| |
|
Who's Online |
|
We have 6 guests online |
|
Statistics |
|
Visitors: 211432
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Unbridled Confidence |
|
|
One of the most important things you can have at the table is confidence. I don't mean confidence in just your ability as a poker player, I mean confidence in everything. When I get involved in a hand, I am extremely confident in all areas.
I am confident that my good hands will hold up. I am confident that I will suck out when I need to. I am confident that I can read my opponents. I am confident that my opponents will not be able to read me. I am confident in my calls, folds, steals, raises, pushes... everything. Basically, I am just flat out fuckin' confident.
For a little bit more about me personally. I play in a seemingly wreckless style that sees me get my chips in a lot of the times with a weaker hand than my opponents. While this may seem like stupidity to some, there is definitely a logic behind it which I will try to explain as best I can here.
Let me explain first that most or all of these theories and/or strategies are basically implimented when the SNG gets down to the final 4-6 players in most cases. I play a pretty standard tight game early on, when the blinds are low. I fold a lot of hands that I could call with (or reraise with) because I don't like to mix it up when I am not the aggressor in the hand. This must be kept in mind so I don't sound like a total donk here. A good example of this is that if there is one limper and I have AJs in the SB, I'm just completing. I don't want to raise this hand out of position against a limper who could truly hold anything - and is almost definitely calling my raise. I probably have the best hand with AJs, but at this point... who cares??? The pot is too small to even bother.
Another perfect example of this the hand A9o. In the first couple of levels, I wouldn't limp, call, or raise with this hand. It's pretty junk at a full table - because even if you have the biggest ace out there, you can't reallly truly be sure of it. I fold A9o easily in the first couple of levels, and don't even think twice about it - which is probably pretty standard. However, when it gets late into the SNG, to me, A9o becomes a big ace.
A lot of players neglect to realize that hand strengths differ IMENSELY as the tournament goes on. With the blinds constantly raising, and the chip stacks shifting from player to player as people get knocked out, it is crucial to understand that hand values go up with the less people there are at the table.
Sometimes it's okay to call a button's raise all in when you hold A9o in the BB......
Here, I'm going to give an example of a hand in which I would ask you how YOU would play it, and I'll give my answer at the bottom. Please keep in mind that I also believe that so called "reads" are pretty useless in the long run. I laugh when people say "how could you call me, all I showed down all game was AA and QQ" - I would get into detail about that, but maybe another time.
HAND - Blinds 100/200
Sam (UTG) - 1400
Frank (Button) - 3300
Bill (SB) - 1700
YOU (BB) - 7100 -- 75o
Sam folds and Frank raises to 600. Bill folds and it's on you. What do you do??
Personally, I'm raising all in. I am very aware that I have seven high, and that my hand can be EASILY folded without thinking twice about it - but I ask you to consider a couple of things.
What kind of hands is the button raising with?
I have found more and more, that button raises aren't that strong. I know personally that I don't need a very strong hand to raise from the button, so why should my opponents? Even the dumbest of opponents know that it's not a bad play to try to steal the blinds, especially if they are holding a hand like KJo or A8s. Why not raise? They think that they probably have the best hand, and they only have the blinds to deal with - raising seems like a good play, and it is.
However, what I tend to think about in these situations is: did my opponent really get dealt a monster hand on the button that he is able to call an all in with?
To me, if my opponent has AA here, it's pretty unlucky on my part. His raise sure looks like a steal to me.
The other factor I want to consider is that my opponent now has 2700 after he raises, which puts him just about double the other two stacks. I want to seperate myself from these opponents even moreso so that they are FULLY AWARE that I am going to win, and that they are playing for 3rd and 2nd. I want everyone to KNOW that if they raise my blinds, they just MIGHT be raised for all their chips and possibly a 4th place exit - and nobody likes that.
Another factor I want you to consider is that 75o is a pretty hand to resteal here with. If my opponent does have a big ace, I am only about a 2-1 dog. If I lose that 2-1 dog 'race', I will still have 3800 chips - a lot more than my other two shorter stacked opponents. I will also have the image of a wildman (which I love, because it allows me to steal pots because to my opponents, "this guy could have ANYTHING.") I also should mention that if I have A7o in the BB here... I am FOLDING.
If you understand the logic behind that, then you understand where I am coming from.
Now, if I suck out on his AK, (which I will 1/3rd of the time... w00t) - I have a dominating chip lead over my opponents.
If he folds, I put another 700 chips in my stack, plus I get to keep my BB... PLUS I now have that same wildman image... PLUS my blind will be very difficult to steal next time (which is why I get so many walks... why would you want to steal a guys blind who has shown you that he will come over the top?)
From that point on if he folds (which, by the way - he will the majority of the time) I will switch gears and start pretty much raising every single pot. Not even just raising, I mean raising all in. When my opponents both dwindle down to 1000 chips or so each, they both are aware of the other's stack. They both want ME to knock the other short stack out for them. This in turn, allows me to pick up so many free chips, while they continue to dwindle down.
Now let's say one of my opponents picks up a big hand and doubles up on me. I still have a lot of chips, and the process varies slightly. I pick who I am going to target, and I put pressure on them pretty much regardless of what my own cards are. I am rarely ever playing my own cards, but rather I am playing my stack size, their stack size compared to the other stack sizes - and my overall approach that I want to put so much pressure on them, that they are afraid to do anything but call.
A lot of times, this approach works - and I can cruise easily to a win. I am not the strongest heads up player, but it is pretty easy when I get to the HU match with an overwhelming chip advantage... even a monkey could win from there. And winning is just SO crucial to your ROI%, which makes this kind of system even more profitable in the long haul.
Of course, sometimes things will backfire. I will run into players who aren't afraid to call with hands other opponents would fold. Sometimes I will run into people raising with QQ and my 75o will look foolish after they double up through me. Sometimes, I will even blow up so badly that I finish 4th. It happens. That's poker. Who cares.
If the tone of this article sounded cocky, arrogant, confident or selfish - I'm glad. That's the attitude I have at the tables, and I truly believe it is a winning attitude. I am confident in the way I play poker, and even if it LOOKS like I am a donkey... I am still making money at this game, so I really don't care :)
Nobody should play just to cash. Play so aggressive down the stretch that your opponents will give you so many walks it'll make your head spin. Play with so much conviction that people are scared to raise your blinds. And play with the confidence in yourself that every decision you are making is the right one.
You won't be disappointed.
-gidders |
|
|
|
|
Articles 
