When it Isn't All Wine and Roses

There are many things to consider when sizing up the opposition; in my last two columns, I merely touched the surface. Now that you are more aware of the things to be looking for when assessing your opponents and their play, did you know that both good and bad players can change their M.O. on a dime? That's right, and oftentimes changes in their play are not intentional. I am not suggesting that some alien being has come down and given them actions beyond their control. What I am suggesting is that as the game continues and time passes, players handle the swings and the stress of playing in many different ways.

How do you play when you first sit down in a game? You likely play your "A" game, well-disciplined and tight. As time goes on and you begin to get bored or tired, or perhaps your back is hurting or you have a headache, how is your game? Is it still in "A" mode? Likely not. What can you do? Well, if you have aches and pains, it is time to go – period. If you are bored, it is time to refocus and reel in the determination you had when you arrived. If you can't do that, it is time to go. But how do you play when you are winning … when you are losing … when you have just suffered a bad beat? Not only are those good questions to ask yourself and learn from, but you need to ask yourself those same questions about the players seated around you.

Let's say you are in a game but not involved in the hand, and see a player take a very bad beat. How will this affect his game? What would you expect him to do? Have you been watching for this valuable information before this? Suppose that, on the very next hand, he raised the pot when the action came to him. What do you think he has? Do you think his preflop raise means as much now as it would have meant before he took the bad beat? If you know how these swings affect your opponent, you can play accordingly. If you know that you are up against a player who is rock solid all the time and doesn't tilt, you can go on and play your normal game. But, suppose you know this guy now "has his nose open" and will raise with any two cards after getting a beat put on him. Perhaps you also know that he will tend to bluff off lots of chips in this spot and fold on the river when he doesn't make whatever hand he is drawing to. (This is typical behavior for a player on tilt, by the way.) So, how would you play against him if you were next to act? One school of thought is to totally play the player and not the cards, and try to isolate him with a reraise. You will get him in a pot all by yourself when you know that, in this instance, he routinely will bet his hand to the river, then check, and muck when you bet. I have seen this play time and time again. What amazes me is that few players at the low and middle limits pick up on this. When I see a guy who's totally on tilt bulldoze the next few pots without resistance, I know it is time to exploit his mental state and make him pay with his chips. Remember, poker is not a popularity contest.

Another thing to be aware of is a player winning a few hands in a row. He may be on a rush and feel invincible. A player on a rush is very dangerous, of course, but rushes do end. Many players do not realize it when they do, and continue to feel invincible even when the cards have changed and they no longer are making every draw and picking up premium cards every hand. Know when an opponent thinks he is on a rush, and more importantly, know before he does when it has ended, and play him accordingly. Class dismissed.

As always, e-mail me with your poker-related questions and comments. Also, please join me in October at the Oasis Open tournament in Mesquite, Nevada, at the Oasis Hotel and Casino. Ads and information will appear in upcoming issues.