By Richard Brodie
When j started playing poker, I was so excited when I flopais a monster than j forgot my main goal: win as many chips as possible. When j was a marginal hand, I always wondered what my opponent might have and that I could beat. But when j was a big hand, I wanted only to put all my chips at the centre.
Big mistake.
Big hand means often big pot. But when you have a big hand, it is very important to ask you what your opponent may have. If you think small, you can use a slowplay. If you believe that it is strong, you can let him bet for you raisant on the turn or the River, in order to extract the maximum value for your hand.
In 2003, when the Borgata Poker Open, I made a small raise UTG with 9 d - Td. I got two calleurs including Bobby Thompson on the small blind. The flop fell six seven eight, giving me the nut straight. Bobby is alla bet first the size of the pot and both we callions development. The turn brought an ACE and he bet again. I still had the nuts and with my inexperience, I was not sufficiently considering what my opponent could have. Instead, I was only caller being very proud and confident of my hand and hoping that the third player call also.
If I had thought a little, I could tell me that Bobby should have at least two pairs and that the third player must be on a straight draw or something like that. At the turn I shoulda rug to make the draw paying me and to force Bobby to follow me. Instead, I have only calle the placing of the turn. When a second ACE came on the River, Bobby is put in all and I now had a very difficult decision. I finally paid and given my chips to Bobby who showed me a pair of 6 for the full.
If I had placed all my money at the turn, the outcome may have been different. This would have forced Bobby to make a really difficult decision.
The following year in the same event, I had very aggressive Jimmy-Jimmy Cha to my right. Raisa in late position and I reraisa with TT. It calla and we were heads up to the flop. The flop brought a ten with two Spades, once again, giving me the nuts. This time, I pondered what he could have. Nine, valet and Lady could be cards he had. Otherwise, he could easily have the overcards. Jimmy decided to checker, which was not a usual game of its share. I took the decision to bet because I know aggressive instead of slowplayer. Obviously, it me check - raisa all-in and I decided to caller. This time, I lost all my chips being favourite at 75%, the right way against his flush draw.
There's always a chance that you do you beat by a better hand. In a tournament televised at the Plaza, I raise with TT and I'm getting caller by the big blind the flop fell Q-Q-T, giving me a full. My opponent decided to check-caller my putting on the flop and I was putting at least on a lady. A King fell on the turn and it me check - raisa. I can beat A - Q or JQ but not K - Q or Q - T. For this reason, I began to be more cautious and only caller. When he made a small bet on the River, I did that caller, suspecting to be already beaten and, obviously, he showed me Q - T for a stronger full. I flopped a monster and I drawais dead. By analyzing his game and placing it on a particular hand, I saved some chips and managed to get to the final table.
Don't let so not the excitement of your hand make you forget what your opponent might have. Multiple tokens wander during these big hands, and you want to see happen on your side.
When j started playing poker, I was so excited when I flopais a monster than j forgot my main goal: win as many chips as possible. When j was a marginal hand, I always wondered what my opponent might have and that I could beat. But when j was a big hand, I wanted only to put all my chips at the centre.Big mistake.
Big hand means often big pot. But when you have a big hand, it is very important to ask you what your opponent may have. If you think small, you can use a slowplay. If you believe that it is strong, you can let him bet for you raisant on the turn or the River, in order to extract the maximum value for your hand.
In 2003, when the Borgata Poker Open, I made a small raise UTG with 9 d - Td. I got two calleurs including Bobby Thompson on the small blind. The flop fell six seven eight, giving me the nut straight. Bobby is alla bet first the size of the pot and both we callions development. The turn brought an ACE and he bet again. I still had the nuts and with my inexperience, I was not sufficiently considering what my opponent could have. Instead, I was only caller being very proud and confident of my hand and hoping that the third player call also.
If I had thought a little, I could tell me that Bobby should have at least two pairs and that the third player must be on a straight draw or something like that. At the turn I shoulda rug to make the draw paying me and to force Bobby to follow me. Instead, I have only calle the placing of the turn. When a second ACE came on the River, Bobby is put in all and I now had a very difficult decision. I finally paid and given my chips to Bobby who showed me a pair of 6 for the full.
If I had placed all my money at the turn, the outcome may have been different. This would have forced Bobby to make a really difficult decision.
The following year in the same event, I had very aggressive Jimmy-Jimmy Cha to my right. Raisa in late position and I reraisa with TT. It calla and we were heads up to the flop. The flop brought a ten with two Spades, once again, giving me the nuts. This time, I pondered what he could have. Nine, valet and Lady could be cards he had. Otherwise, he could easily have the overcards. Jimmy decided to checker, which was not a usual game of its share. I took the decision to bet because I know aggressive instead of slowplayer. Obviously, it me check - raisa all-in and I decided to caller. This time, I lost all my chips being favourite at 75%, the right way against his flush draw.
There's always a chance that you do you beat by a better hand. In a tournament televised at the Plaza, I raise with TT and I'm getting caller by the big blind the flop fell Q-Q-T, giving me a full. My opponent decided to check-caller my putting on the flop and I was putting at least on a lady. A King fell on the turn and it me check - raisa. I can beat A - Q or JQ but not K - Q or Q - T. For this reason, I began to be more cautious and only caller. When he made a small bet on the River, I did that caller, suspecting to be already beaten and, obviously, he showed me Q - T for a stronger full. I flopped a monster and I drawais dead. By analyzing his game and placing it on a particular hand, I saved some chips and managed to get to the final table.
Don't let so not the excitement of your hand make you forget what your opponent might have. Multiple tokens wander during these big hands, and you want to see happen on your side.
