Fast and Loose
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
I have to admit, I played a fast and loose game yesterday, constantly winning and losing chips. Most of the time, I stayed about even with my starting stack of 5000. But I was constantly betting and bluffing and re-raise bluffing. In one hand, I called a bet by Drizz preflop with 9To or some other crap cards. It may've been J2o. He was fairly shortstacked, as was I, but I had him covered by 1k or so. I was in the SB and he was in the BB. I decided to flat call, and he raised about 3x the blinds. I called with the intention of stealing later. The flop was inconsequential really. I think it was 8Q8. I checked, he made a continuation bet, and I reraised about half of my stack. He laid it down and I showed (I can't help myself).
Why, Jordan, why? Why take a chance like that in a tournament? Well, the fact that I was sending a blogger to the WSOP meant that no matter what I felt like a winner. Gay, I know, but I wouldn't even play a $33 event (except for the upcoming $30 DADI event for a WSOP Seat) if it weren't for the fact that I would be sending a blogger to the WSOP (thanks, by the way, Iggy).
The other thing is the game's format. With deep stacks, I am confident in my ability to mix it up. If I lose some chips, it's not a problem, because I am also confident in my skills as a shortstack. I joke that "I'm dangerous on a shortstack" but I mean it. It's not that I'm so great. I just feel like I have a knack for it. I don't get scared and tighten up too much. I don't get overly aggressive and stupid. I'm more patient and more focused and more ready to take any opportunities that arise.
The other thing about gambling it up is that it will get you action. There was one hand where I bluffed and/or showed down crap and/or bet preflop to take down a hand for the nth time in a row. The very next hand I was dealt AA. For this table, a preflop raise would win the hand, but when I bet, I got a player to call. Or maybe I called him. I don't recall really. The point is, when the Q high flop came out, I re-raised all-in and got a crying call from a player that should never have called my overbet. Why? Because I looked like a loose crazy fucktard. And for that, my friends, I am proud.
There are a lot of different ways to do well in this poker game. Tight IS right. I know this from the Rio SNGs over at Noble (check em out!). But in some games, you can take advantage of a loose image. You can set up players by controlling their perception of you.
Limping into a hand with Kd5d in early position is not an optimal play if you are playing tight or if you are trying to fold into the money. BUT it can be a very profitable play if you are willing to take a chance. The bottom line is that players don't expect you to be playing those hands, so when they hit, you will get paid off (especially if they think you are a bluffing, raising fool). The cost analysis might suggest that you fold preflop, but if someone were to raise in late position, I only lose 200 or so out of 11k. It's a drop in the bucket. If someone raises from the blinds, its different. I still have position AND I have a deceptive hand. GCox could never put me on Kd5d there. Okay, well maybe GCox could, because he knows me, but most players won't.
I guess that is my little diatribe on a differing style of play not really seen yesterday (with exceptions). I wish I could give more details, but it really comes down to feeling the table. I played with the lights out and the headphones in. No TV. Wifey Kim was asleep (what an angel; cute side story, she woke up in the middle of the night and asked how I was doing. It was after I lost and she was half-asleep anyway. This morning, as soon as she woke up, she asked me how I did. I guess thats what happens when you go to bed next to your manly, handsome husband playing poker with bloggers for a WSOP seat). I felt the table out, and I had a sort of sixth sense about most of my plays, raising with 2s3s from EP/MP, and junk like that.
One last thing: I had the most fun last night. Playing with bloggers is an absolute joy. Thanks everyone.
posted by Jordan @ 6:38 PM,
4 Comments:
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At 8:11 PM,
said...
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Jordan, do you know who the Champ is? He/she set the blog to not accept comments and I'm feeling the need to admit that, not only was I an ass, but a STUPID ass.
If it's still a secret, you can send me an e-mail address at cnoel26@aol.com -
At 9:47 PM,
said...
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I have to admit that I thought it was all fake at first, but after all the posts, the appearances in blogger tourneys, the 45 SnG challenge, etc. After that, I was in. 100% bought it.
I hope you can out the genius that created the Champ. What a beautiful thing. -
At 10:47 AM,
said...
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Excellent post. I have always been a big proponent of changing your style of play based on the play of your opponents, and you'll rarely find as different opponents when you play bloggers as opposed to the regular pile of internet monkeys.
If your mantra is "play tight at loose tables and loose at tight tables" then you'll find yourself playing tight at 99.9% of internet tourneys. -
At 3:48 PM,
said...
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I mistook you for Gary. That was my downfall. I have no idea why but in the 20 seconds I had to decide I mixed up my reads and made a bad choice.
Well done for being aggressive like that, you certainly got me off my game that I built for almost four hours.
