But I confess there was another reason I’ve been reluctant
to spend much time on the virtual felt.
I am currently going through my semi-annual bout of being extremely card
dead. And while playing poker is
naturally fun, winning is even more fun, and getting a constant stream of 3-8
offsuit hands is not fun.
OK, it’s not quite like that. It’s worse.
One Sit ‘n’ Go I never got a card higher than a ten in three straight
rounds, with my best hand a 10-7 offsuit.
One tournament had me with pocket rockets in the big blind, and everyone
folded…and next round, pocket kings…and everyone folded…and I never saw a pair
the rest of the tournament. Stuff like
that.
So, how does one pull oneself out of a funk like this? Back in the old days I’d wait for a decent
hand (or wait, and wait, and wait for a decent hand), and when I got it, I’d
bump it up 3x and depending on whether I had position or not, I’d make a play
for the pot. This wasn’t terribly successful,
as any player with a decent chip stack would hang around with squat just to see
the flop and try to steal my raise…which they often did. And if I was able to hit the flop with my
holdings, they’d never contribute to the pot, so the play was not a worthy one. I chalked it up to the nature of playing
small stakes poker: live with the
fishes, and get eaten like one.
And then it dawned on me – as long as I’m hanging around some
real donkeys, why not make a play like I’m one of them…or at least, it looks
like I am? And so began my practice of
picking a decent spot, and…yup, you guessed it – ALL IN!
The play works when everyone folds, of course, and fold
equity can help your through those periods when playable hands just aren’t
coming your way. And if you do get
called…unless they have a monster, you stand a 50-50 (or better) chance of pulling
ion the pot and lasting a bit longer. I’m
usually not a fan of coin flips, but if you restrict your hands to the top 10%
or 20%, you should be 60-40 or better.
I tried this three times earlier this week, and met with
success twice. First time out there were
three of us left in a 9-seat SnG, and I had already made the money but was well
in third, way behind the chip leader.
After three rounds of folding, I picked up K-10 suited and pushed, was
called by the second-place player who had a few more chips than I. Why he called with 3-5 is a mystery, but I
nailed him and he went out the very next hand, so while I didn’t win the
tournament, I did move up in cash.
The second time was similar, except I was a distant fourth,
one out of the money, and way behind after a series of meager hands. I had played exactly 2 of 26 hands, and
everyone else beat each other up, so I still had most of my starting stack
except for a few blinds. Pocket jacks
became mine on the button, and after the first player limped in, I pushed. Both blinds folded and the limper called me
with A-3. My jacks held up and he felt compelled
to push all-in himself his next hand while in the big blind (with pocket fours),
was called by the chip leader with A-K, and both Ace and King fell on the
board, and I made the money again (didn’t last much longer than that,
unfortunately).
The third time I pushed after being card dead was another
time I had made the money but languished in a distant third place thanks to a
string of puny pips. I found pocket Queens
on the button and pushed only to be called by the chip leader with 8-7 suited. Despite being a nearly 4-1 favorite, when the
flop came with an A-5-6 I knew my goose would soon be cooked. The turn brought the dreaded 9 for a straight
and I headed for the rail.
Still, I had to marvel at the quick turnaround this
seemingly silly play netted me. I’d
rather have some decent hands and make quality strategic moves, but failed
that, it’s ALL IN for me. For now,
anyway.
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