A Book, a Decision, and Little Drops of Blood

Hi. Come on in. I have a couple of pounds of those little smoked link sausages, done in a sharp barbecue sauce. Spear them with these toothpicks and munch away while we explore the dark corners of your poker mind.

Are you keeping "a book" on your opponents? My students all know there is no substitute for knowledge of your opponents. Everything you learn about poker should be based on that idea. I've talked with you before about this, and will most likely do so again. There is a lesson about it in my seven-card stud book. What brought this to mind today was what I read in T.J. Cloutier's book Championship No-Limit & Pot-Limit Hold'em. T.J. has an interesting slant:

"During an eight-hour session, 30 to 40 key hands will be played. (The emphasis is mine.) You should be able to remember these hands. Keep a little book on all the players, what they did in these key hands … because they're going to do the same thing the next time you play them. And you're going to be the recipient of their generosity, of their playing patterns."

Keep in mind the fact that poker is a game of people. If you want their money, you'll have to learn as much about them as you possibly can, so you'll know how to play against them. Learning to play poker – strategy, rules, and such – is relatively simple. What's more difficult is getting inside your opponent's mind. (There's no substitute for knowledge of your opponents.)

Something else to talk about: A decision-making problem for many low- and medium-limit stud players is reaching fifth street with no improvement of their one big pair. Whether they continue playing in this situation at these limits is determined mostly by two major factors: overcards, and live cards. Don't automatically play, or automatically fold, as many players do in this situation. Think first. You can carefully consider staying if there are no more than two players remaining in contention for the pot. With three or more active players, the chances of your big pair holding up diminish.

If it appears that your opponent has made two pair while you still have only one big pair, you can keep playing if your pair is higher than his biggest pair and your cards are live.

Let's say you started with a pair of kings and your third-street raise was called by an obvious pair of queens. Neither of you improved on fourth street. Now, on fifth street, the queens have added a pair of nines. Since your kings are higher than either of his two pair, play on if your cards are live. But if the queens now have a pair of aces to go with them, you are done with it, live cards or not, because one of his pairs is bigger than your pair.

There are times to chase and there are times to run. The primary determining factors are overcards, and live cards.

And more to talk about: Those of you who are more than a few years past the age of consent might remember Red Smith, the great New York sportswriter. He once said of the art and craft of writing, "It's really very easy. You just put a piece of blank paper into your typewriter, and then you concentrate. You concentrate until little drops of blood appear on your forehead."

Now, let's see if I can tie that in with poker somehow. Well – poker takes concentration, but not the concentration of the "little drops of blood" variety. Concentration isn't an act of staring hard at something. It isn't trying to concentrate; it should be effortless and relaxed. Concentration is the focusing of conscious energy. Concentration is fastening the mind upon an object or subject.

Do yourself a favor and go over those last few lines several times. That kind of mental posture will serve you well at the poker table. You'll be alert without having to strain. And, you will pick up useful information at the conscious and subconscious levels.

As I tell my students, decisions at the poker table should be based on information. If you don't have information, you are guessing – which means you are purely gambling.

Sorry, I ran out of toothpicks. But smoked links are better eaten with fingers, anyway. Grab a handful and kill the light on your way out.

Editor's note: Roy West, author of the bestseller 7 Card Stud, the Complete Course in Winning (available from Card Player), continues to give his successful poker lessons in Las Vegas to both tourists and locals. Ladies are welcome. Call 1-800-548-6177 Ext. 03.