of poker but it has to be applied selectively. I often see a jumpin’ jack flash, new on-liner trying to bully or bluff a player with a much larger stack. Big mistake and easy to exploit. Watch for it. It’s happening at an online table near you right now, believe me. Even worse are the many macho newbies who decide they can bluff “calling stations”. It’s a mistake born of an inflated ego and exploiting it is a rewarding pastime I highly recommend.
UNDERSTANDING MENTAL GYMNASTICS There are of course great players who can play the brain game. Here’s an example. New players have usually absorbed a lot of traditional tips and basic knowledge about Texas Hold’em and they’ll play Ace-Ace, Ace-King, King-King, King-Queen, Queen-Queen or Jack-Jack quite happily. Then comes their first viewing of a big TV poker match when they see a top line professional folding King-Jack but happily calling with Five-Four and wonder what on earth has happened to the sanity of their poker universe. They’ll be missing the point that a really experienced player realises he can get into a lot of expensive trouble with his King-Jack if he runs head on into a betting battle with the usual suspects listed above (Ace-King etc). With his Five-Four, if he lands two pair or draws to something even better, he can get a healthy pay off with a hand which is almost certain to dominate the more likely high pairs. It’s “counter-think” and if you’re just “calling” your risk reward ratio is making sense. You can escape reasonably cheaply if it fails to develop. It’s like shopping wisely at a good discount store. That’s mental gymnastics.
