Try Not To Blow Up

G

Gregstocke

Enthusiast
Silver Level
Joined
Apr 11, 2015
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Have you ever raised really big pre-flop on something like an A-10, then, when you missed the flop, you decided betting the pot against those who called was the way to go, then, when they called, instead of losing half your stack after a dead turn, you decided to press the issue all out, going all-in on sqwadoosh? So, they call, you hit a dead river, someone turns over a winning hand, and you can just feel them shaking their heads at you. So, you weren't doing too bad. You played some decent poker there for awhile. But, you blew up. For whatever reason of pressure, maybe you were disconcerted by finding out the leader in the tourney had 5 times as many chips as you. Maybe the blinds were starting to look ominous. Maybe an aggressive player had targeted, and liked to re-raise you 3 or 4 times your bet, every time you stuck your head out to seek a flop. Well, chip counts mid-tourney are not always indicative of who will win. Many times the tourney leader will end up losing, not finishing in first place. A small run of cards can double or triple you up in no time. The trick is to use the pressure to your advantage. Let them come to you. Why waste the stack on bluffing now? Sure, the blinds are moving up and your trailing half the field, but there's alot of people still who are feeling the pressure. It's pressure that causes people to make mistakes. And, if you're being molested by an aggressive overbetter, your only real option is to tighten to a hand you can accept the reraise, and be willing to be stolen from, if you strike out. Because, they usually have something. They may not have the hand they're advertising, but they're betting on you either striking out or doubt your hand if you hit small. You can catch this kind going to the mats with small pocket pairs! But, you do have to catch them. They will not be fooled off their hand. Bluffing is what them tiggers do best, and if they get the whiff of weakness in you, they will not back down. They've seen it a thousand times. Guy wants to advance his stack. Makes a huge opening raise, Makes a continuation bet like he's all that. Ends up going in on nothing. Singularly unimpressed with your betting too fearlessly, they wonder, if you're making no attempt to extract value, but are betting like you want to chase people away from the pot, how big a hand can a fish like you really have? You're acting like you don't want them to call. They know they'd want to collect on having you trapped. It gets twisted. But, I think you get the point. Try not to blow up!
 
motorcity1957

motorcity1957

Rock Star
Silver Level
Joined
Sep 26, 2007
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Poker Quote and Tip for the week!

“The cardinal sin in poker, worse than playing dead cards, worse even than figuring your odds incorrectly, is becoming emotionally involved.”

Katy Lederer- American Poet
 
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