Hey, poker playas!

Most of the time when players compare their hands or ask advice from other players. typically, they would say this is my hand, this was the position. this was the action. 

This is how we normally ask other players. 

But is this the right way to play? 

The actual hand

Years ago, in a cash game table. A player went on tilt and suddenly going no-look all-in pre-flop in every hand.

The player was getting lucky and was hitting it. suddenly he was winning and earning a great stack.

As we were watching, we saw a player silently folding his pocket queen. Another player called with pocket six. As the players showed their hands. Mr no-look had a king and hit it on the river and even hit a full-house.

Later on, as the game progress. The Mr no-look continued his style of playing and the one who folded queens called with pocket 3’s.

As both players revealed their hands. Mr. No-look revealed KJ.

Pocket 3’s held.

The other side of the story.

We ask the player why such move and this was his reply. 

When we talk about pre-flops. the game does become a toss coin game. Although, the odds might be in your favor. Those are just odds. If the same hand is being played ten times. I would not fold the queens. However, during the initial run. he was lucky. It was not the risk I was willing to take. However, when he started losing and the odds were catching up. The chance of the 3’s holding is actually higher. 

Did he play right?

A lot of people will argue that he did not play it right. And that only because the end results are known can the whole thing be justified.

This is the common way of thinking. The truth is that we can write other examples of other poker champions who have folded queens preflop. on the flop, on the turn, and on the river.

Like one champion folded queens preflop but would call with ace-3 off. Even Marc Rivera folding Pocket queens on the river during the PSPC. There are reasons to fold.

Even when you are ahead, there are reasons to fold.

The odds do help, knowing the book does help. But relying too much on the book can also lead you to disaster.

in reality, this actually leads to playing like a bot or playing with actual intelligence.

It is comparatively like real life, there are factors that would affect a person whether directly on indirectly that can affect the whole game.

Risk versus rewards

Here are some poker examples on risk versus reward.

• In Marc Rivera’s case, the pay jump was too high. there was a player who was left with less than 2 big blinds. The difference between 5th place and 6th place was 300,000 USD. 

• In some instances in cash games. you are risking more than 500 PHP to earn 300 PHP due to the rake. 

Conclusion

We do promote people to study, we are not advocating not studying. but we are pushing to study even further.

Like in live games people do have tells and learning to read them does give you an edge. On learning how to read a player’s game style.

If you want to be a champion. Do not limit yourself.

Stay safe poker playas!