Doctor's Visit
“So Eric, what seems to be on your mind
lately?”
“Well, Doc, I just can’t seem to get any of my big hands to hold up. I just got back from Atlantic City and you wouldn’t believe some of the beats I took. My aces lost a huge pot to sixes and my kings got cracked by ace-ten. I’m getting tired of these donkeys always getting their money in bad against me and getting there. I played great poker for two full days and had to book an early fl ight home.”
“Ah, I see.”
“That’s all I get?!? An ‘I see’? Doc, this was a World Poker Tour event with over $1 million for fi rst place. I should have been at that fi nal table. I got my money in good over and over again and was punished for it. How am I ever supposed to win if my aces don’t hold??”
“Well, see, that’s your problem. You’re always getting your money in good. The guy who cracked your kings with A-10? He called to cancel his appointment with me yesterday. The guy with the sixes hasn’t seen me in months and…”
I cut him off. “But Doc, this is poker for big money. I’m supposed to be trying to get my money in good!”
“Hold on and listen for a second and hear me out. You only play good hands and everyone else knows it. You need to mix things up; win with garbage sometimes and keep people guessing. It’s great for my pocketbook that I get to see you in here once a month, but it would be even better for business if you could start playing 2-5 off-suit more and sending new people my way when you crack their big hands.”
“I’m not sure I understand, Doc. You’re saying I need to play bad cards sometimes just so I can send you more business?!?”
“Well, that’s part of it. The other part is if you start playing bad cards, people will never see it coming. As long as you don’t get tons of money in pre-fl op, the other guy with aces will never see it coming when you have 2-5 off-suit and the fl op is 2-5-8. You’ll win a huge pot and I’ll have a new client it’s a win-win.”
“Okay, I think I get it. You want me to add some variety to my game by playing some unconventional hands cheaply and hoping to spike something concealed and win a nice pot from a guy who will never see it coming. You want me to get myself into situations where I can be the one who hits the huge draw-out and not always be the one getting drawn out on.”
“Yes, now you’re starting to get it. Just remember though, you want to speculate cheaply. Post-flop then, you’re looking to steal away the pots no one else wants or hit a big, concealed hand and win a nice pot from someone unsuspecting, not unlike yourself, who thinks his hand is good. Don’t start going all crazy on me and getting all your money in pre-flop with 2-5 off though, hoping to get lucky. As it is you can barely afford my bill, and if you start doing that it will be bad for business.”
“Got it, Doc. So take some cheap flops with marginal hands. Win the pots no one else wants post-flop when I miss, and when I hit something big, punish the big hands that will never suspect it. Don’t get too much money in pre-flop though or I won’t be buying you your next BMW with the money I pay you in future sessions.”
“You’re getting it. Our time is almost up. As always you can pay your bill up front. Remember, don’t get too crazy on me or I’ll have to call the dealership and have them cancel my order.”
I feel a renewed sense of confidence as I leave Dr. Rivers’ office. I know that poker is still about getting your money in as a favorite, but it’s also often about doing what your opponents least expect and keeping them on their toes. I’d gotten away from this in recent events, and vow to look for more situations to mix it up and play poker, and not just play my cards.
