Getting Good Money In

It was the kind of game I like, lots of preflop callers and very little betting or raising, preflop or otherwise. The fact that there were lots of callers gave me the chance to play lots of volume hands preflop. They increased in value in this kind of game due to the low initial entry cost and the cheapness with which I would get to draw, thereby increasing the price the pot was laying me on hands of this type. By being able to play more hands correctly, I had increased the volume that I bet with the best of it, thereby increasing my hourly expectation in the game. The passive texture of the game also opened up opportunities to make other plays that would not be as profitable in a different texture of game.

My button came and I looked down to see two eighths. Five players had limped in before me. It is hard to win with unimproved medium wired pairs when many other players enter the pot, particularly passive callers who tend to call down to the river. As a general rule with medium wired pairs in volume pots or in loose-passive games, I try to get in cheaply and flop a set. This also lets in players behind me who may give me extra action if I happen to flop a set. But in this situation, with the texture of the game, my position, and the size of the pot, a better play was available.

These players were nervous and passive. They tended to be intimidated by preflop raises and check to the raiser. Also, both players in the blinds were the sort to call anything from the blinds. If I raised, the blinds were coming; I was unlikely to eliminate any volume that I might receive on my hand. Raising would achieve two major benefits for me: It would build a bigger pot that I might win, and it would increase the likelihood that my opponents would check to me on the flop and give me the option of taking a free card if I found the flop unfavorable.

Of course, the chance that it would make a difference in this hand was small. Even if everything worked out perfectly, the chance of my picking off an 8 on the turn was only 23-1. And chances were, the perfect scenario was unlikely to happen. But I was probably getting 7-1 on my raise, and was 7.5-1 to flop a set, so the expectation cost of raising the pot was minimal. And small increases in edges of winning large pots make for large differences. So, when the expectation cost is small, to increase your chances of winning in large pot situations, it is usually conceptually correct to make the play that increases the likelihood of your winning the pot.

I raised the pot, both blinds called, and we took the flop off eighthanded for two bets. The flop came 8-7-6 with two hearts and a club. It was great that I had flopped top set, although I would have much rather not had the flop be consecutive cards with a flush draw, as all live straight and flush draws would be getting the right price to chase. When your opponents are drawing correctly, you will lose expectation on your hand and do better over the course of time if they had folded. But as is the case in life, in poker you must make the best of the situation and cards you are dealt. Sure, you can try to manipulate the situations, but crystal balls are hard to come by.

My opponents all checked to me. Another cost of making the play of raising to increase the opportunity of receiving a free card is that if you do hit your hand solidly, your opponents are more likely to check to you, and your ability to protect your hand by shutting out other players or at least reduce their price to draw out on you is greatly diminished. This is another factor that you must weigh in determining which play to make.

I bet the flop and only one player folded. The turn card was the K, and it was checked to me once again. I bet, and one more player folded. I still had five opponents! I was trying to think of a good card to come when the dealer turned over the 9. Oh no, I said to myself, that sure wasn't my dream card. The player under the gun bet, two players called, and I tossed my cards into the muck, having lost $150 after flopping top set in a $30-$60 game, which is not much of a financial loss for losing with top set.

One of the problems loose-passive callers have is that when they make hands, they generally get less value out of them than aggressive players do. Aggressive players with good hand-reading skills can get away from situations cheaply and get more value when they are holding a winner. If you play a person heads up and gain an extra bet from him every time you hold the best hand and lose one less bet when he has the best hand, you hold a huge edge over him. The same concept is true against multiple opponents.

Analyzing when to make these types of plays involves being able to read your opponents correctly and predict what they will do. Being in tune with your opponents' emotions and thought processes has high value. That 9 made a difference in my win for the day, and it affected my hourly rate. But, I had gotten my money in correctly from start to finish, and knew better than to be results-oriented. Of course, it would have been nicer to take the chips.

Editor's note: Roy Cooke played winning professional poker for 16 years. He is a successful real estate broker/salesperson in Las Vegas – please see his ad on Page 123.