Avoid Common Betting Mistakes at the WSOP

During the 2012-2013 season, I have travelled to most of the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Circuit venues to do analysis on the main event final table live stream.

Fortunately, I was able to play some ring events at a few stops, including the Horseshoe Casino in Council Bluffs, Iowa; Harrah’s in Tunica Mississippi, and Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, Connecticut. During these tournaments, I have played against some talented players who played some great poker. However, I also have witnessed some common betting mistakes by novice players.

As many of you prepare for the 2013 WSOP summer bracelet events, I want to highlight some classic and easily avoidable errors that I often see on tour. Many of you play in home games or local charities tournaments with fairly lax rules, but remember the WSOP plays under Tournament Directors Association (TDA) rules and will strictly abide by them. Here are some of the most common mistakes I see:

Oversized Chip Betting:

TDA Rule 38:  

Anytime when facing a bet or blind, placing a single oversized chip in the pot is a call if a raise isn’t first verbally declared. To raise with an oversized chip, raise must be declared before the chip hits the table surface. If raise is declared (but no amount), the raise is the maximum allowable for that chip. When not facing a bet, placing an oversized chip in the pot without declaration is a bet of the maximum for the chip.

However, how many times during your local tournament does someone throw out a single chip that is supposed to represent the entire amount? Despite the contrary based on TDA rules, I’m sure that many local games still consider this bet a raise.

For example:

The big blind is 400 and you throw out a 1,000 chip, meaning for it to be a 1,000 chip bet. At the WSOP, if you do not say anything, it will be considered a call.

If you constantly make this mistake, here are two solutions:

Announce the raise amount. Verbal declarations are binding so there will be no controversy.

If you do not want to talk (some people remain completely silent in order not to give off any tells), then throw out the desired chip plus another minimum chip. For example, if you want to raise to 1,000, throw out 1,025 (1,000 chip plus a 25 chip). Please note that you must throw these two chips into the pot at the same time. You cannot do it in two motions or it will be considered a string raise.

Being helpful can backfire:

Sometimes, I have noticed a player trying to make a call without having the exact change. Thus, the player places a certain combination of chips in, trying to make it easier for the dealer to make change. However, he or she sometimes puts out an additional amount, which is more than half of the raise. Since the player did not put out a single chip, this bet ends up becoming an accidental raise.

For example:

With blinds 150-300, an earlier player raises to 750. Wanting to call (but does not say anything), another player pushes out 1,050 in chips since he or she does not have exact change. However, since this is not one chip and the additional amount (in this case 300) is more than half the original raise (in this case 450), this bet is considered a raise. The player would have to bet the minimum raise, which would be 1,200.

Possible solutions:

Once again, just announce call and the chips will be irrelevant.

If you don’t want to say anything, initially put out a single chip. Then, as the dealer is making change, you can put out additional chips to make it easier for the dealer.
Double motion leads to mistake.

Some players like to emulate certain moves seen on television. One such move is announcing a raise, initially sliding out the call amount and finally pushing forward the raise amount. I never understood this move, which can lead to problems. I believe that the player should decide the amount of the raise before acting. Additionally, a mistake could be made which would jeopardize the desired raise amount. If the player puts out too much in the initial action when he or she is trying to initially call, the raise will stand. Thus, the player will not be able to raise the amount that he or she intended.

For example:

With blinds 200-400, the initial raiser makes it 1,100. After thinking for a while, the next player decides to raise. After announcing a raise, he wants to slide out an initial 1,100 first before putting out his raise. However, the player accidentally pushes forward 1,500. Since the additional amount (400) is more than half of the initial raise (700), the player would have to bet the minimum raise, which would be 1,800.

Possible solutions:

Once again, just announce call and the chips will be irrelevant.

If you don’t want to say anything, just put out the entire amount of your raise so there is no confusion.

Is that my ante?

Many people who are avid ESPN poker fans remember “ante-gate” between Prahlad Friedman and Jeffrey Lisandro during the 2006 WSOP main event. As many players just throw out their ante, the chip or chips often land near another player. Since there is no designated spot for an ante, there is sometimes confusion over whose ante is ready.

How many times have you seen two players swear that an ante is theirs? Additionally, the dealer sometimes scoops up the antes before everyone puts one up. Then, the dealer realizes that one of the players did not put an ante out and everyone swears that they did. In my column in the late March 2012 Card Player, I wrote that this lazy mistake was one of my pet peeves at the table.

My solution:

After putting out your ante, place your finger on your chip(s) until everyone has also put up their ante (or at least your side of the table has all placed their antes in front of them). This way you can be certain that no one claims your ante as his or her own.

Not recognizing a shortstacked blind:

Often in a tournament, when you are in late position and the action is folded around to you, you will raise with a wide range of hands. Hopefully, the blinds will just fold their hands, allowing you to pick up the blinds and antes uncontested.

However, if the blinds, especially the big blind, is short stacked, he or she may call with a marginal hand, forcing you to call with a pitiful hand. Ultimately, you are putting your stack in jeopardy, especially if you have a slightly below average stack.
For example:

With blinds 1,000-2,000, you are sitting on the button with 38,000 (19 big blinds). After looking down at a measly 8 2, you decide to utilize your late position by raising to 5,500. After the small blind folds, the big blind insta-shoves for only 11,500. Although you are not holding a solid hand, you reluctantly make the call and your opponent flips over K J. After the board runs clean, you are now left with only 26,500, or about 12 big blinds. Since you did not realize that the big blind was so shortstacked, you put about 30 percent of your stack in jeopardy. After this hand, you have suddenly become the shortstack at the table.
My solution:

Before making an obligatory raise from late position, always check the blinds to see if they have enough chips to fold to your raise. If they don’t, you should consider folding a weak hand.

I hope that you will try to avoid these common mistakes this summer. If you do, I promise that you will enjoy your WSOP experience more and hopefully 2013 will be truly memorable.

Good luck this summer and I hope to see you at a final table. ♠

Bernard Lee is the lead commentator for WSOP Circuit live stream, poker columnist ESPN.com, author of “The Final Table, Volume I and II” and radio host of “The Bernard Lee Poker Show,” which can be found on RoundersRadio.com or via podcast on iTunes. Lee is also a team member of RunGoodGear.com. Follow Bernard Lee on Twitter: @BernardLeePoker or visit him at www.BernardLeePoker.com.