"Limping is not an option for me. When I'm first to the pot, I always raise, no exceptions. There are many other great players who disagree with me, but this is the style I play." (Phil Gordon's Little Blue Book, p 147)I think it's a mistake not to vary your play in no-limit. Yes, aggression is key, but deception and unpredictability are also important. What does the shade of Thomas Covenant tell Linden Avery in Donaldson's fantasy series? "Do something they don't expect." That's my motto playing no-limit. Like any good player, I do more raising than limping (pre-flop) and more betting than checking (post-flop) when first to act. But I mix up my play more often than someone like Gordon does. I'm with Caro (and Covenant!) all the way here.
"If there's one single place where I disagree with published contemporary theory, it's in the area of betting aggressively when you're the first to act... If you think there's a yes or no answer, you're not living in the real poker universe where you often must vary decisions." (Caro's Most Profitable Hold 'Em Advice, p 89)
Friday, February 15, 2008
"Do Something They Don't Expect"
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2 comments:
I have a tendency to limp with any drawing hand pre-flop (JT, T9, 78, etc.). If I like the flop at all from early position (i.e. have a decent draw) I'll bet rather than check since I get a better sense of what I'm up against, and occasionally can win right there.
When it gets down to two-three players I'll ALWAYS raise pre-flop if I have a hand I like on the SB.
Paul, isn't that the opposite from what you should be doing with those hands? I don't mind limping with draws in middle/late position if the limp parade has already started in front of me, but everything else about your play seems wrong.
If you're heads-up from the SB, the upside to a drawing hand is pretty weak -- you specifically need to a) hit your hand, while b) having your opponent hit their hand (at least in the general case). Each of those two components is tough with that hand selection and that number of opponents. Additionally, when you ~kinda~ hit your hand, from the SB you're playing out of position, which is really difficult when you're hoping your draw completes on the turn-or-river. Ugh.
I'll cheerfully dump unsuited connectors (or one- or two-gappers) in raised pots (obeying the 5 and 10 rule -- clear fold if it's for more than 10% of the smallest stack involved in the hand, clear call if it's for less than 5% of the same, grey area for in-between) or if I'm not sure that I can rustle up at least 4 opponents.
I do have one Doyle-esque deviation, in that very specifically for suited connectors (no-gappers, 54s+), I'll put in the preflop raise if I'm first in. Folks generally put me on much different cards than I'm actually playing, and if I *do* hit my hand I can swindle them out of their entire pots by check-calling to fame and fortune.
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