B
baudib1
Legend
Silver Level
I was thinking of recording this somehow, a glossary of poker terms, as well as some live play etiquette. Now with the problem with playing online, I'm sure a lot of people are going to start playing more live games, and this may be vaguely useful or entertaining.
These are some terms used in my games, so obviously regional lingo plays into this. Feel free to add or comment!
Bets:
Yo bet: $11, from craps
Double yo: $22
Michael Jordan: $23
Speed limit: $55
All you can eat: all in ldo, per Menh the Master
Hundo, a Buck: $100
Pepperonis: Red chips, which are worth $5; i.e. "Three pepperonis" = $15
Check in the dark, check blind, smoke a check: Check by the player first to act before the next card(s) are turned over. Dubious strategic value, but a lot of people do it.
Straddles: A straddle is a blind bet UTG that is effectively a third blind; meaning, the straddler, who typically acts first UTG, will instead close the action preflop. Many clubs place limits on the amount of the straddle, maxing it at 3x or 5x the BB. Some places do not; I've seen people straddle all in many times. If UTG straddles, UTG+1 has the option to re-straddle.
A Sleeper is a straddle that occurs after UTG; if it folds to the "sleeper" position, the straddle is on. A "Mississippi" is a straddle allowed by some clubs that occurs on the button -- obviously a titanic advantage; in some places it gives an even greater advantage because the Mississippi starts and ends the action preflop; i.e., when the Button Mississippis, the SB must decide to act first.
Aside:
Because most discussions, books and theories online revolve around online strategies, and no sites (that I know of) allow straddles in cash games, there's a lot of gray area as to whether or not it is +EV to straddle.
I generally don't straddle unless the game is exceptionally weak-tight, although it does negate some of your preflop positional advantage as UTG. Straddles generate action, a lot of times really sick action. Straddles put pressure on tight players. People who straddle the max are generally action junkies who are loathe to surrender their straddles.
Straddles create all sorts of problems, especially with SPR. In live games, preflop raises are generally MUCH larger than online; i.e. a 2x or 3x raise is generally not treated with any respect; 5x to 10x raises preflop are totally standard (in all of my games).
Let's say there is a LAG player who straddles to $15 in a $1-$3 game. UTG calls, 2 others call. You have TT on the button with a $300(100 BB) stack. There is already $64 in the pot. Do you limp along here? If so, you're going to get a 7-way flop with TT a ton of the time. Or, if you limp, the straddler LAG is going to see a ton of money in the pot and pop it to $60 with ATC. Then what?
I remember being in this spot once with TT, raised it to $70, only to see the tightest old guy at the table call in the SB, then UTG, who had limped, reraised. I mean, I am pretty sure I'm beat here a ton of the time (limping vs. the straddle UTG with monsters is incredibly common, because you expect someone to try a light steal or the straddler himself to raise) but there was so much friggin' money in the pot I couldn't see folding.
The 2%-3% of the time that you wake up with a nut range in the straddle are awfully nice though, because no one gives you credit for a hand when you raise your straddle.
These are some terms used in my games, so obviously regional lingo plays into this. Feel free to add or comment!
Bets:
Yo bet: $11, from craps
Double yo: $22
Michael Jordan: $23
Speed limit: $55
All you can eat: all in ldo, per Menh the Master
Hundo, a Buck: $100
Pepperonis: Red chips, which are worth $5; i.e. "Three pepperonis" = $15
Check in the dark, check blind, smoke a check: Check by the player first to act before the next card(s) are turned over. Dubious strategic value, but a lot of people do it.
Straddles: A straddle is a blind bet UTG that is effectively a third blind; meaning, the straddler, who typically acts first UTG, will instead close the action preflop. Many clubs place limits on the amount of the straddle, maxing it at 3x or 5x the BB. Some places do not; I've seen people straddle all in many times. If UTG straddles, UTG+1 has the option to re-straddle.
A Sleeper is a straddle that occurs after UTG; if it folds to the "sleeper" position, the straddle is on. A "Mississippi" is a straddle allowed by some clubs that occurs on the button -- obviously a titanic advantage; in some places it gives an even greater advantage because the Mississippi starts and ends the action preflop; i.e., when the Button Mississippis, the SB must decide to act first.
Aside:
Because most discussions, books and theories online revolve around online strategies, and no sites (that I know of) allow straddles in cash games, there's a lot of gray area as to whether or not it is +EV to straddle.
I generally don't straddle unless the game is exceptionally weak-tight, although it does negate some of your preflop positional advantage as UTG. Straddles generate action, a lot of times really sick action. Straddles put pressure on tight players. People who straddle the max are generally action junkies who are loathe to surrender their straddles.
Straddles create all sorts of problems, especially with SPR. In live games, preflop raises are generally MUCH larger than online; i.e. a 2x or 3x raise is generally not treated with any respect; 5x to 10x raises preflop are totally standard (in all of my games).
Let's say there is a LAG player who straddles to $15 in a $1-$3 game. UTG calls, 2 others call. You have TT on the button with a $300(100 BB) stack. There is already $64 in the pot. Do you limp along here? If so, you're going to get a 7-way flop with TT a ton of the time. Or, if you limp, the straddler LAG is going to see a ton of money in the pot and pop it to $60 with ATC. Then what?
I remember being in this spot once with TT, raised it to $70, only to see the tightest old guy at the table call in the SB, then UTG, who had limped, reraised. I mean, I am pretty sure I'm beat here a ton of the time (limping vs. the straddle UTG with monsters is incredibly common, because you expect someone to try a light steal or the straddler himself to raise) but there was so much friggin' money in the pot I couldn't see folding.
The 2%-3% of the time that you wake up with a nut range in the straddle are awfully nice though, because no one gives you credit for a hand when you raise your straddle.
