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Gambling Thread

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by Songbird, Oct 18, 2013.

  1. RickStain

    RickStain Well-Known Member

    Even calling the 150 is bad. The problem is going to be exactly what happened: Sometimes, you catch a piece. And while it turned out great this time (and that's why people do it, the thrill of hands like this), there's going to be more times when you catch a piece and someone else catches more and you can't let it go. Sure, this time the guy had the overpair. Next time he has the set. Or your two pair gets counterfeited. Or he's smart and lays down. If someone keeps a careful accounting of *all* their hands, I guarantee you this sort of limp-call play is losing them more in the long run than they win. But the thrill of the times it wins stands out in our minds more, so we think it works for us. (you aren't Daniel Negreanu and this isn't TV).

    This is why poker is still profitable for a very small number of people. Because there's a lot more people who know the basics but either don't know what they don't know or let their emotions get in the way.

    Like I said though: If you're playing for fun, there's nothing wrong with playing a little suboptimally just for the thrill of hands like this.
     
  2. doctorquant

    doctorquant Well-Known Member

    There was the time I was standing at the table while one of my companions held the dice. Some loudmouth on the other end was betting the dark side and had two big, tall stacks of blue chips -- maybe $500, $1,000 in total -- out there. We were getting tired and he started popping off at my pal. She tossed the dice high, one landed right on top of his chip towers and blew it up ... and the table went wild when the dice showed her point. I have never enjoyed watched someone slink away as much as I did that guy.
     
  3. Buck

    Buck Well-Known Member

    I understand your points. I was only making two additional points:
    The real mistake is calling the $50 in the first place; however, once you've made that mistake, the $150 isn't as bad in a freezeout.
    The other guy's shove is the worst play in the story. He can call the $3,000 if he still thinks his 10s are good for some reason. Shoving creates risk with no potential for additional reward because he can't be called unless he's a loser.
     
  4. RickStain

    RickStain Well-Known Member

    Oh yeah, the other guy was terrible too and had no business being annoyed.
     
  5. 93Devil

    93Devil Well-Known Member

    Rick is right, you will go broke in the long run playing 2-3 suited or unsuited. The only way 2-3, or a handful or other shitty pockets should ever see the flop is if you are the big blind.

    How many people were at the table when you played this 2-3?
     
  6. bigpern23

    bigpern23 Well-Known Member

    I would love to play against someone who will call a flop when he is sure he is behind because the turn might land a card that makes the river "worth looking at." I'll lose to that guy once in a while. But not enough to offset all the cash I'm going to take off him while he's looking at river cards.
     
  7. spikechiquet

    spikechiquet Well-Known Member

    Paging Phil Helmuth. I would love to see his head explode reading that post!
     
  8. LongTimeListener

    LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

    10-man table, six in the hand. Like I said, only reason I played it is because there were so many callers. It was also tournament, which is also different from cash game in that there's a bigger incentive to put it to someone and not just count your own money. But anyway ...

    I don't always play a hand like 2-3. It just "felt right." And I know that puts me even farther afoul of RickStain. :)

    But I do stick around with suited connectors when I can.

    bigpern -- call me up when you have a game. I'm there.
     
  9. LongTimeListener

    LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

    It has always been a fantasy of mine to be on the WSOP re-broadcast for causing a Hellmuth rage.
     
  10. 93Devil

    93Devil Well-Known Member

    That was not good poker. That was dumb luck that helped you win that pot.

    There are 52 cards in the deck, and five were needed to save your ass. He was already winning and could have beaten you with eight other cards (two 10s, three 3s, three 6s).

    Good poker is checking pocket queens that you matched on the river when you are close to the Big Blind, then when someone tries to buy the pot after the flop with a heavy bet, you all in his ass.
     
  11. LongTimeListener

    LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

    Is this going to turn into a lecture about what to do with my money, Devil? I feel like it is. I know that's your thing.

    The pocket queens situation did not arise on that hand. I am not sure how that matters here.

    Anyway, you of all people should get behind this. As with quarterbacking, winning means you did it right, right?
     
  12. mjp1542

    mjp1542 Member

    Just popping in to say we would have done pretty well with our top picks this week. Iowa +18, Auburn +13 and Oregon State -10 came through nicely. Here's hoping Xan stayed away from Louisville.
     
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