Death by Straight!

In the good old days, when I was winning consistently, I was able to collect chips in the first few hands from the tight players and spend the rest of the game pushing them around. Lately, since I’ve asked to be seated with stronger players, my success rate has plummeted. Ultimately, this is a good thing, as it will force me to become a better player. Right now, though, its terrible.

For the last three weeks, I’ve been part of about 6-7 free tournaments at local bars near my home. My starting hands and initial positions at the table have been such that I was unable to set an aggressive tone. Waiting out the bad cards and making bad calls that miss the flop, I’ve watched more aggressive players slowly erode my chip stack. When I was finally dealt a playable hand (say Ace-Queen suited), I’d bet big, only to discover that others would make a bigger hand by the river. After reviewing the notes from the games that I’ve lost recently, they all have one thing in common. My opponents made a straight to either drain me of most of my chips or put me out entirely.

Being the "sucker at the table" and eliminated early, I’ve had plenty of time for reflection. Pushing ego aside, I realized that I’m not that good at recognizing possible straights after the flop. Sure, the brain can discern the flush quickly because of the similar shapes and coloration. The straight is a different story, because the brain has to work harder to fill-in visual gaps with cards that aren’t there. If this weren't enough, I discovered that I am often too focused on the cards I have in my hand than the ones my opponent(s) might hold. I seem to always think my top pair or three-of-a-kind are good enough. Perhaps you remember what the old GI-Joe public service announcements used to say-Knowing is half the battle. If this is the case, with a little bit of training and concentration, I might be able to overcome my mental lapse and recognize possible straights when they are being used against me.

Today’s Take Home lessons:

1) Go beyond playing the cards in your hand. Always consider what your opponents might have.

2) It’s OK to slow down and think, when an opponent puts you to the test. Consider all the combinations and pair them up with your read of your opponent. You might win a few more big pots and stay a live longer as a result. Don’t worry, even the impatient players at the table will give you time to do this, especially if you’ve been making decisions quickly throughout the game.

3) Beware the straight. Learn how to recognize them quickly. Don’t make the mistakes I’ve made.

Some of you might think that these lessons are fundamentals-they are-but every now and then its good to go back and review them. Throughout these posts, I’ve been writing on the pros and cons of new techniques for so long that I’ve forgotten to play the cards correctly. This reflective post is a reminder for me, but I hope it can help you as well.

Cue the "Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey" soundtrack.

-JeD