Watching High Stakes Poker last night I was reminded of a lesson that we already know but bears repeating. The first step to actually playing this game is to play the player, not your cards. Doyle Brunson reminded me that we must also play the situation as well as the player.
Doyle raised in late position to about $4,000 (blinds are 300-600 with a mandatory 1200 straddle). Doyle held Q-9 of Diamonds. Patrik Antonius, cash game beast extraordinaire, called in one of the blinds. Within the previous 10 minutes Antonius had lost about $280,000 in a failed bluff attempt against Sammy Farha. While relatively composed, those with a keen eye could still see the steam pouring out of the top of Patrik’s head. Doyle's eye is still keen.
Doyle flopped a flush draw with a gutshot to go with it, I think it was Kd-Jd-8c, not sure exactly but you get the point – flush draw, gutshot. Pot had about $10k in it, Antonius led out with $7,000. Doyle casually raised to $22,000 and Antonius called without a second thought. There is now $55k in the pot. The turn was a blank, Antonius checked and Doyle checked right behind him. The river paired 8s on the board, no diamonds. Antonius again checked and Doyle resignedly said “Queen high”.
You’ve noticed by now I haven’t mentioned what cards Patrik Antonius held. That’s because it has never been more irrelevant to a poker hand than it was in this situation. Doyle knew that and that’s why he played it this way. Many of us keep their foot on the gas in Doyle’s situation throughout the hand. I’ve done it, stubbornly bluffed on every street, only to have my opponent call me all the way down with mediocre holdings. Doyle recognized the situation though. He just watched Patrik blow off almost $300 large in failed bluff attempt and knew he was in no mood to be folding at any time in this hand.
In a brilliant juxtaposition to conventional wisdom, knowing Patrik wouldn’t fold is exactly the reason Doyle raised on the flop. Doyle had a nice draw and correctly built himself a pot worth playing for, knowing that if he hit Mr. Antonius would be paying him off handsomely. But he also had the years of wisdom and self control to not try to macho his way through this pot by betting crap and hoping his opponent would finally fold. He might have done that in a different situation against Antonius but he knew this time it would be futile.
It was not a big hand but watching such a masterfully aggressive player play a pot in such a masterfully passive way reminded me that this game is one of many simple lessons. I can’t tell you how many strings of $20, $30, or $75 trying I've wasted to muscle someone out of a pot. If I can just refrain once because of Doyle’s reminder, that’s one case of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale I won’t have to buy out of my own pocket. I’ll take that. Oh, by the way, Patrik had Q-J for a pair of Jacks.
Keep in mind your opponent’s state of mind, not just his “image”, in every hand you play.
Doyle raised in late position to about $4,000 (blinds are 300-600 with a mandatory 1200 straddle). Doyle held Q-9 of Diamonds. Patrik Antonius, cash game beast extraordinaire, called in one of the blinds. Within the previous 10 minutes Antonius had lost about $280,000 in a failed bluff attempt against Sammy Farha. While relatively composed, those with a keen eye could still see the steam pouring out of the top of Patrik’s head. Doyle's eye is still keen.
Doyle flopped a flush draw with a gutshot to go with it, I think it was Kd-Jd-8c, not sure exactly but you get the point – flush draw, gutshot. Pot had about $10k in it, Antonius led out with $7,000. Doyle casually raised to $22,000 and Antonius called without a second thought. There is now $55k in the pot. The turn was a blank, Antonius checked and Doyle checked right behind him. The river paired 8s on the board, no diamonds. Antonius again checked and Doyle resignedly said “Queen high”.
You’ve noticed by now I haven’t mentioned what cards Patrik Antonius held. That’s because it has never been more irrelevant to a poker hand than it was in this situation. Doyle knew that and that’s why he played it this way. Many of us keep their foot on the gas in Doyle’s situation throughout the hand. I’ve done it, stubbornly bluffed on every street, only to have my opponent call me all the way down with mediocre holdings. Doyle recognized the situation though. He just watched Patrik blow off almost $300 large in failed bluff attempt and knew he was in no mood to be folding at any time in this hand.
In a brilliant juxtaposition to conventional wisdom, knowing Patrik wouldn’t fold is exactly the reason Doyle raised on the flop. Doyle had a nice draw and correctly built himself a pot worth playing for, knowing that if he hit Mr. Antonius would be paying him off handsomely. But he also had the years of wisdom and self control to not try to macho his way through this pot by betting crap and hoping his opponent would finally fold. He might have done that in a different situation against Antonius but he knew this time it would be futile.
It was not a big hand but watching such a masterfully aggressive player play a pot in such a masterfully passive way reminded me that this game is one of many simple lessons. I can’t tell you how many strings of $20, $30, or $75 trying I've wasted to muscle someone out of a pot. If I can just refrain once because of Doyle’s reminder, that’s one case of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale I won’t have to buy out of my own pocket. I’ll take that. Oh, by the way, Patrik had Q-J for a pair of Jacks.
Keep in mind your opponent’s state of mind, not just his “image”, in every hand you play.
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