If you truly cant understand...

If you truly cannot understand how one cleanly can make a call of a 7x raise preflop (in a cash game) with a hand such as 5d-4d, and take a flop, especially when that player terminates preflop action AND is in the big blind, I really want you playing at my table.

By "Really," I do in fact mean, please, sit next to me - and "good luck, ole chap!"

---

Poker Pub Sponsors and deals:
Newest, hottest place to play poker - Carbon Poker - Special 200% up to $100 (code initialcheckrayz), a reload bonus of 75% up too $100 (code reloadcheckrayz)!
save up to $200 on inexpensive, denominated, high quality poker chips.
Play free poker at CheckRayz - free entry, cash prizes and money-added buyin poker tournaments. Sign up now!
Get better at playing poker online with pokertracker. Analyze your play and the play of your opposition.
Advertise with the Poker Pub

---

I have seen several instances recently, both live and onine; hands I've been in, or observed - and some people just do not get it. Stopping short of trying to educate the masses, playing cash game is so much more than playing premium hands in a "tight, aggressive manner." There's so much more to cash play than actual pot odds.

An example or two...

UTG+1 raises preflop 7x's blinds. Button calls cleanly. I sit in the BB with 5d-4d, terminating action. Both the button and the raiser have a sizable stack. I suspect that I'm way behind preflop, but also know that the raiser seems to overplay his hands, at least some of the time. I also suspect the button "may" be calling with an ace, suited ace, or a small pocket pair and is likely playing position.

Odds are, I'm behind now, no matter how we look at it. However, investing six more BB into a pot containing 14ish BB, terminating action and the potential to win at least one stack "if" I get the right flop. On the other hand, I will lose no more if I do not get the right flop. So, I'm investing six more BB's to win at least 50 BB's, maybe even 100 BB's.

The flop just happens to come 4-4-J. I check, raiser continues, button folds. I was hoping the button would either call or raise, then I'd push. He did not, so I call cleanly, not fearing the jack. Turn is a nine. I bet out about 1/2 my remaining stack. Raiser moves allin. I insta-call, he has QQ. River delivers a redundant five.

Scenario number two, UTG (an ABC player who plays premium and semi-premium hands hard) raises 6x blinds. The button, one of the most disciplined cash game players I've sat with locally calls cleanly, as does the SB. Rubbish flop of 2-6-10 rainbowed arrives. SB bets out 10BB, UTG raises to 30BB. The button reraises minimally. The SB, who is a successful cash player as well, folds - thinking top pr is no good here. UTG reraises "putting the button all in." The button postures for a bit, and "calls his kings or aces."

Sure enough, UTG turns over his KK, thinking he's way ahead. The button turns over his 2h-6h. The turn and river fires blanks and roughly 240 BB's head over to the button. UTG goes absolutely ape shit.

Again, implied odds, and justifying of loose calls.

Again, have a seat!

Mike

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs2.5 License.


Subscribe to the Poker Pub