Discipline

‘Discipline’ is perhaps the most important key word in poker because we need to adhere to a strict approach in order to appreciate other magic words such as ‘position’ and ‘patience’ and so on. Unfortunately, we tend to find that we consciously let our guard down occasionally, as if allowing ourselves to ignore discipline’s golden rule is some kind of indulgent luxury we have earned, the reality being, of course, that luxury is such because it comes at a price.

Commonsense, I hear you say, but here’s how a typical cash game session might go. You’ve been playing at a short-handed NL €0.10/0.20 table for 45 minutes and now have a self-satisfied smile on your face. You might be talking to yourself and even sitting in your underwear, which is a genuine – and completely free – luxury afforded us by the anonymity of online poker that we all take advantage of from time to time (just remember not to disrobe when playing in a cafe). This is because you bought in with the €20 maximum and, thus far, have played rather well.

It’s not the WSOP final table but good play is good play regardless of the stakes, and you were rewarded for resisting the temptation to pay through the nose for expensive draws or to limp in with J7 suited when three players joined you in the BB, your 66 met with a dream T62 flop and an all-in showdown against AA increased your stack from €27 to €52. Now, this episode simply left you with €32 more than what you started with. That’s it. If you couldn’t play the piano or speak fluent Mandarin when you sat down, you still can’t 45 minutes later, but human nature being what it is, you now feel just that bit more superior, perhaps more aware of certain aspects of the game than your opponents (who, after all, have spent the best part of an hour unable to hold on to their money). You’re in a better mood; in your capable virtual hands a couple of sixes can beat aces; maybe it’s time to trade in your television for a new one…

Meanwhile, you’re dealt 59o in early position, which is a coincidence because it’s your dad’s 59th birthday today and your brother lives at number 59. You limp in because it’s only €0.20, and Mr AA – who has reloaded to €20 and is probably tilting – raises to €0.70. It’s folded round to you and, although you know you shouldn’t, you call with your 59 out of position – it’s not even €1 so will hardly make a dent in your profit. The flop comes Q52, which could have been worse, and you check. Mr AA bets €1.50 and you call his continuation bet. You check the turn – another 2 – and he thinks for a while before betting €3, which you call. The pot now stands at over €10 and you notice while the river brings a K that your stack has gone down to €47. You check, not liking the K, your opponent bets €6 and you decide to fold. Ho hum.

Around five minutes later the positions are reversed and Mr AA opens with a raise to €0.70, which he‘s done a few times since you made a bit of a mess with the 59 hand. It’s folded round to your Button and you decide to add a little flair to the proceedings and show him who’s boss, raising to €2 with Ac9s – not something you were doing earlier but you’re keen to let your skills continue to shine. Mr AA quickly calls and barely pauses after the 9d, 10d, 10h flop before checking. You bet €3, he raises to €10 and you fold.

Down to €42, as the session time approaches an hour you’re dealt K9s in the BB. It’s folded round to the SB who has €23 and has played only a couple of orbits. He raises to €0.70 and, instead of folding as you normally prefer you raise to €2, partly because this leaves you with exactly €40 and you like round numbers. He calls and then bets €2 on the Kxx flop. You raise to €8, he pushes all-in, you reluctantly call and he picks up the pot with AK. Quel surprise.

With €19 in front of you the television looks like being around a while longer. But on the bright side, you’ve just learnt a valuable lesson for only €1.

Good luck at the tables!

AngusD

Disguising the Strength or Weakness of a Hand

The disguise level of a hand

Many poker players are keenly aware of their outs and pot odds throughout the hand, but there is one factor that few are aware of – their disguise level.

The disguise level is a measure of how well hidden your hand is. The highest disguise level comes when

1) There are many cards which will concern your opponent if they come, but actually do not help your hand at all.

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2) The cards that do improve your hand will not concern your opponent Read more